Statutory guidance

Edible dormice: licence to trap them (CL02)

Get a licence to trap edible dormice for health and safety and other purposes.

From:
Natural England
Published
6 October 2014
Last updated
21 February 2024 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

Edible dormice: licence to trap them (CL02)

HTML

Edible dormice: licence reference form

ODT, 35.7 KB

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Details

This licence allows you to trap edible dormice (also known as fat dormice) to preserve public health and safety and to prevent serious damage to crops, fruit, timber and other property. It allows you to use appropriate live capture traps or approved spring traps.

Approved spring traps

You can only use:

  • Kania trap 2000
  • Kania trap 2500
  • Solway spring trap Mk4
  • Solway spring trap Mk6
  • Goodnature A24 rat and stoat trap

Edible dormice that are captured alive must not be released into the wild and must be humanely killed.

Register to use this licence

This is a class licence. You need to register to use it. Use the reference form attached to this page. You must include:

  • the name of the pest control company you used (if applicable)
  • your name and contact details
  • any relevant experience or qualifications you have, with one reference
  • any wildlife crime related convictions within the last 5 years
  • the make and model of the spring trap you’re using (if applicable)

How to report your actions

You must send an annual record of all edible dormice captured under this licence to Natural England by 31 January each year. Doing this also renews your registration to use this licence.

Updates to this page

Published 6 October 2014
Last updated 21 February 2024 + show all updates

  1. We've corrected an error in licence 'condition 16'. This referred to the consequence if 'condition 14 is not met', but it should be 'if condition 15 is not met'.

  2. There is an update to this licence for 1 January 2024.

  3. Annual licence update, valid from 1 January 2023.

  4. Annual licence update, valid from 1 January 2022.

  5. Added Spring Traps Approval (Variation) (England) Order 2021 to section 8 of the licence, which means using a Goodnature A24 rat and stoat trap is allowed.

  6. Annual licence update.

  7. Accessible version of licence added - HTML.

  8. Details of the permitted spring traps and reference form added.

  9. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2020

  10. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2019

  11. Replaced licence with new version issued 1 January 2018

  12. Annual licence update 2017.

  13. Replaced licence with new version issued on 1 January 2016.

  14. Added revised version of licence. Change to requirements for applicants under note 'g' and information on protected sites under note 'v'.

  15. Updated class licence. New version valid from 1 January to 31 December 2015.

  16. First published.

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