Zoo licensing guidance notes
Fees
Please see the fees and charges to find out how much you will need to pay. You will also be recharged DEFRA appointed inspectors fees for any formal inspections that take place during the licence period and on application.
Each original licence will run for four years, consecutive renewals will run for six years.
For small zoos or for a zoo exhibiting only a small number of different kinds of animals the Secretary of State has powers to relax the requirements of the Act. The local authority can seek a direction that the Act shall not apply at all (Section 14(1)(a)) or that certain category of inspection is not required (Section 14(1)(b)).
Or, the zoo operator, on applying to the Secretary of State for a zoo licence, may be granted a dispensation (Section 14(2)) to reduce the number of inspectors to a reasonable level for a small establishment. This doesn't reduce the zoo's obligation to achieve the levels of animal welfare and public safety set out in the Secretary of State's Standards.