Bluetongue: moving animals within the restricted zone
Source: gov.uk (2025-08-04)

The rules to follow when moving animals within a restricted zone, including to markets, shows and slaughterhouses.

References to ‘animals’ means ruminants (for example, cattle, sheep, goats and deer) and camelids (for example, llamas and alpacas).

If you are planning to move animals from England to Scotland you should follow the guidance on movement licences and pre-movement tests in Scotland (https://www.gov.scot/publications/bluetongue/pages/licensing/).

If you are planning to move animals from England to Wales you should follow the guidance on movement licences and pre-movement tests in Wales (https://www.gov.wales/bluetongue-policy-wales).

Moving animals in England

As of 1 July 2025, the whole of England is in a bluetongue restricted zone. This means that to move animals within England, you:
- do not need a specific licence
- do not need pre-movement tests
- just need to meet the conditions of general licence EXD612(E) (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/general-licence-to-move-animals-within-the-bluetongue-restricted-zone-exd612e)
This applies if you are moving animals to a market, show, slaughterhouse or anywhere else within the restricted zone.

The declaration of the bluetongue restricted zone also imposed a bluetongue Infected Area which applies to the same geographical area as the restricted zone which restricts the movement of animals on and off premises and in or out of the infected area. Licence EXD612(E) (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/general-licence-to-move-animals-within-the-bluetongue-restricted-zone-exd612e) is published to overcome legal restrictions that would otherwise prevent movement of animals. This does not remove any obligations to comply with BTV movement restrictions and licences and does not permit the movement of animals out of a restricted zone.

Holdings or animals with a restriction notice

APHA will issue a notice to the keeper or occupier that explains the restrictions that are in place.

You can apply for a specific licence (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-to-move-animals-within-into-and-out-of-bluetongue-zones) if:
- you need to move your animals onto and off the premises while these restrictions are in place
- there is an urgent welfare need to move animals, including short distance moves out of the restricted zone
In the second scenario listed above, if APHA then approves a welfare licence, the animals will be placed under restriction. APHA may ask you to organise a visit by your private vet, at your cost, to take samples from the animals after they have moved.

All restriction notices (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bluetongue#report-suspected-bluetongue) issued to individual holdings and animals that were in place before 1 July 2025 will be lifted in due course from 1 July.

Designated slaughterhouses

Slaughterhouses in England do not need to be designated to slaughter animals.

Shows put into a restricted zone after they have started

If you have an animal at a show that is put into a restricted zone, you can move the animal to another premises in the restricted zone without a licence.

Bluetongue suspicion or confirmation at a show in the restricted zone

If bluetongue is suspected at the showground, the animal keeper or show organiser must immediately notify the APHA (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/contact-apha#animal-disease) with details of the animal.

The process for investigations into suspected bluetongue (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bluetongue#report-suspected-bluetongue) in the England restricted zone has changed. If the infection is suspected to be bluetongue by the APHA duty vet the show can continue as normal.

However, APHA may apply restrictions and other disease control measures if we identify other serotypes or other diseases cannot be ruled out, and APHA will provide advice on what this means for the show.

Animals presenting with clinical signs must not be moved from the show ground.