Statutory guidance

Licence for police forces to interfere with protected species during crime investigations (CL30)

Get a licence to carry out investigations of wildlife and other crime that could affect protected species and their habitats in England.

From:
Natural England
Published
1 January 2017
Last updated
1 January 2024 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

Licence to carry out wildlife crime investigation (CL30)

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Annex A: to interfere with badger setts

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Annex B: to disturb and take European protected species

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Annex C: to disturb and take any wildlife listed in schedules 1, 5 and 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

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Annex D: to possess and move dead specimens of any species mentioned above and species listed on Annex IIb (plants) and IV (animals) of the Habitats Directive

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Appendix 1 - training or experience requirements

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Report actions taken under licence CL30

MS Excel Spreadsheet, 40.9 KB

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Details

This licence applies to police forces in England only.

One employee of each police force (normally the wildlife crime officer) must be registered to gather evidence at the scene of wildlife and other crime.

You, as the ‘registered person’, can:

  • interfere with badger setts (see annex A)
  • disturb and take European protected species (see annex B)
  • disturb and take any wildlife listed in schedules 1, 5 and 8 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (see annex C)
  • possess and move dead specimens of any species mentioned above and species listed on Annex IIb (plants) and IV (animals) of the Habitats Directive (see annex D)

Read appendix 1 of licence CL30 to find out what training or experience you need to carry out activities allowed by this licence.

How to register to use this licence

You must be registered to use this licence. Only one person from each police force can register. This is usually the wildlife crime officer. You must tell Natural England if the registered person changes.

If you’re registered, you can authorise other officers and employees of the same police force or a person assisting the police, such as an ecological consultant, to carry out the investigation work.

To register for this licence email wildlife.scicons@naturalengland.org.uk and give your:

  • name
  • police force
  • role in your police force
  • contact address and post code, telephone number and email address
  • ‘collar number’ if you are a police officer

How to report your actions

You must send an annual record of all activity carried out under this licence to Natural England by 31 January each year. You should send your report using the licence report form attached.

Sending an annual report also renews your registration to use this licence.

Updates to this page

Published 1 January 2017
Last updated 1 January 2024 + show all updates

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

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

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

  4. Annual licence update.

  5. Accessible version of licence CL30 plus 4 Annexes and 1 appendix on training requirements added - HTML documents.

  6. Report form replaced with new version.

  7. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2020

  8. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2019. Replaced report form with new version.

  9. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2018

  10. First published.

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