Game Dealer’s Licence

From 1st August 2007, the requirements for licences to take, kill or deal in game were repealed by the Regulatory Reform (Game) Order 2007 (Game is defined as Hares; Pheasant; Partridge; Grouse; Heath or Moor Game; Deer; Woodcock; Snipe and Rabbit). Further details of this change are available from the Government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) web pages.

Although licences are no longer required for these activities, restrictions on poaching and taking game out of season still apply. If you require further information about any aspect of controls on game, please contact either Defra direct or Environmental Health at Melton Borough Council.

Restrictions on dealing in game birds and venison during the close season will no longer apply. This means that anyone will be allowed to sell game and venison all year round provided the animals in question were lawfully killed.

There is no longer a requirement to keep records under section 11 of the Deer Act 1991, relating to the sale and purchase of venison, but your records to the level specified in EC Regulation 178/2002 must be kept if you sell game birds or venison. This will allow your business to hold records with a level of detail commensurate with the size and nature of your activities.

If you deal in game birds or venison, you should check your source before you either:

• sell
• offer or expose for sale
• possess or transport for purposes of sale

This is because it would be an offence if you knew or had reason to believe that the game bird or venison offered for sale was unlawfully killed, taken or poached during the close season.