Yes. Owning night vision or thermal imaging is not licensed anywhere in the UK, whether it is a handheld spotter or a rifle-mounted sight. Using it on deer is a separate matter. In every part of the UK, shooting deer at night is an offence unless a licence or authorisation applies, and the licensing body, the conditions and even the rules on sights differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Owning the kit, the time you shoot and the species you shoot are three separate tests, and most confusion comes from treating them as one.
Key takeaways
- Night vision and thermal devices are not firearms under the Firearms Act 1968, so owning one needs no certificate.
- In England and Wales, section 3 of the Deer Act 1991 makes it an offence to take or kill deer from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise. In England, Natural England can license it under CL55 or A16.
- Scotland removed its ban on night sights for deer on 3 November 2023, but night shooting still needs a NatureScot authorisation.
- In Northern Ireland, using a night sighting device or artificial light to kill fallow, red or sika deer, or hares, is an offence under Article 12(2) of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985.
- Foxes are not covered by any of the deer statutes or Schedule 6 lists.
Owning night vision or thermal
There is no licence, certificate or registration for owning a night vision or thermal device in any part of the UK. Section 57(1) of the Firearms Act 1968 covers only lethal barrelled weapons, prohibited weapons and certain component parts, and Northern Ireland's definition in Article 2(2) of the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 does not mention sights either. An image intensifier or a thermal core is neither of those. The wider picture is set out in do you need a licence for a rifle scope, red dot or torch.
The regulated question is what you use it on, and when.
England: the Deer Act 1991 and Natural England licences
Section 3 of the Deer Act 1991 reads: "if any person takes or intentionally kills any deer between the expiry of the first hour after sunset and the beginning of the last hour before sunrise, he shall be guilty of an offence", subject to sections 6 and 8.
That offence is about the time of day, not the sight. The Act's list of prohibited firearms and ammunition in Schedule 2 says nothing about sights, so a thermal or digital sight used inside the legal window is not caught by section 3.
Licence CL55 and licence A16
In England, Natural England can license night shooting by two routes.
- CL55 is a class licence to kill deer at night by shooting. It covers public health and safety, conserving natural heritage and preventing serious damage to property. Natural England first published it on 23 February 2026.
- A16 is an individual licence you apply for to shoot deer in the close season or at night.
CL55 works as a registration scheme with conditions attached. The licence terms require:
- registration before use
- a site notification, approved at least five working days before you act
- eligibility under one of four categories based on qualifications and recent experience
The licence also specifies equipment. It allows a day scope of at least 6x40 used with a spotlight of at least one million candle power, a generation 2 or 3 night vision sight with infrared, or a thermal sight with at least 640 x 480 resolution and a pixel pitch of 17 µm or finer. Red deer may be shot under it only in named counties.
The licence is the document with legal force, and it is updated regularly. Read the current version before relying on it.
Wales: the same Act, a different licensing body
The Deer Act 1991 extends to Wales, but CL55 and A16 are Natural England licences and apply to England only. In Wales, licensing sits with Natural Resources Wales. Its published deer licensing page lists licences for moving deer between areas and for taking deer alive for scientific or educational purposes. It does not describe a licence for night shooting. If you shoot in Wales, ask NRW directly what, if anything, is available.
Scotland: authorisation from NatureScot, and the 2023 change
Section 18 of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 sets the same night window: from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise. Shooting inside it needs an authorisation from NatureScot under section 18(2), and NatureScot's guidance confirms: "You must still apply for an authorisation to shoot deer at night."
Scotland used to go further than England and Wales and regulate the sight itself. Article 5 of the Deer (Firearms etc.) (Scotland) Order 1985 banned light-intensifying and heat-sensitive sighting devices for night shooting. The Deer (Firearms etc.) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2023 (SSI 2023/332) replaced that ban, from 3 November 2023, with wording that permits "a sight of any type including light-intensifying, heat-sensitive or other special sighting device for night shooting". The same Order cut the minimum bullet weight for deer other than roe from 100 grains (6.48 g) to 80 grains (5.3 g).
So in Scotland the sight is now unregulated, but shooting at night still needs an authorisation. The Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 changes the grounds on which NatureScot can authorise night shooting, adding nature restoration to damage prevention. Those amendments were not yet in force when this guide was checked, so confirm the current position with NatureScot.
Northern Ireland: different law again
Northern Ireland is covered by neither the Deer Act 1991 nor the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996. Its deer provisions sit in the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985:
- Article 19 makes it an offence to kill, injure or take deer between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise.
