You need to apply for an animal licence if you want to run a business that carries out any of the following activities:
You need to read and understand the requirements set out on this page before you submit an application for an animal licence. We cannot proceed with your application unless you give us all the information we need.
You should also read the general and the relevant specific conditions attached to your licence. You can find these conditions on GOV.UK
As part of your application you must supply:
All plans that are submitted in support of your application must be of a certain standard.
We require all plans to include the following:
All plans should be produced in such a way as to enable clear identification of the proposed premises and all areas used.
Plans that are sketched or drawn freehand will not be accepted.
Applicants for dog breeding and hiring out horses must also pay for and obtain a vet’s inspection report. We will contact you to arrange this on receipt of your application.
Shepton Vets
B&W Equine Vets
Bescoby Equine Vets
Applicants for selling animals as pets must also provide a stocklist.
Select a topic below to view the fees and charges for animal licences.
If you do not currently have an animal licence, you must pay both the new application fee and the maintenance fee.
We will only issue a licence once you have paid both fees.
| Fees | Price |
|---|---|
| New application fee (payable at time of application) | £805 |
| Annual maintenance fee (payable before a licence is issued) | £284 |
If you are renewing an existing animal licence, you must pay both the renewal fee and the maintenance fee.
We will only issue a licence once you have paid both fees.
| Fees | Price |
|---|---|
| Renewal application fee (payable at time of renewal) | £461 |
| Annual maintenance fee (payable before a licence is issued) | £284 |
Fees for inspections or licence variations are shown in the following table.
| Fees | Price |
|---|---|
| Variation fee | £207 |
We will usually grant an animal licence for 1, 2 or 3 years, based on our assessment of the following criteria set by DEFRA:
You can read the scoring system we use to determine the star rating and length of licence on GOV.UK
When you are sure you are able to provide all the information we require, submit an application using our online form.
For licence renewals, we will contact you directly. We will contact you approximately three months before your licence is due to expire. You must submit a renewal application no later than 10 weeks before the expiry date.
Select a topic below to find out more about animal licences.
Before approving your application, we must first consult with the following bodies:
They will advise us within 14 days whether they have any objections to your licence being granted. We will advise you if we receive any such objections.
We will also arrange for an Animal Welfare Officer to visit you to inspect the premises.
We will consider guidance from DEFRA when evaluating your application.
If we do not receive any objections within 14 days of your application, we will contact you to confirm if your application is successful.
Tacit consent applies. This means that you will be able to act as though your application is granted if you have not heard from us within 60 days.
To appeal against a decision, email Licensing Services at: licensing@bathnes.gov.uk
If you are refused a licence you can also appeal to Bath Magistrates’ Court.
The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018
We have made the information on these web pages as comprehensive as possible. However, in attempting to simplify the law, certain requirements have been omitted. Full details of what you must do are in the relevant legislation.
If you think a business that is breaking the terms of their animal licence or operating without one, please complete our online complaints form