Falconry license in Arkansas and the real paper path

Last updated 2026-08-18

Do you need a license for falconry in Arkansas?

Yes. You need a current Arkansas falconry permit before you take, possess, transport, or hunt with a raptor. A separate Arkansas hunting license is what lets you take game with that bird. There is no pet loophole.

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act is the reason. 16 U.S.C. 703 says it is unlawful "at any time, by any means or in any manner, to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill" a migratory bird unless a regulation allows it.^[7] Hawks, falcons, and most owls sit inside that statute. Falconry is the regulation that allows it, not a handshake with a landowner.

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) runs the state permit. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service no longer hands a second federal falconry card to residents of a certified state. 50 CFR 21.82 is the federal floor AGFC has to meet.^[1] You still follow federal take, banding, and reporting rules. You just apply in Arkansas.

Want photos of a rehab bird? Call a licensed rehabilitator. Want to trap a passage red-tail and hunt squirrels? You are in the permit line. Start with the paper, not the trap.

A short path sits next to this license guide if you want the first-year order of operations in one place: how to start falconry in Arkansas.

What permits do you actually carry for falconry in Arkansas?

You carry a state falconry permit in one of three classes (apprentice, general, or master) plus whatever Arkansas hunting license AGFC requires for the game you chase. You also keep an acquisition record for each bird. That is the stack.

The falconry permit is the possession document. Classes, ages, and bird caps come from 50 CFR 21.82, and Arkansas writes those into its own code.^[3] Apprentice is 1 raptor. General is 3. Master is 5. Wild take is capped at 2 raptors in any 12-month period at general and master. Captive-bred birds can fill some of the extra slots at the higher classes. Confirm the current Arkansas wording with AGFC before you plan a second bird.

The hunting license is the harvest document. Falconry does not replace it. Buy it through the state's license system, Go Outdoors Arkansas, for the license year you will hunt.^[11] Seasons and bag rules still apply. A legal hawk on an illegal day is still an illegal hunt.

You do not carry a separate federal falconry permit if you live in Arkansas and hold the AGFC permit. That split happened when the Service certified state programs after the 2008 rule change.^[6] You may still need other federal paper later. Eagle authorizations are a different statute, and apprentices do not go there.

Keep digital or paper copies of the permit, the hunting license, and each 3-186A record in the truck. A warden should not have to wait while you dig through a kitchen drawer.

Class	Minimum age (federal)	Time in the prior class	Birds you may hold (federal cap)
Apprentice	12 (parent signs if under 18)	Sponsor required	1
General	16	2 years as apprentice, with at least 4 months of flying each year	3
Master	16 on paper, much older in practice	5 years as general	5

How do you get an apprentice falconry license in Arkansas?

You pass AGFC's written exam at 80 percent or better, lock a qualified sponsor, build housing that can pass inspection, file the state application, and wait for AGFC to issue the apprentice permit. Then you may take or receive one legal bird. That is the whole apprentice gate.

50 CFR 21.82 says you must "correctly answer at least 80 percent of the questions on an examination administered by the State, tribal, or territorial agency under which you wish to obtain a falconry permit."^[2] Arkansas gives that test. Ask AGFC where they sit it and how you schedule. A practice quiz on your phone is not an official score.

Your sponsor must be a general or master falconer with at least 2 years at the general class.^[3] Ask AGFC whether that person must hold an Arkansas permit. A signature from three states away looks fine until the Commission says it does not. The sponsor is not a formality. They are the person who keeps you from starving a first bird or flying it into a road.

Housing comes before the bird. AGFC inspects. Federal rules require humane, healthful conditions and a chamber large enough that the raptor can fully extend its wings.^[4] Build to the written standard, not to a photo of someone else's mews on social media.

AGFC sets the application form, the fee, and the review clock. Confirm those on the current Commission materials. Nobody honest can promise you an approval date.

