What this covers
Why you need it
Parliament created it. The power to require it comes from Deer (Scotland) Act 1996.
What the Act carries
What our graph holds for Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 as a whole — the Act behind this licence, not the licence conditions themselves.
- Duties on businesses
- 16
- Penalties
- 15
- Exemptions
- 3
Duties on businesses under the Act
- Take or kill deer during close season s.5
- Fail to comply with deer control scheme or obstruct officers s.13
- Breach deer shooting registration or cull return rules s.17A
- Unlawful killing, taking, injuring or removing deer s.17
- Take or kill deer at night without authorisation s.18
- Use vehicle to drive deer without authorisation s.19
… and 10 more business duties in the same Act.
What happens if you get it wrong
- Sell or handle venison without a dealer's licence Unlimited fine
- Attempt to commit a deer offence
- Breach deer shooting registration or cull return rules
- Fail to comply with deer control scheme or obstruct officers
- Fail to comply with deer firearms order
… and 10 more penalties in the same Act.
Exemptions that may take you outside it
- Farmed deer exempt from most Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 obligations — Deer are farmed deer on agricultural land, enclosures with a deer-proof barrier and kept as livestock
- Land occupiers and owners exempt from fit and competent check for deer control — Occupier, owner, employee of owner, employee of occupier, or normally resident person on the land, taking/killing deer to prevent damage …
- Occupiers may kill deer causing serious damage to crops or woodland — Occupier of agricultural land (arable, improved permanent pasture, regenerated land) or enclosed woodland, with reasonable grounds to believe deer will …
Read our full dossier on Deer (Scotland) Act 1996
Who issues it
Your local council issues this. Councils apply the same statute but set their own fees, conditions and timescales.
Where to apply
Duty, penalty and exemption labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the enabling instrument, not the instrument itself. Fees, forms and conditions are set by the issuing authority — always check the linked source.