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From 6 April 2026, you must have a licence to keep a primate. After this date, it will be an offence for anyone to keep a primate without a valid licence.
The Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024 requires all primate keepers to keep primates in zoo level standards of animal welfare. Primate keepers will be subject to regular inspections to make sure these standards are upheld.
This does not apply to primates kept in zoos and pet shops. View the guidance for primate keepers.
There's separate guidance for keeping Callitrichids (primates such as Goeldi’s monkeys, marmosets and tamarins). Read the licence conditions for keeping primates from the family Callitrichidae (callitrichids).
- Making an application
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Please contact us prior to acquiring a primate.
You will need to tell us:
- the number and species of each primate you intend to keep
- the purebred status of the primate (for example, is it a hybrid, crossbreed or purebred)
- enclosure arrangements for the primate.
You can contact us by emailing environmental.health@sevenoaks.gov.uk or calling 01732 227000.
We can offer advice and guidance and provide you with an application form.