Guidance

References and experience needed to support your bat survey class licence application or registration

Published 3 June 2026

Applies to England

Find out what experience you need, and what references you must give when you apply or register for survey class licences for bats.

This guidance is for the following bat licences:

• survey or research level 1 licence (CL17)
• survey or research level 2 licence (CL18)
• survey or research level 3 licence (CL19)
• survey or research level 4 licence (CL20)

To apply for the licence, use the application form for the licence you require.

You must use a different reference form and guidance for:

• other survey class licences – including great crested newts (CL08 and CL09), hazel dormice (CL10a and CL10b), barn owls (CL29) and white-clawed crayfish (CL11)
• other protected species licences

Skills and experience

You must show you have the skills and experience to carry out licensed activities that may affect a protected species. You must show you have:

• knowledge of the ecology and habitat needs of the affected species
• practical experience of survey, capture and handling techniques within the last 3 years
• a working knowledge of third-party best practice and relevant wildlife law

Eligible evidence of your skills and experience

Previous Natural England licences

You can provide evidence that you’ve held a similar licence within the last 3 years.

Written evidence

If you’re a new applicant with no previous licences, you should provide written evidence that you have the skills and experience. Find out more in the ‘Written references’ section of this guide.

Training courses

You can provide a completion certificate from an organisation for a course taken in the last 3 years. Relevant organisations include species or taxon-specific organisations.

Course certificates must include:

• name of the person attending the course
• course title and content
• date, which must be within the last 3 years
• signature and name of the trainer

If you submit a training certificate in place of a reference for a survey application, the course must have both:

• training of species identification
• practical training of the techniques the licence covers

Other licences

You can use licences issued by another authority as part of your experience, such as:

• Natural Resources Wales (formerly Countryside Council for Wales)
• NatureScot (formerly Scottish Natural Heritage)

Written references

You need 2 written references to verify your skills and experience if any of the following apply: 

• you have not held a licence for the species, or similar species, in the last 3 years
• you are an ecologist who has not held a licence similar to the one you’re applying for
• you hold a licence and want to add new activities

You need one written reference if:

• you hold a licence from another authority
• you’re applying for a survey licence and you can show a certificate from a training course

Upgrading a survey class licence

To upgrade a survey class licence, you must already hold the lower level licence. You must submit an extra written reference that is relevant for the licence activity you’re applying for.

The level 3 bat survey class licence (CL19) and level 4 bat survey class licence (CL20) are considered to be on the same level. You do not need a CL19 to apply for a CL20, and can upgrade directly from a CL18 to a CL20. 

The rules are different if you upgrade from a level 1 bat survey class licence (CL17) to a level 2 bat survey class licence (CL18).

To upgrade from CL17 to CL18, you must submit a written reference from an independent individual (see ‘Who can be a referee’) plus one of the following :

• one certificate to show you’ve successfully completed a relevant training course
• a log book to show relevant experience with bat species using the methods on the licence
• a licence from NatureScot or Natural Resources Wales that covers all of the methods the CL18 covers

The log book must contain:

• the use of the methods applied for
• the names and licence numbers of the witnesses
• witness signatures confirming they witnessed the event

Who can be a referee

Referees for all licences should be wildlife professionals (includes approved volunteer trainers of volunteer bat roost visitors, where appropriate).

Referees should have both of the following:

• direct knowledge of your work on the species named in your application
• a similar licence they have held within the last 3 years

They should not be:

• a partner or relative
• a trainer from a course you’ve taken instead of a reference

Referees from your organisation

If you are only providing one reference to support your application, the referee can be employed by the same organisation as you.

If you’re providing 2 references with your licence application, both references should be independent of each other. This means that both referees should:

• not be employed by the same organisation as you, unless they can each show that the reference relates to projects only one of them worked on with you, or work from outside the organisation
• be able to show that their judgement was reached independently from the other referee or piece of evidence supporting your application

What your reference should include

Your referees need to complete the bat survey class licence reference form and you will need to submit their completed form with your application.

Your referees must provide their:

• licence reference number for the same or a similar licence that they have held within the last 3 years
• judgement that you (the applicant) are able to do the activities listed under the relevant licence safely and competently

For bat survey class licence applications, you should be able to show that you have worked with a range of different bat species. 

To demonstrate a suitable range of experience across bat species, they have been divided into 4 groups:

Group 1: common pipistrelle, soprano pipistrelle, Nathusius’ pipistrelle

Group 2: brown long-eared, grey long-eared

Group 3: Natterer’s, Daubenton’s, whiskered, Brandt’s, Alcathoe, Bechstein’s

Group 4: noctule, Leisler’s, serotine, barbastelle, greater horseshoe

You should have direct experience with at least one species from each group, and be able to demonstrate this across the evidence that you provide.

Exceptions

If you or your referees cannot meet the evidence criteria, you should explain this on your application form and give the best evidence possible. Natural England may contact you or your referees to verify your evidence or ask for more information.

Natural England may make exceptions to the usual criteria in some circumstances.

Rare and geographically restricted bat species

Barbastelle, greater horseshoe and lesser horseshoe bats are considered rare or geographically restricted. Applicants that do not have direct experience with these species may instead provide references that confirm they have had the training and experience to work with these bats. The referee should make this clear in their statement.

For mist nets and harp traps (CL19 and CL20 respectively), demonstrable direct experience extracting lesser horseshoe bats is mandatory.

Career break

You may not be able to provide relevant evidence from the last 3 years if you or your referees have had a career break. Natural England may make an exception and accept earlier experience, such as:

• completed training on the relevant or similar species
• licences held for the species within the last 5 years
• evidence of working with the relevant species or similar species within the last 5 years

Discretion to reject an application

Natural England can reject a licence application if your supporting evidence or application is of a poor standard.

Contact Natural England

For further information on photography, science, conservation, survey and research licences, email wildlife.scicons@naturalengland.org.uk.