North Dakota falconry license
Checked 2026-11-04 against official sources — see the links at the bottom. General guidance only; always confirm with the state agency before you apply.
First-year fees
$150 falconry license (age 18+) or $50 (under 18)
Expires June 30 of the third calendar year after issuance
A $500 nonresident permit applies to visiting falconers taking a wild raptor (even-numbered years only, passage birds, one bird). Nonresident falconers must register with NDGF before practicing in the state.
Exam & minimum age
Exam: 80% to pass. Supervised exam (≥80%) administered at the NDGF Bismarck office before an apprentice license is issued; a failed exam cannot be retaken the same day. Licenses lapsed 5+ years require re-examination.
Minimum age: 14 — Stricter than the federal floor: an individual must be at least 14 to be licensed; under 18 needs a parent/guardian signature (NDAC 30-02-02-05(1)(a)).
Classes: Apprentice → General → Master
Birds by class & trapping
Apprentice: one raptor — a wild-caught American kestrel or a wild-caught or non-imprinted captive-bred red-tailed hawk. General (18+, 2 apprentice years): up to 2 raptors. Master (5 general years): up to 3 raptors. North Dakota excludes bald and golden eagles from falconry entirely — no eagle falconry.
Take permits are issued before any capture; take year runs May 15 – Jan 31 with capture windows May 15 – Jul 15 and Sept 1 – Jan 31. Apprentice 1 wild raptor/year, General and Master up to 2/year. Only eight species may be taken (sharp-shinned, Cooper's, goshawk, red-tailed, kestrel, merlin, gyrfalcon, prairie falcon); eyasses by resident General/Master only with one left per nest; birds over one year must be released (adult kestrels excepted, apprentice-only).
Notes from the official sources
Regulation of record is NDAC Chapter 30-02-02. Facilities and equipment are inspected before the license is issued; a federal-style equipment list (Aylmeri jesses, leash and swivel, bath container, perches, scale to ½ oz/15 g) is set in rule §30-02-02-07(3).
Official sources for this page
Regulations change. Verify every figure against these sources and the agency's current rules before you rely on it.
Getting geared up in North Dakota?
Most states' equipment inspection lists overlap heavily — Aylmeri jesses, a weathering-resistant leash and swivel, a bath pan, a weathering perch and a graduated scale. Build a list matched to your class and climate with the equipment checklist builder, or print the start-up equipment checklist for your mews inspection visit. Comparing neighboring states? Back to the full state matrix.