Last updated March 2023
General info
Contact
Protected Species Permit Coordinator
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Division of Habitat and Species Conservation, 620 South Meridian Street, Mail Station 2A, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1600
Phone (850) 921-5990, ext. 17310
E-mail WildlifePermits@myFWC.com
Is a state permit required for banding?
Yes. If you are banding but NOT requesting salvage or collecting authority, select the banding permit option from the drop-down list.
Permit application forms
Register for account HERE
After registering, start HERE
If your project entails scientific collecting and salvage and/or banding, select the scientific collecting permit option from the drop-down list. You may request authority for those additional activities under a scientific collecting permit.
- Renewal: use same form
- Threatened and Endangered: use same form
- Salvage: use same form
State lands
Check with the manager of the park or regulated area. You may need a special use permit.
Prior notice
Not expressly required, but ornithologists should always notify the land manger or landowner of the dates, times, and places where activities will take place to assure the safety of the researcher and to avoid conflict with activities scheduled for other researchers or the general public
Policies
Florida Adminstrative Code Chapter 68
68A-9.002 Permits to Take Wildlife or Freshwater Fish for Justifiable Purposes.
(1) The executive director may issue permits authorizing the taking or possession of wildlife or freshwater fish or their nests or eggs for scientific, educational, exhibition, propagation, management or other justifiable purposes. Such permits shall be subject to such terms, conditions and restrictions as may be prescribed therein, provided that no such permits shall be operative as to migratory birds unless the holder thereof has a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service permitting the taking, exhibiting, or possession of such birds, their nests or eggs. Failure to abide by all terms and conditions stipulated in any written permit issued by the executive director shall be a violation of this section.
Endangered Species
Florida has a state endangered species statute.
These lists change over time. Be sure to contact the state agency to determine if the species you plan to study are listed.
All species listed by the USFWS and NMFS that occur in Florida are now included on Florida Endangered and Threatened Species List as Federally-designated Endangered, Federally-designated Threatened, Federally-designated Threatened Due to Similarity of Appearance, or Federally-designated Non-essential Experimental population species. Species listed by the FWC are included on the Florida Endangered and Threatened Species List as State-designated Threatened species. The revised imperiled species management system abolishes the species of special concern (SSC) category once all species on that list are reclassified as State-designated Threatened, found to not meet any of the State’s listing criteria, or become Federally listed. Until then, the FWC will continue to maintain a separate Species of Special Concern list. These species are included in this document.
Guidance on Scientific Collecting permits for state-listed species.
American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) ST
Audubon’s Crested Caracara (Polyborus plancus audubonii) FT
Bachman’s Warbler (Vermivora bachmanii) FE
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) ST
Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis) FE
Eskimo Curlew (Numenius borealis) FE
Everglade Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus) FE
Florida Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia floridana) ST
Florida Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) floridanus FE
Florida Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis pratensis) ST
Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) FT
Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) FE
Kirtland’s Warbler (Setophaga kirtlandii) FE
Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) ST
Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) ST
Marian’s Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris marianae) ST
Piping plover (Charadrius melodus) FE
Red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) FT
Reddish egret (Egretta rufescens) ST
Roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) ST
Roseate tern (Sterna dougallii dougallii) FT
Rufa red knot (Calidris canutus rufa) FT
Scott’s seaside sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus peninsulae) ST
Snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus) ST
Southeastern American kestrel (Falco sparverius paulus) ST
Tricolored heron (Egretta tricolor) ST
Wakulla seaside sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus juncicola) ST
White-crowned pigeon (Patagioenas leucocephala) ST
Whooping crane (Grus americana) FXN
Worthington’s marsh wren (Cistothorus palustris griseus) ST
Wood stork (Mycteria americana) FT