Apply for a licence

To apply for a licence you need to: 

• Read about the standards and conditions that you have to meet before you can open any business involving animals. You can find these in the Animal Welfare Regulations legislation and the relevant DEFRA guidance below.
• Complete and return the relevant application form.
• Pay your licence fee by card by calling us on 01226 773743. You can pay using a Visa, Visa Debit, MasterCard or Maestro card.

DEFRA guidance

• Catteries
• Dog breeding
• Dog day care
• Home boarding
• Hiring out horses
• Keeping or training animals for exhibition
• Kennels
• Pet shops
• Procedural guidance for local authorities

Licence application forms

• Dog breeding application form
• Home boarder / dog day care / kennels / catteries application form 
• Hire of horses application form 
• Keeping or training animals for exhibition application form
• Pet shop application form 

Renewals

DEFRA requires us to notify you three months before the expiry of your licence. It also requires you to apply to renew your licence 10 weeks prior to its expiry.

Star ratings

Since 1 October 2018 businesses have been given a star rating on inspection. This indicates whether they meet the minimum or higher standard under the legislation and DEFRA guidance. The guidance details under each section the requirements that could achieve a higher standard.  

As part of this process we'll assess whether your business is higher or lower risk. We'll do this by completing the DEFRA risk assessment matrix. This will determine whether your licence is renewed on a one, two or thee year basis. The intention is that businesses operating to the highest standards will save money on fees.

Fees

The fees below apply to new licences or renewals dated on or after 1 April 2024.

Current licence holders

We maintain a list of premises which are licenced under the Animal Welfare (Licencing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. This list is updated twice a year. 

Public facing businesses should always display a copy of their current licence. Those trading from home should be able to provide a copy of their licence on request. Licences will display the current star rating for those premises. Premises are rated one to five stars, with highest standard being five.

If you think someone is trading without a licence please contact us online.