UK Industrial Hemp Licence
Your complete guide to obtaining, maintaining, and understanding the Home Office cultivation licence for low-THC industrial hemp in England, Scotland, and Wales.
How do I get a hemp growing licence in the UK?
To grow hemp legally in the UK, you need a Home Office industrial hemp licence. The application costs £580 for a new licence (or £326 for renewal), takes 8–12 weeks to process, and from 2025 onwards licences are valid for 6 years. You must apply through the Home Office, provide a DBS check, and can only grow varieties listed on the EU Common Catalogue with THC content not exceeding 0.2%.
Cannabis is classified as a Class B controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The Home Office operates a light-touch licensing regime specifically for industrial hemp cultivation for fibre and seed production. An industrial hemp licence does not permit CBD extraction from flowers and leaves. — GOV.UK: Industrial Hemp Licensing Guidance
Overview
In the United Kingdom, cannabis is classified as a Class B controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. It is unlawful to cultivate any plant of the genus Cannabis without a Home Office licence.[1]
However, the Home Office operates a light-touch licensing regime specifically for the cultivation of low-THC cannabis (industrial hemp) for fibre and seed production. This licence permits farmers to grow approved varieties with a THC content not exceeding 0.2%, exclusively for the production of hemp fibre for industrial purposes or obtaining seeds for pressing oil.[2]
Legal Framework
The legal basis for hemp cultivation licensing rests on two primary pieces of legislation. Understanding this framework is essential before applying, as it defines what is and is not permitted under your licence.
The primary legislation that classifies cannabis as a Class B controlled drug. Section 6 makes it an offence to cultivate any plant of the genus Cannabis without a licence from the Secretary of State.
Read the ActCannabis is listed in Schedule 1, meaning it requires a Home Office licence for possession, supply, production, or cultivation. The Regulations also define the fee structure through the Misuse of Drugs (Fees) Regulations 2010.
Read the RegulationsWhat the Licence Permits
Permitted
- Cultivation of EU/UK-approved seed varieties (THC ≤ 0.2%)
- Production of hemp fibre for industrial purposes
- Obtaining seeds for pressing oil
- Use of non-controlled parts (mature stalk and seeds)
Not Permitted
- CBD extraction from flowers or leaves
- Sale or supply of controlled plant parts
- Cultivation of non-approved seed varieties
- Growing without informing local police
Who Needs a Licence?
Any individual or organisation intending to cultivate any plant of the genus Cannabis in England, Scotland, or Wales requires a Home Office licence, regardless of the THC content of the variety being grown. There are no exemptions based on scale, purpose, or location.[4]
You Need a Licence If You Are:
- A farmer growing hemp on your own land
- A farmer growing hemp on rented farmland
- A company cultivating hemp for commercial fibre
- A research institution growing hemp for study
- Growing on non-farm land (allotments, industrial sites)
Key Rules:
- Each grower must be individually licensed
- Each growing site must be individually licensed
- Renting adjacent farm = separate licence needed
- Must have a defined commercial end use
- Only EU/UK-approved seed varieties permitted
Application Process
The application is submitted through the Home Office's online Drugs & Firearms Licensing Unit (DFLU) portal. The process has been streamlined following the 2024 reforms, but applicants must ensure all documentation is complete before submitting.[5]
The application is submitted online through the Home Office DFLU portal. Access the portal
Register on the Home Office Portal
Create an account on the Drugs & Firearms Licensing Unit (DFLU) online portal. Register once only; duplicate registrations will delay your application.
Home Office Licensing PortalComplete Enhanced DBS Check
Obtain an enhanced DBS check through Security Watchdog (Matrix Security Watchdog). The check must be dated within the last 3 years and is required for every person named on the application.
Security WatchdogSubmit Your Application
Complete the online application form with all required data including personal details, growing locations, intended seed varieties, and your commercial end use for the crop.
Pay the Application Fee
Pay the £580 application fee for a new licence. Fees are invoiced once a decision has been made. Your licence will not be issued until full payment is received.
