Protected species licences

​What activities need a licence

You need a licence to carry out activities that would otherwise be illegal under the Wildlife (Jersey) Law 2021. This includes: 

• picking a protected plant
• disturbing, handling or taking a protected species from the wild
• interfering with the nest, den, breeding site or resting site of a protected species

You also need a licence to use certain methods of capturing non-protected species of wild animal or bird.

The wildlife law sets out the conditions under which we may grant licences. These include licence activities for specific purposes such as:

• conservation, scientific or educational reasons
• enabling lawful development
• preserving public health or safety and to prevent serious damage or the spread of disease
• photography

We’ll only grant a licence if:

• the proposed action is necessary
• there’s no alternative lawful course of action
• it’ll have no detrimental impact on the population of the species

Types of licence

There are 3 types of licence to allow you to carry out activities that may affect wildlife:

• general licences
• annual licences
• project licences

Choose the type of licence relevant to the work you’re planning to do:

Applying for a licence

To apply for a licence you must complete the relevant application form and send it to us with the necessary supporting information by:

• email to wildlifelicensing@gov.je
• post to Land Resource Management Team, Howard Davis Farm, La Route de la Trinité, Trinity, Jersey, JE3 5JP

Your application should be processed within 15 working days. We may contact you if you have not provided enough information in your application. This may delay the approval process for your licence.

You’ll receive a confirmation by post or email once your application is approved. If you need to pay a fee, we’ll also send you payment instructions. You must pay the fee before your licence can be issued.

Supporting information for annual or project licences

To receive an annual or project licence you’ll need to show you have the correct skills and experience to carry out the proposed activities. For example: 

• knowledge of the ecology and habitat needs of the affected species
• recent practical experience of using the techniques to be licensed
• a working knowledge of best practice in working with the species concerned

You’ll need to complete one of the Competency and reference forms and submit it with your application form. You can find details of the supporting information you need to provide with the relevant licence application form.

Competency and reference form (CRF1)

Competency and reference form (CRF2)

You may also need to provide written references to confirm your skills and experience.

Template referee form (R01)

General licences

You need a general licence for low risk activities for the conservation or welfare of wildlife.

General licences are free.

General licence for wild bird trap use (GL01)

This licence allows you to use wild bird traps of a specified design to take certain species of wild bird.

It can only be used to prevent serious damage to:

• livestock
• foodstuffs for livestock
• crops
• vegetables and fruit
• growing timber
• any other form of property or fisheries

To use a wild bird trap general licence you must first register the trap by submitting a completed registration form. Once you have registered you will receive a trap registration number which must be displayed on the trap when in use and the trap can only be used on premises owned or occupied by the registered person.

Wild bird trap registration form (GL01)

Wild bird trap licence (GL01)

 Traps may only be used to take:

• Carrion crow (Corvus corone)
• Feral pigeon (Columba livia)
• Magpie (Pica pica)
• Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)

The following designs of wild bird trap are allowed:

• walk in multi-catch cage trap
• larsen trap
• larsen mate trap, also known as a clam trap
• larsen pod trap
• pigeon trap

General licence for veterinary surgeons to rehabilitate injured wildlife (GL02)

This licence is only for recognised veterinary surgeons to allow them to keep disabled or injured protected species for up to 12 weeks for rehabilitation purposes. The aim must be to release the animal or bird when it’s no longer disabled or injured.

There is no need to register to use this licence but users must meet the terms and conditions of the licence.

Wildlife rehabilitation licence for veterinary surgeons (GL02)

Annual licences

You need an annual licence if you’re doing work that needs a specific skill or experience to avoid risk to the conservation or welfare of a protected species. This includes activities such as: 

• trapping or handling protected species as part of survey or research work
• disturbing their habitats, for example by carrying out site maintenance work
• taking or disturbing protected species to prevent serious damage or to preserve public health or safety

You’ll need to apply for an annual licence and to provide evidence of skills and experience to support your application. Some types of licence can be held by an individual or by an organisation. However a person with relevant skills and experience must be appointed as the lead agent to carry out or oversee the licensed activities.

Fees are payable for some types of annual licence unless you’re a charitable organisation.

