Change description : 2025-01-01 00:01:00: Updated this licence to cover the period 1 January to 31 December 2025. Reworded several sections to make the information clearer. Updated the ‘Avian influenza’ information and advice note. [Guidance and regulation]
It’s an offence to release certain wild birds and animals under schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. However with this general licence you can release certain native and formerly native species if you:
took them to tend and rehabilitate, and they now need to be released
accidentally caught them in a trap or net set for another species
took them temporarily under a Natural England licence (such as to ring or mark a bird)
This licence applies to:
barn owl
capercaillie
common crane
corncrake
Eurasian beaver
northern goshawk
red-billed chough
red kite
white-tailed eagle
wild boar
You do not need to apply for this general licence but you must meet its conditions and follow its instructions to use it.
You must comply with relevant animal welfare legislation at all times.
Updates to this page
Published 30 April 2019 Last updated 1 January 20242025
+ show all updates
Updated this licence to cover the period 1 January to 31 December 2025. Reworded several sections to make the information clearer. Updated the 'Avian influenza' information and advice note.
There is an update to this licence for 1 January 2024.
Annual licence update, valid from 1 January 2023.
Annual licence update, valid from 1 January 2022.
Accessible version of licence added - HTML. Annual licence update.