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Bird licences

Licences for activities affecting birds.

From:
Natural England and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Published:
13 October 2014
Last updated:
19 February 2026 — See all updates

Before using a licence, read the wild bird advice notices, and consider whether you can achieve your objective without needing a licence.

If a licensable action is needed, first consider whether you can act under a general licence (GL) or class licence (CL).

If you cannot act under a general or class licence, you may be able to apply for an individual licence (licence numbers start with A).

You can get an unlimited fine if you do not have a licence when carrying out an activity that needs one. You may also face up to 6 months in prison.

Wild bird advice notices

Keep and exhibit birds

Kill, take or disturb birds

Sell birds and eggs

Treat and rehabilitate birds

Gamebird licences

Other licences

Standard licence conditions

Updates to this page

Last updated:
19 February 2026
Show all updates

  1. Restructured to make it clearer that you should read the advice notes and consider general and class licences before applying for individual licences.

  2. General licences GL40, GL41 and GL42 have been updated and are now issued by Natural England, not Defra. See the relevant licence pages for details.

  3. Added a link - 'Apply for an individual licence to kill, take or disturb wild birds (A08 or A09)'.

  4. Removed general licence for releasing gamebirds on or near special protection areas (GL45). The licence is not currently in use. Added individual licence for releasing gamebirds on or near special protection areas and special areas of conservation (A10 and A48).

  5. Updated the guidance on licences to kill,take or disturb wild birds.

  6. Added 2 general licences for releasing gamebirds (GL43 and GL45).

  7. Added Hen harriers: licence for diversionary feeding (CL25).

  8. Added general licence GL43: licence to release common pheasants or red-legged partridges on European sites and within 500m of their boundary.

  9. Removed general licences to control wild birds: GL34, GL35, GL36 and replaced with GL40, GL41 and GL42.

  10. Added standard licence conditions for trapping wild birds (GL33).

  11. New Defra general licences for wild birds, GL34, GL35 and GL36 added.

  12. Added the general licence (GL26) for killing or taking carrion crows.

  13. Added 'Wild birds: licence to control certain species'. Removed licences GL04, GL05 and GL06.

  14. First published.

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