Stoats: licence to trap them to conserve wild birds (GL38)
Get a general licence to trap stoats to conserve vulnerable wild birds.
Applies to England
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You can use this general licence if you’re a landowner, occupier or authorised person.
Use this licence to conserve the following wild birds which are vulnerable to predation by stoats:
- game birds in situations when they’re vulnerable to stoat predation
- native species of waders
- other native ground nesting birds
This licence allows you to trap stoats using traps certified for use against stoat in England.
You do not need to apply for this general licence but you must comply with its terms and conditions.
When you must apply for an individual licence
You must apply to Natural England for an individual licence if you need to carry out activities that are not permitted by this licence.
Humane trapping guidance
Badgers, beavers, otters, pine martens and stoats: how to trap humanely.
Avian influenza
Avian influenza (bird flu) is a notifiable animal disease. You should use the online service to report dead wild birds if you find:
- 1 or more dead birds of prey (such as an owl, hawk or buzzard)
- 3 or more dead birds that include at least 1 gull, swan, goose or duck
- 5 or more dead wild birds of any species
Updates to this page
Last updated 1 January 2024 + show all updates
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There is an update to this licence for 1 January 2024.
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Added the ‘Quill trap’ to the list of permitted traps under licence condition 5. Added the ‘Spring Traps Approval (Variation) (England) Order 2023’ to condition 8a(i).
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Annual licence update, valid from 1 January 2023.
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Annual licence update, valid from 1 January 2022.
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Perdix spring trap has been added to the list of permitted use of traps under this licence.
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Annual licence update.
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Accessible version added - HTML.
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First published.