Bovine TB control: licence to take and mark badgers to enable vaccination
Apply for a licence to take and mark badgers to enable vaccination to prevent the spread of bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB) in cattle.
Applies to England
This individual licence allows you to take and mark badgers (Meles meles) so they can be vaccinated against bovine tuberculosis (TB). This is to protect cattle from the disease.
You can only apply to use this licence if you have completed the Bovine TB: Badger vaccination training.
You must also comply with class licence CL04 which allows the use of cage traps. Natural England will send this to you once you are licensed.
Before you apply for this individual licence, check if you can apply to register for the class licences to cage-trap and mark badgers for bovine TB vaccination (CL48 and CL49).
If you’re not eligible to register for CL48 and CL49 licences, contact Natural England to indicate the approximate size and location of the area you plan to vaccinate in.
Natural England will send you the forms you need to apply for this licence. You must follow the guidance on this page to complete your application.
A licence lasts for 4 years.
You can get an unlimited fine and up to 6 months in prison if you do not have a licence to take and mark a badger to enable vaccination.
You must:
- only vaccinate cage-trapped badgers in the open season from 1 May to 30 November
- vaccinate each year
- renew your licence to continue to take and mark badgers to enable vaccination
When and how to apply
You can apply from 1 February each year.
You must submit your application by 16 June if you plan to vaccinate before the end of the open season on 30 November.
Natural England will normally take up to 30 working days after receiving your completed application to decide whether to issue a licence. Complex or large area applications may take longer.
What you must provide with your application
You must provide:
- evidence that each person named on your application is qualified to set cage traps or vaccinate badgers, or both – read the guide on badger vaccination training
- evidence that a qualified vet will prescribe the vaccine
- evidence that a qualified vet is on call to treat any injured or unwell badgers
- maps of the vaccination sites
- survey results of the vaccination sites to show sett locations
- evidence from the landowner that you have permission to carry out your actions on the vaccination sites
Get permission to carry out your actions
You must get permission from the landowner to carry out your actions by completing the access agreement form sent with your application form.
Print the access agreement form and fill it in using black ink.
You must state if you’re either the:
- freehold owner of all the land
- occupier, such as the tenant, of all or part of the land
If you’re a tenant, you must get the landowner’s permission to sign the form. You must include a map with your access agreement that shows which areas you have their permission to carry out your actions under licence.
Email your application
Email your completed application form and all supporting documents to: bTBVaccination@naturalengland.org.uk.
You must scan your access agreement form and supporting documents, and attach them to your email.
Changes to your licence
Contact Natural England to:
- change where you propose to vaccinate badgers - you must send in maps of the new location by 16 June each year
- add someone to your licence to trap and vaccinate badgers
- remove someone from your licence to trap and vaccinate badgers
Natural England will send you the appropriate form to make these changes.
Adding new sites
You can only add in new sites in the second year of your existing issued licence. You must apply for a new licence to include any sites that would extend your badger vaccination project beyond the second year.
When to renew your licence
If a site on your licence is about to expire, you must apply for a new licence to continue to trap and vaccinate badgers on that site. The site expiry date is on your licence.
How to report your actions
Natural England will send you a report form to report the actions you took using this licence. You must report your actions at the end of each month in the open season, even if you took no action. Your final report must arrive within 2 weeks of the last day of the open season.
Email your report form to: bTBVaccination@naturalengland.org.uk
When we share your information
How Natural England handles your personal data is set out in the wildlife licensing privacy notice.
Last updated 21 June 2022 + show all updates
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Added a link in the introduction to the new licences to cage-trap and mark badgers for bovine TB vaccination (CL48 and CL49).
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Updated application dates for the badger vaccination open season and added the requirement to complete badger vaccination training before applying for a licence.
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Added a section on adding in new sites to an existing licence and the rules that apply.
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Applications for the 2021 vaccination season opens on 1 February 2021 and closes on 16 June 2021. Rules for working with wildlife during the coronavirus pandemic added.
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First published.