If you want a single study and housing packet while you wait on AGFC, FalconryPath sells a $149 one-time State Exam + Sponsor + Mews Kit at /start. The Commission still issues the permit. The kit does not.

How long does falconry take in Arkansas?

You can be legally flying within a few months after you pass the exam, pass inspection, and get the apprentice permit. You then stay an apprentice for at least 2 years. General class takes those 2 years plus a sponsor letter. Master class takes 5 more years at general. Falconry has no finish line.

The 2-year apprentice clock is federal. It is not 24 months of owning a permit on paper. 50 CFR 21.82 requires that you actually maintain, train, fly, and hunt the bird for at least 4 months in each of those years.^[3] A dusty mews and a lapsed hunting license do not count.

Study time is the part nobody tracks well. If you already hunt and you read the federal standard twice, a few weeks of night study can be enough. If you cannot name a Cooper's hawk on the wing, give it longer. There is no published AGFC study-hour number.

Finding a sponsor is the slow step in Arkansas. The state is not packed with general and master falconers in every county. Plan on driving. Plan on being told no. That search can take weeks or it can take a year. Nobody has a public dataset on wait times.

Inspection scheduling sits with AGFC. Confirm it. Do not build the mews the night before a hoped-for visit.

Honest timeline: exam and sponsor first, housing next, permit after inspection, first bird after the permit, then 2 years of real flying before general. Anything shorter is a myth.

How much does falconry cost in Arkansas?

The state permit fee is the small line. Housing is the large one. Add an Arkansas hunting license, basic furniture, a gram scale, and a cash reserve for a raptor vet. Confirm every AGFC dollar amount before you pay. Fees change by license year and this page will not invent them.

AGFC publishes hunting license prices on Go Outdoors Arkansas each year.^[11] Resident licenses cost less than nonresident licenses. Falconry does not get you a discount. If you still need hunter education, get that card first or the hunting license will not issue.

The falconry permit fee itself is set by AGFC, not by the federal rule. Call the Commission or read the current application. Same for any exam fee. Do not copy a number from a forum post dated 2017.

Housing swings the total. A weather-tight single-bird mew built from new lumber often lands in the high hundreds to low thousands of dollars if you already have a wall or a slab to work from. A new framed outdoor mews with a weathering yard costs more. A palace with imported perch stone is a waste. A leaky dog crate is also a waste, and it will fail inspection.

Furniture is jesses, a leash, a swivel, a hood, a bath pan, and perches. Ready-made gear runs tens to low hundreds if you stay plain. The scale is not optional. Buy one that reads to a gram or better.

Telemetry can wait. A first apprentice who still flies a creance does not need a four-figure transmitter. Spend that money after the bird is hunting and you are losing it in cover.

Want a comparison of the same cost buckets in another state? See falconry cost in Alabama. The dollar lines will not match Arkansas. The order of spend will.

What is on the Arkansas falconry exam?

The exam tests whether you can keep a raptor alive and stay inside the law. Expect raptor identification, natural history, field care, disease, laws, and training. You need at least 80 percent. That pass mark is federal, not an Arkansas extra.^[2]

50 CFR 21.82 tells states the exam must cover identification, natural history, care in captivity, disease and treatment, training, and the relevant laws.^[2] AGFC writes the actual items. Ask them if they publish a topic list. Do not expect them to publish the questions.

Study the federal standard first. Then study Arkansas hunting rules for the species you will chase with a hawk, because a perfect score on molt stages will not help you if you flush a bird out of season.^[12]

I would sit the test after I had a sponsor candidate, not before. Passing with nobody willing to sign you leaves you with a score and no path. Failing once is normal. Repeats follow AGFC's own retest rule. Confirm that rule. Do not assume you can walk back in tomorrow.

Skip the laminated "exam dump" files people pass around. They go stale, and they teach you to memorize instead of weighing a bird that will not eat.

What mews and equipment will Arkansas inspect?

