The Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 requires that venison dealers in Scotland must be licensed.
It is an offence for any person to sell, offer or expose for sale venison, unless they are a licensed venison dealer or is selling to, or has purchased from, a licensed venison dealer.
It is essentially the wholesalers who need to be licensed. In other words, every butcher and retailer in Scotland does not need a licence so long as the venison on sale has been purchased from a licensed dealer.
Licences are issued by us and are valid for three years. Licensed venison dealers must maintain records of purchases and receipts of venison which are open to inspection by the Deer Commission for Scotland.
We will notify the Deer Commission for Scotland the numbers and details of the licences we have issued.
Apply for a licence or renewal
Online via our GLAMIS system
You can also download and print the application form below:
Venison dealer's licence application (PDF 19Kb)
Licence conditions
Venison dealer's conditions (PDF 57Kb)