Application Timeline
Phase I Applications: Sept. 12 to 22
Round 1 Permit Claim Window: Sept. 26 to Oct. 6
Round 2 Permit Claim Window: Oct. 10 to 20
Round 3 Permit Claim Window: Oct. 24 to Nov. 3
Cost
(All sales are final – no refunds. Handling fees may also apply.)
• Application: $5 per application
• Bear harvest permit and tag for Florida residents: $100
• Bear harvest permit and tag for non-residents: $300
Requirements To Apply
• Applicants must be 18 years old by October 1.
Exemptions
• There are no exemptions for obtaining this permit type.
• Successful applicants who hold a Lifetime Hunting or Lifetime Gold Sportsman’s license issued prior to July 1, 1998, are exempt from the permit fees.
Transferability
• Bear harvest permits are not transferable.
Application And Permit Issuance
• Applicants may make one choice per application and submit an unlimited number of applications.
• Applications are processed by random drawing with three rounds of claim periods. Applicants successful in each round are eligible to purchase their permit by the claim deadline. Permits not claimed by successful applicants by the claim deadline are forfeited and made available in the next round to applicants with a “waiting in line” status.
• No additional applicants are accepted after the Phase I application period.
• Non-residents are only eligible to be successful for 10% of the available permits.
Guests
• Guest permits are not available for this permit type. However, one guest hunter is allowed per bear harvest permit holder if hunting without dogs.
Returned Permits
• Bear harvest permits may not be returned.
Reporting Requirements
• Permit holders are required to report their harvest at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or in the Fish/Hunt FL mobile app within 24 hours of harvest.
• Unused tags must be returned to the FWC no later than 14 days after the expiration date of the bear harvest permit.
September 2025
