- Latest available (Revised)
- Original (As enacted)
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
You are here:
What Version
Advanced Features
- Show Geographical Extent(e.g. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland)
- Show Timeline of Changes
Opening Options
More Resources
Status:
There are multiple versions of this provision on screen. These apply to different geographical extents.
Status
The term provision is used to describe a definable element in a piece of legislation that has legislative effect – such as a Part, Chapter or section.
Sometimes the text of a provision is changed, but the change(s) only apply to a particular geographical area. In some limited cases where this happens, the editorial team create a version for each different geographical area. Multiple versions are only created in this way where the change in question is a substitution so that there are different versions of the text for the different extents. Insertions and repeals of text do not give rise to such multiple versions.
Changes to legislation:
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Section 13 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 23 November 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 11(1)(ab)-(ad) substituted for s. 11(1)(a)(aa) by 2024 asp 4 s. 6(2)(a)
- s. 11(2)(aa)(ab) inserted by 2024 asp 4 s. 6(2)(c)(ii)
- s. 11(2A) inserted by 2024 asp 4 s. 1(6)(b)
- s. 11(3CA) inserted by 2024 asp 4 s. 6(2)(e)
- s. 12A-12G and cross-heading inserted by 2024 asp 4 s. 7(2)
- s. 16(1A)(c)(d) inserted by 2024 asp 4 s. 6(4)(a)(ii)
- s. 16A(ab) inserted by 2024 asp 4 s. 7(4)(b)
- s. 16A(1A) inserted by 2024 asp 4 s. 7(4)(a)
- s. 16A(5B) inserted by 2024 asp 4 s. 7(4)(c)
- s. 21(ga)(gb) inserted by 2024 asp 4 s. 7(6)
- s. 26(2)(c) inserted by 2024 asp 4 s. 7(7)(a)(ii)
- s. 26(2)(f) and word inserted by 2024 asp 4 s. 6(7)(a)
- s. 26(3)(c) inserted by 2024 asp 4 s. 7(7)(b)(ii)
- s. 26(3)(f) and word inserted by 2024 asp 4 s. 6(7)(b)
- s. 53(3)(c)(ia) inserted by 2015 c. 20 Sch. 7 para. 2(b)
- s. 53B(4A)(4B) inserted by 2015 c. 20 Sch. 7 para. 4
- s. 53ZA inserted by 2015 c. 20 Sch. 7 para. 3
- s. 54B 54C inserted by 2015 c. 20 Sch. 7 para. 5
- Sch. 13A inserted by 2015 c. 20 Sch. 7 para. 6
- Sch. 14A inserted by 2015 c. 20 Sch. 7 para. 7
13 Protection of wild plants.E+W
(1)Subject to the provisions of this Part, if any person—
(a)intentionally picks, uproots or destroys any wild plant included in Schedule 8; or
(b)not being an authorised person, intentionally uproots any wild plant not included in that Schedule,
he shall be guilty of an offence.
(2)Subject to the provisions of this Part, if any person—
(a)sells, offers or exposes for sale, or has in his possession or transports for the purpose of sale, any live or dead wild plant included in Schedule 8, or any part of, or anything derived from, such a plant; or
(b)publishes or causes to be published any advertisement likely to be understood as conveying that he buys or sells, or intends to buy or sell, any of those things,
he shall be guilty of an offence.
(3)Notwithstanding anything in subsection (1), a person shall not be guilty of an offence by reason of any act made unlawful by that subsection if he shows that the act was an incidental result of a lawful operation and could not reasonably have been avoided.
(4)In any proceedings for an offence under subsection (2)(a), the plant in question shall be presumed to have been a wild plant unless the contrary is shown.
Extent Information
E1This version of this provision extends to England and Wales only; a separate version has been created for Scotland only
13 Protection of wild plants.S
(1)Subject to the provisions of this Part, if any person—
(a)intentionally [F1or recklessly] picks, uproots or destroys
[F2(i)] any wild plant included in Schedule 8; or
[F3(ii)any seed or spore attached to any such wild plant; or]
(b)not being an authorised person, intentionally [F4or recklessly] uproots any wild plant not included in that Schedule,
he shall be guilty of an offence.
