European protected species: apply for a licence to possess them (A37 and LR37)
Apply for a licence to possess European protected species and Habitats Directive (annexes II(b) and IV) species for science and education and find out how to report your actions.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
You must have a licence to possess European protected species (EPS), or species listed under Habitats Directive, annexes II(b) and IV. You can only get this licence for scientific or educational purposes.
Licences are free. Natural England will decide whether to issue a licence within 30 working days of receiving your application.
Species listed under annex IV of the Habitats Directive
You must have a licence to possess annex IV specimens. The licence you need will depend on when the species was taken and what type of specimen it is.
Use the form A37 on this page to apply for a licence to possess:
- animal specimens taken after 21 August 2007
- plant specimens taken at any date
Use class licence CL06 for animal specimens taken before 21 August 2007.
How to report your actions
You must report any actions you took using this licence on the report form (LR37) on this page. You must report no later than 2 weeks after your licence expires, even if you’ve taken no action. Send your completed form by post or email to Natural England using the details on the form.
You can also use the report form to renew your licence.
Updates to this page
Published 28 February 2014Last updated 8 March 2022 + show all updates
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We've updated forms A37 and LR37.
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Report form added to this licence application.
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Replaced application form with revised interactive PDF version.
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First published.