Natural England

• Legal status
• Advice & leaflets - resolving badger problems
• How to apply for a licence
• Review of badger licensing in England

Legal status

Badgers and their setts are protected under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, which makes it illegal to kill, injure or take badgers or to interfere with a badger sett. Interference with a sett includes blocking tunnels or damaging the sett in any way. Please note the consequential ammendments to the above legislation as a result of the Hunting Act 2004.

There is, however, provision within the legislation to allow action to be taken under a licence if the problem cannot be resolved by alternative means, see Advice & leaflets below.

The Natural England Wildlife Management and Licensing Service administers licence applications for the following purposes, please click on the specific link for each purpose if you would like to download an application form:

• development of land [238 kB], to interfere with a badger sett;
• preventing serious damage to land, crops, poultry or any other form of property, to kill or take badgers, or to interfere with a badger sett;
• any agricultural or forestry operation , to interfere with a badger sett;
• any operation (whether by virtue of the Land Drainage Act 1991 or otherwise) to maintain or improve any existing watercourse or drainage works , or to construct new works required for the drainage of any land, including works for the purpose of defence against sea water or tidal water, to interfere with a badger sett.
• scientific, educational or conservation , to kill or take badgers, to sell or possess badgers or to interfere with a badger sett
• Zoological collections , to possession or sell badgers
• ringing/marking of badgers , to take badgers
• the preservation or archaeological investigation of a scheduled monument , to interfere with a badger sett
• investigating offences , to interfere with a badger sett

It should be noted that licences to kill or take badgers are only issued in exceptional circumstances. The majority of problems posed by badgers can be resolved non-lethally, normally by the partial or complete closure of the sett of the badger(s) causing the problem. Sett closures require a licence.

Advice & leaflets - resolving problems involving badgers

Problems can often be resolved without recourse to a licence. Advisory leaflets are available which describe some of the approaches available. There are also a number of answers to frequently asked questions [398 kB] regarding badger issues which you may find useful.

If you require additional guidance Contact us. We will either assist you directly or put you in touch with your local Wildlife Management Adviser. Advisers can offer more specific guidance to you over the telephone.

How to apply for a licence

If you wish to apply for a licence you will need to complete a form, all badger application forms can be downloaded from this website, in most cases they should be posted to the address on the form. Please note that we are currently updating our forms to allow electronic submission. In urgent cases, applications may be accepted by facsimile. If you are unable to download a form they can be obtained directly from the Wildlife Management and Licensing Service. There is no charge for this licence or for advice.

Following receipt of your completed application, a Wildlife Management Adviser may contact you to discuss the case or arrange a visit to the site where the problem is occurring. The adviser will assess the situation and provide guidance on the remedial options available where applicable.

We aim to process damage, agriculture, forestry or drainage related licence applications in 30 working days from date of receipt and science, education, conservation and investigation offence cases in 15 working days.

Review of badger licensing in England

In 2003 Defra launched a public consultation excercise to review licensing procedures in England under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. The responses received during the excercise were published - see Review of Badger Licensing Procedures for England - Summary of responses [173 kB]