Animal business licensing fees

How licensing fees work

Find the type of animal business licence you need and check how much it will cost. There are 2 parts to a licence: part A and part B.

We collect the total fee when you apply.

Part A

Part A covers the cost of deciding the licence application. This includes:

• administration
• inspection costs

Part B

Part B includes:

• enforcement costs
• training
• the cost of a compliance visit during the licence period (but only where the council carries out the compliance visit)

We'll refund part B if we refuse your application or if you withdraw your application.

Fees for dangerous wild animals and zoo licences

Licences for dangerous wild animals and zoo licences are not included in the new legislation. This means the fees for these have not changed.

Vet inspections

We'll get a qualified veterinary practitioner, relevant to the licensable activity, to come with the officer during an inspection. As the applicant, you'll be responsible for the cost of this.

Other licence fees

It costs £128 to change your licence.

If you need us to visit your site (for example, to appeal a licence decision) the cost may vary. We'll decide the cost on a case-by-case basis.

The latest legislation introduces appeals, variations and revocations. It also allows you to request some visits, like for a variation, re-score, or appeal.

If we have to visit because you're not meeting the requirements of your licence, we'll charge you for the visit.

How we decide the licence duration

How long we grant your licence for depends on your star rating and risk score.

We decide these scores based on your ability to show that you meet the conditions of your licence. It's also based on you having environmental (animal accommodation) and management controls in place.