Natural England

Licences and advice are provided free of charge except where stated.

Hard copies of the documents are available from the relevant issuing office (which is stated on each form).

Some of the application forms can be filled on ONLINE. Most licences are issued with a report form, which must be filled in and returned once the licensed action has been completed, where a separate report is required they can be downloaded from the table below.

If you have any problems determining which form you need to complete, please contact us.

Applications for Licences under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992

Badgers

Form	Ref No.	Follow up form
Badgers in relation to development (e.g. housing developments, pipelines, new fences). See guidance on Badgers and Development IN7.5 [166 kB]. Note: the online application for badger development licences is no longer valid. Please use form WML-A24 which can be completed electronically and e-mailed.	WML-A24 [202 kB]	Report
Badgers in relation to damage, agriculture, forestry, drainage and preventing the spread of disease (e.g. badger setts in fields requiring cultivation or forests to be felled or thinned). Note: This form can be completed on screen, saved to your computer and emailed to us.	WML-A01
Badger for the purpose of preservation or archaeological investigation of a scheduled monument	WML-A26	Report
Badger for science, education and conservation, ringing or marking (e.g. trapping and marking badgers as part of a research project) Reference guidance	WML-A25 Reference Template	Report/ Disturbance Report WML-LR25

Applications for Licences under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994

European protected species (includes all bats, great crested newts) Species list

Form	Ref No.	Follow up form
European protected species (except bats, dormice and newts) for all activities other than research, education and conservation. Species List. Please note this form is now in 4 separate sections, all need to be completed.	WML-A12-1 basic details [277 kB] WML-A12-2 method statement [119 kB] WML-A12-3 reasoned statement [104 kB] WML-A12-4 LPA [208 kB]	Report
European protected species guidance note	WML-G12 [155 kB]
European protected animals (general) for science, education or conservation - see Protected animals below. Please note there is a separate form for bats below
Bat species in respect of development (e.g.barn conversions with maternity bat roosts). Please note this form is now in 4 separate sections, all need to be completed.	WML-A13-1 Bat application form [302 kB] WML-A13-2 method statement [118 kB] WML-A13-3 reasoned statement [104 kB] WML-A13-4 LPA [229 kB]	Report
Bats for science, education or conservation (e.g. research project on bat roost location) Reference guidance	WML-A34 Reference template	Report [120 kB]
Great Crested Newt in respect of development (e.g. office development near to ponds containing great crested newts). Please note this form is now in 4 separate sections, all need to be completed. Method Statements for great crested newt mitigation licences should now be produced using the Excel form WML-A14-2. We welcome comments to help us improve the template (email wildlifeprojectmanagement@naturalengland.org.uk with "Newt template feedback" in the subject). Please note that guidance pages on completion of the template are included within the form.	WML-A14-1 GCN application form [273 kB] WML-A14-2 method statement [548 kB] WML-A14-3 reasoned statement [104 kB] WML-A14-4 LPA [230 kB] WML-G04 - Handy hints for obtaining a great crested newt development licence WML-G05 - Experience in great crested newt mitigation: guidance for ecologists	Report
Dormice - Application for a licence in respect of dormice affected by development or public health and safety, damage or disease. Please note this form is now in 4 separate sections, all need to be completed.	WML-A35-1 Dormouse application form [273 kB] WML-A35-2 method statement [117 kB] WML-A35-3 reasoned statement [104 kB] WML-A35-4 LPA [229 kB]
European protected species possession application	WML-A37 [258 kB]
European protected species sale application form (all species)	WML-A38 [235 kB]

Applications for Licences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) 1994

Protected animals (other than birds) for science, education or conservation

Form	Ref No.	Follow up form
Wild animals on Schedule 5 WCA 1981 Species List or Schedule 2 Habitats Regs. 1994 Species List in relation to science, education or conservation Reference guidance	WML-A29 / ONLINE Reference template	Report/ ONLINE
Wild animals on Schedule 6 WCA 1981 Species List [241 kB] or Schedule 3 Habitats Regs.1994 Species List in relation to science, education or conservation Reference guidance	WML-A30 Reference Template	Report
Bats for science, education or conservation (e.g. research project on bat roost location) Reference guidance	WML-A34 Reference Template	Report [120 kB]