GOV.UK Fee ScheduleInform Local Police
You are required to inform your local police force of the locations where you intend to grow hemp. This is a mandatory condition of the licence.
Receive Your Licence
If approved, your licence is issued for up to 6 growing seasons (from the 2025 season onwards). You must submit an annual grower statement by 1 May each year.
Annual Grower StatementData You Must Provide
The Home Office application form requires comprehensive information across four categories. Incomplete applications are the most common cause of delays, so ensure you have all data prepared before starting.[6]
- Full legal name and date of birth
- Home address and contact details
- Enhanced DBS certificate (within last 3 years)
- Details of all persons named on the application
- Full address of each growing site
- OS grid reference for each field
- Total area to be cultivated (hectares)
- Whether the land is owned, rented, or bare-rented
- Distance from schools, public rights of way, and residential areas
- Specific EU/UK-approved seed varieties you intend to grow
- Certified seed supplier details
- Intended sowing dates
- Expected harvest dates
- Defined commercial purpose (fibre production, seed pressing, etc.)
- Details of buyers or end-use contracts
- Processing arrangements for controlled parts (flowers/leaves)
- Disposal or retting plan for controlled plant material
DBS Checks
An enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check is a mandatory requirement for every person named on the licence application. The check must be obtained through Security Watchdog (Matrix Security Watchdog), the Home Office's designated provider.[7]
Validity Period
Your DBS check must be dated within the last 3 years at the time of application. Plan ahead, as DBS checks can take several weeks to process.
Who Needs One?
Every individual named on the application must provide their own enhanced DBS check. This includes business partners, directors, and any person with a controlling interest.
How to Apply
Apply through Security Watchdog (Matrix Security Watchdog). Do not use other DBS providers, as the Home Office specifically requires checks through this designated service.
Enhanced DBS checks are processed through Security Watchdog.
Approved Seed Varieties
You must use certified seed of varieties listed in the EU Common Catalogue. As of 2024, there are 116 registered hemp varieties in the catalogue.[8] All varieties must have a THC content not exceeding 0.2%.[9]
Only certified seed from EU/UK-approved varieties may be used. See our varieties page for detailed comparisons.
Popular UK-Suitable Varieties
| Variety | Type | THC | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Futura 75 | Dual-purpose | < 0.2% | France |
| Fedora 17 | Seed | < 0.2% | France |
| Felina 32 | Dual-purpose | < 0.2% | France |
| Finola | Seed | < 0.2% | Finland |
| USO-31 | Seed | < 0.2% | Ukraine |
| Santhica 27 | Fibre | < 0.06% | France |
Source: EU Plant Variety Portal. For UK-specific variety guidance, see our Precision Plants varieties page.
Fees & Costs
The fee structure for industrial hemp cultivation is considerably lower than standard controlled drug licences, reflecting the light-touch approach. All fees are set by the Misuse of Drugs (Fees) Regulations 2010.[10]
| Activity | Fee | Period | Per Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| New licence: Hemp cultivation (THC ≤ 0.2%, fibre & seed) | £580 | Up to 6 growing seasons | ~£97/year |
| Licence renewal (no compliance visit) | £326 | Up to 6 growing seasons | ~£54/year |
| Licence renewal (compliance visit required) | £1,371 | Up to 6 growing seasons | ~£229/year |
Payment Information
Fees are invoiced once a decision has been made on your application. Your licence will not be issued until full payment is received. If your application is refused, any fees already paid will be refunded.
Payment methods: BACS, CHAPS, cheque, credit/debit card, or online at Pay Home Office.
Growing Locations
The Home Office has specific rules about where hemp can be grown, depending on the type of land you are using. Location sensitivity is a key consideration, particularly for non-farm sites.[12]
Farm Locations (Owned Land)
You can grow hemp anywhere within the extent of your farm. One licence can cover multiple fields on the same farm holding.
Bare Rental (Rented Farmland)
You can grow within the extent of the farm where land is rented. Renting adjacent farmland constitutes a separate site requiring its own licence.
