Meta description: MCD hawkers licence guide for 2026: understand COV eligibility, survey registration, documents, fees, renewal, penalties and appeal rights in Delhi.

Selling without the right Delhi street-vending document can end with eviction, seizure of goods and storage charges. If a Certificate of Vending holder refuses a lawful relocation after notice, section 18(5) of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 permits a daily penalty of up to ₹250. The first problem, however, is more basic: an MCD hawkers licence is not one simple, universal licence.

MCD’s official portal shows separate routes for legacy hawking-permit renewal, tehbazari renewal and the Street Vendors Act process. A street vendor normally needs to understand the Certificate of Vending, or COV, issued through the Town Vending Committee system. This guide explains the distinction, the operative Delhi rules as of 28 August 2026, and the records you should keep.

Which “MCD hawkers licence” do you actually need?

“Hawker”, “street vendor”, “squatter”, “rehri-patri vendor” and “tehbazari holder” are often used as if they mean the same thing. The legal routes are not interchangeable.

The official MCD citizen portal currently presents separate information for:

Do not select a route merely because its label sounds familiar. Start with the document you already hold. Read its title, issuing authority, category, site, validity and certificate number. A one-year hawking permit is not automatically a COV, and a survey acknowledgement is not permission to occupy a site.

For a new or surveyed street vendor, the central legal document is generally the Certificate of Vending. Section 6 of the 2014 Act permits stationary, mobile and locally specified categories. Delhi also recognises weekly bazaar, temporary, festival, fair and night-bazaar vendors.

A person operating from a fixed pucca shop is different. Paragraph 6.2 of the Government of NCT of Delhi Street Vendors Scheme, 2016 says a vendor selling from a fixed immovable structure is treated as a shop and does not receive the street-vendor policy benefit. That business must assess municipal trade, Shops and Establishments, food, fire and other approvals separately.

What law controls MCD hawkers licences in 2026?

The central framework is the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, in force since 3 June 2014. Sections 3 to 11 govern surveys, COVs, fees, renewal, cancellation and appeals; sections 12 to 19 cover duties, relocation, eviction and seizure.

Delhi’s procedure is set by the Delhi Street Vendors Rules, 2016 and Delhi Street Vendors Scheme, 2016. The scheme explains surveys, evidence, registration, allocation, fees, renewal, conditions, cancellation, relocation and confiscation.

There is a current-change warning. In August 2026, Delhi’s Urban Development Department page showed invitations for suggestions on proposed amended Rules and a proposed amended Scheme. A proposal is not the same as a notified amendment. Until a final instrument is published in the Delhi Gazette and comes into force, do not replace the operative 2016 process with a clause copied from a draft. Check the official Delhi Urban Development notifications page before filing or renewing.

MCD also published election notices for new Town Vending Committees in June and July 2026. The activity did not, by itself, create an open application window for every unsurveyed person.

Who is eligible for a Certificate of Vending in Delhi?

Section 4(1) of the 2014 Act sets 14 years as the minimum age for a COV. The Delhi scheme adds local eligibility and verification requirements.

The operative 2016 scheme says the applicant should:

  1. Be an Indian citizen and meet the statutory minimum age.
  2. Be a registered voter in the National Capital Territory of Delhi. If the vendor is below 18, at least one parent must be a Delhi voter.
  3. Not already have another street-vendor registration or COV in the family through another Delhi local body. For this test, family means the vendor, spouse and dependent children.
  4. Show genuine street-vending activity through available evidence.
  5. Provide correct information and participate in the TVC survey or notified process.

Examples of past-vending proof include festival receipts, tokens, challans, fee receipts, court orders, and certificates from registered resident-welfare or market associations. No single paper guarantees approval.

Two distinctions save a lot of grief:

Section 3 of the central Act requires a survey at least once every five years; Delhi’s scheme contemplated digitised photo-biometric and GIS surveys every three years. Rely on the current TVC notice for the actual window.

Which documents should you prepare?

The exact portal checklist may change by service and TVC notice. Build one evidence file before you start:

Keep originals ready for verification, but upload only through the official portal or present them to an authorised survey team. Do not surrender an original document to an unofficial “agent”.

The 2016 scheme says a survey application should receive an acknowledgement with a computer-generated unique ID and barcode. It also allows the applicant to seek correction of errors in the completed registration form within seven days. Check the spelling of the name, vending category, ward, site and mobile number immediately; a wrong location can later become an allocation or enforcement problem.

How do you apply or renew on the MCD portal?

Use MCD’s official street-vendor and tehbazari portal. Avoid lookalike payment pages.

For a current application or renewal:

  1. Identify the service. Match Hawking Renew, Tehbazari Renew or Street Vendor to your document.
  2. Check the TVC notice. Confirm that your ward is in the relevant survey, claim or application process.
  3. Register by mobile OTP. Use an Aadhaar-linked number where available.
  4. Match the existing record. Enter the name, ID, ward, category and site exactly.
  5. Upload evidence and pay the official demand. Save the submission, challan and receipt.
  6. Check the issued document. Verify its category, site, conditions and validity.

For surveyed applicants, the Delhi scheme says the local body should publish registration information within 30 days. Claims or objections may be filed within 15 days of publication, and the TVC should decide them within 30 days after receipt. It says COVs should be issued within three months after survey completion, subject to the scheme, available sites and holding capacity.

