Council to discuss pet primate licence fees

A council will discuss the introduction of new license fees for people who keep primates as pets.

On Tuesday morning, West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) licencing committee will seek approval to introduce regulations, ensuring that only private keepers with "zoo-level welfare standards" will be able to keep primates.

The local authority says primates include marmosets, tamarins, squirrel monkeys, spider monkeys, capuchin monkeys, lemurs and lorisids.

Government legislation states it will be illegal to keep monkeys, lemurs, and other primates in England without a licence from 6 April 2026.

The legislation came into force on 6 April and requires existing private primate keepers and people proposing to keep primates to hold a licence.

Private owners will need to be checked by local authorities to make sure they have the right arrangements in place to properly care for the animals.

The regulation states an individual is considered to keep a primate if they have the primate in their possession, except where the primate is only in their possession for the purposes of:

• preventing the primate from causing damage
• restoring the primate to its owner
• enabling the primate to undergo veterinary treatment
• legally transporting the primate on behalf of another person.

An inspection prior to an application must be conducted by a veterinarian or any other person who the local authority views as suitably qualified and competent.

A licence must be granted for a period of three years or less, upon applicant's request.

Application fees, which will be reviewed annually, include £574 for granting a licence and £330 for renewing a licence.

WODC's licencing committee meeting will be held in the council offices in Witney at 10:00 GMT.

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