Apply for a keeping and training animals for exhibition licence

Overview

If you keep or train animals for exhibition whether for education, entertainment, or media you must apply for a licence if the activity is carried out as a commercial business.

You need to complete this form if you would like to exhibit or train animals for public display or media purposes, including:

mobile animal exhibits (e.g. school visits, parties, fairs)
animals used in TV, film, or online content
pony parties (where ponies are not ridden)
domestic animals in circuses

You do not need a licence if the activity is for military, police, or sporting purposes, or if you're a registered charity not operating commercially.

Multiple Locations

Any activities relating to the same business that operate at different locations will require individual licences. If you already have a licence and you want to start an activity at an additional location from that stated on your existing Licence, a new premises application and full fee must be submitted.

Restrictions

You will not get a licence if you’ve committed animal welfare offences or if you have been banned from:

hiring out horses
selling pets
boarding cats or dogs
breeding dogs
keeping or training animals for exhibition

You may not get a licence if you’ve committed other offences.

Fees

Type of licence	Administration and inspection fee	Licence fee	Total fee
Keeping and training animals for exhibition	£450	£55.50	£505.50
Minor variation e.g. amend animals on licence	£25 per animal up to a maximum of 5 animals	N/A	£25 per animal up to a maximum of 5 animals
Substantial variation e.g. significant licence change	£170	N/A	£170

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.

How we assess your application

Conditions

We will inspect your premises before giving you a licence. We may carry out additional inspections any time after it’s granted.

You must prove that you can meet the licence conditions. These include:

keeping animals in suitable accommodation
providing adequate food, water, and exercise
protecting animals from pain, injury, and disease
maintaining emergency plans and trained staff
keeping detailed records of exhibitions and training

You’ll also need to:

display the licence number in any advertising
display the licence clearly on the premises and on any website used for your business

How to appeal a refused application

In the event of your application being refused, you can appeal. Start by contacting the inspecting officer to see if the matter can be resolved informally. If you're still unhappy with the outcome, you can send a formal appeal by email to Environmental Health. You must do this within 21 days of getting your licence. Your appeal will be looked at by someone who wasn’t involved in your original inspection.

Apply now

Before you start your application

You should read the:

Begin your application

You will need the following to complete this application:

a plan of the premises
a copy of your insurance policy
operating procedures
risk assessments
infection control procedures
relevant qualifications
training records
all documents relating to 9.1 of the conditions
emergencies as per 10.1 of the conditions

You will need to register for an account on our licencing website before you can apply.

Register now

If you already have an account, you can login and apply.

Login and apply now

After you've applied

Once you have submitted your application:

we will review your documents
we will contact you to discuss your application and arrange an inspection
if your application is approved, your licence will be issued and a paper copy will be sent to you
your licence must be displayed publicly and on any website used for your business