Bear Harvest Permits
A Bear Harvest permit is a type of limited entry permit that is required in order to participate in the bear harvest season. Each successful applicant will receive a bear harvest permit for a specific Bear Harvest Zone, and a physical tag, authorizing the harvest of one bear in that zone.
Bear Harvest Permit Application Worksheet and Choices
Cost (All Sales are Final – No Refunds): Handling fees may also apply.
Application: $5 per application
Bear Harvest Permit and tag for Florida Residents: $100
Bear Harvest Permit and tag for Non-Residents: $300
Requirements to Apply: Applicants must be 18 years old by October 1.
Exemptions: There are no exemptions for obtaining this permit type. However, successful applicants who hold a Lifetime Hunting or Lifetime Gold Sportsman’s license issued prior to July 1, 1998, are exempt from the permit fees.
Transferability: Bear Harvest Permits are not transferable.
How to Apply: Applicants can apply online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com (sign on and choose “Apply for Limited Entry/Quota Permit”) or by completing an Application Worksheet and presenting it to any license agent or tax collector's office.
Application and Permit Issuance: Applicants may make one choice per application and submit an unlimited number of applications. Applications are processed by random drawing with three rounds of claim periods. Applicants successful in each round are eligible to purchase their permit by the claim deadline. Permits not claimed by successful applicants by the claim deadline are forfeited and made available in the next round to applicants with a “waiting in line” status. No additional applicants are accepted after the Phase I application period. Non-residents are only eligible to be successful for 10% of the available permits.
Drawing Results: Drawing results will be posted on customer accounts at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.
How to Get the Permit: Successful applicants may print their permit online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or at a license agent or tax collector's office. Permits may also be downloaded and stored on the Fish|Hunt FL mobile app. Bear harvest tags will be mailed to the mailing address on the permit holder’s GoOutdoorsFlorida customer account.
Guests: Guest permits are not available for this permit type. However, one guest hunter is allowed per bear harvest permit holder if hunting without dogs, and up to nine guest hunters are allowed if hunting with dogs (allowed beginning in 2027).
Reprints: Permits can be reprinted at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or at any license agent or tax collector's office.
Returned Permits: Bear harvest permits may not be returned.
Reporting Requirements: Permit holders are required to report their harvest at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or in the Fish|Hunt FL mobile app within 24 hours of harvest. Unused tags must be returned to the FWC no later than 14 days after the expiration date of the Bear Harvest Permit.