Protected species: apply for a mitigation licence (A05 and A05a)
Source: gov.uk (2025-03-31)

Apply for a licence to carry out work that may affect species protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, find out if you need to pay and how to report your actions.

You need a mitigation licence if your work will have an impact on plants and animals listed under schedules 5, 6 and 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 that would otherwise be illegal. This includes if you:
- capture, kill, disturb or injure them – on purpose or by not taking enough care
- damage or destroy a structure or place which they use for shelter or protection – even accidentally
- obstruct access to any structure or place being used for shelter or protection – on purpose or by not taking enough care
- pick, uproot or destroy certain plant species
A05 form

You need to use the A05 form to apply for a licence if you are carrying out work for one of the following purposes:
- preserving public health or public safety
- preventing the spread of disease
- preventing serious damage to livestock, animal feed, crops, growing timber, fisheries or any other property
A05a form

You need to use the A05a form to apply for a licence for reasons of overriding public interest (OPI), which includes development.

Purpose

You can only choose one purpose when you apply for a licence, so carefully consider which purpose most closely matches your situation.

Species covered by this licence

You need to use these forms if the proposed work will affect plants and animals listed under schedules 5, 6 and 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/69/contents).

Do not use these forms for birds (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/bird-licences) or European protected species (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-protected-species-apply-for-a-mitigation-licence), or for schedule 5 species that have their own mitigation licence application forms:
- bats (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bats-apply-for-a-mitigation-licence)
- dormice (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dormice-licences)
- great crested newts (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/great-crested-newts-apply-for-a-mitigation-licence)
- natterjack toads (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/natterjack-toads-apply-for-a-mitigation-licence)
- otters (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/otter-licences)
- smooth snakes and sand lizards (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smooth-snakes-and-sand-lizards-apply-for-a-mitigation-licence)
- water voles (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-voles-apply-for-a-mitigation-licence-a11)
Apply for an A05 or A05a licence

To apply you must:
- complete application form A05 or A05a, depending on which purpose you need to apply under
- complete all mandatory questions on the forms
For an A05a application, you also need to include:
- a method statement (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1108353/A05a_method_statement_10.22.docx) to show what you’ll do to reduce the impacts of the proposed work on the affected species
- a reasoned statement (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1108149/Reasoned_Statement_OPI.docx) to show that the activity fits the overriding public interest criteria and that there is no satisfactory alternative
- references (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reference-to-support-a-protected-species-licence) to show that the ecological consultant has the necessary experience to apply for a mitigation licence – references are not needed if they’ve held a mitigation licence for the same species in the last 3 years
For an A05 application, you may also need to include a method statement to show what you’ll do to reduce the impacts of the proposed work on the affected species. Contact Natural England before you submit your A05 application to find out if you need to include a method statement.

Send all required documents together with the application form by:

email to: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

post to:

Wildlife LicensingNatural England, Horizon HouseDeanery RoadBristolBS1 5AH

Natural England will decide whether to issue a licence within 30 working days of receiving your application.

When you may need to pay

You do not need to pay for an A05 licence.

You may need to pay for an A05a licence for certain development work. Natural England will assess the charging section of your application form and tell you:
- if you need to pay
- how much you’ll pay
Read the terms and conditions for paying for a wildlife licence (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/terms-and-conditions-for-paying-for-a-wildlife-licence).

When you do not need to pay

You will not pay for a licence if it’s for:
- use by a volunteer
- preserving public health and safety
- preventing the spread of disease
- preventing serious damage to property
- conservation of a historic property
- domestic home improvements
How to pay

Natural England will send you an invoice when it approves your application.

You can pay by:
- electronic bank transfer
- debit or credit card by telephone (except American Express)
- cheque
Your invoice will give details of these payment methods.

You need to include the invoice number with your payment so Natural England can match it to your application.

VAT does not apply to charges for wildlife licences.

Natural England accepts purchase orders. If you want Natural England to add a purchase number to your invoice, you must include it in the invoice details in your charge form.

How to report your actions

You must report any actions you took using this licence. Use the LR05 report form (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protected-species-apply-for-a-mitigation-licence-a05-and-a05a) to report your actions.

You must report no later than 2 weeks after your licence expires, even if you’ve taken no action. You may be asked to submit interim reports too. Send your completed form by post or email to Natural England using the details on the form.