Primate Licence
Information about the primates licence regulations
From 6 April 2025 The Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations have come into force. 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 will be able to apply for a primate licence very soon 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.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has produced guidance relating to the licensing of primates which outlines the conditions of the licence. The details can be found here - Licensing process for keeping primates - GOV.UK
If you think you may be affected by these changes please email your contact details to foodandsafety@southnorfolkandbroadland.gov.uk so that you may be added to our contact list and kept informed of any further updates.
More information on the licensing process can be found in the FAQs below.
Primate licence FAQs
Neighbourhood nuisance issues and planning
We have a duty to investigate complaints of nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Even if you have had a licence or planning permission granted, if we find your premises to have issues such as excessive noise, and odour, this could result in formal action being taken. For further advice, please contact cpandeq@southnorfolkandbroadland.gov.uk.
You may need planning permission for keeping the primates. Please see our planning pages for further information. We cannot accept an application unless any relevant planning permission has been granted.