AGFC will look at the chamber, the weathering area if you use one, perches, water, and whether a bird can hurt itself on exposed points or escape through a weak latch. Federal facility rules are the baseline. Arkansas can be stricter. Build to the written standard AGFC hands you.

50 CFR 21.82 requires humane and healthful conditions. Indoor housing must let you care for the bird and must give it room to fully extend its wings.^[4] Tapered bars, solid walls or vertical dowels, a door that actually latches, and a floor you can clean are the usual answers. Chicken wire with sharp cut ends is how people fail.

You also need the day-to-day furniture on site: jesses, leash, swivel, a scale, a bath. Inspectors are not decorating critics. They are looking for a bird that can be held without injury.

I would not pour a new slab until I had read the current AGFC inspection sheet. Moving a wall after the concrete sets is a miserable way to learn you built the door on the wrong side.

Take photos of the finished mews for your own file. If a hinge fails in January you will want a record of what passed.

What birds can you fly as an Arkansas apprentice?

Under the federal class cap you may hold 1 raptor.^[3] Arkansas then decides which species an apprentice may take or possess. Read the current AGFC falconry code before you trap. Do not copy another state's apprentice list.

Most inland states push apprentices toward a wild-caught red-tailed hawk or an American kestrel. That pattern is common because those birds forgive bad handling better than a first-year Cooper's hawk. Common is not the same as legal. Confirm the Arkansas list.

Federal apprentice rules also block nestlings. You take a passage bird (less than 1 year old, already flying), not an eyass out of a nest, unless a later class and a legal season say otherwise.^[3] Threatened and endangered species are off the table. Bald eagles are not apprentice birds.

Imprinted birds are a bad idea and often illegal for an apprentice. If a breeder offers you a socialized imprint because it is "easier," walk away.

Trap only after the permit is in hand, the band or marker plan is clear, and your sponsor is actually available that week. A legal species taken on an illegal day, or taken before the permit prints, is still a violation under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.^[7]

Do you need a hunting license to hunt with a raptor in Arkansas?

Yes. The falconry permit lets you possess the raptor. The hunting license lets you take game. You need both in the field when you hunt. Seasons, bag limits, and legal methods still apply.^[12]

Buy the license that matches what you will chase. Squirrels, rabbits, and legal game birds are the usual apprentice quarry. Waterfowl and other migratory game carry their own stamps and seasons. Falconry is a method, not a free season.

AGFC prints those seasons in the hunting regulations each year.^[12] Falconry seasons sometimes run on a longer calendar than gun seasons for the same small game. Sometimes they do not. Read the current book. Do not hunt on a memory of last November.

Hunter education is a gate for many first-time license buyers. If AGFC still requires your course card, finish it before you talk about trapping dates.

Nonresidents pay the nonresident schedule on Go Outdoors Arkansas.^[11] A weekend trip with a bird from another certified state has its own notice rules. Ask AGFC before you cross the line with a hawk on the seat.

How do you report a raptor you take or transfer in Arkansas?

You report take, transfer, loss, and death on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Form 3-186A, or through the Service's electronic system, within the federal window. That window is 10 calendar days under 50 CFR 21.82.^[5] AGFC may also want a copy. Ask them how they want it filed.

Wild-caught birds get a Service band. You do not invent your own numbering system. Order or receive bands the way AGFC and the Service tell you to, then close the 3-186A. A bird with no paper is a problem you cannot talk your way out of.

Keep every 3-186A. Keep the permit. If a bird is stolen or dies, report it. Silence looks like trafficking when a warden later asks where the band went.

The Lacey Act sits behind the paperwork. 16 U.S.C. 3372 makes it unlawful to possess wildlife taken or transported in violation of federal or state law.^[8] A sloppy transfer is not a paperwork oops. It is how people lose birds and permits.

If the electronic portal is down, use the paper form and keep proof you sent it. The 10-day clock does not pause for a website.

What will get an Arkansas falconry permit pulled?