Annual licence for the short term possession of injured wildlife for rehabilitation (AL01)

This licence allows experienced individuals to keep certain injured wild animals or wild birds for up to 28 days for rehabilitation purposes. The animal or bird must be released when it’s no longer disabled or injured. This licence can only be used for the species that are named in the licence. 

Short term wildlife rehabilitation application form (AL01)

Annual licence for the long term possession of live protected wild animals and birds (AL02)

This licence allows you to keep live protected wildlife in the long term. It can only be used for either:

• scientific, educational or conservation purposes
• protecting a zoological or biological collection
  

This licence can only be used for the species that are named in the licence.

Long term possession of live protected species application form (AL02)

Annual licence for the possession and export of dead specimens (AL03) 

This licence allows an individual or organisation to keep and export from Jersey dead specimens or derivatives of protected wildlife. It can only be used for:

• scientific, educational or conservation purposes
• protecting a zoological or biological collection

This licence does not allow for the sale or the possession or transportation for sale of any dead specimens or derivatives of protected wildlife.

The licence may only be used for the species that are named on the licence.

Possession and export of dead protected species application form (AL03)

Annual licence to carry out surveys for protected wild bats (AL04)

This licence allows experienced individuals to undertake bat surveys for scientific, educational or conservation purposes.

The licence covers a range of activities from disturbance to the temporary capture and release of bats. It's only given to individuals who have provided evidence that they have the relevant skills and experience to perform the activities.

This licence can be used for surveys associated with development, but you must apply for a separate mitigation project licence (PL01) to carry out mitigation work such as the removal and replacement of bat roosts to enable development to take place. You’ll need a separate scientific project licence (PL02) if the activities are in connection with a specific research project.

You must pay for these licences. Before you apply check your licence fees.

Bat survey application form (AL04)

Annual licence to carry out surveys of protected wild animals and birds (excluding bats) (AL05)

This licence allows experienced individuals to undertake surveys of protected wildlife (excluding bats) for scientific, educational and conservation purposes. The licence covers the disturbance and temporary capture of protected animals and birds. It is only given to individuals who have provided evidence that they have the relevant skills and experience to perform the activities to be licensed.

You must pay for these licences. Before you apply check your licence fees.

General Survey (except bats) application form (AL05)

Annual licence to carry out habitat management activities affecting protected wildlife (AL06)

This licence allows you to temporarily disturb protected wild animals, birds and plants and their habitat as part of essential habitat management work. 

A suitable habitat management plan or ecological method statement must be submitted with the application giving full details of:

• the activities to be licensed
• why the work is necessary
• any alternative methods considered

Implementation of the habitat management plan or ecological method statement will be a condition of the licence. 

The licence can only be used on premises owned or occupied by the licence holder who can be an individual or an organisation. A person with specific knowledge of the site and of the habitat management activities must be appointed to carry out and oversee the licensed activities.

Habitat management application form (AL06)

Annual licence to disturb and temporarily take protected amphibian and reptile species for educational purposes (AL07)

This licence allows education, research and training providers to disturb and capture (for subsequent release) certain species of protected wild amphibians and reptiles using specified methods. The activities may only be carried out for educational purposes and for non-commercial use.

Educational licence for protected reptiles and amphibians application form (AL07)

Annual licence for Herring gull (Larus argentatus) control (AL08) 

This licence allows experienced individuals to take actions affecting Herring gulls (Larus argentatus) and their nests to preserve public health and safety or to prevent serious damage to property.

The licence covers the disturbance and removal of active nests but does not allow the killing of any bird that is capable of flight, nor the sale of dead birds or their eggs. The licence may only be used where there is no other alternative course of action and provided that reasonable steps to prevent problems by lawful methods have been and continue to be taken.

This licence is only given to individuals who have provided evidence that they have the relevant skills and experience to perform the licence activities.

You must pay for these licences. Before you apply check your licence fees.

Herring gull control application form (AL08)

Annual licence for Common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) control (AL09)

This licence allows specific actions affecting common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) to prevent serious damage to:

• livestock
• foodstuffs for livestock
• crops
• vegetables or fruit

It can only be used on premises owned or occupied by the licence holder. It may only be used where there is no other alternative course of action and provided that reasonable steps to prevent problems by lawful methods have been and continue to be taken. 

