Hazel dormice: survey or research – level 1 licence (CL10a)
Source: gov.uk (2025-03-31)

Register for a licence to take, disturb or possess hazel dormice to survey for research, conservation or development projects.

This licence allows you to survey hazel dormice by hand, including handling them in:
- nests
- nest tubes
- nest boxes
You must release the dormice where they were captured as soon as you’ve examined them.

You need a level 2 licence (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hazel-dormice-survey-or-research-licence-level-2) to mark dormice by clipping their fur.

You must apply for an individual licence (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/survey-or-research-licence-for-protected-species) or a level 2 licence (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hazel-dormice-survey-or-research-licence-level-2) for survey, research or conservation work not covered by this licence.

For development work affecting hazel dormice, you must apply for a mitigation licence (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hazel-dormice-apply-for-a-mitigation-licence).

Register with Natural England

Before you can use this licence, you must register with Natural England using the registration form for a class licence (https://submit-form-to-defra.service.gov.uk/apply-for-a-class-licence-to-survey-protected-species).

What you need to pay

It costs £104 to register for a new CL10a licence.

It costs £35 a year to continue your registration.

You must declare the intended use of the licence on your registration form. This will determine if you need to pay, such as to survey hazel dormice for development projects.

Natural England will refund unsuccessful applications.

When you do not need to pay

You do not need to pay if the licence is used for:
- voluntary purposes – any work you do is unpaid and you are registered with an organisation or charity as a volunteer
- conservation, science or research purposes, and research related to the protected species is carried out by a student or an employee of an academic institution or research body or an environmental non-governmental organisation
How to pay

You can pay using a bank card. Follow the GOV.UK Pay link on the registration form or survey return form.

Read the terms and conditions (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/terms-and-conditions-for-paying-for-a-wildlife-licence) for paying for a wildlife licence.

References

You need to complete a reference to support a survey or research licence form (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reference-to-support-a-protected-species-licence) when you register for this licence if you:
- have not held a licence for the species or a similar species for the last 3 years
- have a licence but want to add new methods
Report action taken

You need to complete a survey return form (https://defragroup.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_exJfmBKUFwlum0u) between 1 and 31 January each year, even if you’ve taken no action or did not find the target species.

You should only complete and submit a survey return form between 1 and 31 January. If you need to submit it outside these dates (for exceptional reasons only) email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

You will be asked:
- whether you did any surveys
- what survey methods you used
- for the details of any dead or injured dormice found
- for the names of any accredited agents who completed surveys on your behalf
- if you followed best practice
You must also send:
- actions taken under this licence, including surveys where dormouse were not found, to the People’s Trust for Endangered Species (http://surveydata.ptes.org/dormousemonitoring/licence_return_data.php)
- repeat nest-box monitoring data to the National Dormouse Monitoring Programme (https://surveydata.ptes.org/login)
- one-off or incidental records to the National Dormouse Database (https://ptes.org/get-involved/surveys/countryside-2/survey-hazel-dormice/)
Continue your registration

You can use the survey return form (https://defragroup.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_exJfmBKUFwlum0u) to continue your registration. It costs £35 a year to continue your registration.