Licenses and Permits
To take part in the statewide alligator harvest, you’ll need an alligator trapping license, a statewide alligator harvest permit and two alligator hide validation CITES tags. The cost for this is:
- $272 for Florida residents
- $22 for those with a Florida Resident Persons with Disabilities Hunting and Fishing License. NOTE: Residents over 65 who have previously held a Florida Resident Persons with Disabilities Hunting and Fishing License and need to renew it should reach out to CustomerService@myfwc.com before applying for the statewide alligator harvest to avoid being charged $272
- $1,022 for nonresidents
For those who already have an alligator trapping license, the harvest permit costs $62.
The alligator harvest permit allows for the harvest of two alligators in a designated harvest unit or county. Your alligator trapping license also allows you to help other permitted alligator hunters.
Alligator Trapping “Agent” License
An alligator trapping “agent” license also can be purchased at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com for $52 regardless of residency and allows someone to participate in the hunt, while assisting and being in the presence of another person who has an alligator trapping license/harvest permit (as described above). Anyone wishing to hunt alligators needs to have one of these two licenses.
Youth (ages 15 and younger) are exempt from having to have an alligator trapping "agent" license. Those possessing a Florida Resident Persons with Disabilities Hunting and Fishing License are exempt from the cost of an agent license but must still have one to assist in hunting alligators.
Important: About Your License and Permit
The alligator trapping “agent” license, alligator trapping license/harvest permit are nontransferable. All license sales are final, and no refunds will be made. No other license is required to hunt alligators.
Your alligator trapping license/permit and two alligator CITES tags should be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service about six weeks after payment. Check the license/permit and make sure your name, harvest area and period are correct, and that the CITES tag numbers both match what is listed on the license. If you notice any discrepancies, please call 850-488-3641 as soon as possible.
Every year about 7,000 alligator harvest permits are issued through three random drawings and a final leftover phase (if needed). The demand for Florida alligator harvest permits is high and random drawings are used to provide a fair unbiased way to issue them.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old by Aug. 15 and have a valid credit or debit card to apply. You may submit your application during the application periods outlined below at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, any tax collector's office and most retail outlets that sell hunting and fishing supplies.
Phase I: May
Anyone may appy.
Phase II - Mid May to Late May
If you were awarded a permit in Phase I, you may not apply in Phase II.
Phase III - Late May to Mid June
If you were awarded a permit in Phase II, you may not apply in Phase III.
Phase IV (Leftovers) - Mid June Until Sold Out
Anyone may apply. If you were awarded a permit in any of the first 3 phases, additional permits drawn in Phase IV will cost $62, regardless of residency.
NOTE: There is a maximum of 10 permits per person allowed.
If you need or want to make changes to your application’s hunt choices or credit card information, you may do so prior to the drawing while logged into your account at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.
Drawings will be held within three days of each application period closing. Applicants can expect to see an authorization hold on their credit card verifying there is sufficient balance to cover the cost of the permit, but this does not mean they were awarded a permit. All successful applicants will be charged, while those who were unsuccessful will have the authorization holds lifted from their credit cards.
Frequently Asked Questions
To take part in the statewide alligator harvest, you’ll need an alligator trapping license, a statewide alligator harvest permit and two alligator hide validation CITES tags. The cost for this is:
- $272 for Florida residents
- $22 for those with a Florida Resident Persons with Disabilities Hunting and Fishing License. NOTE: Residents over 65 who have previously held a Florida Resident Persons with Disabilities Hunting and Fishing License and need to renew it should reach out to CustomerService@myfwc.com before applying for the statewide alligator harvest to avoid being charged $272
- $1,022 for nonresidents
For those who already have an alligator trapping license, the harvest permit costs $62.
The alligator harvest permit allows for the harvest of two alligators in a designated harvest unit or county. Your alligator trapping license also allows you to help other permitted alligator hunters.
Your alligator trapping license/permit and two alligator CITES tags should be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service about six weeks after payment. Check the license/permit and make sure your name, harvest area and period are correct, and that the CITES tag numbers both match what is listed on the license. If you notice any discrepancies, please call 850-488-3641 as soon as possible.
The alligator trapping license and statewide alligator harvest permit are nontransferable. All license sales are final, and no refunds will be made.
Other people may accompany a permitted hunter, and they do not need a license as long as they don’t actively participate in the take of alligators. However, if they are 16 years old or older and would like to help you hunt alligators, they need to have a $52 alligator trapping “agent” license, which is available at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. Youth, ages 15 and younger, do not need an agent license to assist in alligator hunting.
Actively participating in the take of alligators would include assisting with the capture, restraint, landing or dispatching of the alligator in any way. For example, holding a bangstick, harpoon, or other alligator harvest equipment can be considered helping with the take.
However, holding a light or driving the boat are not considered helping in the take and thus can be done without a license.
If someone wants to help you with the capture, restraint, landing or dispatching of the alligator in any way, they are required to have an alligator harvest permit or an alligator trapping “agent” license, which can be purchased for $52 regardless of residency. The alligator trapping “agent” license allows someone to assist (for example, holding a bangstick, harpoon, or other alligator harvest equipment) while in the presence of another person who has an alligator trapping license/harvest permit (as described above). Anyone wishing to hunt alligators needs to have either a trapping license/harvest permit OR an alligator trapping “agent” license.
Youth (ages 15 and younger) are exempt from having to have an alligator trapping agent license. Those possessing a Florida Resident Persons with Disabilities Hunting and Fishing License are exempt from the cost of an agent license but must still have one to assist in hunting alligators.
You do not need to buy the agent license, because your alligator harvest permit also covers you to assist other trappers on their hunts.
It’s a good idea to complete an approved Florida hunter safety course, but it is not required by law when hunting alligators. You can also get ready for the upcoming hunt by reviewing the FWC’s free online alligator harvest training class. This 22-minute training opportunity isn’t required but is another easy way for hunters to get up to speed on rules and regulations, equipment and methods, safety, and more. This virtual training replaces the in-person classes offered in year’s past.