General licences
Summary of licences
General – a set of standardised licences. You do not need to apply for, but must ensure you abide by their conditions.
Class – mid-way between General Licences and Individual Licences. You do not need to apply for these (some exceptions) but you do need to register and report them.
2013 Licences list: (59kb)
Individual – tailored licences which you do need to apply for and which are judged on a case by case basis.
On this page:
- What are General Licences and how do you use them?
- What activities do they cover?
- General licences valid 1 January 2013 - 31 December 2013
- Public consultation
- General Licences outside England
What are General Licences and how do you use them?
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. General Licences reduce bureaucracy by allowing people to carry out activities that affect protected species. You do not need to apply for a General Licence.
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 January 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.
If there is no General Licence or Class Licence relevant to your situation, you will need to apply for an Individual Licence.
What activities do they cover?
- Management of species causing conflict with conservation or human interests
- Keep, trap and release licences for rehabilitation or research
- Investigation of offences
- Sale and exhibition
- Possession of European Protected Species
General Licences valid from 1 January 2013
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 must read the latest version of any licence you intend to use before you use it for the first time each calendar year. There are no substantive changes to conditions of existing General Licences in 2013. WML-GL24 has been replaced by Class Licence WML-CL22, there is a QA: (121kb) available.
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 Licences | Who can use this? |
| To kill or take certain birds to prevent serious damage or disease WML-GL04: (166kb) (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 public health or public safety WML-GL05: (165kb) (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) |
| Conserving flora & fauna | |
| General Licences | Who can use this? |
| To kill or take certain birds to conserve flora & fauna WML-GL06: (166kb) (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 WML-GL12: (145kb) (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 WML-GL21: (173kb) | Authorised 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 Licences | Who can use this? |
|---|---|
| To keep certain wild birds for the purposes of rehabilitation WML-GL07: (116kb) (Schedule 4 birds) | Authorised persons (e.g. RSPCA, RSPB) |
| To keep certain birds for the purposes of providing veterinary treatment WML-GL08: (112kb) (Schedule 4 birds) | Veterinary surgeons and veterinary practitioners |
| To take eggs of Anas Platyrhynchos (Mallard Duck) WML-GL13: (103kb) (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 WML-GL22: (124kb) (Capercaillie, Barn Owl). Note this licence permits release both of rehabilitated birds and those trapped under Natural England licence e.g. for scientific purposes | Anyone (see licence conditions) |
| For the trapping and marking of shrews WML-GL01: (114kb) (Trapping for scientific or educational purposes) | Persons with appropriate trapping experience |
| New release non-native bees in glass houses licence WML-CL22: (144kb) |
Investigation of offences
These licenses allow authorised people to hold material that would otherwise be illegal while offences are investigated.
| General Licences | Who can use this? |
|---|---|
| To keep certain birds, pending legal proceedings WML-GL09 (Schedule 4 birds): (111kb) | Authorised organisations (e.g. Police) & those acting on their behalf |
| To retain blood and other tissue sample WML-GL10 (wild birds & wild animals): (105kb) | 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 Licences | Who can use this? |
|---|---|
| To permit the incubation of eggs and rearing of chicks of Schedule 4 birds WML-GL11: (106kb) (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 WML-GL14: (206kb) (For ringed and unringed birds) | Anyone (see licence conditions) |
| To permit the sale and exhibition of captive bred Mealy Redpoll WML-GL15: (142kb) (Note: these birds do not take standard rings) | Anyone (see licence conditions) |
| To allow the keeping of certain birds in show cages for training purposes WML-GL16: (96kb) (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 - WML-GL17: (158kb) | Anyone (see licence conditions) |
| To sell captive bred live wild birds - WML-GL18: (165kb) | Anyone (see licence conditions) |
| To sell certain species of amphibian WML-GL19: (107kb) (Common frog, common toad, smooth newt, palmate newt) | Anyone (see licence conditions) |
| To sell certain dead animals WML-GL20: (108kb) (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) WML-GL23: (143kb) | Retailers and restaurants |
Possession of European Protected Species
These licenses allow legal possession of dead specimens for educational, scientific or disease purposes.
| General Licences | Who can use this? |
|---|---|
| For possession of dead specimens by members of the Guild of Taxidermists WML-GL02: (110kb)
Annex IV species list: (148kb) | Members of the Guild of Taxidermists |
| For people submitting bats to the VLA for Rabies testing WML-GL03: (110kb) | Anyone (see conditions) |
Public Consultation
Natural England last conducted a public consultation on its General Licences in 2009.
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
Natural Resources Wales - General Licences - Birds
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.
