Caring for an injured hawk, an orphaned raccoon, or a sick fawn is not something a private citizen can simply decide to do. In almost every state, possessing native wildlife without a permit is illegal, and the people who do this work legally are licensed, inspected, and in many cases screened for criminal history and prior wildlife law violations before a state agency or the federal government will let them touch a wild animal. This guide walks through how state wildlife rehabilitation permits work, where the federal government layers in its own permit for migratory birds, what actually disqualifies an applicant, and how background screening applies to the staff and volunteers who support licensed rehabilitators.
Wildlife rehabilitation is a licensed activity, not a hobby
State wildlife agencies treat the possession of sick, injured, or orphaned native animals as a regulated privilege, not a right. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department explains plainly that in order to possess or transport most indigenous wildlife in Texas, a permit is required under the Parks and Wildlife Code, and that caring for an animal beyond the time needed to transport it to a permitted rehabilitator without that permit can be a criminal offense. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Wildlife Rehabbers in Texas. Washington takes the same position: under state law, private citizens must hold a permit issued by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to practice wildlife rehabilitation, and possessing wildlife without one is illegal in virtually every other circumstance. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Requirements for a Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit.
Because the permit authorizes someone to hold protected wildlife, state agencies build their application process around verifying who the applicant is, what training and supervised experience they have, and whether the facility that will house the animals is adequate. That verification is where background related questions, criminal history, and prior wildlife violations most often come into play.
What state wildlife agencies actually require
Requirements vary significantly by state and even by the class of animal involved (songbirds, raptors, mammals, and venomous species are often treated differently). The table below summarizes two states that publish detailed permit requirements, as a snapshot of how the process typically works. It is not a complete list of every requirement and does not substitute for checking the current rule in the state where the facility will operate.
| Requirement | Texas | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Permit authority | Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, under the Parks and Wildlife Code | Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife |
| Minimum age | Not separately published on the agency’s public rehabilitator page | At least 18 years old |
| Experience or training | Rehabilitators are authorized only for the species listed on their permit | Six months, or 1,000 hours, of experience with a permitted rehabilitator, including three months during spring or summer, with education allowed to substitute for some of that experience |
| Exam | Not published as a general requirement on the agency’s rehabilitator page | A written general exam with a passing score of at least 80 percent, plus a separate raptor exam for anyone handling raptors |
| Veterinary sponsor | Not specified as a standalone requirement on the agency’s public page | A Principal Veterinarian Agreement from a sponsoring veterinarian |
| Facility inspection | Not specified as a standalone requirement on the agency’s public page | Required, measured against minimum housing and care standards for the size of the facility |
| Federal bird permit needed | Yes, for migratory species | Yes, for migratory species |
Neither agency’s public rehabilitator page describes a state run, fingerprint based criminal background check as a formal step in the application. That does not mean an applicant’s history is irrelevant, it means the screening that does occur tends to happen through the federal permit layer described below, and through each agency’s general authority to deny, suspend, or revoke a permit for cause. Because rules differ state to state and change over time, anyone applying should confirm the current application requirements directly with the state wildlife agency where the facility will be located rather than relying on a single example.
The federal layer: migratory birds need a USFWS permit too
Most native birds found in the United States, not just waterfowl, are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which means a state rehabilitation permit alone is not enough to lawfully possess them. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issues a separate federal permit for migratory bird rehabilitation, education, scientific collecting, and other special purposes, and explains that the regulations governing these permits are found in 50 CFR part 13 and 50 CFR part 21. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Permits. The regulatory text of that permit framework for migratory birds is published at 50 CFR Part 21, Migratory Bird Permits in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations.
Eagles are treated even more strictly. Bald and golden eagles fall under their own federal protection statute, and anyone caring for an injured eagle, even briefly, generally needs authorization that sits on top of both the state rehabilitation permit and the general migratory bird permit. A rehabilitator who is not also authorized for eagles should transfer an eagle to someone who is, rather than attempting to hold the bird under a general wildlife permit alone.
Criminal history and wildlife violation disqualifiers
The clearest, codified disqualifier in this space is federal, and it applies to the USFWS permits that most bird rehabilitators eventually need. Under the general permit procedures regulation, the Fish and Wildlife Service will deny a permit application if the applicant has been assessed a civil penalty or convicted of any criminal provision of a statute or regulation relating to the permitted activity, when that penalty or conviction evidences a lack of responsibility. The same regulation sets out specific disqualifying factors: a conviction, or an entry of a guilty or no contest plea, for a felony violation of the Lacey Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, or the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act disqualifies a person from receiving or exercising a federal wildlife permit, unless that disqualification has been expressly waived. 50 CFR Part 13, General Permit Procedures.
In practice, a prior felony wildlife trafficking or poaching conviction can block someone from the federal migratory bird permit that most rehabilitators of native birds eventually need, even if the state wildlife agency would otherwise approve the rehabilitation application. The permitting officer may also weigh other relevant history, including prior civil or criminal penalties under any federal or state wildlife law, prior permit suspensions or revocations, and reports from state or local officials.
