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It is against the law to use glue traps to catch rodents unless you have a licence.

You must be a professional pest controller involved in rodent control management to hold a licence for glue trapping. A professional pest controller is someone who provides a pest control service for a public authority or as part of a business.Ìý

Licences must only be used in exceptional circumstances, and where all other methods of rodent control have failed or are not practical.Ìý 

Types of licence 

There are 2 types of glue trap licence:  

• class licence (CL53) – register in advance to use when needed urgently, in very specific circumstances 
• individual licence (A15) – apply for a single-use licence at the time you need it, to deal with a particular problem at a particular site 

Class licence (CL53) conditions of use 

You can only use a class licence for an indoor location and in the following specific and time-critical circumstances: 

• inside aircraft  
• in hospital surgery operating rooms (and related areas needed for maintaining equipment) 
• inside critical infrastructure sites at imminent risk of fire or equipment failure  

Critical infrastructure means sites that maintain public health, safety or security at a regional or national scale.Ìý

As the licence holder, you must: 

• remain on site while the traps are in use, or use remote monitoring devices  
• respond to a triggered trap within 2 hours 
• check the traps every 6 hours 
• have a named emergency pest controller to act as a back-up, who will remove traps if you are unable to  
• report to Natural England every time you use the licence 

Class licence registration lasts until 31 December of the year it is issued.Ìý

Applying for class licence registration 

When you apply for class licence (CL53) registration you need to include with your form: 

• training certificates as evidence of your qualifications 
• a reference from a professional pest controller, if you have not held a licence in the past 3 years 

Find the CL53 form at Glue trap licence application forms.

Individual licence (A15) conditions of use 

An individual licence is issued to deal with a problem at one site only, and within a given timeframe.Ìý 

Individual licences are issued only in exceptional circumstances, for an indoor location, where public health or safety is at risk, and where other methods of rodent control have been tried but have not worked.Ìý 

Exceptional circumstances are situations with a large-scale risk to public health and safety, such as: 

• hospitals, where there are large numbers of vulnerable people 
• food manufacturing facilities with regional distribution 
• laboratories where contamination risk has nationally significant impact  

Restaurants, pubs, takeaways and private houses are not likely to be considered exceptional circumstances.  

Applying for an individual licence 

When you apply for an individual licence (A15) you will need to send a scaled plan of the site showing: 

• the site name  
• a red line boundary of the site within which glue traps will be used  
• where glue traps will be placed within the site 

You will also need to include with the form:  

• training certificates as evidence of your qualifications 
• a reference from a professional pest controller, if you have not held a licence in the past 3 years 
• confirmation that you’ve visited the site where glue traps are to be placed and you have permission from the site owner or occupier 

Find the A15 form at Glue trap licence application forms.

Qualifications to hold a glue trap licence 

You must have one of the following qualifications:  

• RSPH (Royal Society for Public Health) level 2 award in pest management
• Lantra Level 2 Award in Pest Management
• RSPH or BPCA (British Pest Control Association) Level 2 Certificate in Pest Control
• RSPH or BPCA Level 2 Certificate in Pest Management
• RSPH or BPCA Certificate in Pest Control
• BPCA Diploma Part 1
• City and Guilds Pest Control Level 2 NVQ

You must also have completed one of the following training courses:

• ‘Principles In The Use Of Rodent Glue Traps Under Licence’, Killgerm
• ‘Safe Use of Rodent Glue Boards’, Pelsis Academy

You will need to attach copies of your qualifications and training certificates when you submit your application.Ìý

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You will need to send a reference with your application if you have not held a glue trap licence in the past 3 years. Your referee must:

• be a professional pest controller
• meet the qualifications for a glue trap licence

If you got your qualification in pest management after 31 July 2024, your referee must have observed you using glue traps to capture rodents.

Ask your referee to fill in the reference form on the Glue trap licence application forms page and return it to you.Ìý

Submitting your licence application 

Email your completed form, certificates, reference if necessary, and any other documents to: wildlife@naturalengland.org.uk.Ìý

 You can also send your application by post to: 

You’ll hear whether your application has been successful: 

• for a class licence - within 15 working days of receiving the application 
• for an individual licence - within 30 working days of receiving the application  

If your application is successful, the licence will be emailed to you. If your application is not successful, you will get an email explaining why.Ìý

You must not act under your licence until you’ve received it from Natural England.Ìý 

Paying for your licence 

Class licence charges 

Class licence charges are as follows: 

• initial registration for the licence: £180 
• renew registration for the following year: £121 a year 
• reporting each time the licence is used: £230 for each report 

Your invoice will give details of how to pay. You will not be charged if your application is unsuccessful.Ìý 

Individual licence charges 

An individual licence costs £535.  

You will be sent an invoice after your application is approved, with details of how to pay. If your application is unsuccessful you will not be charged.

If you want to add a purchase order number to your invoice, make sure you include it in your application form.Ìý

There may be an additional charge if you need to change or add information after you’ve submitted your form. This will be at a rate of £121 per hour of extra time needed to process the application.Ìý

Terms and conditions 

Read the terms and conditions for paying for a licence.Ìý

Reporting when you use a licence 

Class licence report 

Natural England will send you the reporting forms you need with your class licence.Ìý 

You must fill in and return: 

• a ‘report of action’ within 5 working days every time you use your class licence 

• an ‘annual report’ by 14 January, stating whether you want to continue your class licence registration

Individual licence report 

You must fill in and return the ‘Actions taken under A15 licence report’ within 14 days of the licence end date to describe what you did.

Find the ‘Actions taken under A15 licence report’ at Glue trap licence application forms.