Visitor attractions

The Zoo Licensing Act 1981 and insurance, explained

The Zoo Licensing Act 1981 is the law that makes it unlawful to operate a zoo in Great Britain without a licence from the local authority. It matters for insurance because councils can attach insurance conditions to a zoo licence, and the Secretary of State’s zoo standards say operators must hold liability cover for damage or injury caused by their animals.

Part of: Visitor attraction insurance

In short

A zoo is any establishment where wild animals, meaning “animals not normally domesticated in Great Britain”, are kept for exhibition to the public, other than a circus or pet shop, and which the public can visit on seven or more days in any 12 months, with or without an admission charge. A first licence runs for four years and a renewal for six. Section 5(3)(c) lets the council add conditions on insurance against liability for damage caused by animals. The 2027 zoo standards, in force from 24 May 2027, also require public liability insurance, with proof sent to the council every year.

Start your quote →or call 0117 325 0027 to speak to a broker

What counts as a zoo

Last reviewed 7 October 2026 by the Apex commercial team.

The test is wider than most people expect. It is about the animals and public access, not size or whether you call yourself a zoo.

Wild animals kept for exhibition. Section 1(2) covers any establishment where wild animals are kept for exhibition to the public, other than for a circus or in a pet shop. Section 21 defines wild animals as “animals not normally domesticated in Great Britain”.
Seven days a year. The Act applies where the public has access “with or without charge for admission, on seven days or more in any period of twelve consecutive months” (s.1(2A)).
Not just mammals. “Animals” in s.21 includes birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects, so collections such as reptile houses, aquariums and butterfly houses can fall within the Act.
Great Britain only. The Act extends to England, Wales and Scotland. The licensing authority is the council for the area where all or most of the zoo sits (s.1(1)).

GOV.UK says small zoos may qualify for some exemptions, decided by the Secretary of State case by case. Ask the council early if you are unsure whether you need a licence.

How a zoo licence works

Licensing is a planned process with inspections before and after grant.

Notice. GOV.UK guidance says to tell the council in writing at least two months before applying, and to publish notice in one local and one national newspaper and at the site.
Inspection. The council inspects before granting a licence, giving at least 28 days’ notice, and then inspects at least once a year.
Term. An original licence lasts four years (s.5(1)); a fresh licence for an existing holder lasts six (s.5(2)).
Mandatory conditions. Every licence requires the conservation measures in s.1A (s.5(2A)). These include preventing escapes and having measures for any escape or unauthorised release (s.1A(d)), keeping out pests and vermin, and keeping up-to-date animal records.
Discretionary conditions. The council may add conditions it thinks necessary for the proper conduct of the zoo, including insurance (s.5(3)). It must have regard to the Secretary of State’s standards (s.5(4)), but may not add a condition about only or mainly staff health and safety (s.5(7)). That is left to health and safety law.

What the Act and the zoo standards say about insurance

The Act itself makes insurance a possible licence condition. The Secretary of State’s standards, which councils must have regard to, go further.

Source	What it says
Zoo Licensing Act 1981, s.5(3)(c)	A licence may be granted subject to conditions including “insurance against liability for damage caused by animals”.
Standards of Modern Zoo Practice (2012), para 8.4: in force until 23 May 2027	Operators “must have insurance cover” for themselves and staff or others acting for them, against liability for damage or injury caused by the animals “or by other factors”, inside or outside the zoo, including during transport. Any upper limit “must be set at an adequate but realistic level”.
Standards of Modern Zoo Practice for Great Britain (2027), standards 1.7 and 1.8: in force from 24 May 2027	The licence holder must have public liability insurance and give the licensing authority a certificate, insurer’s letter or policy terms every year. Cover must extend to damage or injury caused by any of the animals, inside or outside the zoo, including in transit.
Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, s.1(6)	For a dangerous wild animal kept under a DWA licence, the licence must require a current policy insuring the keeper against liability for damage caused by the animal, on terms the council finds satisfactory. A licensed zoo is exempt from the DWA Act (s.5).

The Act and the provisions quoted above do not set a figure. The limit is for you, your broker and the council to judge against your collection and visitor numbers.

Who is liable when an animal causes harm

A zoo can face claims under several overlapping rules. In England and Wales the Animals Act 1971 is the one that most often surprises operators.

Dangerous species: liability without fault. Where damage is caused by an animal of a dangerous species, “any person who is a keeper of the animal is liable for the damage”, subject to the Act’s defences (s.2(1)). A dangerous species is one not commonly domesticated in the British Islands whose adults are likely, unless restrained, to cause severe damage (s.6(2)).
Other species. Keepers of other animals can be liable where the conditions in s.2(2) are met, broadly where the risk came from characteristics the keeper knew about.
Occupiers’ liability. Visitors are owed the common duty of care under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, covering paths, enclosures, play areas and catering, not just animals.

Illustrative examples, not real claims: a primate escapes and damages cars in a neighbouring car park; a visitor is bitten at a keeper-led contact session; a reptile on loan to another collection injures a handler in transit; a child falls from a viewing platform. Each one tests whether the policy wording follows the animal, not just the address.

