Charge waivers for species licensing
Our charging scheme for species licensing includes four charge waivers. We will continue to fund the four charge waivers through grant in aid.
For any of the waivers to apply to your application you may be asked to provide suitable evidence to support this.
Waivers will only be applied where in our view the proposal meets the principal objective of the waiver.
We will not charge for a species licence that comes under one or more of these waivers:
Waiver A – conservation, scientific, research or education
We will not charge for an application for a species licence if you are carrying out not-for-profit survey work or for applications from enforcement agencies such as the police, who require one to investigate a suspected offence. No fee shall apply where in our view the principal objective is:
- the conservation of that protected species or their habitats
- the advancement of scientific understanding of protected species or their habitats
- education related to that protected species or their habitats
- maintaining or enhancing biodiversity or the resilience of ecosystems
- the maintenance or conservation of protected ancient monuments
Waiver B - public safety, public health, or the prevention of serious damage to property
No fee shall apply to an application for a species licence where the objective is:
- maintaining the safety of the public from imminent injury or death
- preserving public health from imminent threat
- preventing the spread of disease
- preventing serious damage to property, including crops, livestock, and fisheries
- preserving air safety
- conserving flora and fauna
Waiver C – licences relating to the control of Invasive Alien Species
No fee shall apply to any licence issued under Part 8 of The Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019.
Waiver D – household maintenance
No fee shall apply to an application if you are carrying work defined as a ‘household maintenance'.
A waiver will apply to charges for species licences required to enable the maintenance of a domestic property used as a primary residence (use class C3) where the work does not require planning consent e.g. minor roof repairs, guttering replacement or masonry repair . The waiver can still be applied if the work requires listed building consent.
The waiver does not apply to other works carried out under planning consent or permitted development consent or whole re-roofing.
Waiver E – developments to provide facilities and access for disabled people.
No fee shall apply to a licence for a species licence necessary to implement a development (whether or not it is also a householder development) that the relevant local planning authority have accepted as coming under the exception in Regulation 4 of The Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications and Site Visits) (Wales) Regulations 2015