The Ohio noncommercial propagating license is a $25 annual permit from the ODNR Division of Wildlife that lets an Ohio resident keep or breed native fur-bearing animals and certain other native species for personal use, with no sales allowed. You apply on Form DNR 8806 through the district office covering the county where the animals will be housed, and every animal you hold must come from a legally licensed captive source.
Which Animals the License Covers
Ohio Revised Code 1531.01 defines fur-bearing animals as twelve species: minks, weasels, raccoons, skunks, opossums, muskrats, fox, beavers, badgers, otters, coyotes, and bobcats.1Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1531-01 – Division of Wildlife Definitions Keeping any of them in captivity without selling them is what this permit authorizes.
The same license also covers native game birds, game quadrupeds, reptiles, and amphibians, so a raccoon and a native box turtle in the same household fall under one permit.2Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1533.71 – License to Raise or Keep Game Birds and Animals Captive white-tailed deer are the exception: they require a separate application (Form DNR 8833) with their own enclosure standards.
Who Can Get One and Where Animals Must Come From
Only Ohio residents can hold the license, and any resident over 18 needs a permit to possess a native species in captivity.3Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Wild Animal Propagation – Noncommercial
Every animal must be captive-bred and acquired from a legally licensed source. Taking animals from the wild is prohibited, and that prohibition includes sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife.3Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Wild Animal Propagation – Noncommercial Caring for a hurt raccoon longer than it takes to hand it to a permitted wildlife rehabilitator is against the law. Rescuing an orphaned fox kit does not create a legal path to ownership.
Because the license is noncommercial, you cannot sell, trade, or barter any animal held under it.2Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1533.71 – License to Raise or Keep Game Birds and Animals Selling requires a commercial propagating license, which costs $40 a year and carries different obligations.
How to Apply
The form is DNR 8806, available from the ODNR Division of Wildlife website or any district office.4Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Wild Animal Propagation License Application It asks for your name, date of birth, Social Security number or tax ID, the physical street address where the animals will be housed, and a species-by-species count of animals you already possess legally.
You can request the form before acquiring an animal, but once you have one you must submit the application within 10 days. By signing, you certify that each animal was legally acquired, that your records are current, and that you understand ORC 1533.71, 1533.77, and the related administrative code provisions. The form does not require facility diagrams or previous-owner license numbers.
Send the completed form and a $25 check or money order payable to the Ohio Division of Wildlife to the ODNR district office that covers your county, not to a central Columbus address.4Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Wild Animal Propagation License Application The application form lists each district and its counties.
After the Division receives your application, a local wildlife officer may schedule a visit to confirm that your enclosures prevent escape and are suitable for the species you intend to keep. Any problems flagged during the inspection have to be fixed before the license is approved. Once the Division is satisfied the application is made in good faith and you are in compliance, the license is issued.
Records You Have to Keep
Ohio Revised Code 1533.77 requires every propagating license holder to maintain written records covering:
- The total number of covered animals you possessed on the date of your application, plus any later acquired by breeding, purchase, or gift
- The number of animals that escaped, were released, or died
- The name and address of every person you received an animal from or gave one to, with the date of each transaction
These records must stay permanently on the premises listed on your license and be available for inspection by an authorized Division of Wildlife representative at reasonable times.5Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Wild Animal Propagation and Related Activities The license itself has to be prominently displayed at that location. A drawer does not count.
Renewal
Every noncommercial propagating license expires on March 15, no matter when it was issued.2Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1533.71 – License to Raise or Keep Game Birds and Animals A license issued in January still expires that March 15. Renew by submitting a new application and the $25 fee before the deadline. If the license lapses, your legal authority to possess the animals ends, and you face the same penalties as someone who never had one.
Penalties
Violating ORC 1533.71, whether by possessing fur-bearing animals without a license, selling animals held under a noncommercial permit, or failing to meet the statute’s other requirements, is a third-degree misdemeanor.6Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1533.99 – Penalties Penalties can reach 60 days in jail, a $500 fine, or both.4Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Wild Animal Propagation License Application Breaking the record-keeping rules under ORC 1533.77 carries the same classification.
A court can also suspend or revoke your license on conviction for any offense related to taking, possessing, or propagating wild animals, and may order restitution for the minimum value of illegally held animals.7Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1533 – Hunting, Fishing No portion of the license fee is refunded if the license is revoked. False statements on the application itself can be prosecuted separately under ORC 2921.13.
Bringing Animals In From Another State
If you plan to buy a captive-bred fur-bearing animal from an out-of-state breeder, or take one of yours across state lines, federal law adds requirements. The Lacey Act makes it unlawful to transport wildlife taken, possessed, or sold in violation of any state or federal law, which means both the originating state and Ohio have to authorize the transaction.8U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Lacey Act An animal legally bred in Indiana but imported without the right Ohio license puts you in violation of federal law on top of state law.
Most states also require a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection for animals crossing their borders. USDA VS Form 7001 is the standard federal form for small-animal interstate transport and is valid for 30 days after a licensed veterinarian signs it. Confirm the exact paperwork with Ohio’s Division of Wildlife and the originating state’s wildlife agency before you arrange any transport.