When you need a licence

You need a licence from Natural England or Defra if you plan to disturb or remove wildlife, or damage habitats.

You’ll need a licence if your work is to:

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• prevent damage to agriculture, livestock, fisheries, property or archaeology

• protect public health and safety, such as demolishing an unsafe derelict building that hosts a bat roost

• maintain or develop land, for example converting farmland or a brownfield site to housing

• prevent disease among species

• keep or release species not native to England

• sell, own, exhibit or transport protected species

• survey for the presence of wildlife on your land for science or educational research or for conservation work

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More information can be found on the government's website here.