Fish and Wildlife Permit Paperwork Gets a Snooze Renewal
Published Date: 12/23/2025
Notice
Summary
The Fish and Wildlife Service is renewing its paperwork for federal fish and wildlife permits without any changes. This affects anyone applying for or reporting on these permits, keeping the process smooth and familiar. You’ve got until February 23, 2026, to share your thoughts, but no new fees or extra steps are coming your way.
Analyzed Economic Effects
8 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 5 costs, 1 mixed.
Application Fees Remain $0–$250
Permit processing fees for these federal fish and wildlife permits range from $0 to $250. The Service estimates total annual nonhour burden costs for applicants of $576,387. State, local, Tribal, and Federal government agencies are exempt from processing fees.
Time Burden: Up to 40 Hours Per Response
Completing permit forms can take from 15 minutes up to 40 hours depending on the activity. The Service estimates 6,139 annual respondents, 8,946 annual responses, and a total of 9,035 annual burden hours for this collection.
Forms Renewed — No New Burdens
The Fish and Wildlife Service is renewing its existing permit application and report forms (OMB Control No. 1018-0093) without change. You can submit comments on the renewal through February 23, 2026. The renewal keeps the same application process and does not add new fees or extra steps.
Report Grizzly Takes Within 5 Days
If you take a grizzly bear in self-defense or defense of others, you must report the take to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Office of Law Enforcement within 5 days. This requirement specifically applies to takes in Montana or Wyoming; if the take occurs in Idaho or Washington you must also report to the appropriate State and Tribal authorities.
Report Mountain Lion Takes in Florida
If a mountain lion is taken in the State of Florida, the take must be reported to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Office of Law Enforcement within 5 days.
Permit Amendments and 10-Day Name/Address Notice
Permittees must apply for substantive amendments to permits and those substantive amendments incur a fee; for CITES permits, a change in the legal individual or business name is considered a substantive amendment and incurs a fee. However, permittees do not need a new permit for a legal name or mailing address change if they notify the issuing office within 10 calendar days.
States/Tribes Can Get CITES Program Approval
States and Tribes may request approval of CITES export programs for species such as American ginseng, certain furbearers, and American alligator under 50 CFR 23.68–23.70. When approved, these programmatic findings streamline the permit process for applicants under those programs.
International Reporting: 24 Responses, 192 Hours
The Service estimates the international reporting requirements associated with this collection will generate 24 responses and 192 annual burden hours. The Service notes there are no nonhour (financial) costs for these international reports.
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Key Dates
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