List of Special Licenses and Permits
In order to possess, process or handle wildlife in Arizona outside of hunting and fishing seasons, you generally need a special license. All forms need to be mailed to the appropriate regional office for processing as they require a signature. Unless indicated in the checklist information for the form, all forms and supplemental information should be sent to the regional office that covers the area where you live or the area where your activity will take place.
waiver of license application fees
Per ARS 41-1080.01, a first-time applicant for a Department issued license that is required for a business may receive a waiver of application fees provided they meet any one of the following requirements:
(1) An applicant whose family income does not exceed 200% of the federal poverty guidelines,
(2) The spouse of an active duty military service member,
(3) Any honorably discharged veteran who has been discharged not more than 2 years prior to application.
List of qualified licenses or to apply for a fee waiver
Note: License fee waivers only apply to first time applicants.
Aquatic wildlife stocking and restocking license
The aquatic wildlife stocking and restocking license, allows an individual to perform any of the following: import, purchase, possess, transport and stock any species designated on the license at the location specified on the license. An individual may apply for an aquatic restocking license when there are no changes to the aquatic wildlife species, the purpose for introducing the aquatic wildlife species, and the facilities (location) where the applicant stocked the aquatic wildlife.
CHAMP license
A Challenged Hunter Access/Mobility Permit (CHAMP) can be issued to a person with a Severe Permanent Disability. This means one or more permanent physical or mental disabilities resulting from amputation, arthritis, autism, blindness, burn injury, cancer, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, intellectual disability, muscular dystrophy, musculoskeletal disorders, neurological disorders, paraplegia, pulmonary disorders, quadriplegia and other spinal cord conditions, sickle cell anemia, and end stage renal disease or a combination of permanent disabilities resulting in comparable substantial functional limitations.
Crossbow permit
A temporary or permanent crossbow permit allows a person to use a crossbow, or any bow to be drawn and held with an assisting device, during an archery-only season, as prescribed under R12-4-318, when authorized under R12-4-304 as lawful for the species hunted.
The crossbow permit does not exempt the permit holder from any other applicable method of take or licensing requirement. The permit holder shall be responsible for compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements.
Disabled veteran license
There are two changes with the application process for the Disabled Veteran’s Hunt and Fish Combo. The first change no longer requires customers to have a signature notarized on the application form. The second change allows customers to download their VA Benefits Forms directly from the DoD-VA Website.
An eligible applicant is a disabled veteran who has been a resident of Arizona for at least one year immediately preceding the application. A disabled Veteran’s License is issued to a disabled veteran who is receiving compensation from the United States government for permanent and total service connected disabilities rated at 100% disabling. A VA rating of 100% Individual Un-employability is not authorized to receive this license. Eligibility for the disabled veteran’s license is based on the disability rating, not on the compensation received by the veteran. The Disabled Veteran’s License grants all the privileges of a Hunt/Fish Combination License.
Fur dealer license
Allows purchase and resale of predatory, non-game and furbearing mammals taken within the state.
Game bird field trial license
This license allows a person on behalf of an affiliation or organization, to release and take captive pen-reared game birds specified on the license for the purpose of conducting a competition to test the performance of hunting dogs in one field trial event, for no more than 10 consecutive days. The license allows import, kill, possess, purchase within the state, and transport of the captive pen-reared game birds for one field trial event and and export, gift, kill, or transport the captive pen-reared game birds held after the field trial event.
Game bird field training license
To allow a person to release and take pen-reared birds specified on the license for the purpose of training a dog or raptor to hunt game birds. The license allows the person to import, possess, purchase within the state, and transport the captive pen-reared game birds specified on the license.
Game bird shooting preserve license
Authorizes a license holder to release captive pen-reared game birds on private property for the purpose of hunting or shooting. Allows the license holder to export, display, gift, import, kill, offer for sale, possess, propagate, purchase, trade, and transport the captive pen-reared game birds specified on the license.
Game bird hobby license
Authorizes a license holder to export, import, kill, possess (no more than 50), propagate, purchase, and transport captive pen-reared game birds specified on the license for personal, noncommercial purposes only.
