Bird flu (avian influenza) movement licences

General licences allow a movement or activity that would otherwise be prohibited in England and Wales. You need to check that you meet and comply with the conditions of the general licence. If you do so, you do not need to apply - you can rely on the general licence as providing authority for the movement or activity.

Food business operators must follow specific rules for any meat produced from poultry and armed game birds originating from a protection zone.  

This meat can be moved or sold, subject to several conditions. These include a requirement that the health mark is replaced with a specific mark. This mark must remain with it throughout any processing or repackaging. These conditions are set out in General Licence EXD249.

Under some specific circumstances - set out in General Licence EXD 264 - the recipient of poultry meat is permitted to remove the specific mark temporarily for production, and in some circumstance not to re-apply it.

Specific licences cover a movement or activity in a disease control zone when not covered by a general licence.

If a licence is issued, it will normally allow a one-off movement and will be subject to certain conditions based on disease control risk.

You must have registered your birds with APHA before submitting a license application. Find out how to register your birds (on GOV.UK). 

If you need to move a restricted item from any current protection zone or surveillance zones, you should apply for a specific movement licence in a bird flu disease zone (on GOV.UK).