First licence application

Applying for your first animal boarding licence?

StarReady generates every document your inspector needs to see. Written around your specific premises, ready in 15 minutes.

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Card required. Nothing charged for 14 days. Cancel any time.

What your inspector expects

First-time applicants are capped at 4 stars — but your documents still matter.

Under LAIA 2018, first-time applicants cannot receive a 5-star rating on their initial inspection regardless of how good their premises are. But a 3 or 4 star rating still requires the right documentation.

Your inspector will want to see all 10 required documents on the day. If any are missing, incomplete or clearly generic, it will affect your rating. A lower rating means annual inspections and annual renewal costs instead of a 2 or 3 year licence.

StarReady generates documents that are written specifically for your premises — your named vet, your isolation setup, your monitoring method. Not blank templates with fields left empty.

Star ratings explained

Your star rating determines your licence period.

★★
2 Stars
Annual licence
Minimum standards met. Annual inspection and renewal.
Available first application
★★★
3 Stars
Annual licence
Some higher standards met. Annual inspection and renewal.
Available first application
★★★★
4 Stars
2 years licence
Most higher standards met. 2-year licence period.
★★★★★
5 Stars
3 years licence
All higher standards met. 3-year licence — not available on first application.
Aim for 4 stars on your first application. It requires the right higher standard documentation from day one. StarReady gap analysis (Pro) shows you exactly what to include.
What StarReady gives you

Everything you need for day one.

📄
10 DEFRA documents
Every document your inspector needs to see on day one, generated in minutes and written around your specific setup.
📁
Compliance folder
Store your licence application, vet registration, insurance and DBS certificates alongside your documents.
🎯
Readiness score
Know exactly how prepared you are before your inspector arrives. Score out of 100 based on your documents and compliance folder.
Gap analysis (Pro)
See exactly what higher standard content to add to each document to maximise your star rating on the first inspection.
📅
Renewal tracker
Once licensed, never miss a renewal window. Countdown to expiry with reminders at 12, 8 and 4 weeks.
🔔
DEFRA monitoring
Get alerted if DEFRA guidance changes so your documents stay current between inspections.
Get started

Ready in 15 minutes. Free for 14 days.

Start your free trial today. Generate your full document pack, check your readiness score and see exactly what your inspector will want to see.

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