Do I need a License to buy a Tortoise?

NO this is yet another inaccurate thing, which appears on the Internet about tortoises. There is no such thing as a License, for ANY species of tortoise. What there is, is a document called an Article 10 Certificate. This must be provided by the seller (free of charge) when they sell an appendix II species of Animal. This means that it is classified as endangered under CITES (Convention On International Trade In Endangered Species).

There are two different types of A10 Certificates. The Transactional certificate, is issued when the animal maybe to small to identify by way of an implanted microchip. This certificate will most likely need changing from time to time.

The second type is more common. This is the specimen specific certificate. This type of certificate does not need replacing and is what we supply when our customers, buy Hermann’s tortoises and some other endangered species, from us.

As long time sellers of tortoises, there is no requirement in law for us to retain copies of these Certificates. So you may wish to make a photocopy, or Scan the document, when you receive it from us with the Free Caresheets.

If you were purchasing say a Horsfields tortoise, they are not currently classed as endangered, so there is no Microchipping and no Article 10 Certificates applicable to this species.

UPDATE

As from 23 June 2026, when selling a Hermann’s, or Marginated, or Mediterranean Spur thighed tortoises within England or Wales, CITES no longer required for these species to be sold with a microchip implanted. Therefore there is no longer a requirement for Article 10 Certificates for these three species. So no paper work. This is because these three species are no longer considered endangered within England and Wales.