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Food Safety |
| Torbay Council | |
| Roebuck House Abbey Road Torquay TQ2 5TF | |
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food.safety @torbay.gov.uk |
 | 01803 208010 |
 | 01803 208854 |
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Licence - Deal in Game
A licence is required to take or kill game and to deal in game. Game licence legislation dates back to the nineteenth century. Both the Game Act 1831, which applies to England and Wales only, and the Game Licences Act 1860, which applies also to Scotland, deal with similar offences concerning the taking and trading in game without the appropriate licence.
This page provides only a brief overview of licensing requirements and we recommend that you consult the legislation (which can be obtained from from Her Majesty's Stationary Office or seek advice if you need to know the law in more detail.
Licences to Kill or Take Game
There are four types of game licence, each catering for different periods of the year, taking into account the open seasons for various game birds. They are colour coded and can be purchased from Post Offices. The date and time of issue will be shown on the licence, which will only be valid from that particular time. The licence will, however, expire at midnight of the day on which it is stated to expire. The holder's full name and address and the amount of duty paid must also be shown on the licence.
Not all licences are readily available from stock and there may be a delay in issue, particularly in respect of the occasional licence.
| Duration | Colour | Purpose | Cost £ |
| Taken out after 31 July and expiry 31 July following year | Red | Covers all open seasons for game birds and shooting of hares where not exempt | 6.00 |
| Taken out after 31 July and expiry 31 October same year | Green | Popular for grouse shooters | 4.00 |
| Taken out after 31 October and expiry 31 July following year | Blue | Popular for pheasant shooters | 4.00 |
| Occasional licence for any continuous period of 14 days | Black | Popular where game is perhaps shot only once during the year | 2.00 |
The above are avaiable from your local post office.
Gamekeeper's Licence
A gamekeeper's employer may obtain an annual gamekeepers licence (at a lower cost (£4.00) than the normal twelve month licence). This permits the gamekeeper to take or kill game on land where his employer has the right to game. The licence is transferable should a new gamekeeper be employed while it is still valid, and only covers a person while they are employed as a gamekeeper.
If a gamekeeper wishes to shoot game on land where his/her employer does not have right to game, then he/she must obtain a licence in their own name.