Crossbow Permit

New Rule effective July 1, 2026

New Crossbow Permit Checklist

• Process: Complete application form and submit payment and completed application to any Arizona Game and Fish Department Office.
• Application: Form 2741-A
• Fee: Resident – $13, Non-Resident – $15. Permit valid: As indicated by Qualified Physician but no more than 1 year from date of Qualified Physician’s certification signature.
• Additional Information: The certification portion of the application shall be completed by a Qualified Physician as defined by R12-4-216.
  
  “Qualified physicians” are currently licensed, board-certified medical or osteopathic physicians (MD or DO only) who have an unrestricted license to practice medicine in any U.S. state or U.S. territory. Physicians shall primarily practice or specialize in musculoskeletal or neuromuscular disorders, diseases, or conditions that cause a physical impairment that substantially limits the use of standard bow and arrow for hunting.  An applicant may use the applicant’s primary care physician if the physician meets the requirements of a “Qualified Physician”.
  
  
• Certify the applicant has one or more of the following physical limitations:
  • An amputation involving 3 or more fingers at the proximal interphalangeal joint, wrist, elbow, or shoulder that prevents stable function to use a bow;
  • Spinal cord injury affecting a hand, wrist, arm, or shoulder;
  • A wheelchair restriction;
  • A neuromuscular condition that prevents the applicant from drawing and holding a bow;
  • Weakness resulting from a disability of the muscles, nerves, joints or connective issue in the shoulder, arm, wrist, hand, or back used in drawing and holding a bow at full draw. The weakness is confirmed and documented using a reliable and appropriate functional capacity evaluation, upper extremity performance test or manual muscle test (MMT) where the results correlate with a physical impairment substantially limiting the ability to use a conventional bow. Using MMT requires a score of 3 or worse on a scale of 0 to 5 to qualify an applicant for a crossbow permit. Weakness that is appropriate for age or gender or deconditioning not due to a chronic medical problem shall not be considered a reason for a crossbow permit.
  • Restricted range of motion, where range of motion is assessed using a medically-accepted goniometric evaluation system and the score correlates with a physical impairment substantially limiting the ability to use a bow.
• Indicate whether the disability is permanent.
  
  Qualified Physicians must initial permanent status; or Qualified Physicians must specify the expected duration of the physical limitation not to exceed 1 year from the date of certification signature if the disability is not permanent.
  
  
• If a Qualified Physician indicates disability is permanent, an annual medical recertification is not required, but a new  Crossbow application must be submitted annually or as needed with the appropriate fees.
• Permit must be in possession of the holder when hunting with a crossbow in an archery-only season.