How to Obtain a Permit
“To
work for the common good is the greatest creed.” Albert Schweitzer![Macaw](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20161226043627im_/https://www.fws.gov/permits/images/macawcr.jpg)
Step 1. Does my activity involve animals or
plants?
• For activities involving
animals continue to Step 2.
• For any activities involving plants,
continue to Step 3.
Step 2. Does my activity with animals occur
only within the United States or does it involve movement across international
borders?
• If your activity with animals occurs completely
within the United States, continue to Step 3.
• If your activity with animals involves
import, export, international travel, international mail, purchase from
or sale to a foreign country, or other movement across international borders,
click on International
Wildlife and then return to Step 3 on this page.
Step 3. Is the species protected?
• Check all the appropriate lists to determine if the animal or plant is protected. The
different lists do not include all common names for every listed species.
In addition, in some lists, the scientific names of some species are not
individually shown on the list or in the database. A number of the listings
are not at the species level, some are by larger groups of related animals
or plants.
• If you do not find the species name on one of the
lists, confirm that the species is not listed by contacting a permit
office (see Step 6).
• If a species is protected by more than one law
or treaty, the permitting requirements of all laws apply.
• In most instances, you may submit a single application
and obtain one permit when a species is protected by more than one law
or treaty.
Step 4. Is
the activity regulated or allowed under a permit?
The following table lists the basic activities that may
be authorized by a permit under different laws and treaties, and their
implementing regulations. The regulations define the types of activities
that require permits, and provide specific information that may help
you decide if your proposed activity needs a permit. Visit the Laws/Treaties/Regulations page to access text of the laws, treaties, and regulations. If you cannot
find your activity in the table below, review keywords under the Application
Forms page.
.
Activities
that may be Authorized by a Permit |
Law
or Treaty |
Export |
CITES
Endangered Species Act
Marine Mammal Protection Act
Migratory Bird Treaty Act |
Foreign
Commerce |
Endangered Species Act
|
Import |
CITES
Endangered Species Act
Injurious wildlife (Lacey Act)
Marine Mammal Protection Act
Migratory Bird Treaty Act
Wild Bird Conservation Act |
Incidental
Take |
Bald and Golden Eagle Protection
Act
Endangered Species Act
Marine Mammal Protection Act |
Interstate
Commerce |
Endangered Species Act |
Possession |
Bald and Golden Eagle Protection
Act
Migratory Bird Treaty Act |
Sale/Purchase
or Offer for Sale/Purchase |
Endangered Species Act
Migratory Bird Treaty Act |
Take (including
salvage) |
Bald and Golden Eagle Protection
Act
Endangered Species Act
Marine Mammal Protection Act
Migratory Bird Treaty Act |
Transport |
Bald and Golden Eagle Protection
Act
Injurious Wildlife (Lacey Act)
Marine Mammal Protection Act
Migratory Bird Treaty Act |
Step 5. How do I obtain and complete a permit application?
• Select the application
form for the law or treaty and activity you want to conduct.
• Review the regulations that apply to the type of permit you need.
• Complete the form following the instructions.
• Attach the application fee, if applicable.
• Check that your application is completely filled
out and signed. This will help avoid delays.
• Some applications may require that you have a State
or foreign permit before you can obtain a Federal permit. You may need
to contact your State
wildlife or plant conservation agency and/or the CITES Management Authority of the foreign importing or exporting country to determine any additional requirements.
• If you are applying for a protected species
permit(s) and also for a port exception permit, submit only page 2 of
the port exception permit along with your protected species application
to the appropriate protected species permit office. You will only need
to submit the application fee for the protected species permit.
• Contact the issuing permit office (see
the top of the application form) if you have questions that are not answered
in the FAQs/Facts section of this
website.
Step 6. Where do I send my application?
• The address at the top of the application form indicates
where you should submit the form.
• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has four
programs that issue permits. Each program handles a different category
of permits, but some types of permits may be issued by more than one program.
Permit
Programs |
Permit
Activity or Purpose |
Law
or Treaty |
International
Affairs (Division of Management
Authority) |
• Cooperative breeding programs for exotic live birds
• Import or export of listed species
• Take and interstate and foreign commerce
of non-native endangered and threatened species, includingCaptive-bred
Wildlife Registration
• Take and transport of marine mammals |
• CITES
• Endangered Species Act
• Injurious wildlife (Lacey Act)
• Marine Mammal Protection Act
• Wild Bird Conservation Act |
Endangered
Species |
Native endangered
and threatened animals and plants (except for import or export
which are issued by the Division
of Management Authority)
• Candidate conservation agreements
• Incidental take
• Interstate commerce
• Recovery
• Safe harbor agreements |
Endangered Species Act |
Law
Enforcement |
• Engage in business as a wildlife importer or exporter
• Import or export wildlife at other than
a designated port or authorized border or special port
• Export and re-export of certain CITES
wildlife |
• CITES
• Endangered Species Act |
Migratory
Birds |
• Conservation Education
• Depredation
• Eagle Indian religious purposes
• Falconry
• Game bird propagation
• Import or export of listed species
• Raptor propagation
• Rehabilitation
• Salvage
• Scientific collecting
• Take of depredating birds
• Taxidermy
• Waterfowl sale and disposal |
• Bald and
Golden Eagle Protection Act
• Migratory Bird Treaty Act |
Step 7. When will I receive my permit?
• You should allow at
least 60 days for review of most permit applications.
• However, you should
allow at least 90 days for review of marine mammal or endangered species
applications.
• We process applications
as quickly as possible, in the order received.
• If you need to
check on the status of your application, please allow at least 10 days
after you have submitted it before calling. Also, if applicable, have
your permit file number available.
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