Water voles: strategic licences

A strategic licence is a new type of licence being developed by Natural England to: 

• improve the conservation status of awater protectedvoles species by addressing the biggest threats and opportunities across the landscapelandscape 

• make the regulatory process easier and more efficient for applicantsapplicants 

Although the strategic licence pilot has closed, other water vole licensing options are available. You will still need a licence if your work will affect water voles. This includes if you may need to: 

• disturb them while they are in a place they use for shelter or protection

• damage or destroy places they use for shelter or protectionprotection 

• stop water voles accessing places they use for shelter or protectionprotection 

• take themthem 

• kill or injure them (additional restrictions apply)apply) 

Find out about water vole licences that you may be eligible for.

If you’re a business needing multiple licences for routine activities that affect protected species, you may be eligible for an organisation licence.

Strategic licence trial

This strategic licence washas been trialled fromas 16 June 2025 to 30 June 2026. It was an alternative to a watera water vole mitigation or class licence.

The strategic licence offeredand offers some advantagesadvantages. toWith users.a They:strategic licence you:

• did

  do not need to carry out theiryour own surveys of water volesvoles 

• gained

  get clarity earlier decisions on theiryour eligibility, and mitigation and compensation requirements for their licence applicationsrequirements 

• benefited

  benefit from increased flexibility during licensed works in most areasareas 

Eligibility 

This strategic licence trial wasis available for projects:

• based in Norfolk, Suffolk,Suffolk Essex, Thurrock or Southend-on-SeaSouthend-on-Sea 

• for reasons of overriding public interest (including development) or to preserve public health and safety

Licence

We use a risk zone map to assess licence and compensation costs

ThereExpressions wasof interest for this licence closed on 13 April 2026. You can no costlonger begin an application. If you have already been granted an Impact Assessment and Conservation Payment Certificate (IACPC), the last date a signed IACPC certificate can be submitted is 12 June 2026. The trial period for licencesthis strategic licence closes on 30 June 2026.

Find out how Natural England uses personal information from expressions of interest. 

Compensation costs

Applicants need to evidence an agreed financial contribution toward compensation to qualify for worksa licence. This requirement could be replaced by a discretionary charge in the future.

Licence costs 

There is a set licence fee of £700 (exempt from VAT). You do not need to pay the licence fee if the purpose of your development is to preserve public health and safety. OtherRead strategicthe licencesterms hadand conditions for paying for a setwildlife £700licence. 

There are currently no discretionary charges for this licence. We plan to introduce discretionary charges for this licence fee,in whichthe wasfuture.

How exemptto frompay 

We VAT.will send you an invoice if we approve your application. 

LicenceYou holderscan alsopay hadby: 

• electronic bank transfer 

• debit or credit card by telephone (except American Express) 

• cheque 

Your invoice will give details for these payment methods. 

You need to makeinclude the invoice number with your payment so we can match it to your application. 

VAT does not apply to charges for wildlife licences. 

We accept purchase orders. If you want us to add a financialpurchase contributionnumber towardsto compensationyour basedinvoice, onyou must include it in the impactinvoice ofdetails theirin developments.the application form. 

Future of the scheme 

WeThis aretrial nowperiod evaluatingfor the strategic licence trial.for Wewater voles closes on 30 June 2026. After this, we will evaluate the application process and the licence and use any insights to makeimprove recommendationsthe forscheme developingin the approachfuture. toIf the trial period is successful, the strategic licensing.licence could be introduced in other parts of England.

If you’d like more information about the scheme, you can email the team at WaterVoleSCS@naturalengland.org.uk