UK Act of Parliament 1981 United Kingdom

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended)

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At a glance

What's here

59 compliance obligations, 16 practical guides across 2 topics · 9 journeys · 1 statutory instrument

Penalty landscape

16 of 59 obligations carry up to 2 years imprisonment. 25 carry different penalties and 18 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Any Person 37
  • Occupier 4
  • Director or Officer 1

Plus 17 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.

Step-by-step journeys using this legislation

Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.

Relevant guidance

Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.

Direct — cites this Act

11 guides

Supporting — topic alignment

4 guides

Mentioned in related content

1 guides
View all 16 guides →

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Any Person also bound by 749 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Occupiers also bound by 101 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Directors and Officers also bound by 224 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Part I — Wildlife

s.008

Protection of captive birds.

6 months imprisonment
  • Confine birds in undersized cages or organize shooting of captive birds Any Person
s.010

Protection of wild hares etc.

6 months imprisonment
  • Kill, injure, or take wild hares during the close season Any Person
s.011

Snares: duty to inspect etc.

6 months imprisonment
  • Inspect and record snare checks within 24 hours Any Person
s.011

Prevention of poaching: wild hares, rabbits etc.

6 months imprisonment
  • Unlawfully kill, injure, or take wild hares or rabbits Any Person
s.011

Sale, possession etc. of wild hares, rabbits etc. killed or taken unlawfully

  • Sell, possess or advertise illegally taken wildlife Any Person
s.014

Prohibition on sale etc. of invasive animals or plants

2 years imprisonment
  • Unlawfully selling or advertising invasive non-native species Any Person
s.014

Contravention of Invasive Alien Species Regulation

2 years imprisonment
  • Breach of invasive alien species regulations Any Person
s.014

Miscellaneous

2 years imprisonment
  • Release or allow the escape of non-native or invasive species Any Person
s.014

Notification of presence of invasive animals or plants etc.

2 years imprisonment
  • Fail to notify authorities of invasive species on your land Any Person
s.014

Notice of species control orders

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Regulators must provide notice when making a species control order Statutory regulator
s.014

Offences in relation to species control orders

40 weeks imprisonment
  • Fail to comply with a species control order Any Person
s.014

Species control orders: entry by warrant etc.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Courts may grant warrants for forced entry to your premises Tribunal / Court
s.014

Sale etc. of certain animals and plants included in Schedule 9

2 years imprisonment
  • Illegal sale or advertising of restricted non-native species Any Person
s.014

Codes of practice in connection with species which are non-native or included in Schedule 9

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State may issue codes of practice for non-native species Crown / Minister / Government department
s.014

Prohibition on keeping etc. of invasive animals or plants

2 years imprisonment
  • Keep or possess prohibited invasive animals or plants Any Person
s.015

Possession of pesticides

2 years imprisonment
  • Illegal possession of prescribed pesticides Any Person
s.016

Licensing: land on which certain birds may be killed or taken

Unlimited fine
  • Apply for a licence to kill or take certain birds Occupier
s.018

Restrictions on taking of samples from live specimens

  • Ensure only a veterinary surgeon takes samples from live animals Any Person
s.019

Wildlife inspectors: Scotland

2 years imprisonment
  • Obstruct a wildlife inspector or fail to assist during an inspection Any Person
s.019

Power to take samples: Scotland

2 years imprisonment
  • Obstruct wildlife inspections or fail to provide specimens for sampling Any Person
s.023

Advisory bodies and their functions.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must establish or appoint wildlife advisory bodies Crown / Minister / Government department
s.025

Functions of local authorities.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local authorities must publicise wildlife protection laws and may prosecute Local authority
s.026

Enforcement of wildlife legislation

6 months imprisonment
  • Breach of habitat or species conservation regulations Any Person
Browse 50 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.010

Exceptions to s. 10A

s.011

Snares: training, identification numbers, tags etc.

s.011

Snares: authorisation from landowners etc.

s.011

Snares: presumption arising from identification number

s.011

Snares: record keeping

s.011

Snaring: review and report to the Scottish Parliament

s.011

Exceptions to s. 11G

s.012

Relaxation of restriction on night shooting of hares and rabbits

s.014

Non-native species etc. : code of practice

s.014

Power to make species control orders

s.014

Emergency species control orders

s.014

Content of species control orders

s.014

Appeals in connection with species control orders

s.014

Coming into effect of species control orders

s.014

Review of species control orders

s.014

Enforcement of operations under species control orders

s.014

Species control orders: powers of entry

s.014

Species control orders: powers of entry: supplemental

s.014

Interpretation of sections 14 to 14O

s.016

Delegation of licence-granting power: Scotland

s.016

Appeals relating to section 16AA licences

s.016

Section 16AA Licence: code of practice

s.016

Section 16AA Licence: delegation of power in relation to code of practice

s.016

Report on operation and effect of section 16AA licences

s.016

Report on operation and effect of section 16AA licences: delegation

s.018

Wildlife inspectors

s.018

Group 1 offences and licences: power to enter premises

s.018

Group 1 offences and licences: examining specimens and taking samples

s.018

Group 2 offences and licences etc. : power to enter premises

s.018

Group 2 offences: examining specimens and taking samples

s.019

Evidence in Scotland in certain proceedings.

s.019

Constables' powers in connection with samples

s.019

Offences in connection with enforcement powers

s.019

Enforcement: wildlife inspectors.

s.019

Power to take samples.

s.026

Annual report on wildlife crime

s.027

Application of Part 1 to England and Wales

Part II — Nature Conservation, Countryside and National Parks

s.028

Sites of special scientific interest.

