Water voles: apply for a mitigation licence (A11)
Source: gov.uk (2025-07-25)

Apply for a licence to carry out work that may affect water voles. Find out if you need to pay for the licence and how to report your actions.

You need a mitigation licence if your work will affect water voles. This includes if you may need to:
- disturb them while they are in a place they use for shelter or protection
- damage or destroy places they use for shelter or protection
- stop water voles accessing places they use for shelter or protection
- kill or injure them
- take, move, possess or control them
You can only apply for this licence if you need to carry out these actions for a specific purpose. You must choose the purpose that is most appropriate to your work. Your work must either:
- be for reasons of overriding public interest, including development
- preserve public health or safety
- prevent serious damage to livestock, animal feed, crops, growing timber, fisheries or any other property
- prevent the spread of disease
Alternatively, if your work will affect water voles in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Thurrock or Southend-on-Sea, you may be eligible to apply for a strategic licence (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-voles-apply-for-a-strategic-licence) instead.

To study and conserve water voles, you will need a different licence. Use the science, education or conservation licence application form A29 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/survey-or-research-licence-for-protected-species) if you cannot avoid handling or disturbing them.

Check whether you need a reasoned statement

You will need to complete a reasoned statement if your application is for overriding public interest, unless housing development exemptions apply.

Housing development exemptions

You do not need a reasoned statement for a housing development, unless any of the following apply:
- it’s in the red zone of any water vole strategic licensing scheme (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-voles-apply-for-a-strategic-licence)
- it will require trapping and translocating water voles
- it affects over 150 metres of watercourse where water voles are present
The same reasoned statement requirements apply for applications using the water vole strategic licence trial.

Complete the reasoned statement form

Unless your activity meets one of the exemptions, you must complete a water vole reasoned statement (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67fcdb12393a986ec5cf8c9e/Reasoned_Statement_to_support_water_vole_licence_applications_for_the_purpose_of_reasons_of_Overriding_Public_Interest__OPI_.docx) as part of your application pack. This must show that the activity meets the overriding public interest criteria and that there is no satisfactory alternative.

If your activity does meet one of the exemptions, you do not need to complete a reasoned statement. You must explain which exemption applies on your licence application form.

How to apply

You must apply for a mitigation licence before you carry out licensable actions. To apply you need to:
- Complete the A11 application form
- Attach your references if needed
- Attach your method statement
- Attach maps and figures that support your method statement
- Attach your reasoned statement if needed
- Email your completed form and attachments to xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)
You can also submit your application by post. Send your completed form and attachments to:

Wildlife LicensingNatural EnglandHorizon HouseDeanery RoadBristolBS1 5AH

References

You will need to provide references if your ecological consultant has not held a water vole licence, using the same methods, in the last 3 years.

Find out about what references you need to provide for a protected species licence. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reference-to-support-a-protected-species-licence)

After you submit your application

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

You cannot act until you receive an email with your licence from Natural England

How to request a change to your existing licence

Email Natural England to request a change to an existing licence. You must include:
- your licence reference number
- a progress summary that says what you have completed and what you still need to complete
a summary of the animals you have captured during the licensed work so far
- a list of the changes and the reason for the change
- information on whether your proposed changes will affect the conservation status of water voles
- updated maps and figures that support your method statement
When you may need to pay

You may need to pay for an A11 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:
- preserving public health and safety
- preventing serious damage
- preventing spread of disease
- a project where the main purpose is the conservation of a protected species or habitat
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 for 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 the application form.

How to report your actions

You must report any actions you took using this licence. Use the LR11 report form to report your actions.

You must report no later than 2 weeks after your licence expires, even if you’ve taken no action. Natural England may ask you to submit interim reports too.

Email your completed form to Natural England or send it by post using the details on the form.

You must also complete the Displacement Monitoring Form for all sites where displacement has taken place and submit it with your LR11 report form. This information allows Natural England to assess the effectiveness of displacement as a licensed activity.