Avian influenza movement licensing moves online

15 February 2022

A man in a protective overall changing his boots

Find out how to apply online for a movement licence for your birds from APHA.

APHA have launched their new online licensing platform, designed to improve the licence application process for movements of poultry or poultry products within Avian Influenza Disease Control Zones.

From Tuesday 1 March 2022, if you are in England, Scotland or Wales, all applications for an avian influenza licence will need to be made via the new online service.

Please read more from us on Avian influenza: movement licensing guidance.

Register online

If you are in England, Scotland or Wales, you will need to register online via the government's Avian influenza licensing page and create sign in details.

There will be two steps for verification to do this. Once registered for the new system, you can apply online and track the status of your application and once approved you can receive your licence electronically.

Top tips for licence applications

  • Register your birds here with the APHA before applying for a licence.
  • Fully complete the application form and include details of the correct CPH number for your poultry premises.
  • Submit your application as far in advance of the requested move as possible.
  • Allow at least five days for the processing of your licence application and remember that complex and high-risk movements will need extra time to process.
  • Contact the APHA if there are exceptional circumstances and you need the licence sooner than five days.
  • Make appropriate contingency plans to allow for any delays and consider what steps you will need to take if the licence cannot be issued for when you would like it to be.

Interactive process

Until now, the application process involved filling in an EXD100 license request form and emailing it to the APHA licensing team. However, this new online licensing portal has created a more interactive process, allowing applications to be submitted and tracked online via the portal.

The system allows APHA to process applications more efficiently as well as allowing applicants to track the progress of their application. The platform has seen almost 200 applications submitted in its first week.

Reviewed and issued

Dr Lara Harrup from Defra’s Exotic Disease Policy Response Team (EDPRT) Outbreak Communications Cell said: "Applications will be received via the online system and will be reviewed, and if appropriate, licences issued to allow essential activities to continue whilst not increasing the risk of spread of avian influenza.

"You can also use this service to check the status of your application, add further information in support of your application and/or download issued licences."

Case-by-case

The APHA deal with movement licence applications on a case-by-case basis; during the 2020/21 season they received a total of 1682 license applications.

To date, during the current season, there have been 3461 individual movement license applications submitted to the APHA.


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