Wildlife and Countryside Act Licences
Certain actions are illegal under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 unless you have a licence. This page provides information about the different licences available.
The licenses relate mainly to the control of pest bird species, and the ownership, displaying, sale of certain birds. The most commonly used ones are available here to download and are valid throughout Wales.
If you are unable to download and print the licences paper copies of the licences can be obtained from the Welsh Assembly Government by contacting:
01/01/10
This licence allows authorised persons to kill or take certain birds, damage or destroy their nests or eggs. This must be to prevent the spread of disease and serious damage to livestock, food for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber, fisheries or inland waters only.
01/01/10
This licence is needed to kill, damage or take certain birds, their nests or their eggs for conservation purposes.
01/01/10
This licence lets authorised people have an unregistered disabled wild-bred Schedule 4 bird in their possession or under their control for rehabilitation.
01/01/10
This licence authorises laboratories to retain blood and tissue samples taken from birds, suspected, or shown to have been taken, or killed in contravention to Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
01/01/10
This licence permits the incubation of chicks of a captive bred bird for seven days without registration under Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
01/01/10
This licence is required to sell live birds which are listed on Council Regulation (EC) No. 338/97 where an Article 10 certificate has previously been obtained.
01/01/10
This licence allows veterinary practitioners and surgeons to keep certain wild birds to provide medical treatment.
01/01/10
This licence is necessary to be able to kill certain birds by the use of a semi-automatic weapon. This is for preserving public health or public air safety.
01/01/10
This licence allows certain birds to be kept in show cages for training purposes.
01/01/10
This licence permits the sale of a certain captive bred Mealy Redpoll (a native species of bird).
01/01/10
This licence is required to kill, destroy or take certain birds, their nests or eggs to preserve air safety.
01/01/10
This licence is needed to sell certain gulls eggs for human consumption.
01/01/10
This licence is vital to be able to sell dead birds or by-products of the bird.
01/01/10
This licence permits the sale of certain captive bred native species of birds.
01/01/10
This licence lets the licensee take Mallard duck eggs for incubation before 31st March.
01/01/10
This licence is necessary to sell certain dead wild birds and their by-products between 1st March and 31st August.
01/01/10
This licence is essential for selling certain species of live captive bred wildfowl bird or egg.
01/01/10
This licence is required to kill certain birds with the aid of artificial light, sighting devices, mirrors or other dazzling devices to preserve public safety, health and air safety, prevention of spread of disease and serious damage to crops.
01/01/10
This licence is needed to kill, damage or take certain birds, their nests or eggs to preserve public health, public safety and air safety.
01/01/10
This licence is required to remove and destroy abandoned eggs from nest boxes before the next breeding season.
01/01/10
This licence permits the exhibition for competitive purposes of captive bred Mealy Redpoll.
01/01/10
This licence is needed to release wild-bred barn owls following rehabilitation.
01/01/10
This licence allows certain birds to be kept for rehabilitation by Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Reserve Wardens, Regional Officers and Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) Inspectors only.
01/01/10
This licence permits the competitive showing of certain captive bred live wild birds that do not require rings.
01/01/10
This licence allows the keeping of birds in certain cage traps for pest control purposes to conserve wild birds or prevent serious damage to livestock and crops.
01/01/10
This licence permits the competitive showing of certain captive bred live wild birds requiring rings.
01/01/10
This licence is needed to sell certain species of wild amphibian.