Natural England - General licences

General licences

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What are General Licences and how do you use them?

General Licences reduce bureaucracy by allowing people to carry out activities that affect protected species without the need to apply for a personal licence. General Licences are only used for activities that carry a low risk for the conservation or welfare of the protected species and where a personal licence would be routinely issued.

If there is no General Licence relevant to your situation, you will need to apply for a personal licence; full details are available on our licences webpage.

If you plan to act under the authority of a General Licence, you must:

  • be satisfied that you are eligible to do so (eligibility is licence-specific and in most cases there is a condition preventing use of the licences by persons who are convicted of wildlife crimes after 01 Januray 2010)

  • act within the provisions of the relevant General Licence and therefore the law. This means that it is your responsibility to read the conditions of the licence to ensure that your situation is covered, and to comply with these conditions. However, you do not need to carry a paper copy of the relevant General Licence.

Some General Licences require annual reporting of actions carried out, the required forms can be downloaded below.

What activities can you carry out under General Licence and for which species?

General Licences are issued for a range of activities, including the sale, exhibition and possession of protected species, the investigation of crimes, the rehabilitation of injured animals and the control of certain species that are, at times, in conflict with people's interests (e.g. air safety, damage to crops and the conservation of other species). All licences and examples of when they may be used are listed below.

Many General Licences include a full list of the species for which the activities can be carried out. Some licences permit activities only in relation to certain groups of birds listed on Schedules associated with the legislation. For up to date information on the law including contents of these schedules, please go to www.statutelaw.gov.uk and search for ‘Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981’. For General Licences under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended) - (GL02, GL03, GL04) a list of Annex IV species pdf document Habitats Directive is available.

Current licences (valid from January 1st 2010)

Please note that most General Licences are valid from 1 January until 31 December each year. When licences are renewed on 1 January changes may be made to the terms and conditions or to the accompanying advice. You are therefore advised to read the latest version of any licence you intend to use before you use it for the first time each calendar year. Copies of 2009 General Licences are available from the Wildlife Licensing Unit on request.

Management of species causing conflict with conservation or human interests

These licences allow species to be managed in certain specific circumstances where there is clear evidence that they are causing problems and non lethal methods have failed.

Prevention of damage or disease
General LicencesWho can use this?
To kill or take certain birds to prevent serious damage or disease GL05 pdf document (Species list and methods that can be used are included in the licence, example situation – serious crop damage by woodpigeon, non lethal methods have failed)Authorised persons (e.g. landowners/occupiers)
To kill or take certain birds to preserve air safety GL06 pdf document (Species list and methods that can be used are included in the licence – used for reduction of the risk of air strike)
Annual reports must be completed on GLR06 word document		Aerodrome managers or those authorised by them
To kill or take certain birds to preserve public health or public safety GL07 pdf document (Species list and methods that can be used are included in the licence, example situation – feral pigeon fouling causing public health risk, non lethal methods have failed)Authorised persons (e.g. landowners/ occupiers)
To take edible dormice (Glis glis) by trapping to preserve public health or public safety and/or to prevent serious damage GL27 pdf document (Example situation - edible dormouse causing fire risk through damage to electric cables in a loft)Registered persons
To take and release certain birds trapped in food production premises GL35 pdf document (Species list included in the licence, example situation – Blackbird inside a supermarket presenting a fouling risk to foodstuffs) NB. Licence revised 11/01/2010
Annual reports must be completed on GLR35 word document		Owners and managers of food premises & those authorised by them
Conserving flora & fauna
General LicencesWho can use this?
To kill or take certain birds to conserve flora & fauna GL08 pdf document (Species list and methods that can be used are included in the licence, example situation – to prevent significant adverse impacts on native species e.g. Lapwing by non-native species e.g. Canada Geese)Authorised persons (e.g. landowners/ occupiers)
To take birds' eggs GL14 pdf document (Removal of unsuccessful eggs from nest boxes at the end of the season to conserve birds)Authorised persons (e.g. landowners/ occupiers)
To kill, or take Ruddy Ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis), their nests or eggs GL29 pdf documentAuthorised persons (e.g. landowners/ occupiers)

Keep, trap and release licences for rehabilitation or research

These licences allow a range of activities in relation to rehabilitation or research. Including keeping without registration of Schedule 4 birds that are injured so they can be tended prior to release.

