Province of Noord-Holland: applying for an exemption relating to protected plants and animals

You can only obtain an environmental permit under the following conditions:

• There is no other viable solution.
• It is necessary for reasons such as public health, public safety or the safety of air traffic.
• You have a good reason, for example:
  • to prevent damage to crops, livestock, forests or waterways
  • to prevent damage to a fishing business
  • to protect (other) plant and animal species
  • for research or education
  • to reintroduce or import plant and animal species
• Your activities will not cause the plant or animal species to decline in number.

Consult with the stakeholders first. This is, for example, the manager of the nature conservation area. Check the province’s website in advance for more information.

This is how you apply for a environmental permit:

• Go to the Omgevingsloket (in Dutch). This is the Environment and Planning Portal.
• Do the permit check.
• You will be told whether you need to apply for a permit. You can do this right away.
• Log in.

In many cases, you will have to pay a fee to apply for an environmental permit for flora and fauna activities. The amounts depend on the application.

If you have applied for a permit, in most cases the regular process applies. In this case you will receive the decision within 13 weeks from the date the Omgevingsdienst NHN received your application. We can extend this period once only by 7 weeks.

If you have applied for a permit, your application could go through one of two processes, as described below.

Regular process

• If you do not agree with our decision on your application, you can lodge an objection. You will need to do this within 6 weeks of the decision.
• If you disagree with the decision on your objection, you can lodge an appeal with the court within 6 weeks.