Collection

Bat licences

Bat licences for mitigation, surveys, research, possession and sale.

• From: Natural England and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Published: 6 October 2014
• Last updated: 19 December 2025 — See all updates

Bats and their resting or breeding places are protected.

You may be able to get a licence to do an activity that would otherwise be illegal.

Find out more about bats – how they’re protected, surveys and licences.

Bat mitigation licences

• Bats: apply for a mitigation licence (A13)
  • 19 December 2025
  • Form
• Bats: mitigation class licence to allow low impact work on bat roosts (CL21)
  • 14 May 2024
  • Guidance
• Protected species licences: when to include a reasoned statement with your application
  • 25 July 2025
  • Form
• Protected species licences: references for applications
  • 10 October 2023
  • Guidance
• Bats: complete a declaration for a mitigation licence application (A13)
  • 19 December 2025
  • Guidance

Bat survey licences

• Bats: survey or research level 1 licence (CL17)
  • 12 March 2026
  • Statutory guidance
• Bats: survey or research level 2 licence (CL18)
  • 12 March 2026
  • Statutory guidance
• Bats: survey or research level 3 licence (CL19)
  • 12 March 2026
  • Statutory guidance
• Bats: survey or research level 4 licence (CL20)
  • 12 March 2026
  • Statutory guidance
• Bats: survey class licence for volunteer bat roost visitors (level 1) (CL15)
  • 1 January 2026
  • Statutory guidance
• Bats: survey class licence for volunteer bat roost visitors (level 2) (CL16)
  • 1 January 2026
  • Statutory guidance

Bat possession and sale licences

• European protected species: apply for a licence to possess them (A37 and LR37)
  • 8 March 2022
  • Form
• Protected animals: licence for taxidermists to own dead animals (GL02)
  • 1 January 2026
  • Statutory guidance
• Licence to sell animal specimens taken before October 1981 (CL07)
  • 1 January 2026
  • Statutory guidance
• Bats: licence to take and possess live bats for rabies testing (GL25)
  • 1 January 2026
  • Statutory guidance
• Bats: licence to transport and possess dead bats for rabies testing (GL03)
  • 1 January 2026
  • Statutory guidance
• Licence to sell protected plants and animals (A38 and LR38)
  • 1 March 2022
  • Form

Bat research project licences

• Bats: licence to disturb or take bats for science or conservation (A34, Class-A34 and LR34)
  • 1 April 2025
  • Form

Published 6 October 2014

Last updated 19 December 2025 + show all updates

1. 19 December 2025

   Added a link to a new page: 'Bats: complete a declaration for a mitigation licence application (A13)'

2. 6 October 2014

   First published.