UK Home Office guidance on applying for project licences

The UK Home Office maintains a website with guidance for applications for project licences.

Guidance on the operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 is available here.

Contents

1. Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) guidance and regulatory advice
2. Apply for licences
3. Project Licence Standard Condition 18 notification
4. Annual returns on the use of protected animals
5. Newsletters
6. Register for updates
7. Contact information and forms

The website includes the following guidance and regulatory advice from ASRU (Animals in Science Regulation Unit):

• Household products testing ban

• Guidance on the use of human material in animals

• Use, keeping alive and re-use

• Harm-benefit analysis

• Re-homing and setting free

• Working with animals taken from the wild

• Code of practice for the care and accommodation of animals

• Efficient breeding of genetically altered animals

• Severity classification of genetically altered animals

• Recording and reporting the actual severity of regulated procedures

• Process and standards for establishment full system audits

• Standard genetically altered rodents protocols (PDF, 280 KB, 40 pages)
  
  
• Standard genetically altered zebrafish protocols (PDF, 263 KB, 28 pages)
  
  
• Guidance on the use of standard genetically altered animals protocols (PDF, 104 KB, 5 pages)
  
  
• Guidance notes for project licence applications

From 5 July 2021 ASRU provides regulatory delivery through 2 teams covering different areas each of which has a dedicated inbox. Read the Bridging ways of working guidance for advice.

The previous guidance was withdrawn on 20 October 2022 but is still online.