Holding a bird without the right class, taking a nestling as an apprentice, skipping the 3-186A, keeping a bird in a filthy or unsafe chamber, or hunting closed game will get you in real trouble. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Lacey Act are federal. AGFC can also suspend or revoke the state permit under its own code.^[7][8]

Wardens do check mews. They check bands. They check whether the person flying the bird is the person on the permit. Lending your apprentice red-tail to a buddy for the weekend is not a favor. It is unpermitted possession on their end and a violation on yours.

I would treat closed-season temptation as the fastest way to end a first year. The hawk does not know the date. You do.

If you move into Arkansas with a permit from another certified state, you must tell both jurisdictions and pick up Arkansas paper on AGFC's timeline. 50 CFR 21.82 requires you to inform both permitting offices. The new state's deadline is the new state's rule.^[1] Confirm that deadline. Do not run 8 months on an out-of-state card and hope.

Rehab, propagation, and education are different permits. Do not hide those activities under falconry.

How does Arkansas falconry paper compare to nearby states?

The exam score, the 2-year apprentice period, the class caps, and the 3-186A are the same federal floor in every certified state.^[1][3] What changes is the sponsor culture, the species list, the inspection style, and the hunting license price. Arkansas is a Commission state. You deal with AGFC, not a county clerk.

Alabama uses the same federal skeleton and a different agency. If you live on the line or you might move, read falconry license in Alabama and how to start falconry in Alabama before you build a mews you cannot take with you.

Western paper is not a shortcut. Falconry license in Arizona, falconry license in California, and falconry license in Colorado still demand the 80 percent exam and a sponsor. They do not waive Arkansas requirements if you later come home.

Here is what I would actually do in Arkansas. Email AGFC for the current falconry application and inspection sheet. Start hunter education if you still need it. Then look for a sponsor. Build the mews after a sponsor has seen the site. Sit the exam when the sponsor is real. Trap after the permit prints.

FalconryPath is an independent publisher, not a law firm and not a service company. Confirm every fee, form, and species line with AGFC. If you still want the exam, sponsor, and mews packet after that call, it is at /start.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a license for falconry in Arkansas?

Yes. You need an AGFC falconry permit before you take, possess, or hunt with a raptor, plus an Arkansas hunting license to take game. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act bans unpermitted take. There is no pet exception for hawks or falcons. Confirm the current application with AGFC.

How much does falconry cost in Arkansas?

Housing is the big cost, often high hundreds to low thousands if you build a simple legal mew. The AGFC falconry permit fee and hunting license are smaller lines and change by year, so confirm them before you pay. Add a scale, jesses, hood, and a vet reserve. Skip fancy telemetry in year one.

How long does falconry take in Arkansas?

Exam, sponsor, housing, and inspection can fit into a few months if the sponsor search goes well. You then stay an apprentice at least 2 years and must fly at least 4 months each year. General to master is 5 more years. AGFC processing time is not something this page can promise.

Do you still need a federal falconry permit in Arkansas?

No separate federal falconry permit is required if you hold a valid AGFC falconry permit in this certified state. You still obey 50 CFR 21.82 on classes, take, bands, and 10-day reports. Eagle work is a different federal authorization and is not an apprentice path.

What score do you need on the Arkansas falconry exam?

You must correctly answer at least 80 percent of the questions. That pass mark is set in 50 CFR 21.82 and AGFC administers the test. Ask the Commission how to schedule and how retests work. A practice quiz is not an official score.

Can a 12-year-old get a falconry license in Arkansas?

Federal rules allow an apprentice at age 12. A parent or legal guardian must sign if the applicant is under 18. The sponsor, exam, and housing rules do not shrink for a minor. Confirm AGFC's current age practice on the application before you promise a kid a hawk.

Can you keep a falcon as a pet in Arkansas without a falconry permit?

No. Migratory raptors are not pets under 16 U.S.C. 703. Possession without the right permit is unlawful. Rehab, education, and propagation use other permits. Buying a bird online and calling it a pet is how people meet wardens.

