Depending which species of Tortoise you want to keep, some require an Article 10 Certificate.
A reputable breeder will supply this at the time of purchase. there is no cost for this certificate. The Law states if you decide to sell your Tortoise, then you must give the Article 10 certificate or a copy of it to the new purchaser. Without this Certificate it is an offence to sell the Tortoise.
The following currently require an Article 10 Certificate.
Hermanns both Eastern (the normal ones found in shops) and the Western Dwarf Hermanns, (very rare which we offer once a year). Marginated (Testudo marginata), Mediterranean Spur Thighed (Testudo gaeca), and the Indian Star (Geochelone elegans).
The Tortoise species above, are currently Annex A. Usually they will have already been microchipped. This has only been undertaken by the seller before he applies for the Article 10 Certificates. It’s what we do. So this microchipping, does not enable a vet to locate the owner if the Tortoise is handed in to him. The data base is operated by CITES Convention In Trade Endangered Species. But there is nothing preventing you from registering the microchip number with a recognised, data base which are regularly used when microchipping dogs and cats.
Garden Horsfields Tortoises Annex B (very popular and easy to care for) are not currently classed as endangered, so there is no Certificate required for this species.
Tropical Tortoises such as Leopard (Geochelone pardalis), Sulcata (Centrochelys sulcata) and Redfooted Tortoise (Geochelone carbonaria) are all Annex B and do not require Article 10 Certificates.
So it entirely depends upon the species. This is why some people say you need a license for a tortoise and others say you don’t. Just to correct the people who make reference to a License, there is no such thing as a license for any species of Tortoise. What the person is really talking about is an Article 10 Certificate.