You need an Animal Activity Licence licence to:
- sell animals as pets
- board cats or dogs
- provide home boarding (including day care) for dogs
- hire out horses
- breed dogs
- keep or train animals for exhibition
You need a separate licence to keep dangerous wild animals or run a zoo.
Before you apply
You should read the:
- full information on the law surrounding Animal Activity Licenses
- animal activities licensing statutory guidance on GOV.UK
Your business must comply with the conditions and will be assessed before the license is granted to make sure they can meet them.
Apply for a licence
We will process your application once the fee has been paid. Contact us to make a payment.
Licence fees
| Type of licence | Administration and inspection fee | Licence fee | Total fee |
|---|---|---|---|
Boarding in kennels for dogs |
£450 |
£55.50 |
£505.50 |
Home boarding for dogs in a domestic setting (this may be during the day or overnight) |
£450 |
£55.50 |
£505.50 |
Providing commercial day care for dogs |
£450 |
£55.50 |
£505.50 |
Selling animals as pets |
£450 |
£55.50 |
£505.50 |
Keeping or training animals for exhibition |
£450 |
£55.50 |
£505.50 |
| Breeding dogs | £450 plus vet fee* | £55.50 | £505.50 plus vet fee* |
Hiring out horses |
£450 plus vet fee* |
£55.50 |
£505.50 plus vet fee* |
Providing boarding for cats |
£450 |
£55.50 |
£505.50 |
| Substantial licence variation | £170 | Not applicable | £170 |
| Minor variation e.g. amend animals on licence | £25 per animal up to a maximum of 5 animals | Not applicable | £25 per animal up to a maximum of 5 animals |
| Reassessment of star rating | £81.50 per hour | Not applicable | £81.50 per hour |
* Vet fees are payable by the applicant and recharged post inspection to the applicant by the council. A licence will not be granted until fees are paid in full. If no licence is granted only the licence fee will be refunded.
**Where two activities are undertaken, fees payable will be the highest total fee plus 50% of any subsequent activity. This does not apply where the activity is a zoo or dangerous wild animal application.
Check if someone has a licence
If someone is providing any of the services listed under the Animal Activity Licence, you can check if they have a licence with us.
Contact us to report any concerns that someone is operating these services without a licence.