# The Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2026

S.S.I. 2026/275 · made 29 September 2026

The Bill for the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 (“the Act”) received Royal Assent on 12 March 2026. Sections 57, 58, 59 and 60 of the Act came into force the following day. These Regulations commence the following provisions on 26 October 2026— sections 3 to 10 (national parks),sections 11 to 13 (deer management: aims, purposes, advisory panels and code of practice),sections 21 to 25 (deer management: harm prevention and national plan),section 28 (giving notices electronically),sections 31, 33 to 36 and 40 (deer management: authorisations for particular activities and review of modifications to the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996),section 42 (nature conservation marine protected areas: climate adaptation),section 45 (report on gull population),section 46 (guidance about scallop shells),sections 47 and 48 (wildlife licensing),section 49 (wildfires: enabling local authorities to issue fixed penalty notices),section 50 (meaning of public authority, etc. in the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004), andsections 51, 52(1), (2) and (6), 53 and 54 (Ramsar sites, sustainable forest management, unauthorised felling and improvement plans).

Made under: Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 (Section 59)

PDFs: Printed copy https://openlegislation.uk/natural-environment-scotland-act-2026-commencement-no-2-regulations-2026/pdf/ssi_20260275_en.pdf

## Introductory text

NATURE CONSERVATION
Made 29th September 2026
Laid before the Scottish Parliament 1st October 2026
Coming into force 26th October 2026
The Scottish Ministers make the following Regulations in exercise of the power conferred by section 59(2) of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026.

## 1 Citation and commencement

These Regulations may be cited as the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2026 and come into force on 26 October 2026.

## 2 Appointed day

26 October 2026 is the day appointed for the coming into force of the following provisions of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026—
(a) section 3 (aims of national parks),
(b) section 4 (policy statement on national parks),
(c) section 5 (advice before making national park proposals),
(d) section 6 (choice of reporter for national park proposals),
(e) section 7 (definitions for the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000),
(f) section 8 (duty to facilitate implementation of national park plans),
(g) section 9 (meaning of local authority for the purpose of access rights),
(h) section 10 (power to make regulations for the issuing of fixed penalty notices),
(i) section 11 (aims and purposes of deer management),
(j) section 12 (Scottish Natural Heritage representation on advisory panels),
(k) section 13 (code of practice on deer management),
(l) section 21 (measures to prevent damage by deer),
(m) section 22 (action to prevent or stop harm to persons),
(n) section 23 (national deer management and venison plan),
(o) section 24 (national deer management and venison plan: matters which may be considered),
(p) section 25 (national deer management and venison plan: initial consideration of matters relating to venison),
(q) section 28 (giving notices electronically),
(r) section 31 (authorisation for use of vehicles to drive deer),
(s) section 32(5) (offence of shooting deer with a shotgun), only for the purpose of making regulations under section 45 of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996,
(t) section 33 (register of authorised persons),
(u) section 34 (repeal of obligation to carry out competence review),
(v) section 35 (requirement to be fit and competent for certain authorisations),
(w) section 36 (repeal of saving of right to take deer on land),
(x) section 40 (review of modifications to the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996),
(y) section 42 (nature conservation marine protected areas: climate adaptation),
(z) section 45 (report on gull population),
(z1) section 46 (guidance about scallop shells),
(z2) section 47 (licensing: protection of mountain hares),
(z3) section 48 (licensing: land on which certain birds may be killed or taken),
(z4) section 49 (wildfires: enabling local authorities to issue fixed penalty notices),
(z5) section 50 (meaning of public authority etc. in the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004),
(z6) section 51 (further provision about Ramsar sites),
(z7) section 52(1), (2) and (6) (sustainable forest management),
(z8) section 53 (forestry: offence of unauthorised felling),
(z9) section 54 (procedure to approve improvement plans).

## Signature

GILLIAN MARTIN
A member of the Scottish Government
St Andrew’s House,
Edinburgh
29th September 2026

## Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)
The Bill for the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 (“the Act”) received Royal Assent on 12 March 2026. Sections 57, 58, 59 and 60 of the Act came into force the following day. These Regulations commence the following provisions on 26 October 2026—
(a) sections 3 to 10 (national parks),
(b) sections 11 to 13 (deer management: aims, purposes, advisory panels and code of practice),
(c) sections 21 to 25 (deer management: harm prevention and national plan),
(d) section 28 (giving notices electronically),
(e) sections 31, 33 to 36 and 40 (deer management: authorisations for particular activities and review of modifications to the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996),
(f) section 42 (nature conservation marine protected areas: climate adaptation),
(g) section 45 (report on gull population),
(h) section 46 (guidance about scallop shells),
(i) sections 47 and 48 (wildlife licensing),
(j) section 49 (wildfires: enabling local authorities to issue fixed penalty notices),
(k) section 50 (meaning of public authority, etc. in the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004), and
(l) sections 51, 52(1), (2) and (6), 53 and 54 (Ramsar sites, sustainable forest management, unauthorised felling and improvement plans).
Section 32(5) (offence of shooting deer with a shotgun) of the Act is commenced for the limited purpose of making regulations under section 45 of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2026/275 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/natural-environment-scotland-act-2026-commencement-no-2-regulations-2026
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.