Bats and the law

All bats and their roosts are legally protected in Scotland by the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended) - "the Habitats Regulations".  For details of this protection, see Protected mammals - Bats and Regulations 39-41 and 44-46 of the Habitats Regulations.

A bat roost is any structure or place which a bat or group of bats use for shelter or protection. Because bats return to the same places every year, a bat roost is protected even if there are no bats there.

Some activities affecting bats or their roosts may need to be done in accordance with the terms of a licence. Licences allow certain illegal actions to be undertaken legitimately. Such activities might include:

• blocking, filling, or installing grilles over old mines or tunnels
• building, alteration or maintenance work
• getting rid of unwanted bat colonies
• removing hollow trees
• re-roofing
• remedial timber treatment
• rewiring or plumbing in roofs
• treatment of wasps, bees or cluster flies
• demolition

Without a licence, you may:

• tend a disabled bat and kill a seriously injured one
• remove bats from within the living area of a house.