Guide license application
A guide is a person who does any one of the following:
- Advertises for guiding services
- Is presented to the public for hire as a guide
- Is employed by a commercial enterprise as a guide
- Accepts compensation in any form commensurate with the market value in this state for guiding services in exchange for aiding, assisting, directing, leading, or instructing a person in the field to locate and take wildlife
- Is not a landowner or lessee who, without full fair market compensation, allows access to the landowner’s or lessee’s property and directs and advises a person in taking wildlife
- Advertises for guiding services
- Is presented to the public for hire as a guide
- Is employed by a commercial enterprise as a guide
- Accepts compensation in any form commensurate with the market value in this state for guiding services in exchange for aiding, assisting, directing, leading, or instructing a person in the field to locate and take wildlife
- Is not a landowner or lessee who, without full fair market compensation, allows access to the landowner’s or lessee’s property and directs and advises a person in taking wildlife
- Advertises for guiding services
- Is presented to the public for hire as a guide
- Is employed by a commercial enterprise as a guide
- Accepts compensation in any form commensurate with the market value in this state for guiding services in exchange for aiding, assisting, directing, leading, or instructing a person in the field to locate and take wildlife
- Is not a landowner or lessee who, without full fair market compensation, allows access to the landowner’s or lessee’s property and directs and advises a person in taking wildlife
- Advertises for guiding services
- Is presented to the public for hire as a guide
- Is employed by a commercial enterprise as a guide
- Accepts compensation in any form commensurate with the market value in this state for guiding services in exchange for aiding, assisting, directing, leading, or instructing a person in the field to locate and take wildlife
- Is not a landowner or lessee who, without full fair market compensation, allows access to the landowner’s or lessee’s property and directs and advises a person in taking wildlife
- Advertises for guiding services
- Is presented to the public for hire as a guide
- Is employed by a commercial enterprise as a guide
- Accepts compensation in any form commensurate with the market value in this state for guiding services in exchange for aiding, assisting, directing, leading, or instructing a person in the field to locate and take wildlife
- Is not a landowner or lessee who, without full fair market compensation, allows access to the landowner’s or lessee’s property and directs and advises a person in taking wildlife
Live bait dealer’s license
A live bait dealer’s license allows an individual to exhibit for sale, export, import, kill, offer for sale, possess, purchase, sell, trade, or transport desert suckers, fathead minnows, golden shiners, goldfish, and waterdogs as specified in R12-4-411.
Meat processing license
A meat processing stamp shall authorize an individual to process or store wildlife.
Pioneer license
A Pioneer License grants all the privileges of a combination hunting and fishing license and also authorizes the holder to fish in all community lakes. A person qualifies for a Pioneer License if they are 70 years of age or older and have been a resident of Arizona for 25 or more consecutive years immediately preceding the application for the license.
Private game farm license
A private game farm license authorizes a person to commercially farm and sell captive pen-reared game birds as specified on the license. This includes display for sale, give away, import, offer for sale, possess, propagate and rear, purchase, rent or lease, sell, trade, or transport captive pen-reared game bird carcasses or parts.
Scientific activity license
A Scientific Activity License is issued for the handling or collection of wildlife for non-recreational purposes, such as: wildlife management, gathering information valuable to the maintenance of wild populations, education, advancement of science, or for the promotion of the public health or welfare.
Small game depredation permit – Special use permit
To allow landowners, lessees, livestock operators, or municipalities to lethally remove small game species causing damage to property by a safe and humane means, once the requirements of ARS 17-239 have been met.
Special group fishing license
- The requesting group must be a nonprofit organization or governmental agency whose primary purpose is to provide treatment and care for persons with physical, developmental or mental disabilities.
- If the requesting group is a nonprofit organization, they must provide documentation of the organization’s articles of incorporation and evidence that the organization has tax exemption status under section 501 (c) of the Internal Revenue Code, and a document identifying the organization’s mission and purpose.
- The requesting group must be a nonprofit organization or governmental agency whose primary purpose is to provide treatment and care for persons with physical, developmental or mental disabilities.
- If the requesting group is a nonprofit organization, they must provide documentation of the organization’s articles of incorporation and evidence that the organization has tax exemption status under section 501 (c) of the Internal Revenue Code, and a document identifying the organization’s mission and purpose.
The Department may issue a Fishing Permit to state, county, or municipal agencies or departments and to nonprofit organizations whose primary purpose is to provide treatment and care for individuals with physical, developmental, or mental disabilities. This permit authorizes fishing activity for 2 days which are to be specified on the permit. Individuals must comply with all other statutes, rules, and Commission Orders.
Sport falconry license
All North American raptors are protected by federal and state laws. Falconry in Arizona is defined as “the sport of hunting or taking quarry with a trained raptor.” The Arizona Game and Fish Department regulates the use of North American Raptors in Sport Falconry through state statutes, Arizona Game and Fish Commission Rules and Orders.
Taxidermist registration
A taxidermy license will authorize an individual to engage in the business of a taxidermist for hire.
Trapping license
Allows trapping of predatory, nongame and furbearing mammals.
White Amur stocking license
A white amur stocking and/ or restocking license allows a person to possess, transport, and stock in a closed aquatic system triploid white amur (grass carp – Ctenopharyngodon idella) in aquatic systems where these fish are prevented from ingress or egress by a natural or manmade barrier, as determined by the Department
Wildlife holding license
A wildlife holding license authorizes a person to possess, transport, import, display for educational purposes, photograph for commercial purposes, purchase, propagate, export, give away, or euthanize either restricted live wildlife or live wildlife lawfully held under a hunting or fishing license.
Wildlife rehabilitation license
A wildlife rehabilitation license is issued for the sole purpose of restoring and returning wildlife to the wild through rehabilitative service. Read more on the checklist web page.
Wildlife service license
A wildlife service license authorizes a person or company to provide, advertise, or offer assistance in removing live wildlife involved in human-wildlife conflicts. Authorized activities include capturing, removing, transporting and relocating wildlife that has caused property damage, poses a threat to public health or safety.
Youth group 2-day fishing license
This group license allows a nonprofit organization to take up to 25 young people fishing over two consecutive days. Nonprofit organizations or government entities can apply for this license at any Arizona Game and Fish Department office.
Zoo license
A zoo license allows a person to exhibit, export, display for educational purposes, give away, import, offer for sale, possess, propagate, purchase, sell, or transport any lawfully possessed restricted and non-restricted live wildlife.