Does Arkansas require a sponsor for apprentice falconry?

Yes. Federal apprentice rules require a general or master falconer with at least 2 years at general class. Ask AGFC whether the sponsor must hold an Arkansas permit. Distance sponsors look neat on paper and fail in January when the bird will not eat.

What hunting license do you need to hunt with a hawk in Arkansas?

Buy the AGFC hunting license that covers the game you will take, through Go Outdoors Arkansas, for that license year. Falconry is a method, not a substitute license. Read the current seasons. Finish hunter education first if AGFC still requires your course card.

How do you report taking a wild raptor in Arkansas?

File U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Form 3-186A or the electronic equivalent within 10 calendar days of take, transfer, or loss. Band wild-caught birds as directed. Keep copies. AGFC may want the filing routed through them, so ask before opening day of trapping.

Can an Arkansas apprentice take a nestling?

No. Federal apprentice rules allow take of a raptor less than 1 year old except nestlings. Eyass take, if Arkansas opens a season at all, sits with general and master class and still has nest rules. Confirm the current AGFC take windows before you climb anything.

How many birds can each falconry class hold?

Federal caps are 1 raptor for apprentice, 3 for general, and 5 for master. General and master may take no more than 2 from the wild in any 12-month period. Arkansas can tighten those numbers. Read the current AGFC code before you plan a second bird.

What happens if your mews fails inspection in Arkansas?

You do not get the permit, or you do not add the bird, until the chamber passes. Fix the latch, the spacing, the perch, or the sanitation issue AGFC listed. Do not park the hawk in a bathroom and argue about it. Reinspection follows the Commission's calendar, not yours.

Can you move to Arkansas with a falconry permit from another state?

Yes, if you come from a certified state, but you must notify both permitting offices and obtain AGFC paper on Arkansas's deadline. 50 CFR 21.82 requires that notice. Confirm the deadline with AGFC. Do not hunt all season on an old out-of-state card.

Sources

1. eCFR 50 CFR 21.82 Falconry standards and falconry permitting: Certified states issue the falconry permit; practitioners must hold a valid state, tribal, or territorial falconry permit and follow 21.82.
2. eCFR 50 CFR 21.82 examination standard: Applicants must correctly answer at least 80 percent of the questions on the state, tribal, or territorial falconry examination.
3. eCFR 50 CFR 21.82 permit classes, ages, experience, and possession caps: Apprentice minimum age 12 with a qualified sponsor; general requires 2 years as apprentice with at least 4 months of flying each year; possession caps are 1, 3, and 5 raptors; nestling take is barred for apprentices.
4. eCFR 50 CFR 21.82 facilities and care standards: Raptors held under a falconry permit must be kept in humane and healthful conditions, with housing that allows full wing extension and proper care.
5. eCFR 50 CFR 21.82 acquisition and disposition reporting: Take, transfer, and loss of a falconry raptor must be reported on Form 3-186A or the electronic system within 10 calendar days.
6. Federal Register E8-23759, Migratory Bird Permits; Changes in the Regulations Governing Falconry (Oct. 8, 2008): The 2008 rule set national falconry standards and shifted day-to-day permitting to certified state, tribal, and territorial programs.
7. U.S. Code 16 U.S.C. § 703, Migratory Bird Treaty Act: Unpermitted pursuit, take, capture, or killing of migratory birds is unlawful.
8. U.S. Code 16 U.S.C. § 3372, Lacey Act prohibited acts: It is unlawful to possess wildlife taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of federal or state law.
9. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Permits program: The Service's Migratory Bird Permits program administers the federal standards that state falconry permits must meet.
10. eRegulations Arkansas hunting regulations digest: AGFC publishes current hunting seasons, methods, and license rules in the official Arkansas hunting regulations digest.
11. North American Falconers Association, Getting Started: Entry to falconry in North America runs through a state or provincial permit, a sponsor, and an apprenticeship rather than private ownership of a pet raptor.