Rhode Island 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
No fee for the falconry license itself — new/upgrade, renewal, examination and facility inspection are all no charge (250-RICR-60-00-7 §7.11.19)
The only charge is the falconry capture permit, $25 for residents and nonresidents alike, required before any wild take; a Rhode Island hunting license is required to hunt.
Exam & minimum age
Exam: 80% to pass. 80% to pass; a failed exam blocks retakes for 90 days, and a passing score holds for two years if the applicant does not apply within that window (§7.11.12 C).
Minimum age: 15 — Stricter than the federal floor at every rung: Apprentice 15+, General 18+, and Master 23+ with five general-class years (250-RICR-60-00-7 §7.11.12).
Classes: Apprentice → General → Master
Birds by class & trapping
Apprentice (15+): one wild-caught red-tailed hawk, up to two taken annually (one being a replacement). General (18+): three raptors from most orders except bald/white-tailed/golden eagles, swallow-tailed kite, Swainson's and ferruginous hawks, prairie and peregrine falcons, northern harrier, and flammulated/burrowing/short-eared owls. Master (23+): five wild raptors — up to three may be golden eagles — plus unlimited captive-bred raptors if hunted; hybrids may substitute for wild birds.
A state falconry capture permit ($25) must be in hand before any take; state-endangered species may not be taken, state-threatened take is limited to one raptor per year, and peregrines follow the Atlantic Flyway Council allotment distributed by DEM. Apprentices must complete a structured Apprenticeship Training Program before upgrading.
Notes from the official sources
Regulation of record: 250-RICR-60-00-7. Rhode Island runs one of the country's most demanding apprenticeships: a detailed logbook (food, weight, health), at least 10 hunts per season across two seasons with quarry actually taken, the ability to craft your own lure, jesses, leash, anklet and pigeon harness, and a sponsor (a Master, or a General with 3+ years) who provides 20 hours of supervision annually including 5 hunts and lives within 100 miles. New residents get a 60-day recognition window.
Official sources for this page
- https://rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/250-60-00-7
- https://dem.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur861/files/programs/bnatres/fishwild/pdf/falcperm.pdf
Regulations change. Verify every figure against these sources and the agency's current rules before you rely on it.
Getting geared up in Rhode Island?
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.