Water voles: licence to displace them for development projects (CL31)

You must have a licence to displace water voles for development.

This licence allows you to intentionally damage or destroy water vole burrows or displace water voles for development projects. This includes:

• cutting vegetation back to bare earth in the spring
• carrying out a destructive search of water vole burrows to displace them from their burrows after removing vegetation
• destroying water vole burrows after a destructive search

Intentionally disturbing water voles by displacement is a method of reducing harm to them where development is to take place. Read the guidance document on this page for more details.

You can only use this licence for a development if your actions will result in a conservation benefit for water voles.

You should apply for an individual licence if you cannot follow the terms and conditions of this licence.

Register to use this licence

You must register with Natural England before you can use this licence.

You can only use this licence if you’re an:

• ecological consultant registered to use it - the ‘registered person’
• accredited agent of the registered person
• assistant working under the direct supervision of the registered person or accredited agent

Pay for your licence

You need to pay for a CL31 licence.

New registrations cost £60.

It costs £50 a year to renew your registration.

Read the terms and conditions for paying for a wildlife licence.

How to pay

You can pay using a bank card. Follow the GOV.UK Pay link on the application form.

Report your actions

You must report any actions you took while using this licence on the records and reporting template for CL31 licences (form LR31).

You must submit your report by 31 January each year, even if you’ve taken no action.

Send your completed form to Natural England using the details on the form.

You must also complete the monitoring form for CL31 licences for any action you’ve taken and submit it with form LR31. This information allows Natural England to assess the effectiveness of displacement as a new licensed activity.

Renew your licence

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