How insurance responds

Most zoo programmes combine several covers. What each pays depends on the wording and on what you declared.

Risk	Cover usually engaged	Check
Visitor injured by an animal or the site	Public liability	Species list and contact experiences declared; any animal exclusions
Escape causing harm off site	Public liability	Wording not limited to “at the premises”; matches the standards’ “inside or outside the zoo”
Animals in transit or on loan	Public liability extension; transit cover for the animals	Who is the keeper during the loan, and whose policy responds
Keeper or staff injury	Employers’ liability, compulsory for most employers in Great Britain	Volunteers and work-experience students
Closure after disease, an escape or damage	Business interruption	Many BI covers need physical damage first; disease and denial-of-access extensions vary
Animal death or vet costs	Specialist animal cover	Valuations and exclusions for pre-existing conditions
Catering and shop sales	Products liability	Own-label goods and outside caterers

Common misunderstandings

“We don’t charge, so we’re not a zoo.” Access “with or without charge” counts (s.1(2A)).
“Our insurance must cover anything an animal does.” It covers what you declared, on the policy terms. A new species, encounter or event may need telling the insurer about first.
“Hand washing is a farm issue.” The 2012 standards require “adequate hand-washing and sanitising facilities, close to the contact point and obviously signposted” where visitors touch animals (para 6.9).
“The new standards start now.” The 2027 standards take effect on 24 May 2027; the 2012 standards apply until then.

What to check before your next inspection

Your licence conditions, including any insurance condition and the limit it names.
That the policy covers escapes off site and animals in transit or on loan.
That you can send the council evidence of public liability cover each year from May 2027.
Escape procedures, drills and records, which insurers and inspectors both ask to see.

Running a zoo or animal collection?

If this affects your business, these are the points a broker will ask about:

Your species list, including any dangerous species, and recent changes to it.
Visitor numbers, opening days and any animal contact or keeper experiences.
Your current zoo licence, its conditions and the latest inspection report.
Escape procedures, perimeter fencing and any escapes in the past five years.
Animal loans, transfers and transport arrangements.
Events, catering, retail and any outside operators on site.

Speak to a broker

Zoo and animal attraction cover, placed by a named broker

Send us your current schedule, or tell us about the property if you are arranging cover for the first time. Or leave your number and a named broker will call you back, usually the same working day.

Start your quote →or call 0117 325 0027

How Apex places this cover

Apex Insurance Brokers is an independent insurance broker based in Bristol, established in 2009 and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. We are not tied to one insurer: we work with over 30 markets, including Lloyd’s syndicates through wholesale brokers, and every client has a named broker who handles the placement, mid-term changes, certificates for clients and the renewal.

A short fact-find. We ask what you actually do, for whom, under what contract terms, and what has gone wrong before.
A written presentation to insurers. Under the Insurance Act 2015 you must make a fair presentation of the risk. We help you meet that duty, and a well-presented risk gets better terms.
Quotes you can compare. Limits, excesses, retroactive dates, exclusions and premium side by side, with a plain-English recommendation.
No gap in cover. If you are moving from another insurer or broker, we line up the new policy to start the moment the old one ends.

Related guides

Sources

Frequently asked

Do I need a zoo licence for a small animal collection?

You need one if you keep animals not normally domesticated in Great Britain for exhibition to the public and the public can visit on seven or more days in any 12 months, whether or not you charge. There is no minimum number of animals in the Act, though GOV.UK says small zoos may qualify for some exemptions.

Is public liability insurance a legal requirement for zoos?

The Act lets councils make insurance against liability for damage caused by animals a licence condition. The current standards say operators must have that cover, and the 2027 standards, from 24 May 2027, require public liability insurance with evidence sent to the council each year. In practice, plan on needing it.

How long does a zoo licence last?

An original zoo licence lasts four years from its start date. A fresh licence granted to the holder of an existing licence lasts six years from the end of the old one. The council inspects at least once a year in between, according to GOV.UK guidance.

Does a zoo also need a Dangerous Wild Animals Act licence?

No, not for a zoo with a Zoo Licensing Act licence in force: section 5 of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 exempts it. Someone keeping a dangerous wild animal outside a licensed zoo needs a DWA licence, and that licence must require insurance against damage the animal may cause.

Does public liability cover an animal escape?

Usually, if the escape and resulting damage fall within the policy wording and the species was declared. Check that cover is not limited to injury on your premises, because the zoo standards expect cover inside or outside the zoo and during transport.

Ready to compare cover?

Apex arranges liability, property and business interruption cover for animal attractions. Send us your species list and licence conditions and we’ll find cover that fits. Or call 0117 325 0027.

Start your quote Call 0117 325 0027

Apex Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales, company number 07014570. This page is general information, not advice on your individual circumstances. Cover is always subject to the insurer’s acceptance and the policy terms, and this page does not guarantee that cover will be available or on what terms.