General Licences for Birds - 2026 & 2025
Below are our General Licences for Birds valid for 2026 & 2025.
Anyone intending to use General Licence 01, 02 or 03 from 1st April 2020 onwards on certain Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation must comply with site based standing conditions, covering disturbance of species and damage to habitats. If you can meet the standing conditions then you can proceed with your activities without the need to contact us. If you cannot meet the standing conditions set out for the site then you will need to apply for a permission by contacting our Licensing team at [email protected].
If you are looking for General Licence 14/2026 or 14/2025 for stoat trapping, you will find it on the Stoats - Licence forms and guidance page.
If you are looking for General Licence 16/2026 or 16/2025 for the sale, advertisement, possession & transportation of mountain hare & mountain hare meat you will find it on the Hares – Licence forms and guidance page.
2026
- GL01/2026 - To kill or take certain birds for the conservation of wild birds
- GL02/2026 - To kill or take certain birds for the prevention of serious damage
- GL03/2026 - To kill or take certain birds for the preservation of public health, public safety and preventing the spread of disease
- GL04/2026 - To take red grouse using certain methods in order to administer medication or collect samples
- GL05/2026 - To keep unregistered disabled, wild-bred Schedule 4 birds for rehabilitation
- GL06/2026 - To keep unregistered disabled, wild-bred Schedule 4 birds for veterinary treatment
- GL07/2026 - To rear chicks from captive-bred Schedule 4 birds
- GL08/2026 - To permit the competitive showing of certain captive-bred live birds
- GL09/2026 - To keep certain captive-bred live birds in show cages for training purposes
- GL10/2026 - To sell certain live captive-bred species of wild bird
- GL11/2026 - To sell feathers and parts of certain dead birds which have been captive-bred or legally taken from the UK
- GL12/2026 - To sell certain dead birds which have been captive-bred or legally taken from the European Union
- GL13/2026 - To take unsuccessful eggs laid by wild birds from nest boxes
- GL15/2026 - Sale, advertisement, possession & transportation of Greylag geese & Greylag goose meat by hunters, caterers and retailers
2025
- GL01/2025 - To kill or take certain birds for the conservation of wild birds
- GL02/2025 - To kill or take certain birds for the prevention of serious damage
- GL03/2025 - To kill or take certain birds for the preservation of public health, public safety and preventing the spread of disease
- GL04/2025 - To take red grouse using certain methods in order to administer medication or collect samples
- GL05/2025 - To keep disabled, wild-bred Schedule 4 birds for rehabilitation
- GL06/2025 - To keep disabled, wild-bred Schedule 4 birds for veterinary treatment
- GL07/2025 - To rear chicks from captive-bred Schedule 4 birds
- GL08/2025 - To permit the competitive showing of certain captive-bred live birds
- GL09/2025 - To keep certain captive-bred live birds in show cages for training purposes
- GL10/2025 - To sell certain live captive-bred species of wild bird
- GL11/2025 - To sell feathers and parts of certain dead birds which have been captive-bred or legally taken from the UK
- GL12/2025 - To sell certain dead birds which have been captive-bred or legally taken from the European Union
- GL13/2025 - To take unsuccessful eggs laid by wild birds from nest boxes
- GL15/2025 - Sale, advertisement, possession & transportation of Greylag geese & Greylag goose meat by hunters, caterers and retailers
Disclaimer: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has changed its name to NatureScot as of the 24th August 2020.
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Contacts
If you already have a licence number, include it in the subject line of your email, or have it to hand when you call.
You should receive an automatic confirmation email from us if you send an email. If you do not receive this, please phone us on the number below:
