Licences and permits
The permissions a business needs before it can trade, each one tied to the law that creates it and to the body that issues it. We point at GOV.UK for fees and forms, and never copy them.
43 of 426 licences for Agriculture: animals
Choose from all 48 activities
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Abstract and/or impound water (Northern Ireland)
You need a licence to abstract and/or impound water in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland
Abstract water (England)
If you abstract water or plan to, you may need to apply for an abstraction licence.
Environment Agency · England
Agricultural analyst appointment (England, Northern Ireland, Wales)
Agricultural analysts are responsible for performing analyses on feed to ensure businesses are complying with feed safety law.
Welsh Government · England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Animal by-products approval (Northern Ireland)
How to register for processing, storing, disposing or transporting animal by-products.
Your council · Northern Ireland
Animal products import licence (Northern Ireland)
You need a licence to import animal products into Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland
Animal transport authorisation (Northern Ireland)
Find out what licences you need to transport cattle, deer, goats, pigs or sheep in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland
Animal transport vehicle approval (Northern Ireland)
Get vehicle approval for transporting livestock and horses on long journeys
Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland
Application to register a milk production holding (England and Wales)
Register a milk production facility in England and Wales with the Food Standards Authority (FSA).
Your council · England and Wales
Approval of operating plants handling or processing meat (Northern Ireland)
Get approval from the FSA or District Council to operate meat handling and processing plants - Northern Ireland
Your council · Northern Ireland
Artificial reproduction of animals licence (Northern Ireland)
You must have a licence from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) if you run an organisation involved in the artificial reproduction …
Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland
Authorisations to impound water (Scotland)
You must apply for an authorisation from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to build a dam or weir in Scotland.
Scottish Government · Scotland
D
F
Farrier registration (England, Scotland and Wales)
If you work in farriery (shoeing horses or other equine animals) in England, Scotland or Wales, you need to be registered with the Farriers …
DEFRA · England, Wales and Scotland
Flood risk activities (England)
You may need an environmental permit to do work in or by a main river, flood defence structure or sea defence, or in a …
Environment Agency · England
Food irradiation licence (Scotland)
You need a licence if you manufacture food and treat it with irradiation in Scotland
Scottish Government · Scotland
G
H
Hazardous waste movement notice (Northern Ireland)
You need to pre-notify the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) 72 hours in advance if you want to move hazardous waste
Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland
Heather and grass burning licence (Wales)
You need a licence to burn heather, rough grass, bracken, gorse or vaccinium outside the burning season in Wales
Your council · Wales
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Import honey bees (Northern Ireland)
You must notify DAERA if you import honeybees into Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland
Impound water (England)
If you impound water, or plan to, you may need to apply for an impounding licence.
Environment Agency · England
K
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Licence to possess specified animal pathogens or carriers (Northern Ireland)
You need a licence to have specified animal pathogens or carriers in Northern Ireland
Your council · Northern Ireland
Livestock market approval (Northern Ireland)
You need approval from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs if you want to operate a livestock market in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland
Local authority environmental permits (England and Wales)
Permit to carry out Part A(2) or Part B activities or run a Part A(2) or Part B installation or mobile plant.
Your council · England and Wales
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O
P
Phytosanitary certificate (Northern Ireland)
You need a phytosanitary certificate to export potatoes to non-EU countries
Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland
Pig holding registration and movement notification (Scotland)
You must register your pigs and the place where they are kept (the holding) with your local Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate (RPID) office …
Scottish Government · Scotland
Protected species licensing (Scotland)
For activities involving protected species which would otherwise be against the law, you may be able to apply for a licence from Scottish Natural …
Scottish Government · Scotland
R
Register cattle (Northern Ireland)
You must register all your cattle individually with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA)
Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland
Registration of bulk transport of straight (unmixed) prohibited or restricted animal proteins (Northern Ireland)
You need to be registered with DAERA to transport unmixed restricted or prohibited animal proteins in bulk in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland
Registration of goat holdings (Northern Ireland)
You need to register your goat holding with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Executive · Northern Ireland
S
Shotgun and firearm certificates
You need a firearm or shotgun certificate issued by the police to possess, buy or acquire a firearm or shotgun, and buy ammunition
Home Office · England, Wales and Scotland
Slaughterman licence (Northern Ireland)
You need to have a licence to operate as a slaughterman in Northern Ireland
Your council · Northern Ireland
Specified risk material authorisation (Scotland)
You need authorisation from the Food Standards Agency to remove specified risk material at a slaughterhouse or cutting plant in Scotland
Scottish Government · Scotland
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U
W
Water abstraction authorisation (Scotland)
You need an EASR authorisation to abstract water from natural water sources in Scotland
Scottish Government · Scotland
Weighbridge operator certificate
Contact your council for a certificate of competence to operate a chargeable weighbridge
Your council · England, Wales and Scotland
Weighbridge operator's certificate (Northern Ireland)
You need a certificate of competence to operate a public weighbridge for which a charge is made in Northern Ireland
Your council · Northern Ireland
Wildlife licence (Northern Ireland)
You must get a licence before you can take, kill or disturb wild birds and animals in Northern Ireland - fees, restrictions, fines, penalties
Your council · Northern Ireland
Wool Marketing Board registration
You need to register with the British Wool Marketing Board (BWMB) if you produce wool with 4 or more sheep
DEFRA · England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Where GOV.UK lists a licence separately for each nation, it appears here once with a link to each nation's version. They are separate licences in law, often resting on different legislation.
We have not yet mapped an enabling instrument for 14 licences on this list. That is a gap in our graph, not a statement about the law, and those pages say so rather than guessing.
Checking approvals more broadly?
A licence is one of several things you may need before your first day of trading. The pre-trading quick check walks the registrations, insurances and approvals alongside it.
Not sure which of these apply to you?
Our guides on finding a licence and dealing with your local council walk through the questions that decide it.