Apply for a protected species licence

You may need to apply for a licence from Natural Resources Wales if you’re doing work that affects a protected species in Wales. A licence will be needed if your work would otherwise cause an offence. This could include:

• killing, injuring, taking, or disturbing  protected species
• damaging their habitats

Depending on which species is affected, we may be able to issue licences for certain types of work. However, in most cases you should try to avoid causing the harm in the first place.

When you apply for a licence you may need to show that the work is necessary and that there is no alternative way to do the work without harming the protected species.

You may need a licence to release some species into the wild , or to possess or sell some species, or anything derived from them.

Apply for a protected species licence

Apply for the following protected species licence:

• Adder, Grass Snake, Slow Worm and Common Lizard
• Badgers
• Bats
• Beavers
• Deer
• Dormice
• European protected plants
• Fish
• Frogs, Toads and Newts
• Great Crested Newts
• Invertebrates
• Marine European Protected Species
• Natterjack Toads
• Otters
• Pine Marten, Polecat, Shrews and Stoats
• Red and Grey Squirrels
• Sand Lizards
• Seals
• Small Mammals
• UK protected plants
• Water Voles
• Whales, Dolphins, Turtles and Porpoises

Who can apply for a species licence?

You must usually be at least 18 years old to apply for a species licence. If you are under 18 but need to apply, contact the species permitting team for advice.

Contact us

You can contact us for help at any time during your licence application.