The keeping of certain species of wild animals is controlled by the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976.
No person may keep any dangerous wild animal without first obtaining a licence from their local authority.
The animals for which a licence is required before they may be kept are listed in the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 (Modification) Order 1984.
Application Instructions
To obtain an exotic, dangerous or wild animals licence, you should:
- Fill in the exotic, dangerous or wild animals application form. You can also use our online form to request we post these to you.
- Sign the form and attach the relevant fee.
- Return the completed form and fee to Licensing Team, City Hall, Beaumont Fee, Lincoln, LN1 1DB
Application fee
There is an application fee which must be paid at the time an application is made. The fee is currently £362.00. This can be paid by cash, cheque or credit card.
Processing times
We aim to process all licence requests within ten working days.
Licence renewals
Where a licence is granted, that licence and any subsequent licence will expire on the 31st December of the year to which the licence relates and must be renewed before that date if the premises are to continue as an animal boarding establishment. We will contact the Licensee one month prior to the licence expiring.
The Decision
If the inspection is approved, the licence will be issued. If, however, the inspection is not approved then the licence will go before a committee who will decide whether to grant the licence or not. If you are unhappy with the decision made, you do have the right to appeal.
Licence Enforcement
Anybody found guilty of keeping an animal covered by the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, without a licence to do so, or anybody found guilty of failing to comply with any licence condition shall be subject to a fine of up to £2,000.
Any person found guilty of obstructing or delaying an inspector or authorised veterinary practitioner or veterinary surgeon shall be subject to a fine of up to £2,000.
Where a person keeps an animal without a licence or where a person fails to comply with a licence condition, our inspectors may seize the animal and may either retain it or have it destroyed or disposed of (to a zoo or elsewhere) without compensation to the owner.
Where we incur any expense in seizing, retaining or disposing of an animal, then the person who was the keeper of the animal will be liable for these costs.