Government publishes licensing guidance for privately kept primates

13 August 2025

The Government has published official guidance (10 July 2025) for Local Authorities outlining their responsibilities in licensing (which will require veterinary involvement) and enforcement under new legislation concerning the private keeping of primates. The regulations will come into force on 6th April 2026 and are expected to improve the welfare of thousands of animals in England and Wales, considering estimates of up to 5,000 primates are being kept privately as pets in the UK.

The legislation, introduced through secondary legislation under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and passed into law on 5th March 2024, will prohibit the keeping of primates as pets unless individuals can meet the rigorous conditions of a new licensing scheme which include the requirement for licence holders to seek veterinary input on the appropriate care of their animals. Primates have complex welfare and social needs, and the standards are designed to ensure that only those who can demonstrate the highest levels of animal welfare will be permitted to keep primates in private settings. The regulations are being implemented under the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2023, and apply in England and Wales.

Details of the guidance

The newly published guidance provides Local Authorities with detailed information to assess compliance with the standards at inspection and ensure the highest levels of welfare are being maintained. Once the new regulations take effect, it will no longer be legal to keep primates as household pets in domestic environments that fail to provide for their needs.

From 6th April 2026, all private primate keepers will be required to hold a licence, issued by their Local Authority: existing keepers will have had two years from the statutory instrument being approved to reach compliance with the licensing conditions. Licences will be valid for a maximum of three years, with at least one inspection per licensing period and licence holders must undergo re-assessment to renew their permission to keep these animals. Failure to comply with the law could result in an unlimited fine or removal of the primate.

Veterinary Involvement

Veterinarians with knowledge and experience of primate husbandry may be involved if appointed by the Local Authority as a suitable person to carry out inspections, or as the named veterinarian appointed by the licence holder to support them in ensuring the primates’ health is appropriately monitored and that their health needs are met.

Vets may also be involved in providing advice on breeding, nutrition, housing, microchip implantation, and behaviour in addition to overseeing the prescribing and administration of medication and performing sedation or euthanasia if necessary.

The new legislation builds on the Government’s consultations on the introduction of the licensing regime and on primate-keeping welfare standards. BSAVA contributed to Defra consultations in 2021 and 2023 and many of our points have been given consideration. We are pleased to see Government’s commitment to progressing improvements that support primate welfare.

BSAVA members can access further details of the new licensing requirements and veterinary involvement in the related article in the October issue of Companion.

Further information:

Government legislation and Guidance:

Guidance for local authorities on licensing and enforcement responsibilities for privately kept primates – Defines ‘suitable person’ and role in relation to inspections: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/licensing-process-for-keeping-primates

Licence conditions for primate keepers (Schedule 1) – Outlines role of veterinarians: Licence conditions for primate keepers (Schedule 1) – GOV.UK

Licence conditions for keeping primates from the family Callitrichidae (callitrichids) – Outlines genera and criteria for keeping such primates: Callitrichids: licence conditions for keepers (Annex A) – GOV.UK

The Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024

BSAVA Resources

Joint BVA, BSAVA, BVZS consultation response (Feb 2021):Primates as pets in England 

Joint BVA, BSAVA, BVZS consultation response (July 2023): Licensing of specialist private primate keepers in England

BSAVA Scientific Position Statement on Non-Traditional Companion Animals https://www.bsava.com/position-statement/non-traditional-companion-animals/

The BSAVA manual of Exotic Pets contains a chapter with information on Primates – callitrichids, cebids and lemurs https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/chapter/10.22233/9781905319909.chap8

The BSAVA Small Animal Formulary Part B: Exotic Pets contains information on drug doses for primates: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/formulary/exotic-pets

Any unlicensed medications prescribed for primates should be done under the cascade, as directed by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-cascade-prescribing-unauthorised-medicines

BSAVA Microchipping Advice for Veterinary Professionals: https://www.bsava.com/resources/veterinary-resources/microchipping-advice/companion-animals/