Permit Programs

During the past 100 years, the United States has enacted numerous wildlife laws to protect its heritage of wild animals and plants and their habitats. Four Service programs----Endangered Species, Law Enforcement, Migratory Bird Management, and Management Authority----issue permits under these laws at the national, regional, and wildlife port levels. This is a cross-program initiative to help the public receive clear, consistent permit information. The following laws use permits to help conserve these protected resources:

Conservation Laws

Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act: Permits issued to take, possess, and transport bald and golden eagles for scientific, educational, and Indian religious purposes; depredation; and falconry. Contact: Migratory Bird Management.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Permits issued to import, export, and re-export listed species for commercial and noncommercial purposes. Contact: Management Authority and Law Enforcement (Contact LE for exportation of certain fur products and re-exportation of Appendix-II or -III wildlife).

Endangered Species Act: Permits issued for take, interstate and foreign commerce, importation, and exportation of listed species for scientific research and enhancement activities; incidental take; and conservation activities on private lands; also for zoological, horticultural, or botanical exhibition purposes for threatened species, and permits for incidental take of species if they become listed.  Contact: Endangered Species (for native species, except for importation or exportation) or Management Authority (for foreign species and for import/export of native and foreign species).

Lacey Act: Permits issued to import, transport, and acquire injurious wildlife for zoological, educational, medical, or scientific purposes. Contact: Management Authority.
Marine Mammal Protection Act: Permits issued to take and import marine mammals for scientific research, public display, enhancing the survival or recovery of a species or stock, educational or commercial photography, and importation of personal sport-hunted polar bears. Contact: Management Authority.

Migratory Bird Treaty Act: Permits issued to take, possess, transport, sell, purchase, barter, import, and export migratory birds for scientific collecting, banding and marking, falconry, raptor propagation, depredation, taxidermy, waterfowl sale and disposal, and special purposes. Contact: Migratory Bird Management.

National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act: Special use permits issued when uses of NWRs are compatible with the purpose(s) for which the refuge was established and the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Contact: Each National Wildlife Refuge.
Wild Bird Conservation Act (WBCA): Permits issued to import exotic bird species for scientific research, zoological breeding or display, cooperative breeding, and personal pet purposes. Contact: Management Authority.

All wildlife: Import/export licenses and designated port exception permits. Contact: Law Enforcement.

Federal Subsistence Management Program (Alaska only):  Authorized under ANILCA, this program’s fish and wildlife management activities include issuing permits, developing regulations, taking special management actions; intergovernmental coordination among five DOI agencies as well as U.S. Forest Service, State, Tribal, and rural organizations; and administering a major public review and advisory process.

Programs Contact Offices: