How to apply

Please download the application form with the correct fee and send the completed version via email to: [email protected]

Licensing Fees 2024 PDF, 1.04 MB, 39 pages

Alternatively, you can post the form to us:

Licensing Team,
15^th Floor City Hall,
64 Victoria Street,
London,
SW1E 6QP

To apply, applicants must be over 18 years of age.

The 1976 Act prohibits us from granting a licence unless we are satisfied that:

granting the licence is not against public interest on the grounds of safety, nuisance or otherwise
the applicant is suitable to hold a licence under this act
animals will be held in secure, suitable accommodation
animals concerned will be supplied with suitable food, drink and bedding material and be visited at suitable intervals
animals will be protected against fire and other emergency
reasonable precautions will be taken to prevent and control the spread of infectious diseases
animals will be able to take adequate exercise

In addition to the above, the following criteria will be considered when the application is being evaluated:

that the animal shall be kept by no person other than the person specified (whether by name or description) in the licence
that the animal shall normally be held at premises as specified in the licence
that the animal shall not be moved from those premises or shall only be moved from them in such circumstances as are specified in the licence
that the person granted the licence shall hold a current insurance policy which insures them and any other person entitled to keep the animal under the authority of the licence against liability for any damage which may be caused by the animal - the terms of any such policy shall be satisfactory in the opinion of the authority
conditions restricting the species (whether one or more) of animal, and number of animals of each species, which may be kept under the authority of the licence
a condition that the person to whom the licence is granted shall at all reasonable times make available a copy of the licence to any person entitled to keep any animal under the authority of the licence

The provisions of this act shall not apply to any dangerous wild animal kept in:

a zoo within the meaning of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 for which a licence is in force (or is not for the time being required) under that Act
a circus
premises licensed as a pet shop under the Pet Animals Act 1951
a place which is a designated establishment within the meaning of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986

How to apply for a Dangerous Wild Animals licence