Dangerous wild animals licence

Information on licensing requirements for owning certain animals to ensure safety and animal welfare.

Some animals require a licence to be kept as pets under UK law. This includes certain non-native animals and all primates.

The Council strongly recommends avoiding keeping these animals.

All applications will involve a vet visit, which will be chargeable.

If your primate is on the Dangerous Wild Animals list, you will require both licences.

Which animals need a licence

The full list of animals that require a Dangerous Wild Animals (DWA) licence is available in the legislation:

Apply for a licence to keep dangerous wild animals