Renew, surrender or add a class to a licence

You must always renew your licence to keep native animals when it expires, or surrender your licence if it is no longer required.

Renew a keeper licence

If you hold a Native Animal Keeper Licence (Class 1), you can renew your licence online and receive a 10% discount

Renew

You can only renew online for up to 60 days after your licence has expired. After that, you will need to contact the Wildlife Team to discuss options.

If you have ever previously held an Animal Keeper Licence and have not requested for it to be surrendered, or if you'd like to check on the status of any licences previously held, contact the Wildlife Team.

To renew other native animal or plant licence types, contact the Wildlife Team.

It is your responsibility to renew your licence when it expires, or to surrender it if you no longer want to keep native animals.

Complete the Companion Animal Keeper’s Licence Renewal form and return by post or email.

Complete the Native Animal Keeper’s Licence Renewal form.

Surrender a keeper licence

If you want to stop keeping native birds, frogs, reptiles or mammals, you must:

  • find a new home for your animals
  • submit a Licence Not Required form 
  • submit your e-book records or post your paper record book to report how you disposed of your animals (e.g. rehomed, died).

Your licence will then be surrendered.

Add or change your licence class

Your licence allows you to keep a certain class of native animal, such as a bird, frog (amphibian), reptile or mammal. If you want to add another class of animal to your collection, you will need to tell us by completing the Change of Licence Class or Contact Details Form, so we can change your existing licence.

Please note: 

  • changes to licence classes cannot currently be done online
  • changing the class of your licence will incur a fee appropriate to any additional class of animal you are keeping
  • to keep advanced class species of birds, reptiles or amphibians, please refer to upgrade existing licence.