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Statutory guidance

Bats: survey class licence for volunteer bat roost visitors (level 1) (CL15)

Licence to survey bats for conservation purposes.

Updates to this page

From:
Natural England
Published:
6 October 2014
Last updated:
1 January 2026
Show all updates

  1. Updated this licence to cover the period 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2030.

  2. Updated this licence to cover the period 1 January to 31 December 2025. Reworded several sections to make the information clearer, including the section on 'Registering to use this licence'. Added a new licence note (note e).

  3. Added that 'If there is a difference between a licence condition and published guidelines, you must follow the licence condition'. Added link to the UK Bat Mitigation Guidelines.

  4. Licence has been changed to state that reports of action taken must now be returned by 30 November each year.

  5. There is an update to this licence for 1 January 2024.

  6. Annual licence update, valid from 1 January 2023.

  7. Removed hand nets from the list of permitted activities.

  8. Annual licence update, valid from 1 January 2022.

  9. Annual licence update.

  10. Accessible version of licence - HTML.

  11. Licence has been amended to state that reports of action taken must now be returned by 30 June each year.

  12. Reports of action taken must now be returned by 30 June each year (was 30 April).

  13. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2020

  14. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2019

  15. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2018.

  16. Annual licence update 2017.

  17. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2016.

  18. new version of CL15 valid from 1 January to 31 December 2015.

  19. First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Level 1 licence for volunteers to survey bat roosts (CL15)

HTML

Details

This licence allows Natural England-registered volunteer bat roost visitors (VBRVs) and Natural England-registered trainee VBRVs accompanying them to:

  • disturb bats
  • take bats
  • use artificial light like a torch
  • use endoscopes
  • use static handheld nets

This licence only allows you to carry out activities for Natural England’s Bat Advice Service.

You need a level 2 licence to train VBRVs.

Surveys must be for the conservation of bats.

Activities not covered

This licence does not cover you for any other volunteering activities and does not allow you to survey:

  • for science, education or research
  • for development
  • hibernation sites
  • for the national bat monitoring programme

Register with Natural England

Before you can use this licence you must register with Natural England as follows.

  1. Use the VBRV expression of interest form - you must do this first.
  2. Use the disturb or take bats application form (Class-A34).

Report action taken

You must return a report of action taken under a VBRV class licence (LR-CL15-16) no later than 30 November each year, even if you’ve taken no action.

If you fail to do this, you’re no longer registered to act under the licence and cannot carry out roost visits for Natural England’s Bat Advice Service.

This form is also used to renew your registration.

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