Those timelines do not authorise occupation of an unallotted spot. Escalate delay with the acknowledgement and TVC details.

What are the MCD street-vending fees and renewal dates?

The 2016 Delhi scheme fixed the survey registration application form at ₹100. It then created monthly vending fees based on vendor type and the property-tax category of the area. The published table runs from Category A to H and separates static, mobile, temporary and peripatetic or weekly-market vendors.

The TVC sets the applicable area category, and approved fees can change. Pay the demand generated against your certificate.

The operative scheme also states:

For a COV, the 2016 scheme says renewal should be sought at least three months before expiry and generally provides three-year renewal periods. Read the expiry printed on your actual certificate because the published scheme contains legacy forms and internal wording that is not perfectly consistent.

For the separate legacy Hawking Renew service, MCD says the permit expires on 31 March and the last annual fee increases by 20% every three years, with stated exceptions. Do not transplant those terms onto a COV demand.

Which conditions can trigger a fine, seizure or cancellation?

A COV is permission subject to conditions, not ownership of public land. Section 29 of the central Act says it does not create temporary, permanent or perpetual ownership rights over the vending place.

The Delhi scheme requires a vendor to:

The scheme describes 6 feet by 4 feet for static, mobile, temporary and night-bazaar vendors, and 4 feet by 4 feet for peripatetic vendors. Your COV and vending-zone plan control the actual site.

Unauthorised site changes, unpaid dues, excess space, misrepresentation, fraud and breach of COV terms can start suspension or cancellation proceedings. Paragraph 5.1 requires a preliminary inquiry and an opportunity to be heard. For a minor violation, the TVC may impose a fine up to ₹2,000 or issue a warning instead of cancellation.

For relocation of a COV holder, section 18(3) of the central Act requires 30 days’ notice before physical relocation or eviction from the certificate-specified place. Failure to vacate after that period can attract up to ₹250 per day under section 18(5). If goods are seized, section 19 requires an itemised list. The central Act requires perishable goods to be released on the day of a valid claim and non-perishable goods within two working days, after the prescribed fee. Keep the seizure memo; do not accept an unitemised verbal removal.

How do you challenge rejection, suspension or cancellation?

Section 11 of the 2014 Act gives a right of appeal from a TVC decision about issue, cancellation or suspension of a COV. Rule 10 of the Delhi Street Vendors Rules, 2016 requires a signed written appeal to the appellate authority constituted by the local authority within 30 days of communication of the order.

Attach the original or certified copy of the challenged order. Serve a copy on the TVC first and keep proof of service. The appellate authority may accept a delayed appeal when sufficient cause prevented timely filing. Rule 11 says the authority should decide the appeal within 180 days of receipt.

Preserve the application, barcode acknowledgement, COV, demands, receipts, notices, seizure memo, photographs, reply, written TVC decision and proof of appeal service. WhatsApp messages from an intermediary are not an appeal record.

What other licences can a Delhi hawker need?

A COV controls the right to conduct street vending at the stated place, time and category. It does not replace every product or safety law.

A food vendor must separately assess the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Motorised vehicles, weighing instruments, LPG, waste, packaged goods and restricted products can create other obligations.

Build one register with the obligation, authority, certificate number, site, validity, payment evidence and renewal trigger. Add change triggers for moving ward, changing vending category or goods, adding food preparation or using a vehicle.

Frequently asked questions

Is an MCD hawkers licence the same as a Certificate of Vending?

Not always. MCD’s portal separately lists legacy Hawking Renew, Tehbazari Renew and Street Vendor services. A COV is issued under section 4 of the Street Vendors Act through the TVC process. Check the exact title on your document.

Can a new street vendor apply online at any time?

Do not assume so. COV issue is connected to the TVC survey, notified process, vending-zone plan and holding capacity. The portal allows registration access, but a submission outside the applicable process does not itself create a vending right.

What is the minimum age for a Delhi Certificate of Vending?

Section 4(1) of the Street Vendors Act, 2014 sets the minimum age at 14 years. The Delhi scheme requires a parent to be a Delhi voter when the vendor is below 18.

Does a survey receipt allow me to occupy the site?

No. The Delhi scheme’s acknowledgement format says survey participation does not guarantee a COV or a right to vend at a place. Registration and site allocation are separate decisions.

When should a COV be renewed?

The operative 2016 Delhi scheme says to apply at least three months before the certificate expires. Use the expiry date printed on your COV. Do not confuse it with the separate MCD Hawking Renew service, whose portal states a 31 March expiry.

How much is the late-payment charge?

The 2016 scheme states 1% of the monthly vending fee per day for delayed monthly payment. More than six months of continuous non-payment can start cancellation proceedings after a show-cause notice. Check the current official demand before paying.

Can I appeal if the TVC rejects or cancels my COV?

Yes. Rule 10 of the Delhi Rules provides a 30-day appeal window from communication of the TVC order. Attach the order and proof that a copy of the appeal was served on the TVC.

Put your MCD hawkers licence on one compliance timeline

The safest 2026 process is precise: identify whether you hold a legacy hawking permit, tehbazari record or COV; follow the correct MCD or TVC workflow; keep the barcode acknowledgement; pay only the official demand; and track the certificate conditions and appeal deadlines.

An MCD hawkers licence is only one layer. Food, vehicle, weights, waste and tax rules can still apply. Check your compliance posture free at complianceradar.in to see the obligations that match your activity, location and business profile on one timeline.