Government Sells Licenses to Legally 'Take' Majestic Eagles
Published Date: 12/4/2025
Notice
Summary
The Fish and Wildlife Service is renewing its paperwork for eagle take permits and fees without any changes. This affects anyone who needs a permit to handle eagles, keeping the current rules and fees in place. You’ve got until February 2, 2026, to share your thoughts before the renewal is finalized.
Analyzed Economic Effects
9 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 7 costs, 2 mixed.
Aggregate Permit Fees Remain Significant
The Service reports total estimated annual non-hour burden costs of $1,737,460 associated with these eagle permit collections, primarily from application processing fees. This is the aggregate fee burden across all applicants.
Big Paperwork Time Burden for Applicants
The collection estimates 1,117 annual respondents, 8,406 annual responses, and a total of 32,882 annual burden hours, with individual responses taking between 15 minutes and up to 228 hours depending on the activity. That means some permit applications or reports can require many days of work.
Compensatory Mitigation Requirement and Ratio
Permits that authorize eagle take may require compensatory mitigation to preserve the species; mitigation for golden eagles must be performed at a 1.2:1 mitigation-to-take ratio. The Service may require mitigation when it determines take is not consistent with maintaining local populations.
Permit Lengths Vary; Some Very Long Terms
Different eagle permits have set tenures: incidental take general permits are valid for 5 years, incidental take specific permits can be valid for up to 30 years, nest-take general permits are valid until the start of the next breeding season (not to exceed 1 year), and many specific permits may not exceed 5 years as set on the permit face.
Labeling, Recordkeeping, Monitoring, and Audits Stay Required
Regulations continue to require labeling of shipments containing eagles or parts, recordkeeping per 50 CFR 13.46, monitoring for most take permits (with some exceptions), and Service audits of general permits. Wind-industry permit monitoring data are used to improve fatality estimates.
Paperwork Renewal Keeps Fees Same
The Fish and Wildlife Service is renewing its eagle permit information collections without change, which keeps the current permit rules and application fees in place. You can submit comments on the renewal on or before February 2, 2026.
Reporting, Notification, and 2‑Week Rule
Most permits require timely notifications by email or phone if an eagle dies or is found dead, and permittees must notify the Service in writing within 2 weeks after discovering the take of a third or fourth bald or golden eagle. Incidental take permittees also must notify if a threatened or endangered species is found nearby.
Permit Transfer Limits and Amendment Timing
Permits under 50 CFR part 22 are generally not transferable, though some permits under subpart E may be transferred if the transferee provides written assurances of funding and commitment. Permittees must notify the issuing office within 10 calendar days of minor changes and may request amendments or the Service may amend a permit for just cause.
Consolidated Applications Still Pay Highest Fee
If a single application covers more than one type of permit issued by the same office, the Service may issue a consolidated permit but will charge the highest single fee for the permitted activities; administration fees are not waived for consolidated applications.
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