Non-Farm Locations
Hemp on non-farm land should be sited sensitively, away from schools, public rights of way, and residential areas.
For regional licensing information, visit our regional licensing guide.
Annual Obligations
Holding a hemp licence comes with ongoing annual responsibilities. Failure to comply can result in licence revocation.[13]
Annual Grower Statement
You must submit an annual hemp grower statement by 1 May each year, regardless of whether you cultivated in that year or not.
Download the Annual Grower Statement FormSubmit Grower Statement
By 1 May annuallyEven if you did not cultivate that season.
Inform Police of Locations
Before plantingNotify local police of all growing sites.
Use Only Approved Varieties
Each seasonCertified EU/UK-approved seed with THC ≤ 0.2%.
Dispose of Controlled Parts
Post-harvestRet or lawfully dispose of flowers and leaves.
2024 Licensing Reforms
In April 2024, the UK Government announced significant reforms to the hemp licensing regime, welcomed by the NFU and the wider agricultural sector. These reforms took effect from the 2025 growing season.[14]
6-Year Licence Duration
Significantly reduces administrative burden and provides greater planning certainty for farmers.
Simplified Application
The application process has been simplified to reduce unnecessary bureaucratic requirements.
Crop Rotation Flexibility
Farmers can now more easily integrate hemp into their existing crop rotation plans.
Light-Touch Regime
Hemp is now recognised as a field-grown agricultural crop, not treated the same as other controlled substances.
"These improvements to the licensing regime for industrial hemp are a positive step for farmers. Recognising that industrial hemp is a field-grown agricultural crop, these reforms will simplify the license application process and provide greater flexibility within the crop rotation."
For the full policy context, visit our UK Government Hemp Policy page. The NFU's response is available at NFU: Changes to hemp licensing rules.
UK Licence Statistics
The number of hemp licences in the UK has grown dramatically over the past decade. According to Defra, licences grew from just 6 in 2013 to 136 in 2023 — a 2,167% increase.[16]
UK hemp licence growth 2013-2023. Data: Defra / NFU (April 2024).
| Year | Active Licences | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 6 | Defra |
| 2015 | 18 | Industry |
| 2017 | 35 | Industry |
| 2019 | 72 | Industry |
| 2021 | 101 | Industry |
| 2023 | 136 | Defra |
2013 and 2023 figures confirmed by Defra.[17]
CBD Extraction: What You Must Know
If you wish to produce CBD from hemp flowers and leaves, you must apply for a standard controlled drug cultivation licence, which costs £4,700 (compared to £580 for an industrial hemp licence). The application process is more rigorous, and approval is not guaranteed.
For more on this topic, read our article: THC Compliance Challenges for UK Hemp.
Northern Ireland
The Home Office licensing system described on this page covers England, Scotland, and Wales only. Northern Ireland has a separate licensing system administered by the Department of Health Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Hemp Licensing
If you wish to grow industrial hemp in Northern Ireland, you must apply through the Department of Health NI.
NI Hemp Licensing InformationFrequently Asked Questions
Official Resources & Links
All information on this page is sourced from official UK Government publications. Below are direct links to the primary source documents.
Home Office Licensing Portal
Submit your application and manage your licence online.
Application Guidance (v1.9, Dec 2025)
Step-by-step guide to completing your hemp licence application.
Industrial Hemp Factsheet
Official factsheet on low THC cannabis cultivation policy.
Licence Fees Schedule
Complete fee schedule for controlled drug and precursor chemical licences.
Annual Grower Statement
Download the annual grower statement form (due by 1 May each year).
Industrial Hemp Licensing Overview
General guidance on controlled drugs and industrial hemp licensing.
EU Plant Variety Portal
Search the EU Common Catalogue for approved hemp seed varieties.
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
The primary legislation governing controlled substances in the UK.
Need Help With Your Application?
For official licensing queries, contact the Home Office DFLU directly. For guidance on hemp cultivation best practices, explore our resources.