Hazel dormice: apply for a mitigation licence (A35)
Apply for a licence to carry out work that may affect hazel dormice, find out if you need to pay and how to report your actions.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
You must apply for a mitigation licence if your work will have an impact on hazel dormice that would otherwise be illegal, such as:
- capturing, killing, disturbing or injuring them (on purpose or by not taking enough care)
- damaging or destroying their breeding or resting places (even accidentally)
- obstructing access to their resting or sheltering places (on purpose or by not taking enough care)
Find out how hazel dormice are protected.
How to apply
You need to complete latest versions of the:
- application form
- method statement to show what you’ll do to reduce the impacts of the proposed work on hazel dormice
- work schedule to show when you’ll do the activities and in what order
Complete all mandatory questions on the forms marked with an asterisk (*).
You also need to provide:
- a reasoned statement to show that the activity fits the criteria and that there is no satisfactory alternative
- references to show that the ecological consultant has the necessary experience to apply for a mitigation licence (references will not be needed if they’ve held a mitigation licence for the same species in the last 3 years)
If the application is for a phased or multi-plot development, you should provide a master plan and habitat management and maintenance plan.
You need to send all required forms together with the application form.
Natural England will decide whether to issue a licence within 30 working days of receiving your application.
Use the European protected species (EPS) licensing policies
As part of your mitigation licence application, you may be able to use the EPS licensing policies to:
- reduce the level of survey you need to carry out
- reduce the mitigation requirements
- improve flexibility on where you create habitats as a compensation measure
Find out when and how to use European protected species policies to benefit EPS.
How to request a change to your existing licence
You need to complete the modification request form. You must quote the licence reference number.
For a change of licensee, you must include:
- a letter or email from the previous licensee explaining what is proposed
- a letter or email from the new licensee confirming that they accept the agreed mitigation proposals relating to the licence
- an application form with sections 1, 16a and 16b completed by the new licensee
For a change of named ecologist, you must include:
- a letter or email from the previous ecologist explaining what is proposed
- a letter or email from the new ecologist confirming that they accept the agreed mitigation proposals relating to the licence
- an application form with Sections 2, 10, 16a and 16c completed by the new ecologist
If your licence is annexed, you must:
- complete the modification request form on this page
- have both the ecologist and the licensee sign the form
- include any amended documents or figures, dated appropriately, as stated on your request form (highlight changes within documents and strikeout deleted text)
If your licence is pre-annex, meaning it includes a licensed method statement, you must:
- provide a summary of progress stating what has been completed and what is left to complete
- provide a summary of the animals captured or disturbed during the licensed works so far
- include a list of the changes to the licensed method statement and other documents
- state whether there are any implications for the ‘favourable conservation status’ of the licensed species as a result of the proposed changes
- include an updated method statement, dated appropriately, with all changes clearly highlighted (even if you only need to modify the work schedule)
- include all maps and figures that support your method statement
When you may need to pay
You may need to pay for this licence or a change to your licence for certain development work. Natural England will assess your application form and tell you:
- if you need to pay
- how much you’ll pay
Read the terms and conditions for paying for a wildlife licence.
When you do not need to pay
You will not pay for a licence or a change to your licence if it’s for:
- use by a volunteer
- preserving public health and safety
- preventing the spread of disease
- preventing serious damage to property
- conservation of a historic property
- domestic home improvements
How to pay
Natural England will send you an invoice when it approves your application.
You can pay by:
- electronic bank transfer
- debit or credit card by telephone - except American Express
- cheque
Your invoice will give details for these payment methods.
You need to include the invoice number with your payment so Natural England can match it to your application.
VAT does not apply to charges for wildlife licences.
Natural England accepts purchase orders. If you want Natural England to add a purchase number to your invoice, you must include it in the invoice details in your A35 form.
How to report your actions
You must report any actions you took using this licence. You must report no later than 2 weeks after your licence expires, even if you’ve taken no action. You may be asked to submit interim reports too. Send your completed form by post or email to Natural England using the details on the form.
Use the right report form
The report form you use depends on when your licence was granted. If it was granted:
- before summer 2013, use the European protected species report form
- after summer 2013 (it’s an annexed licence), use the report form on this page
Last updated 30 March 2023 + show all updates
-
Removed references to the separate charge form. You should enter charge screening information into section 15 of the A35 form.
-
Updated the licence application form and method statement to reflect that they now cover derogations under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).
-
We've replaced the licence modification request form.
-
We've replaced the mitigation licence application form (A35).
-
We've replaced the mitigation form, the work schedule and the licence modification request form. We've removed the charge screening form as this has now been incorporated into the main application form.
-
We've replaced the mitigation licence application form (A35).
-
Replaced method statement with revised version - minor changes to Section E2.1.
-
We've replaced the licence application form (A35).
-
Added a section on how to use European protected species (EPS) policies to benefit EPS as part of your mitigation licence application.
-
Replaced the 2 existing charge screening forms (for new applications and for modifications) with a single form that covers both requests.
-
Replaced application form A35-1 as previous version was unusable.
-
Application form amended to fix problem with some radio buttons.
-
Added charge screening form for modifications to a licence. Updated licence modification request form.
-
Added sections on 'When you need to pay' for this licence and 'How to pay', new charge screening form and updated application and modification request forms.
-
Replaced method statement with updated version.
-
Replaced hazel dormice application form A35-1 with revised version.
-
Updated version of application form added.
-
First published.