(2)Subject to the provisions of this Part, if any person—
(a)sells, offers or exposes for sale, or has in his possession or transports for the purpose of sale, any live or dead wild plant included in Schedule 8, or any part of, or anything derived from, such a plant; or
(b)publishes or causes to be published any advertisement likely to be understood as conveying that he buys or sells, or intends to buy or sell, any of those things,
he shall be guilty of an offence.
(3)Notwithstanding anything in subsection (1), a person shall not be guilty of an offence by reason of any act made unlawful by that subsection [F5 (“an unlawful act”) if he shows—
(a)that the unlawful act was the incidental result of a lawful operation or other activity;
(b)that the person who carried out the lawful operation or other activity—
(i)took reasonable precautions for the purpose of avoiding carrying out the unlawful act; or
(ii)did not foresee, and could not reasonably have foreseen, that the unlawful act would be an incidental result of the carrying out of the lawful operation or other activity; and
(c)that the person who carried out the unlawful act took, immediately upon the consequence of that act becoming apparent, such steps as were reasonably practicable in the circumstances to minimise the damage to the wild plant in relation to which the unlawful act was carried out.]
[F6(3A)Subject to the provisions of this Part, any person who knowingly causes or permits to be done an act which is made unlawful by any of the foregoing provisions of this section shall be guilty of an offence.]
(4)In any proceedings for an offence under subsection (2)(a) [F7or for an offence under subsection (3A) relating to an act which is mentioned in subsection (2)(a)] , the plant in question shall be presumed to have been a wild plant unless the contrary is shown.
Extent Information
E2This version of this provision extends to Scotland only; a separate version has been created for England and Wales only
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 13(1)(a) inserted (S.) (1.10.2004) by Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 6), ss. 50, 59, Sch. 6 para. 11(2)(a); S.S.I. 2004/407, art. 2
F2Words in s. 13(1)(a) renumbered (S.) (1.10.2004) as s. 13(1)(a)(i) by virtue of Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 6), ss. 50, 59, Sch. 6 para. 11(2)(b); S.S.I. 2004/407, art. 2
F3S. 13(1)(a)(ii) inserted (S.) (1.10.2004) by Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 6), ss. 50, 59, Sch. 6 para. 11(2)(c); S.S.I. 2004/407, art. 2
F4Words in s. 13(1)(b) inserted (S.) (1.10.2004) by Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 6), ss. 50, 59, Sch. 6 para. 11(3); S.S.I. 2004/407, art. 2
F5Words in s. 13(3) substituted (S.) (1.10.2004) by Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 6), ss. 50, 59, Sch. 6 para. 11(4); S.S.I. 2004/407, art. 2
F6S. 13(3A) inserted (S.) (1.10.2004) by Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 6), ss. 50, 59, Sch. 6 para. 11(5); S.S.I. 2004/407, art. 2
F7Words in s. 13(4) inserted (S.) (1.10.2004) by Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 6), ss. 50, 59, Sch. 6 para. 11(6); S.S.I. 2004/407, art. 2
Options/Help
Print Options
PrintThe Whole Act
PrintThe Whole Part
PrintThe Whole Cross Heading
PrintThis Section only
You have chosen to open The Whole Act
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
You have chosen to open The Whole Act as a PDF
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.
Would you like to continue?
You have chosen to open the Whole Act
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
Legislation is available in different versions:
Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.
Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.
See additional information alongside the content
Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.
Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.
Opening Options
Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once
More Resources
Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
- the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
- lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
- confers power and blanket amendment details
- all formats of all associated documents
- correction slips
- links to related legislation and further information resources
Timeline of Changes
This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.
More Resources
Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
- the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
- correction slips
Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:
- lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
- confers power and blanket amendment details
- all formats of all associated documents
- links to related legislation and further information resources
All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. This site additionally contains content derived from EUR-Lex, reused under the terms of the Commission Decision 2011/833/EU on the reuse of documents from the EU institutions. For more information see the EUR-Lex public statement on re-use.