Primate licences
From 6 April 2026, if you wish to privately keep a primate, you will need to obtain a licence.
The Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024 introduced a licensing regime to protect the welfare of primates kept in England. The Regulations apply to the keeping of any non-human primate in England on or after 6 April 2026 unless the primate is kept under a Zoo Licensing Act 1981 licence ('zoo licence') or an Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 licence ('ASPA licence').
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.
For details on how to apply for a primate licence please contact the Licensing team.
Contact us
- email: [email protected]
- phone: 01237 428700
- post: Licensing Team, Torridge District Council, Riverbank House, Bideford EX39 2QG
