Sale of Wildlife
Sale of wildlife in Florida requires a permit. Sale is defined as the transfer of an animal to a buyer for an agreed price and includes lesser related acts, such as attempting to sell, offering to sell, to barter, exchange, trade, or auction. Sale of wildlife includes transactions that originate in Florida from both buyers in-state and buyers out-of-state. Both individuals and commercial entities who wish to sell wildlife in Florida must obtain a permit before selling any wildlife. Not all sale of wildlife is commercial in nature, but the activity of sale itself requires a permit, regardless of number of animals being sold or frequency of sales.
The type of permit required for sale depends on the type of wildlife that is being sold. To determine which license type is appropriate for your situation, please read about the different categories of wildlife . Once you have determined the type of wildlife you plan to sell, you can find the appropriate application below for sale of that type of wildlife.
Permit Options
Permit to Possess 1-25 Class I and/or Class II Animals for Commercial Use (ESA)
Permit Information
- Duration: 1 year
- Cost: $150 per year
- Activities covered: exhibition or sale of Class I or Class II wildlife (1-25 animals)
- Private or Commercial: Commercial
- Age requirement: 18
Permit Application
- Submit application online through Go Outdoors Florida (GOF)
- Instructions for using GOF (creating an account and submitting an application)
- Sample Experience Log
Additional Information
- To possess Class I or Class II wildlife, requirements related to experience documentation, facility, and caging must be met (see bottom of page).
- Anyone in possession of Class I wildlife must possess guaranteed financial responsibility in one of the following forms: $10,000 bond, $10,000 paid to FWC in cash or check, $10,000 irrevocable letter of credit, or comprehensive general liability insurance with minimum limits of $2 million per occurrence and $2 million general aggregate.
- Anyone in possession of Class I mammals must obtain and maintain a USDA license.
- In order to possess Class I species, the applicant must demonstrate consistent and sustained commercial activity.
Permit to Possess 26 or More Class I and/or Class II Animals for Commercial Use (ESB)
Permit Information
- Duration: 1 year
- Cost: $250 per year
- Activities covered: exhibition or sale of Class I or Class II wildlife (26 or more animals)
- Private or Commercial: Commercial
- Age requirement: 18
Permit Application
- Submit application online through Go Outdoors Florida (GOF)
- Instructions for using GOF (creating an account and submitting an application)
- Sample Experience Log
Additional Information
- To possess Class I or Class II wildlife, requirements related to experience documentation, facility, and caging must be met (see bottom of page).
- Anyone in possession of Class I wildlife must possess guaranteed financial responsibility in one of the following forms: $10,000 bond, $10,000 paid to FWC in cash or check, $10,000 irrevocable letter of credit, or comprehensive general liability insurance with minimum limits of $2 million per occurrence and $2 million general aggregate.
- Anyone in possession of Class I mammals must obtain and maintain a USDA license.
- In order to possess Class I species, the applicant must demonstrate consistent and sustained commercial activity.
Permit to Possess Class III Wildlife for Commercial Use (ESC)
Permit Information
- Duration: 1 year
- Cost: $50 per year
- Activities covered: exhibition or sale of Class III wildlife
- Private or Commercial: Both
- Age requirement: 16
Permit Application
- Submit application online through Go Outdoors Florida (GOF)
- Instructions for using GOF (creating an account and submitting an application)
Additional Information
- Anyone wishing to breed their Class III pet and sell any offspring must obtain this permit (ESC) and does not need to obtain a Class III Personal Pet No-Cost Permit (PPNC).
- To possess capuchin, spider, or woolly monkeys, requirements related to experience documentation and caging must be met (see bottom of page).
- Many Class III bird species are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and require a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to possess. Anyone with migratory birds in their Class III inventory should provide a copy of their USFWS migratory bird permit or official exemption letter with their ESC permit application.
- Some turtle species have possession limits. No person shall possess more than two individual turtles of the following species: Escambia map turtles (Graptemys ernsti), diamond-backed terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin), box turtles (Terrapene carolina), or loggerhead musk turtles (Sternotherus minor).
- No permit is needed for dealers whose sales are limited to poultry, hamsters, guinea pigs, domestic rats and mice, or chameleons only.
