Animal licences

Selling animals as pets

You’ll need a licence if you want to:

  • sell animals as pets (or to be later resold as pets)
  • keep animals to be sold or resold.

Find out more about:

How to apply

You'll need to apply for a licence to sell animals as pets using our online form.

Your business must meet all of the minimum standards outlined in the licensable activity guide.

Before completing your application, we strongly recommend you read the statutory guidance for selling animals as pets. 

Pre-application advice service

We offer a pre-application advice service if you need advice and guidance on applying for a licence. The fee for this service is £115. If pre-application advice leads to a licence application, the Part A application fee will be reduced by £30.

To book a pre-application advice meeting please email animal.licensing@medway.gov.uk.

Completing your application 

You’ll need the following information to apply for a licence:

  • business type and registration details 
  • public liability insurance  
  • planning consent (if required) 
  • animals to be sold 
  • waste disposal arrangements 
  • veterinary practice registration  
  • isolation facilities.

You'll also need to tell us about:

  • prevention and control of infectious disease  
  • standard operating procedures  
  • professional training 
  • emergency response arrangements 
  • previous licence refusal, revocation or cancellation 
  • applicant details  
  • emergency key holder details .

You will not be able to update or save your application. Ensure you have your application information and documents ready.

Apply for a licence to sell animals as pets

After you apply

We’ll review your application and if complete we’ll email you a link to make your Part A payment online. 

If we need more information to process your application, we’ll contact you by email to tell you what information we need. You’ll be able to submit your missing proof using our online form. 

Part A - application and inspection fee

The Part A fee is £240.

Once you have paid the Part A fee and we have received your supporting documentation and procedures, we'll contact you to arrange an inspection of your premises. This will be carried out by one of our licensing officers and, if necessary, an independent vet.

After the inspection, we’ll write to you to let you know the outcome of your licence application.

If you're granted a licence

If your application was successful, you'll get a risk rating of either 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 stars. This will determine how long your licence will last for. 

Licence length is:

  • 1 year for 1 or 2 star-rated premises
  • 2 years for 3 or 4 star-rated premises
  • 3 years for 5 star-rated premises.

We’ll also provide a copy of the inspection report and risk matrix, as well as details of the appeals process. 

Premises not previously compliant will automatically receive a higher risk rating. 

To complete your application and receive your licence, you'll need to pay the Part B fee and any vet fees.

Part B - licensing fee  

The Part B licensing fee is based on the risk rating you receive and any other fees incurred during inspection. 

The fee will be:

  • £240 if you receive a 1 or 2 star
  • £370 if you receive a 3 or 4 star
  • £530 if you receive a 5 star.

Once we receive your payment, we’ll issue your licence.

You must display your licence at any premises used for the licensable activity at all times.

The name of the licence holder followed by the licence number must be clearly displayed on any website used for the licensable activity.

We’ll also publish your licence details in Medway Council’s online Animal Licensing Register. 

If you're refused a licence

If we have not granted you a licence following inspection, we’ll let you know why.

We’ll provide a copy of the inspection report and risk matrix, as well as details of the appeals process.

If any other fees were incurred during inspection, we’ll contact you for payment. 

You will not be able to operate or carry out licensable activities without a licence. 

Changes to your licence

You must request a variation to your licence if there are:

  • minor administrative changes (for example, changing the number, use or type of animals being exhibited)
  • major structural or operational changes for the business.

You’ll need to send your request in writing along with any supporting evidence to animal.licensing@medway.gov.uk.

We’ll review your request and email you a link to pay online. 

Once we've received your payment, we’ll contact you within 10 working days about your request.

Change of business owner 

If the current licence holder is no longer the operator or owner of the business, the new operator or business owner will need to apply for a licence. You'll need to contact us as soon as possible to do this.

You must not operate until there is a new licence holder in place.

Death of a licence holder 

The personal representative of the licence holder must tell us us in writing of the death within 28 days. 

The personal representative will become the operator of the licensable activity for 3 months from the death of the former licence holder or until the licence expires, whichever is shorter. 

If you do not notify us within the timeframe, the licence will end 28 days following the death of the licence holder. 

Find out more about what to do if a licence holder dies. 

Licence holder re-rating requests 

A licence holder can request a re-inspection during the licence term if they:

  • were awarded a 1 to 4 star rating 
  • have since made improvements to address non-compliances found during the previous inspection. 

You’ll need to make your request in writing, along with:

  • an outline of the case for reinspection 
  • what actions you have taken to improve compliance or welfare standards 
  • supporting evidence.

Your request should be emailed to animal.licensing@medway.gov.uk.

We’ll review the request and if there’s evidence to support a re-inspection, we’ll complete this within 3 months of your request.

You'll need to pay for the cost of the re-inspection, including any vet fees. 

Following inspection your star rating could go up, down or remain the same. 

Refusal of a licence holder re-rating request 

Re-rating requests can be refused if the case is not substantiated or there’s not enough evidence to support the case.

If we refuse your request, we’ll explain why. We’ll also confirm what you must do to improve your rating and what evidence you need to support a re-inspection request. 

Find out more about re-inspection requests during the term of a licence. 

Announced and unannounced re-inspections during the licence term 

Re-inspection may happen during the licence term, either as part of the licence conditions or following complaint or animal welfare concerns. 

Renew your licence

If you intend to keep operating, you’ll need to renew your licence at least 10 weeks before it expires.

We’ll write to you 3 months before your licence is due to expire to advise you to renew. It's the licence holder's responsibility to renew in time.

If you do not do this, there could be a break in the licensable activity, and you will not be able to operate.

You'll need to use our online form to renew your licence.