- Article 12(2) makes it an offence to use "any device for illuminating a target or sighting device for night shooting", or any artificial light or dazzling device, to kill or take an animal in Schedule 6.
- Northern Ireland's Schedule 6 includes fallow, red and sika deer, and brown and Irish hares.
Unlike the rest of the UK, then, Northern Ireland restricts the sight itself for those deer species. BASC's night shooting guidance also notes that the Game Preservation Act 1928 bans killing hares at night in Northern Ireland. Check the current position, and whether any licence route exists, with DAERA and the PSNI Firearms and Explosives Branch.
UK note
Foxes are a different question. They are not deer, and they are not on the Schedule 6 lists in Great Britain or Northern Ireland. BASC's guidance records no specific legal restriction on night shooting foxes with a lamp or night vision, provided you have the landowner's permission and your certificate conditions allow it. Mixing up fox rules and deer rules is where most people go wrong.
The Schedule 6 rule in Great Britain
One rule applies to lampers and thermal users across England and Wales whatever the quarry. Section 11(2) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 prohibits using a target-illuminating device, a night-shooting sight, or artificial light to kill or take any animal in Schedule 6. In England and Wales that list includes badger, bats, wildcat, dormice, hedgehog, pine marten, otter, polecat, shrews and red squirrel. Scotland's Schedule 6 is shorter, because several species were removed in 2011, so Scottish shooters should check the current list with NatureScot. Grey squirrel is not on either list.
The picture at a glance
| England | Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owning NV or thermal | Not licensed | Not licensed | Not licensed | Not licensed |
| Deer law | Deer Act 1991 | Deer Act 1991 | Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 | Wildlife (NI) Order 1985 |
| Deer at night | Offence unless licensed (CL55 or A16) | Offence; NRW's published licences do not cover it | Needs NatureScot authorisation under s.18(2) | Offence under Article 19 |
| Night sights on deer restricted? | Not by statute; CL55 sets equipment conditions | Not by statute | No, since 3 November 2023 | Yes, for fallow, red and sika (Article 12(2)) |
| Who to ask | Natural England | Natural Resources Wales | NatureScot | DAERA and PSNI |
What this means in practice
- Do not scan with a rifle. BASC's guidance is that "any firearm fitted with a telescopic sight, night vision or thermal imaging device must never be used for scanning or searching for quarry". Spot with a handheld unit, then bring the rifle up.
- For legal last light, a better day scope is usually the answer. Inside the legal window, the things that help are a large objective, a low bottom magnification and illumination that dims far enough not to bloom. Those are what our deer stalking scopes are chosen for, and our guide to the best scopes for deer stalking works through the exit pupil arithmetic.
- A lamp still has a job where lamping is lawful for your quarry. Throw matters more than headline lumens, as lumens vs candela explains. See our handheld torches and weapon lights.
We do not currently stock night vision or thermal devices. We do stock day optics with night-vision-compatible illumination settings, covered in night vision compatible optics.
This article explains the framework. It is not legal advice and cannot account for your certificate conditions. Confirm the current position with Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, NatureScot or DAERA, and with your firearms licensing department, before you act.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to own a thermal scope in the UK?
Owning one needs no licence or certificate anywhere in the UK. The restrictions apply to how and when it is used, above all on deer at night and on protected species.
Can thermal be used on deer in Scotland?
The ban on night sights was lifted on 3 November 2023 by SSI 2023/332. Shooting deer at night in Scotland still requires an authorisation from NatureScot under section 18(2) of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996.
Is shooting deer at night legal in England?
Not without a licence. It is an offence under section 3 of the Deer Act 1991, and Natural England's CL55 class licence or an A16 individual licence can authorise it, subject to registration, site notification, eligibility and equipment conditions.
Does using a thermal scope on deer in daylight break any law?
In England, Wales and Scotland, the deer statutes do not restrict sight type for shooting inside the legal hours. In Northern Ireland, Article 12(2) restricts night sighting devices for fallow, red and sika deer, so confirm the position with DAERA.
Can I use night vision for foxes?
Foxes are not covered by the deer statutes or by Schedule 6 in any part of the UK, and BASC records no specific restriction on night shooting foxes. You still need the landowner's permission and certificate conditions that cover the quarry and the land.
Shop this guide
- Deer Stalking Scopes — low-power, illuminated scopes for the first and last legal hour
- Streamlight ProTac Rail Mount VIR Pro — white light and 940 nm infrared in one rail-mounted unit, for use with your own night vision
- Handheld Flashlights — for spotting and lamping where lamping is lawful
