Maine falconry license

First-year fees

$26 per year (Title 12 M.R.S. §11159(3))

The permit may be issued for one, two or three years at the sum of the annual fees

The fee is not refunded if an application is denied. Nonresidents holding a home-state falconry permit may hunt in Maine up to 30 days with a Maine hunting license — no Maine falconry permit needed.

Exam & minimum age

Exam: 80% to pass. Written examination administered by MDIFW in the applicant's state of residence, 80% to pass; raptor facilities and equipment must pass an on-site Department inspection before the permit is granted.

Minimum age: 16 — An Apprentice Falconer must be at least 16 years of age (09-137 CMR ch. 4) — stricter than the federal floor of 12; applicants under 18 need a parent/guardian signature who assumes legal responsibility.

Classes: Apprentice → General → Master

Birds by class & trapping

Apprentice (16+): one wild-caught raptor — American kestrel or red-tailed hawk only, trapped by the apprentice as a first-year passage bird (adult kestrels allowed); captive-bred, nestling-taken and imprinted birds are barred. General (18+): full raptor use under the federal framework, may sponsor up to two apprentices. Master: federal framework; Maine standards are at least as restrictive as federal, and in some cases stricter.

Notes from the official sources

A Maine sponsor is required for the entire time an Apprentice permit is held, regardless of the apprentice's age; satisfactory completion must be attested in writing by the sponsor or two Maine Master Falconers.