Licences & training

How do I get a bat licence if my employer will not pay for the training?

Asked by an early career ecologist in the North West

5 September 2026
·
1 minute read
An ecologist carrying out a bat survey at dusk

Placeholder answer, written so it doubles as the brief. An Ask Aspire answer is short, direct and honest about its limits, and it always ends by pointing somewhere.

The straight answer

Say plainly what the route is: the survey hours, the reference from a licence holder, the application to the national agency. Two or three paragraphs, no hedging, no marketing.

What we do not know

Say what depends on their situation, and what only their employer or the licensing body can tell them. This is the honest part and it is what earns the rest.

Then send them on

The signposts below do the sending. Pick the two or three that actually answer this question, not the whole Hub.

Where to go next

  • Bat Conservation Trust trainingBat survey and licence training, plus the Bat Care Network. The usual starting point for anyone working towards a bat licence.bats.org.uk →
  • Natural England wildlife licencesProtected species survey and mitigation licences for England: bats, great crested newts, badgers, dormice and more.gov.uk →
  • CIEEM membership gradesQualifying, Associate and Full membership, each with its own competency requirements. The ladder most consultancy careers climb.cieem.net →

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