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Nuisance Wildlife Permits

What is Nuisance Wildlife?

Nuisance wildlife refers to an animal or animals exhibiting behavior that:

  • causes (or is about to cause) property damage,
  • presents a threat to public safety, or
  • causes an annoyance within, under or upon a building.

Before removing nuisance wildlife, please visit our Living with Wildlife website for help in understanding the laws protecting wildlife and your options for resolving the problem. 

Various Nuisance Wildlife Permit Requirements

Venomous Reptiles

Anyone transporting or possessing live venomous reptiles is required to have a captive wildlife permit.

Conditional Reptiles

Anyone transporting or possessing live conditional reptiles is required to have a python removal permit.

Birds

permit is required for take of any state listed species or any bird species protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA).

A permit is available for individuals who do not have a pest control license or certain FDACS certifications (Section 482, Florida Statutes) to use a bird trap to remove non-native nuisance birds. Permittees must notify FWC Law Enforcement when executing the permit, as described in the permit conditions. Visit MyFWC.com/birdtraps for more information related to bird traps, including FAQs, the specific FDACS certifications that provide an exemption, and other exemptions in the rule.

Gun/Light at Night Permit

This permit authorizes a landowner or their designee to take depredating wildlife (beaver, bobcat, fox, possum, rabbit, raccoon, otter, skunk or nutria) at night with a gun and light. The permit is not required to take wild hog, coyote, armadillo, black or Norway rat, and house mouse, with a gun and light during non-daylight hours. Under special restrictions, this permit authorizes harassment (scaring) deer causing damage to crops with a gun and light at night.

Deer Depredation Permit

This permit authorizes the killing of deer that are causing damage to crops where less lethal means of control are either ineffective or not feasible. First time applicants requesting a Deer Depredation Permit or those with questions concerning this permit should contact their local FWC regional office.

Bear Depredation Permit

Bear Depredation Permits authorize the lethal take of black bears that are causing property damage where less-lethal means to control the damage are either ineffective or not feasible and the FWC is unable to capture and remove the bear.

Steel Trap Permit

Steel Trap permits authorize the holder to use padded jaw steel traps for the purpose of taking nuisance coyote, fox, bobcat, beaver, raccoon, opossum and otter.

Protected Wildlife and Bird Permits

Protected fish and wildlife include those species listed as endangered, threatened or species of special concern. Also included are migratory birds and other species protected by FWC rules. FWC rules prohibit activities that may have a negative effect on protected fish and wildlife without a permit.

Mallard Control Permit

This permit authorizes a person in possession of a copy of the Federal permit to lethally control and trap feral mallards from May 1 through August 31 annually and to destroy nests and eggs of feral mallards year-round. This is not a hunting license.

Canada Goose Depredation Permit

This permit authorizes landowners (and their employees and agents) to take birds and nests to reduce depredation to commercial agricultural operations. It is the permit holder's responsibility to understand and adhere to all provisions set forth in the permit.

Transporting or Holding Live Wild Hogs

Persons wishing to hunt, shoot or trap wild hogs must have landowner permission. A hunting license is not required to hunt, and a permit is not required to take wild hogs with landowner permission. However, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) regulates the transportation and holding of live feral swine (wild hogs). Persons transporting or holding live feral swine must contact FDACS to obtain appropriate permits.

On FWC public hunting areas (including wildlife management areas), persons wishing to hunt wild hogs must follow area-specific regulations. These regulations include permit requirements, public access guidelines, allowed methods of take, and hunting seasons and dates specific to each area.

Nuisance Wildlife Trappers - Businesses

The FWC does not license nuisance wildlife trappers. Wildlife trappers may voluntarily register to have their name and contact information added to the Wildlife Trapper List.