How to apply for a selling animals as pets licence, and information about conditions
Who should apply
We issue licences to make sure animals are well looked after in pet shops. This is covered byThe Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities involving animals) (England) Regulations 2018.
You should apply if:
- you keep animals in the course of a business, with a view to them being sold or re-sold.
Exemptions
You won't need a licence if:
- you're an aquaculture production business
- selling puppies under a breeding licence
Apply for a licence
To apply for a pet shop licence online you’ll need:
- A debit or credit card for the fee
What happens next?
We will visit you to look at the premises, and make sure it's suitable.
We'll then determine your application, and if successful, we'll award a star rating between one and five. An additional fee will then be payable, depending on the length of the licence (one to three years). To find out more, please see our fee document.
Planning requirements
Even if we've issued a licence, you may still need planning permission for a pet shop. For further information, please see our planning pages.
Neighbourhood nuisance issues
We have a duty to investigate complaints of nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Even if you’ve had a licence or planning permission granted, if we find your premises to have issues like excessive noise, and odour, this could result in formal action being taken. For further advice, please contact csnn@west-norfolk.gov.uk
Conditions
Mandatory conditions will apply to your licence, and there are some additional conditions in the guidance documents. You can find these at the bottom of the page.
Licence renewals
You'll need to renew your licence at least 10 weeks before it expires. We'll send you a renewal form when it's time for you to renew. Being late with your renewal may mean a break in licensable activity.
Further information
For further information please contact us. Our contact details are below.