A project licence is only issued when the Home Office is satisfied that all legal and ethical requirements have been met. Potential project licence holders must undertake a Home Office approved training course before they are eligible to apply for a project licence.
The potential project licence holder must complete a project licence application with assistance from the Named Animal Care and Welfare Officer and the Named Veterinary Surgeon. Once completed the application is then submitted to the University of Nottingham's Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB). The AWERB works with the project licence applicant to ensure any ethical concerns are resolved and the principles of reduction, refinement and replacement have been applied to the programme of work. Once the AWERB is satisfied the application is forwarded to the Home Office for approval.
Although a project licence authorises a programme of work only personnel who hold a personal licence are authorised to carry out any procedures under that project licence.