If you keep animals to sell as pets, at any property, you need a licence. You do not need a pet shop licence if:
- you sell the offspring of an animal you keep as a pet;
- you keep only pedigree animals which you breed;
- you breed pedigree animals or acquire them for show.
Changes to animal welfare licensing
The government has recently published the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 under section 13 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Under the new laws a number of animal related activities will all be covered under a single type of licence, known as an animal activity licence, rather than under separate licences. The legislation is accompanied by new nationally set licence conditions and guidance.
Inspections
All premises will be inspected before the licence is granted. The inspector will be looking to make sure the applicant has the following:
- a specialist knowledge in the species they are caring for and a clear understanding of its needs and welfare - i.e. mental and physical health, feeding, and knowledge of environmental enrichment.
- Comprehensive records that contain all the information required by the conditions that apply to their particular activities.
- An understanding of risks involved in caring for the animal, including an extensive risk assessment and written policies and procedures that are reviewed regularly. These documents should be available for the Inspector to examine.
- Training procedures in place to make sure staff know what is expected of them, and clear evidence of good supervision
- Inspections are carried out by the City of London and can take up to 20 days from receiving a valid application to arrange a visit to your premises.
Before we can send your application to the inspection team, we need a copy of your procedures and associated documents.
- We will also need a plan of the premises; accurate measurements of rooms are not required.
- The duration of your licence will depend on the level of compliance that is achieved at inspection and a 'star rating' system is used to show your level of compliance. Therefore, the fee is split into 2 parts, A and B.
- The part B fee cannot be determined until the inspection has taken place and the level of compliance has been ascertained.
- Part A is payable before the veterinary inspection takes place and is made up of the following:
- Admin fee (see fee list) - This covers the cost of the authority processing your application and the associated documents that must be provided)
- Plus, the inspection fee. (The inspection covers all the points listed under 'General conditions' and 'Specific Conditions' of the minimum standards as detailed in the guidance notes
- The remainder of the fee, part B, will be determined after the inspection takes place and depends on the risk rating that the premises is given at inspection, and is made up as follows:
- Council admin charge for a 1,2- or 3-year licence (see fee list) plus the fee for a midterm inspection (see fee list)
- We will inform you of the star rating and duration of the licence once the inspection has taken place.
The midterm will be carried out before the expiry of your licence.
Costs
Schedule of animal activity licensing fees.
Guidance notes
FAQs for new animal activity licensing regulations (PDF - 335.75 KB)
Guidance: Selling animals as pets (PDF - 869.63 KB)
Pre-inspection: Selling animals as pets (PDF - 233.43 KB)
Apply for a licence
Download and complete the pet shop licence application/renewal form and return to the licensing team by email with the required written procedures.
Please contact us by email if you wish to be provided with a pre- inspection information sheet.
Only the Part A fee is payable when you submit your application.