The SAPO application process

SAPO prohibits the possession of any pathogen specified in Part 1 of the Schedule to the Order (or any carrier containing such a pathogen) and the introduction of any pathogen specified in the whole of the Schedule to the Order (Part 1 and 2) into any animal or bird except under the authority of a licence issued by the licensing authority (HSE).

Those who wish to possess or work with a specified animal pathogen or a carrier containing a specified animal pathogen in England, Scotland or Wales need to have a valid SAPO licence. A completed application form[42] should be submitted to HSE. As the licensing process can take up to 3 months to complete, and may require a pre-licensing inspection, applicants should allow sufficient time before work with the specified animal pathogen is proposed to start.

The application form must be completed for any new work involving specified animal pathogens. For significant changes to existing licences (eg additional specified animal pathogens), and for the renewal of licences, it is recommended that the form is also completed.

If importing Specified Animal Pathogens into Northern Ireland please see more information[43] on the DAERA website.

Link URLs in this page

  1. Biosafetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/index.htm
  2. Safety noticeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/notices/index.htm
  3. Overview - The regulation of specified animal pathogenshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/sapo.htm
  4. Background on the regulation of specified animal pathogenshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/background.htm
  5. SAPO Application processhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/app-process.htm
  6. How do I make my application?https://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/how-do-i.htm
  7. Notifying accidents and dangerous occurrencehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/notify.htm
  8. Guidance on Appeals for Notices issued under SAPOhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/guidance-appeals-sapo.htm
  9. Overview - Infections at workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/infection.htm
  10. Preventing infections at workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/about.htm
  11. HSE and infectionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/hseandinfection.htm
  12. Overview - Are you at risk?https://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/microorganisms.htm
  13. Laboratory workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/laboratories.htm
  14. Healthcarehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/healthcare.htm
  15. Overview - Specific infectionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/index.htm
  16. Overview - Influenzahttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/influenza.htm
  17. Avian influenzahttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/avianflu.htm
  18. Pandemic influenzahttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/pandemic.htm
  19. Workplace guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/pandflu.htm
  20. Anthraxhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/anthrax.htm
  21. Zoonoseshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/zoonoses.htm
  22. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)https://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/bovine.htm
  23. Handling the deceased with suspected or confirmed COVIDhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/handling-the-deceased.htm
  24. What the Law says about Biosafetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/law.htm
  25. Biosafety Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/information.htm
  26. Useful linkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/links.htm
  27. Blood-borne viruseshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/index.htm
  28. Overview - GMOhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/index.htm
  29. What are GMOs?https://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/whatare.htm
  30. Who is responsible for GMO (CU) Regulations?https://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/whos-responsible.htm
  31. GMOs and the lawhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/law.htm
  32. GMO Notificationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/notifications/index.htm
  33. What do I notify?https://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/notifications/what.htm
  34. How do I notify?https://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/notifications/process.htm
  35. Feeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/notifications/fees.htm
  36. Appealshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/notifications/appeals.htm
  37. Confidentiality and disclosure of notified datahttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/notifications/confid.htm
  38. Description of the Public Registerhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/notifications/publicregister.htm
  39. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/information.htm
  40. The SACGM Compendium of Guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/acgm/acgmcomp/index.htm
  41. Risk assessment guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/acgm/index.htm
  42. application formhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/how-do-i.htm
  43. more informationhttp://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/importing-material-diagnostic-and-research-purposes
  44. How do I make my application?https://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/how-do-i.htm
  45. Application forms https://www.hse.gov.uk/forms/sapo/
  46. CD230 - Consultation on the Legislative Reform Order to amend the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (1974)https://consultations.hse.gov.uk/
  47. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs
  48. Department of Health https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health
  49. Food Standards Agency http://www.food.gov.uk/

Glossary of abbreviations/acronyms on this page

GMO
Genetically modified organisms
SAPO
Specified Animal Pathogens Order

Is this page useful?

Updated 2024-07-30