At the state level, published rehabilitator program pages in the states reviewed for this article do not describe a standardized fingerprint or state criminal history check as part of the rehabilitation permit itself. Where a state agency’s own rules impose character, criminal history, or integrity requirements specific to its rehabilitation permit, that requirement will be in the state’s own regulations, not in a federal rule, so applicants should always confirm directly with the issuing state agency rather than assuming either way.
Volunteers, interns, and minors around rehabilitation facilities
Licensed wildlife rehabilitators frequently rely on apprentices, interns, and volunteers, and many state programs formally recognize a supervised apprentice track that lets a newer person work under a permitted rehabilitator’s authorization before qualifying for their own license. That supervisory structure does not automatically extend state or federal background screening to every volunteer. An organization that places volunteers, especially unpaid helpers who may have unsupervised contact with the public, with donors, or with minors participating in education programs, generally needs to decide separately whether it will run its own background checks on those individuals, apart from whatever licensing the lead rehabilitator holds.
That is a different screening question from the wildlife permit itself, and it is one every volunteer based organization, not just wildlife centers, has to work through. A broader look at how organizations typically structure that decision, and why many choose to screen before placement rather than after an incident, is available at Criminal Background Checks for Volunteers: Why Every Organization Should Screen Volunteers Before Placement.
FCRA basics for rehab centers that run background checks
When a wildlife rehabilitation nonprofit, nature center, or wildlife park decides to use a third party consumer reporting agency to run background checks on paid staff or volunteers, the Fair Credit Reporting Act applies the same way it would to any other employer. The organization generally needs to give the individual a clear, standalone disclosure that a background check may be obtained, get written authorization before ordering the report, and if the organization is considering turning someone down based partly or wholly on what is in the report, provide a pre-adverse action notice, a copy of the report, and a copy of the Summary of Rights before taking final adverse action. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau publishes the regulation implementing this part of the FCRA. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Regulation V, Fair Credit Reporting. What a background check actually surfaces, and how long a given record can be reported, varies by state and by the type of record, so a rehabilitation center should not assume a report catches every past conviction, nor promise a volunteer or employee that a particular record is hidden from view.
How this compares to other wildlife and outdoor licenses
Wildlife rehabilitation permits sit alongside a broader category of state wildlife agency licenses built on training, exams, and agency discretion rather than one pass or fail background check. A related look at how another state wildlife license handles applicant screening is available at Hunting Guide License Background Check: State Wildlife Agency Rules. The common thread is that the issuing agency, whether reviewing a hunting guide or a rehabilitation applicant, keeps broad authority to deny, condition, suspend, or revoke the license based on conduct, even where no checklist item names a criminal background check directly.
Frequently asked questions
Do wildlife rehabilitators need a background check to get licensed?
It depends on the state and, for migratory birds, on federal rules as well. Published state program pages reviewed for this article do not describe a standardized criminal history check as part of the state rehabilitation permit itself, but federal law disqualifies anyone with a felony conviction under the Lacey Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, or the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act from holding the federal migratory bird permit that most bird rehabilitators eventually need. Applicants should confirm current requirements with the specific state agency.
Why do rehabilitators need a federal permit in addition to a state one?
Most native birds are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which is federal law. A state wildlife agency can authorize someone to rehabilitate wildlife generally, but caring for a protected migratory bird also requires a separate federal permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under 50 CFR parts 13 and 21.
Can a past wildlife violation stop someone from becoming a licensed rehabilitator?
Yes, at least at the federal level. A felony conviction, or a guilty or no contest plea, for violating the Lacey Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, or the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act disqualifies a person from receiving a federal wildlife permit unless that disqualification is expressly waived. State agencies also retain authority to deny or revoke a state rehabilitation permit for cause under their own rules.
Does a state rehabilitation permit cover volunteers and apprentices automatically?
A state permit authorizes the licensed rehabilitator, and in some states an apprentice working directly under that person’s supervision. It does not automatically mean every volunteer who helps the organization, for example with fundraising, education programs, or public facing events, has been through a criminal background check. Organizations typically decide separately whether to screen those volunteers.
What does the Fair Credit Reporting Act require when a wildlife center screens staff or volunteers?
If a wildlife rehabilitation organization uses a consumer reporting agency to run the check, it generally needs to provide a standalone disclosure, obtain written authorization, and, before taking adverse action based on the report, provide a pre-adverse action notice, a copy of the report, and a copy of the Summary of Rights. These duties come from the Fair Credit Reporting Act and its implementing Regulation V.
Is a wildlife rehabilitation permit the same thing as a hunting guide or trapping license?
No. A rehabilitation permit authorizes someone to possess and care for sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife with the goal of release, while a hunting guide or trapping license authorizes a different, regulated activity. Both are issued by state wildlife agencies and both involve agency discretion to approve, deny, or revoke based on an applicant’s history, but the specific requirements differ.
A compliant screening program for any organization, from a wildlife rehabilitation nonprofit to a large employer, starts with understanding which duties apply before a report is ever ordered. Reveal Background works with organizations to build that process correctly from the first disclosure through adverse action.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Wildlife permit rules and background screening laws vary by state and change over time, so consult the issuing wildlife agency and qualified counsel for your specific situation.
