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Bird flu (avian influenza) movement licences

Use a licence to move poultry, poultry by-products, eggs, material or mammals in, out or within a bird flu disease control zone.

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Animal and Plant Health Agency
Published:
4 November 2022
Last updated:
17 July 2026
Show all updates

  1. Updated to reflect that no movement restrictions are in place at the moment relating to bird flu. All bird flu general licences have been revoked except for EXD 264.

  2. Included link to guidance for on-farm slaughter facilities.

  3. Added a link to guidance on the biosecurity report that premises need to receive day old chicks or live birds moved under a specific movement licence.

  4. Added information to clarify every case in the current outbreak starts with 'H5N' and is categorised as clade 2.3.4.4b

  5. Added a link to a licence to move poultry by-products and hatching eggs for disposal from a protection or surveillance zone (EXD389(HPAI)(EW)) under the 'general licence' section.

  6. Added a link to the general licence to move carcasses or samples from live poultry or other captive birds from a protection or surveillance zone (EXD415(HPAI)(EW)).

  7. Added a link to the general licence to move eggs (and egg waste) to a protection or surveillance zone for disposal at an approved animal by-product plant.

  8. Added a link to a licence to move poultry by-products and hatching eggs for disposal from a protection or surveillance zone (EXD389(HPAI)(E)) under the 'general licence' section.

  9. Added link to general licence to move and spread used poultry litter, manure and slurry in a protection or surveillance zone.

  10. Added general licence for the movement of poultry carcases for disposal from premises in a protection zone in England (EXD339(HPAI)(E)).

  11. Information added about on-farm slaughtering, including that your premises need to be designated, how to become a designated facility, and that you need a specific licence in order to move birds to designated on-farm slaughter facilities.

  12. Added 'General licence for the movement of mammals (excluding dairy cows) from or to premises in a protection zone or surveillance zone where poultry or other captive birds are kept (EXD247(HPAI)(EW))' and 'General licence for the movement of samples for salmonella testing from premises in the protection zone or surveillance zone (EXD314(HPAI)(GB))'.

  13. Links for general licences, and guidance and licences for meat from poultry within a protection zone have been updated.

  14. Added the list of designated slaughterhouses that can slaughter poultry from a highly pathogenic avian influenza disease control zone under licence.

  15. No general licences are available at this time. You can currently apply for specific licences for movements or activities.

  16. First published.

There are no movement restrictions in place at the moment relating to bird flu as no bird flu disease zones are in place. All bird flu general licences have been revoked except for EXD 264.

In bird flu disease zones, certain movements of the following are not permitted:

  • poultry
  • other captive birds
  • eggs
  • poultry products or materials associated with their keeping
  • mammals from or to premises where poultry or other captive birds are kept

This is to control further disease spread.

Some low risk activities or movements are possible, provided that all conditions of the general licence are met by the person responsible. If it is not possible to meet the conditions, or if the activity or movement is not covered by a general licence, you can apply for a specific licence.

Check what zone you’re in on the bird flu disease zone map.

Find all bird flu cases and disease control zones in England.

General licences

General licences allow a movement or activity that would otherwise be prohibited in a bird flu disease control zone.

General licences are not applicable for the movement of anything onto or from premises which have been served a restriction notice by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

As there are no bird flu disease control zones currently declared, all bird flu general licences have been revoked except for EXD 264.

Meat from poultry within a protection zone in England and Wales

To reduce animal health risks, food business operators have to follow specific rules for any meat produced from poultry or farmed game birds originating within a protection zone. Other poultry meat (from poultry not originating within the protection zone) is unaffected.

Meat produced from poultry or farmed game birds originating within a protection zone can be moved or sold, subject to several conditions. These include a requirement that the health mark is replaced with a specific mark which must remain with it throughout any processing or repackaging.

Under some specific circumstances – set out in General Licence EXD 264(HPAI)(EW) – the recipient of poultry meat is permitted to remove the specific mark temporarily for production, and in some circumstance not to re-apply it.

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