The licence covers the disturbance and removal of active nests and the killing by shooting of common pheasants. It does not allow the sale of dead birds or their eggs.

You must pay for these licences. Before you apply check your licence fees.

Common pheasant control application form (AL09)

Annual licence for arborists to carry out tree surveys for wild protected bats (AL10)

This licence allows arborists to disturb protected bats in trees when carrying out presence or absence surveys of bats prior to tree works. It allows for the use of artificial light in the form of cold torches and endoscopes. The licence covers temporary disturbance only and does not permit the handling of bats or the destruction of their roost. You need to apply for a separate project licence (PL02) for this.

The licence may be held by an individual or an organisation. Only persons with suitable skills and experience are allowed to carry out the licence activities.

You must pay for these licences. Before you apply check your licence fees.

Arborist tree survey application form (AL10)

Project licences

You must apply for a project licence if you’re doing any activity that affects a protected species and is not covered by a general or annual licence. This includes activities such as:

• undertaking lawful development of land or property that involves the disturbance or removal of a protected species or its habitat
• carrying out a research project
• ringing or marking, or attaching 
• translocating protected plants for conservation purposes
• commercial photography that involves disturbance to a protected species or its habitat

You’ll need to apply for a project licence with details of the proposed project and supply evidence of skills and experience held by the person who will undertake the licence activities.

Fees are payable for some types of project licence unless you’re a charitable organisation. Before you apply check your licences fees.

Project licence to carry out mitigation activities to enable lawful development (PL01)

This project licence allows activities affecting protected species and their habitat for the purposes of enabling lawful development of land or property. The licence may be held by an individual or an organisation and can only be used on premises owned or occupied by the licence holder. A named ecologist with relevant skills and experience must be appointed to undertake and oversee the license activities.

The licence will only be granted provided that a suitable mitigation strategy or ecological method statement is submitted with the application form, demonstrating the measures that will be taken to reduce the impact of the development on the affected species or their habitat. Implementation of the agreed species protection plan or method statement will be a condition of the licence.

You must pay for these licences. Before you apply check your licence fees.

Mitigation project licence application form (PL01)

Project licence to disturb or take protected species for scientific, educational or conservation purposes (PL02)

This project licence allows activities affecting protected wildlife for scientific, educational or conservation purposes, in connection with a specific project, for example a research project.

The licence may be held by an individual or an organisation, however a person with relevant skills and experience must be appointed in the application to undertake and oversee the licensed activities.

The licence will only be given provided that a suitable project proposal giving details of the objectives for the project, including why the work is necessary and any alternative methods considered, has been submitted with the application form. Implementation of the project proposal will be a condition of the licence. 

Scientific project licence application form (PL02)

Project licence for bird ringing purposes (PL03)

This project licence allows qualified bird ringers to disturb, take, capture and release protected wild birds for ringing purposes. The licence may only be used by persons holding a valid Channel Islands Ringing Permit. 

Bird ringing licence application form (PL03)

Project licence to carry out wild bird control for public (air) safety purposes (PL04)

This project licence permits the control of protected wild birds in and around the airport to preserve public air safety, in situations where there is no other satisfactory course of action. 

A bird control management plan must be submitted with the application giving details of the proposed activities and why the work is necessary. Implementation of the bird control management plan will be a condition of the licence.

You must pay for these licences. Before you apply check your licence fees.

Wild bird control (air safety) project licence application form (PL04)

Project licence for activities affecting protected wildlife not falling within another licence category (PL05)

This licence allows activities affecting protected wildlife that do not fall into any other licence category. This includes activities such as a commercial filming project or the need to fell a tree that is supporting a nest or a roost for public safety reasons.

You’ll need to submit full details of the proposed activities, including why the work is necessary and any alternative methods you considered. Depending on the activity and the species affected you may need to provide evidence of skills and experience of the individuals appointed to act under the licence.

You must pay for these licences. Before you apply check your licence fees.

General project licence application form (PL05)

Licences fees

Fees are payable for some types of licence unless you’re a charitable organisation. You’ll need to pay for any licence with a commercial basis.

You need to pay for your licence once your application is approved before your licence can be issued.

General licences are free.

Wildlife (Licence Fees) (Jersey) Order 2023 on Jersey Law

Annual licences fees

Project licences fees