UK Act of Parliament 1992 United Kingdom

Protection of Badgers Act 1992

An Act to consolidate the Badgers Act 1973, the Badgers Act 1991 and the Badgers (Further Protection) Act 1991.

Read the Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Status
In Force
Penalty ceiling
Imprisonment 4 of 10 obligations carry imprisonment (6 months). 6 carry different penalties — flagged in the list below.

Does it bind you?

Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.

Any Person10

Other Acts binding the same actors

If a role above is yours, these are the other instruments that most often bind it.

Any Person — also bound by 2340 other Acts

What it requires

Sections creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.

s.001 Taking, injuring or killing badgers. (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Kill, injure, take or possess badgers illegallyAny Person
s.002 Cruelty. (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Cruelly ill-treat or illegally hunt badgersAny Person
s.003 Interfering with badger setts. (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Damage or disturb a badger settAny Person
s.004 Selling and possession of live badgers. (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Sell or possess live badgers without permissionAny Person
s.005 Marking and ringing. (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Mark or ring a badger without a licenceAny Person

Unlimited fine

s.010 Licences. (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Fail to comply with badger licence conditionsAny Person

Unlimited fine

s.011 Attempts Imprisonment
  • Attempt to commit a badger offenceAny Person
s.012 Penalties and forfeiture. (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Commit a protected‑badger offence (e.g. kill, injure, disturb a sett)Any Person
s.012 Offences by bodies corporate etc. Prosecution
  • Corporate liability for badger offencesAny Person

Unlimited fine

s.013 Powers of court where dog used or present at commission of offence. (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Disobey court order to dispose of or keep a dog used in a badger offenceAny Person

Unlimited fine

14 other provisions — procedural and definitional
s.006 General exceptions. (opens in a new tab)
s.007 Exceptions from s. 1. (opens in a new tab)
s.008 Exceptions from s. 3. (opens in a new tab)
s.009 Exceptions from s. 4. (opens in a new tab)
s.010 Delegation of licence-granting power: Scotland
s.011 Powers of constables. (opens in a new tab)
s.012 Time limit for bringing summary proceedings
s.012 Time limit for bringing summary proceedings (England and Wales)
s.013 Crown application: Scotland
s.014 Interpretation. (opens in a new tab)
s.015 Short title, repeals, commencement and extent. (opens in a new tab)
s.para.22 Note:
s.para.23 The following abbreviations are used in this Table:—
s.repeals Repeals

Help complying

Guvnor’s practical routes through this instrument.

Ecological compliance for development projects

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What to do when protected species are discovered on your development site, from immediate actions through licensing and managing project delays.

Do I need a wildlife licence for my project?

Quick decision tree to determine if your development or land management activity requires a wildlife licence from Natural England.

Get a wildlife licence for your development project

How to obtain wildlife licences from Natural England before development that affects protected species. Covers European Protected Species mitigation licences, bat surveys, …
1 more guide that reference this instrument
Commission protected species surveys for your site

Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.