General LicencesWho can use this?
To keep certain wild birds for the purposes of rehabilitation GL09 pdf document (Schedule 4 birds)Authorised persons (e.g. RSPCA, RSPB)
To keep certain birds for the purposes of providing veterinary treatment GL10 pdf document (Schedule 4 birds)Veterinary surgeons and veterinary practitioners
To take eggs of Anas Platyrhynchos (Mallard Duck) GL15 pdf document (For incubation of eggs and release of birds that would not survive adverse weather)Authorised persons (e.g. landowners/ occupiers)
To release native bird species listed on Schedule 9 GL30 pdf document (White-tailed Eagle, Capercaillie, Barn Owl). Note this licence permits release both of rehabilitated birds and those trapped under Natural England licence e.g. for scientific purposesAnyone (see licence conditions)
For the trapping and marking of shrews GL01 pdf document (Trapping for scientific or educational purposes)Persons with appropriate trapping experience
For the release non-native bees in glass houses GL37 pdf documentCommercial growers (see licence conditions)

Investigation of offences

These licenses allow authorised people to hold material that would otherwise be illegal while offences are investigated.

General LicencesWho can use this?
To keep certain birds, pending legal proceedings GL11 pdf document (Schedule 4 birds)Authorised organisations (e.g. Police) & those acting on their behalf
To retain blood and other tissue sample GL12 pdf document (wild birds & wild animals)Laboratories and scientific institutions

Sale and exhibition

These licences allow the legal holding of protected animals, birds and eggs for a variety of reasons.

General LicencesWho can use this?
To permit the incubation of eggs and rearing of chicks of Schedule 4 birds GL13 pdf document (As birds cannot be ringed when very young this licence permits the keeping of unringed Schedule 4 bird chicks for 15 days after hatching.)Anyone (see licence conditions)
To permit the competitive showing of certain captive bred live wild birds GL16 pdf document (For ringed and unringed birds - note two previous licences (GL17) have been merged.)Anyone (see licence conditions)
To permit the sale and exhibition of captive bred Mealy Redpoll GL18 pdf document (Note: these birds do not take standard rings) NB. Licence revised 08/01/2010, a definition removedAnyone (see licence conditions)
To allow the keeping of certain birds in show cages for training purposes GL19 pdf document (Allows cages of dimensions smaller than detailed in the legislation to be used in specific circumstances for short periods)Anyone (see licence conditions)
To sell dead birds - GL22 pdf document (Note: two licences issued in previous years have been merged)Anyone (see licence conditions)
To sell captive bred live wild birds - GL24 pdf document (Note: three licences issued in previous years have been merged)Anyone (see licence conditions)
To sell certain species of amphibian GL26 pdf document (Common frog, common toad, smooth newt, palmate newt)Anyone (see licence conditions)
To sell certain dead animals GL28 pdf document (red squirrel & pine marten)Anyone (see licence conditions)
To sell black-headed gull eggs for human consumption (where legally taken under a Natural England licence) – GL36 pdf documentRetailers and restaurants

Possession of European Protected Species

These licenses allow legal possession of dead specimens for educational, scientific or disease purposes.

General LicencesWho can use this?

For possession of dead specimens for museums, research and educational establishments GL02 pdf document
Annex IV species list pdf document

Museums & educational establishments
For possession of dead specimens by members of the Guild of Taxidermists GL03 pdf document
Annex IV species list pdf document		Members of the Guild of Taxidermists
For people submitting bats to the VLA for Rabies testing GL04 pdf documentAnyone (see conditions)

Public Consultation

Natural England recently conducted a public consultation on the changes to General Licences. Please view the consultation summary.

General Licences Outside England

Natural England does not have control over the licences issued by the devolved administrations elsewhere in the UK. However please see the following web links for information:

The Scottish Government - General Licences

Welsh Assembly Government - General Licences

Countryside Council for Wales - General Licences

Northern Ireland Environment Agency - General Licences

Please note that General Licences issued elsewhere may differ in the conditions applied, as with Natural England’s licences it is essential that you read any licence before you carry out any action under it.

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