Bats: survey class licence for volunteer bat roost visitors (level 1) (CL15)
Licence to survey bats for conservation purposes.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
This licence allows Natural England-registered volunteer bat roost visitors (VBRVs) and Natural England-registered trainee VBRVs accompanying them to:
- disturb bats
- take bats
- use artificial light like a torch
- use endoscopes
- use static
hand-heldhandheld nets
This licence only allows you to carry out activities for Natural England’s Bat Advice Service.
You need a level 2 licence to train VBRVs.
Surveys must be for the conservation of bats.
Activities not covered
This licence does not cover you for any other volunteering activities and does not allow you to survey:
- for science, education or research
- for development
- hibernation sites
- for the national bat monitoring programme
Register with Natural England
Before you can use this licence you must register with Natural England as follows.
- Use the VBRV expression of interest form - you must do this first.
- Use the disturb or take bats application form (Class-A34).
Report action taken
You must return a report of action taken under a VBRV class licence (LR-CL15-16) no later than 30 November each year, even if you’ve taken no action.
If you fail to do this, you’re no longer registered to act under the licence and cannot carry out roost visits for Natural England’s Bat Advice Service.
This form is also used to renew your registration.
Details
This licence allows Natural England-registered volunteer bat roost visitors (VBRVs) and Natural England-registered trainee VBRVs accompanying them to:
- disturb bats
- take bats
- use artificial light like a torch
- use endoscopes
- use static
hand-heldhandheld nets
This licence only allows you to carry out activities for Natural England’s Bat Advice Service.
You need a level 2 licence to train VBRVs.
Surveys must be for the conservation of bats.
Activities not covered
This licence does not cover you for any other volunteering activities and does not allow you to survey:
- for science, education or research
- for development
- hibernation sites
- for the national bat monitoring programme
Register with Natural England
Before you can use this licence you must register with Natural England as follows.
- Use the VBRV expression of interest form - you must do this first.
- Use the disturb or take bats application form (Class-A34).
Report action taken
You must return a report of action taken under a VBRV class licence (LR-CL15-16) no later than 30 November each year, even if you’ve taken no action.
If you fail to do this, you’re no longer registered to act under the licence and cannot carry out roost visits for Natural England’s Bat Advice Service.
This form is also used to renew your registration.
Updates to this page
Last updated 1 January
-
Updated this licence to cover the period 1 January to 31 December 2025. Reworded several sections to make the information clearer, including the section on 'Registering to use this licence'. Added a new licence note (note e).
Update history
2026-01-01 00:01
Updated this licence to cover the period 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2030.
2025-01-01 00:01
Updated this licence to cover the period 1 January to 31 December 2025. Reworded several sections to make the information clearer, including the section on ‘Registering to use this licence’. Added a new licence note (note e).
2024-07-23 13:55
Added that ‘If there is a difference between a licence condition and published guidelines, you must follow the licence condition’. Added link to the UK Bat Mitigation Guidelines.
2024-03-06 09:30
Licence has been changed to state that reports of action taken must now be returned by 30 November each year.
2024-01-01 00:01
There is an update to this licence for 1 January 2024.
2023-01-01 00:15
Annual licence update, valid from 1 January 2023.
2022-05-26 14:34
Removed hand nets from the list of permitted activities.