Primate licence

If you keep any primates such as marmosets, tamarins, capuchins or macaques, you will need a licence.

You do not need a primate licence if your primate is kept under a ASPA Licence (Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986)

If you have a primate which is listed on Schedule 1 of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 you will need to obtain both a Primate licence and a Dangerous Wild Animals licence. 

You may also require an Exhibition Licence if you allow the public to visit your premises for less than 7 days in any one 12-month period. If you allow the pubic to visit your premises for more than 7 days in any one 12-month period, you will require a Zoo Licence, whether you charge for entry or not. If you need help determining which licence you need to apply for, please contact us.

A primate licence costs £590. This is to be paid online, after completing the application form. 

There is then an additional charge for a qualified person with primate expertise to accompany our inspector at the premise inspection. You will be invoiced for the additional fees at a later date. 

Please note a licence will not be provided until all charges have been paid.

 

After we have examined your application and supporting documents your premises will be inspected by a suitable person (often a vet or primate specialist) and a Dorset Council Animal Inspector to assess compliance with welfare standards. We are keen to ensure that you are compliant, but you may find that some of our discussions do not meet how you currently believe you should care for your primate(s).

The legislation aims to provide a suitable and natural environment for your primate(s) to be able to exhibit the appropriate behaviour, for their species. The conditions are listed in the legislation under Schedule 1. Your vet should have sufficient knowledge and experience to support you as well.

If approved, your licence will set out:

• the species and number of primates allowed
• approved premises
• the licence duration (up to 3 years)

Renewals follow the same process and must be completed before expiry.

Before you start

You should read the:

• Licensing process for keeping primates - GOV.UK
• The Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024

Begin your application

You will need the following to complete this application:

• a scaled location map
• staff training schedule and current certificates, list any training in progress
• example of each type of primate species record, as per Schedule 1(6) 1(a) including weight checks and vaccinations. These will be viewed in more detail during the inspection
• a photograph of each primate kept
• a scaled plan of the enclosures including isolation unit and external areas.  Please specify heights or provide scaled cross-sections.
• a photograph of displayed details as per Schedule 1 (6) 1 (b)
• emergency plan to include fire, escape and recovery, and where the primates will be taken should the enclosures become uninhabitable
• cleaning and disinfection schedule, include safety information of the chemicals to be used
• feeding programme, these should be tailored to individual needs such as age
• enrichment programme
• transportation procedure, include photographs of any transport crates
• welfare check programme including the administration of any medicines:
  • parasite control
  • birth control
  • vaccines
  • temperature control
  • humidity (if relevant to species)
  • ventilation

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. 

You will be prompted to pay for your permit at the end of this application. 

Login and apply now