Statutory guidance

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

Register for a licence to intentionallydisplace damagewater orvoles destroyto waterallow volework burrowsthat orcould displacedisturb waterthem volesor fordamage developmenttheir projectsburrows and report your actions.

From:
Natural England
Published
1 January 2016
Last updated
1 January 20232024 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

Register for a licence to displace water voles for development projects

https://defragroup.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cG6oJl5gJ6RUwiW

Water voles: licence to intentionally damage or destroy water vole burrows by displacement (CL31)

HTML

Report and monitor your actions and renew your CL31 water vole class licence (this replaces report form LR31 and monitoring form MON-CL31)

https://defragroup.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ezohFnA4ZzhT3ca

Details

You must have a licence to displace water voles.

This licence allows youyou, toas intentionallythe damageregistered orperson, destroyto waterintentionally vole burrows or displace water voles forby projects.damaging or destroying their burrows. This includes:

  • removing vegetation back to bare earth in spring and autumn
  • carrying out a destructive search of water vole burrows after an appropriate monitoring period, after removing vegetation
  • destroying water vole burrows

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

You can only use this licence for projects that:

  • preserve public health or safety
  • prevent serious damage
  • are for reasons of overriding public interest

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 licence 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. Use the online reporting, monitoring and licence renewal form for CL31 licences.

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

There is a monitoring element to the online form. This information allows Natural England to assess the effectiveness of displacement as a new licensed activity.

Renew your licence

It costs £50 a year to renew your licence.

Complete the online reporting, monitoring and licence renewal form for CL31 licences.

Published 1 January 2016
Last updated 1 January 20232024 + show all updates

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

  2. Licence updated to cover new purposes and to permit autumn displacement of water voles. Annual updates valid from 1 January 2023.

  3. Added an online form titled 'Report and monitor your actions and renew your CL31 water vole class licence'. This replaces reporting form LR31 and monitoring form MON-CL31.

  4. Removed charge form as the way to renew a licence to displace water voles for development will change before the next renewal date.

  5. Updated guidance on how to register for a licence to displace water voles for development projects.

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

  7. Condition 12 added to class licence CL31.

  8. Annual licence update.

  9. From 7 December 2020 you will need to pay for a CL31 licence. Added charge form and updated CL31 licence application form.

  10. Accessible licence added - HTML.

  11. Replaced licence with amended version issued 21 February 2020.

  12. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2020

  13. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2019. Replaced registration and report forms with updated versions.

  14. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2018. New monitoring form added.

  15. Annual licence update 2017.

  16. First published.