Beavers: releasing native beavers into secure enclosures
How to apply for a licence to release Eurasian beavers into secure enclosures in England.
Applies to England
Even though Eurasian beavers are a native species in the UK, you need a non-native A03 licence to release them into secure enclosures.
Releasing beavers into enclosures has helped to raise awareness and understanding of the potential benefits and challenges of beaver reintroduction and management.
In February 2025, Defra announced a new approach to the wild release and management of beavers. This introduced a new licensing process for the wild release of beavers in England.
New applications for a licence to release beavers into an enclosure will only be granted in very limited circumstances.
Different rules apply for:
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releasing beavers into the wild – read the guidance Beavers: applying for a licence to release beavers into the wild
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keeping beavers in zoos or other secure artificial environments that were not taken from the wild – contact Natural England at wildlife@naturalengland.org.uk for advice
Requirements for a licence to release beavers into a secure enclosure
To be granted a licence to release native beavers into secure enclosures, your application must meet all the following criteria.
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There must be likely exceptional environmental benefits that cannot be reasonably achieved by other means, including by a wild release of beavers. An example of this could be the restoration of a protected site in unfavourable condition. There must be strong evidence of the purpose – the need for the project, the ability of beavers to meet that need, and why there are no satisfactory alternatives.
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The design and construction of the enclosure must ensure that the likelihood of escapes is low. The whole enclosure must be securely fenced. You cannot normally use enclosures made from a combination of fencing and natural topography. These are not secure and will not prevent beavers from escaping into the wild.
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There must be low risk of serious damage from escaping beavers. Beaver enclosures are unlikely to be licensed in catchments where a wild release is unlikely to be allowed.
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You must carry out meaningful engagement with local communities, including land and riparian managers, and achieve widespread support.
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You must have a realistic long-term plan and funding for the monitoring and management of the beaver population in the enclosure, with consideration of the health and welfare of the beavers and population control. See guidance on the NatureScot website about captive management of beavers for more information.
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You must have a realistic long-term plan and funding for the monitoring and management of the enclosure fencing and infrastructure.
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You must have a robust plan to recapture escaped beavers and resolve any problems that could result from an escape. You must demonstrate that you have the resources or funding to carry out the plan.
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The project must be well resourced and staffed for its duration. Licences are normally granted for up 5 years but may be terminated early or extended by renewal. Staff must be appropriately trained in beaver ecology and participate in Natural England-accredited class licence training before any beavers are released.
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You must have an exit strategy, including a plan of what will happen to the beavers at the end of the project and a plan for the complete removal of structures, for example the fence, grilles and culverts.
Contact Natural England at wildlife@naturalengland.org.uk if you need more guidance.
How to apply for a licence
Before applying, you must check that your application meets the requirements for a beaver enclosure licence on this page.
To apply for a beaver enclosure licence, complete and submit the A03 application form (Licence application form to release non-native (alien) species and those listed under schedule 9 (excluding reintroductions).
As part of your application, you must include a report or method statement explaining how you’d meet each of the criteria for a licence to release beavers into a secure enclosure. Make sure your report covers all 9 of the criteria, including the project purpose and stakeholder engagement.
Send your application and report to wildlife@naturalengland.org.uk.
Renewing licences for existing enclosures
In future, some existing beaver enclosures may be able to become part of wild release projects. This would require an A69 wild release licence from Natural England.
Where it is not possible for enclosures to become part of a wild release project, Natural England will support the renewal of enclosure licences if all the following criteria are met:
- The enclosure is providing significant environmental, social or economic benefits that outweigh any risks.
- There have been no serious licence breaches.
- The enclosure remains suitable to support and contain beavers, with a realistic long-term monitoring and management plan.
- The beaver population is well monitored and managed.
- There have been no serious problems with beaver health or welfare, resulting from being part of an enclosed population.
- There are no unresolved problems with escaped beavers.
You can use form LR03 to request a licence renewal as part of your annual report of action. The form includes a question about whether you want to renew your licence.
If the required criteria are not met, Natural England will not renew your enclosure licence. In these cases, the project will be terminated in accordance with its exit strategy. Natural England and the Beaver Trust can help you to rehome beavers.