Fur Buyer & Dealer License by State 2026 | WildNotch.com
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Fur Buyer & Dealer Licenses by State —
2026

Licensing requirements, record-keeping rules, CITES compliance, and annual reporting for fur buyers, dealers, and auction houses across all 50 states. Required for anyone purchasing raw furs commercially.

All 50 States Covered CITES & Export Rules Record-Keeping Requirements
49States Requiring License
40States w/ CITES Rules
$32Avg Resident Fee
Resident & nonresident fees
CITES compliance rules
Record retention requirements
Annual reporting deadlines
Bonding requirements
Why Get Licensed?

Why Fur Buyer Licensing Matters

Legal Compliance
Purchasing raw furs from trappers for commercial resale requires a fur buyer or fur dealer license in most states. Operating without a license can result in felony charges under state wildlife law and federal charges under the Lacey Act. The license is the foundation of lawful fur commerce.
CITES Compliance
Bobcat, North American river otter, gray wolf, and several other species traded internationally are listed under CITES Appendix II. Export of these pelts across international borders requires CITES export permits issued by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Licensed dealers must document their compliance chain.
Record Keeping
Licensed fur buyers must maintain detailed records of all fur purchases — species, quantity, price, seller identity, and harvest location. Records must typically be retained 3–5 years and must be available for inspection by wildlife officers at any time during normal business hours.
Market Transparency
Annual reporting requirements create a transparent harvest data pipeline. Wildlife agencies use fur buyer reports to estimate furbearer harvest statewide, adjust hunting and trapping seasons, and identify population trends — making licensed buyers active contributors to wildlife management.
CITES & Bobcat/Otter Export Requirements

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix II listing for bobcat (Lynx rufus) and North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) means these species require export permits for any commercial international trade. U.S. fur buyers who export bobcat or otter pelts must obtain CITES export permits from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. State annual harvest reports are the primary basis for the U.S. export quota — without state licensing and reporting, the export quota could be suspended, halting the entire commercial bobcat pelt trade. Licensed fur buyers are therefore critical to maintaining access to international markets.

Filter by region:
50 states
50 states shown
AL
Alabama
Resident $25.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
AK
Alaska
Resident $50.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
AZ
Arizona
Resident $25.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
AR
Arkansas
Resident $25.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
CA
California
Resident $105.74
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
CO
Colorado
Resident $35.00
License Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
CT
Connecticut
Resident $50.00
License Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
DE
Delaware
Resident $10.00
License Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
FL
Florida
Resident $25.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
GA
Georgia
Resident $25.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
HI
Hawaii
See state details
Fur buyer requirements
ID
Idaho
Resident $10.00
License Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
IL
Illinois
Resident $75.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
IN
Indiana
Resident $25.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
IA
Iowa
Resident $50.00
License Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
KS
Kansas
Resident $22.50
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
KY
Kentucky
Resident $40.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
LA
Louisiana
Resident $25.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
ME
Maine
Resident $40.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
MD
Maryland
Resident $30.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
MA
Massachusetts
Resident $55.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
MI
Michigan
Resident $50.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
MN
Minnesota
Resident $25.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
MS
Mississippi
Resident $25.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
MO
Missouri
Resident $17.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
MT
Montana
Resident $20.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
NE
Nebraska
Resident $20.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
NV
Nevada
Resident $20.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
NH
New Hampshire
Resident $20.00
License Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
NJ
New Jersey
Resident $50.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
NM
New Mexico
Resident $25.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
NY
New York
Resident $45.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
NC
North Carolina
Resident $25.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
ND
North Dakota
Resident $20.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
OH
Ohio
Resident $25.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
OK
Oklahoma
Resident $25.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
OR
Oregon
Resident $30.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
PA
Pennsylvania
Resident $40.00
License Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
RI
Rhode Island
Resident $15.00
License Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
SC
South Carolina
Resident $25.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
SD
South Dakota
Resident $20.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
TN
Tennessee
Resident $50.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
TX
Texas
Resident $30.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
UT
Utah
Resident $25.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
VT
Vermont
Resident $30.00
License Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
VA
Virginia
Resident $30.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
WA
Washington
Resident $30.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
WV
West Virginia
Resident $25.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
WI
Wisconsin
Resident $25.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
WY
Wyoming
Resident $15.00
License Required CITES Required
Fur buyer requirements Record keeping rules
FAQ

Common Fur Buyer License Questions

Generally, a licensed trapper can sell their own legally harvested raw pelts directly to a licensed fur buyer without needing a fur buyer license themselves. The fur buyer license is required for the person purchasing furs from other trappers for commercial resale or processing. However, if you operate a fur auction, broker purchases for multiple trappers, or regularly purchase furs from others, you likely need a fur buyer license. Check your specific state rules.
Bobcat (Lynx rufus) and North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) are listed under CITES Appendix II. For domestic commercial sales within the U.S., CITES permits are not required. However, if pelts are exported internationally for commercial purposes — such as to fur auctions in Europe or Asia — a CITES export permit from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is mandatory. The U.S. export quota is set annually based on state harvest reports submitted by licensed fur buyers.
Record retention requirements vary by state but are typically 3–5 years. Records must document for each purchase: species and quantity of pelts, the seller's name and license number, date and price of transaction, and often the county of harvest. Records must be available for inspection by state wildlife officers on request. Failure to maintain adequate records is a license violation that can result in suspension or revocation.
Pelt tagging requires that individual pelts be tagged with a state-issued or government-approved tag before they can be sold or transferred. Tags are typically required for CITES-listed species like bobcat and otter, allowing wildlife officers to track individual pelts through the commercial chain. Some states require tagging for all bobcat pelts regardless of export intent. Possession of untagged pelts of regulated species is a violation.
In most states, any commercial fur buyer operating in that state — even temporarily — must hold a nonresident fur buyer license for that state. This applies to buyers attending trapper association fur sales, operating buying stations, or making individual purchases from trappers. Nonresident license fees vary widely, from $25 (Wyoming) to $200 (Iowa). Operating as an unlicensed nonresident fur buyer can result in significant fines and confiscation of purchased furs.
Annual reporting requirements and deadlines vary by state. Common report-due dates include January 31 (Wisconsin, for the prior trapping season), March 1, or shortly after season close. Reports typically summarize total pelts purchased by species for the season. Some states require the report to be submitted online through their wildlife licensing portal. Failure to file an annual report can result in non-renewal of your fur buyer license.