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Animal welfare licensing

General information

New animal welfare regulations came into effect on 1 October 2018 for:

  • selling animals as pets
  • dog breeding
  • providing for or arranging for the provision of boarding for cats or dogs
  • hiring out horses
  • keeping or training animals for exhibition

Check the regulations and government guidance by visiting Canine and Feline Sector Group.

To make sure animal welfare matters are properly addressed, certain specified categories of premises are subject to licensing regimes.

We are responsible for the issue of the following licences:

  • Selling animals as pets
  • Animal boarding establishments (cats and dogs)
  • Dog Breeding
  • Zoos
  • Dangerous Wild Animals
  • Hiring Out Horses
  • Keeping or Training Animals for Exhibition

All premises are inspected by our Licensing Team, and where necessary, an independent vet to ensure their suitability before the licence is granted.

Animal licence fees and charges

There is an additional charge for our appointed vet's inspection, where required, payable after the inspection has taken place, which can be paid online.

Licence activityApplication feeGrant feeAdditional costs to applicantTotal fee
Animal boarding£300£100n/a£400
Selling animal as pets£300£100n/a£400
Dog breeding£300£100vets fees for inspection on application£400 (plus vets fees)
Hiring out horses£300£100vets fees for inspection on application and throughout licence£400 (plus vets fees)
Keeping animals for exhibition£300£100n/a£400
Combination of activities

£300 plus

£150 per additional activity

£75 per additional activityvets fees where required (as above)£375 plus £225 per additional activity

Variation to licence/re-evaluation of rating

  • animal boarding
  • selling animals as pets
  • keeping animals for exhibition
£85n/a£137 for inspection£222

Variation to licence/re-evaluation of rating

  • dog breeding
  • hiring out horses
£85n/a£137 for inspection plus any vets fees£222 (plus vets fees)
Appeal (all licences)£137 for inspectionn/ainspection fee refunded if appeal upheld£137
Variations to reduce licensable activities or numbers of animals£85n/an/a£85
Animal licence fees and charges
Licence activityApplication feeGrant feeAdditional costs to applicantTotal fee
Animal boarding£330£110n/a£440
Selling animal as pets£330 £ 110 n/a£ 440
Dog breeding£330 £ 110 vets fees for inspection on application£ 440 plus vets fees
Hiring out horses£ 330 £ 110 vets fees for inspection on application and throughout licence period£ 440 plus vets fees
Keeping animals for exhibition£ 330 £ 110 n/a£ 440
Combination of activities£ 330 plus
£155 per additional activity
£110 plus
£82 per additional activity
vets fees where required£440 plus
£237 per additional activity
Variation to licence or re-evaluation of rating
• Animal Boarding
• Selling animals as pets
• Keeping Animals for exhibition
£108n/a£137 for inspection£245
Variation to licence or re-evaluation of rating
• Dog breeding
• Hiring out horses
£ 108 n/a£137 for inspection plus any vets fees£245 plus vets fees
Appeal (all licences)£137 for inspectionn/ainspection fee refunded if appeal upheld£137
Variations to reduce licensable activities or numbers of animals£93n/an/a£93
Animal licence fees and charges from 1 April 2023

Making an application

To apply for a licence you will need to complete sections 1 and 7 and the relevant section(s) dependant on the activity you are applying to be licensed for:

Section 1 - Standard Application Profile pdf

Section 2 - Pet Vending pdf

Section 3 - Dog Breeding pdf

Section 4 - Animal Boarding pdf

Section 5 - Hiring out of Horses pdf

Section 6 - Keeping or Training Animals for Exhibition pdf

Section 7 - Declaration pdf

Once completed, please send by email to licensing@brentwood.gov.uk, fee payments can then be made over the phone by calling 01277 312500.