Protected plants for science, education or conservation

Form	Ref No.	Follow up form
Plant - any on Schedule 8 of WCA 1981 Species List or Schedule 4 of Habitats Regs.1994 Species List Reference guidance	WML-A31 Reference Template	Report

Applications for licences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

Protected birds - Schedule 1

Form	Ref No.	Follow up form
Schedule 1 bird - disturbance for public health and safety Species List [235 kB] (e.g. bird nesting on electricity pylon)	WML-A08
Schedule 1 bird - disturbance in respect of science, research or conservation Species List [235 kB] Reference guidance	WML-A27 / ONLINE Reference Template	Report/ ONLINE
Schedule 1 bird - disturbance for photography Species List [235 kB] Reference guidance	WML-A28 [190 kB]/ ONLINE Reference Template	Report/ ONLINE

Other birds - without special protection

Form	Ref No.	Follow up form
General birds - birds or their eggs in relation to damage to crops, to preserve public health or safety, to preserve air safety including prohibited methods (mist netting, carbon dioxide or stupefying). A renewal form in the follow up form column can be completed electronically and e-mailed. Only for use by customers who have previously held a licence for this purpose.	WML-A08	Report [246 kB]
General birds - birds or their eggs in relation to science, education, research or conservation	WML-A33	WML-LR33
Falconry & Aviculture	WML-A41	WML-LR41

Fish-eating birds - damage to inland fisheries

Form	Ref No.	Follow up form
Cormorants, herons, goosanders and mergansers in relation to preventing serious damage to fisheries - new applications	WML-A06 [105 kB]
Cormorants only - Renewal and report form in relation to damage to fisheries. Can be completed electronically and e-mailed, only for use by customers who have previously held a license for this purpose. New applications should use the form above	WML-LR06 [265 kB]

Fish-eating mammals - damage to inland fisheries

Form	Ref No.	Follow up form
Fish eating mammals in relation to preventing serious damage to fisheries	WML-A06 [105 kB]

Mammals - damage, public health and safety

Form	Ref No.	Follow up form
General mammals - in relation to damage, public health and safety	WML-A05

Sale and exhibition

Form	Ref No.	Follow up form
Schedule 5 protected species - to sell animals or Schedule 8 plants - Species list	WML-A18 [128 kB]
European protected species sale - all species	WML-A38 [235 kB]
Captive birds - to sell birds not fitted with the correct close ring (excluding diurnal birds of prey)	WML-A20 [123 kB]
Black Headed Gull - to sell eggs	WML-A22 [118 kB]
Black Headed Gull - to take and sell eggs	WML-A23 [1.2 MB]
Exhibition of birds - birds not fitted with the correct close ring for competitive purposes	WML-A21 [103 kB]

Release of non-native species

Form	Ref No.	Follow up form
Release of non native species and those listed under Schedule 9 - Species List	WML-A03

Applications for licences under the Conservation of Seals Act

Seals

Form	Ref No.	Follow up form
Seals	WML-A17

Applications for licences under the Deer Act 1991 (as amended)

Deer

Form	Ref No.	Follow up form
Deer - for science, education and for relocation Reference guidance	WML-A32 [186 kB] Reference Template	Report
Deer - for shooting deer during the close season or at night for certain, specified purposes. Further information on licensing under the Deer Act 1991 (as amended)	WML-A16 [246 kB]

Destructive Imported Animals Act 1932

Keeping non-indigenous mammals - (mink, coypu, or grey squirrels)

Form	Ref No.	Follow up form
Mink, grey squirrel and coypu - to keep for exhibition, science and education (e.g.in wildlife collection to open to the public) NB there is a charge for the coypu licences	WML-A04

Weeds Act 1959 - Investigation of complaints regarding injurious weeds

Injurious weeds

Form	Ref No.	Follow up form
Complaint form	WEED2
Enforcing the Weeds Act guidance on complaints	WEED2a

Pests Act 1954 and Agriculture Act 1949 - complaints regarding damage

Rabbits

Form	Ref No.	Follow up form
Rabbits - complaint form	WML-A02
Obligations under the Pests Act 1954 and Agriculture Act 1949	WML-GO2 [105 kB]

Note:
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