Skip to main content
Statutory guidance

Wild animals: licence for individuals to possess specimens (CL06)

Get a licence to possess and transport dead specimens of certain animals for scientific or educational 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 updated wording added to licence condition 4.

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

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

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

  6. Annual licence update.

  7. Accessible version added - HTML.

  8. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2020

  9. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2019

  10. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2018

  11. Annual licence update 2017.

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

  13. Added updated class licence. New version valid from 1 January to 31 December 2015.

  14. First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Licence for individuals to possess and transport dead specimens of annex IV species (CL06)

HTML

Details

This licence applies to the animals listed in annex IV of the EC Habitats Directive. It applies only to specimens taken from the wild before 21 August 2007.

The licence allows individuals who do not belong to museums or research or educational establishments to possess dead specimens of these animals for scientific or educational purposes.

Register

To register for this licence, you must notify Natural England in writing. Write to or email:

Wildlife licensing (Science, education and conservation)

Natural England
Horizon House
Deanery Road
Bristol
BS1 5AH

Email wildlife.scicons@naturalengland.org.uk

Telephone 0300 060 3900

Keeping records

You must keep a record of any specimens or derivatives you hold under this licence. You must update this information annually and make it available for inspection by Natural England at any time.

Once registered, you do not need to re-register for this licence, but you must abide by its recording and reporting requirements to stay registered.

Sign up for emails or print this page

Related content