Unlimited fine
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Natural England must notify owners and occupiers of SSSI designations Statutory regulator
s.028

Enlargement of SSSI.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Natural England must notify owners and councils when enlarging an SSSI Statutory regulator
s.028

Denotification.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Natural England must follow formal procedures to denotify SSSIs Statutory regulator
s.028

Statutory undertakers, etc.: general duty.

Unlimited fine
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Public authorities must further the conservation of SSSIs Crown / Minister / Government department
s.028

Statutory undertakers, etc.: duty in relation to carrying out operations.

  • Notify Natural England before carrying out works near an SSSI Any Person
s.028

Statutory undertakers, etc.: duty in relation to authorising operations.

Unlimited fine
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Natural England must be consulted before SSSI operations are authorised Statutory regulator
s.028

Payments.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Natural England must compensate owners for withdrawn or modified consents Statutory regulator
s.028

Offences.

Unlimited fine
  • Damage or disturb a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) Any Person
s.028

Change of owner or occupier.

Fine up to £200
  • Fail to notify Natural England of SSSI ownership or occupancy changes Any Person
s.028

Notices and signs relating to SSSIs

Fine up to £2,500
  • Damage or obscure SSSI signs or notices Any Person
s.037

Ramsar sites.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Natural England and NRW must notify owners of Ramsar site designations Statutory regulator
s.051

Powers of entry.

Fine up to £1,000
  • Obstructing an authorised inspector entering your land Any Person
Browse 34 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.027

Construction of references to Nature Conservancy Council.

s.027

Application of sections 28 to 34 in Wales

s.028

Variation of notification under section 28.

s.028

Notification of additional land.

s.028

Guidance in relation to subtidal notifications of SSSIs

s.028

Power to call in subtidal notifications

s.028

Duties in relation to sites of special scientific interest.

s.028

Appeals in connection with consents.

s.028

Management schemes.

s.028

Management notices.

s.028

Appeals against management notices.

s.028

Compulsory purchase.

s.028

Byelaws.

s.034

Meaning of “appropriate conservation body”

s.035

Power to call in subtidal declarations

s.041

Application of sections 42 to 45 in Wales

s.051

Summary prosecutions

Part III — Public Rights of Way

s.053

Register of applications under section 53.

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Local authorities must maintain a public register of rights of way applications Local authority
Browse 14 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.053

Power to include modifications in other orders.

s.054

BOATs not to be added to definitive maps.

s.057

Consolidation of definitive maps and statements.

Part IV — Miscellaneous and General

s.069

Offences by Scottish partnerships etc.

2 years imprisonment
  • Liability of Scottish partners and managers for wildlife offences Any Person
Browse 11 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.066

Application of Part 1 to Crown

s.066

Application of Part 1 to Crown: Scotland

s.070

Service of notices.

s.070

Effect of failure to serve certain notices

Schedules

Browse 22 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
s.sch001a

Birds which are Protected from Harassment

s.sch005a

Animals which are Protected under Section 10A in their Close Season

s.sch006a

Animals not to be Poached

s.sch006za

Animals which may not be killed or taken by trapping or snaring

s.sch009a

Species control agreements and orders (England and Wales)

s.sch009b

Invasive alien species: defences and licences

s.sch010a

Delegation of Appellate Functions

Other sections — not classified into a Part

These sections exist in the Act but the contents-of-Parts walker did not place them under a Part. Likely amendments or sections inserted out of the original Part structure.

Browse 2 other unclassified sections
s.birds which re-use their nests

Birds which re-use their nests

s.protected nests and nest sites: birds

Protected nests and nest sites: birds

Read the full Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Official guidance

Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

Environment Agency

Primary

Environmental protection in England. Regulates waste, emissions, water quality, flood risk, and environmental permits for industrial activities. Enforces environmental law and issues …

OEP

Office for Environmental Protection

Independent body established post-Brexit to scrutinise environmental law and investigate complaints about public authorities' failures to comply with environmental law in England …

NatureScot

Scotland's nature agency. Advises government, manages protected areas, licenses activities affecting wildlife. Formerly Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).

APHA

Animal and Plant Health Agency

Safeguards animal and plant health for the benefit of people, environment and economy. Issues export health certificates, manages disease outbreaks, operates veterinary …

DEFRA

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries, and rural communities. Sets environmental policy and works with agencies …

Forestry Commission

Government department responsible for protecting, expanding, and promoting the sustainable management of woodlands in England. Issues felling licences, administers woodland creation grants, …

Natural England

Government adviser for the natural environment in England. Responsible for wildlife licensing (protected species), designating and managing protected sites (SSSIs, National Nature …

NRW

Natural Resources Wales

Principal environmental regulator for Wales. Combines functions of Environment Agency Wales, Countryside Council for Wales, and Forestry Commission Wales. Issues environmental permits, …

Connected legislation

1 statutory instrument

These instruments amend, apply, or refer to this Act. They may not all create direct business obligations.

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Regulators

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