Texas falconry license

First-year fees

$63 application + permit (set by TPW Commission rule)

A hunting license is also required to hunt with your bird. The peregrine trapping permit is a separate drawing.

Exam & minimum age

Exam: 80% to pass. Online exam (2.5 h sessions) offered four times a year — the first Tuesday of February, May, August and November; an in-person sitting in Austin is offered once a year. Minimum score 80% to pass.

Minimum age: 12 — Federal baseline minimum — Texas follows the federal age floor.

Classes: Apprentice → General → Master

Birds by class & trapping

Apprentices must capture their first bird from the wild; General and Master falconers may also obtain birds through a breeding project or from another falconer.

Peregrine trapping is by drawing — about 35 permits a year (21 resident, 14 nonresident); season runs September 20 – October 20. Extended falconry seasons apply to dove, ducks, rails/gallinules, woodcock and more; migratory bag is 3 daily / 9 possession.

Notes from the official sources

After passing the exam, TPWD notifies a Game Warden who inspects your mews. A Nonresident Raptor Trapper permit lets licensed visitors trap during the season.