Animal Welfare Regulations - 1 October 2018
New animal welfare regulations came into force on 1 October 2018, affecting businesses or individuals who want to apply or renew a keeping or training animals for exhibition licence.
Before submitting an application, please read our information explaining the new regulations and the Government's guide on how to comply with the regulations.
View information on the Animal Welfare Regulations
You must have a licence to keep or train animals used in the course of a business for educational or entertainment purposes.
The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 define the above as keeping or training animals for the purposes of:
- educating or entertaining any audience attending in person
- recording visual images of animals by any form of technology which enables the display of such images
The following do not require a licence:
- keeping or training animals solely for military, police or sporting purposes
- any activity permitted under a licence to operate a travelling circus under the Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012
- any activity permitted under a licence for a zoo under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981