Primates
Primate licensing
The Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024 will come into force from 6 April 2025.The legislation brings in a licensing scheme, setting strict rules to ensure that only private keepers who can provide zoo-level welfare standards will be able to keep primates.
Existing private primate keepers can apply for a primate licence from April 2025 and, from 6 April 2026, all private primate keepers and people proposing to keep a primate will be required to hold a licence, valid for a maximum of three years, and undergo reassessment to renew their permission to keep their animals.
A person who requires a primate licence and keeps a primate in England without one will be committing an offence under section 13 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and will be liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term of up to six months, a fine or both.
Further guidance can be found by clicking here
If you wish to apply please contact the licensing team for further information.