How do I get a permit for an alligator in Florida?
Noah Mitchell
Published Jan 09, 2026
Transferability: Statewide Alligator Hunt permits are not transferable. How to Apply: Applicants can apply online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com (sign on and choose “Apply for Limited Entry/Quota Permit”) or by completing the Application Worksheet and presenting it to any license agent or tax collector's office.
How much is an alligator permit in Florida?
The alligator trapping license/harvest permit and two hide validation CITES tags cost $272 for Florida residents, $22 for those with a Florida Resident Persons with Disabilities Hunting and Fishing License, and $1,022 for nonresidents.
Do you need a permit to own a gator in Florida?
A license is also required to buy and process lawfully acquired alligators and to sell the alligator meat, hides and other parts. To find an application, visit the Alligator Farming webpage.
Can I have a pet alligator in Florida?
Florida allows you to own them but you must be licensed and have a permit to do so. There are only five states that allow you to own an alligator with no permits or licenses required. Those states are Alabama, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.
How much does an alligator tag cost?
Tags are property specific and must be used on the property indicated on the hunter's license. Alligator hunters must also have their license in possession to possess or sell wild alligators, their skins, or parts. Resident Alligator Hunter Licenses cost $25.
44 related questions foundDo alligator hunters make good money?
Usually, alligator hunters work freelance and don't make any money until they have an alligator to show. How much a hunter makes can vary greatly. However, some hunters report that they can earn up to $40 per foot of the alligator.
How many tags do you get for alligator season?
3 They Need At Least 50 Tags To Be On The Show
Swamp People devotes most of its screen time to hauling in big alligators, so it makes sense that they would want to focus on well-established hunters.
Can you keep alligator as pets?
Gator laws
Ownership laws for alligators vary by state and municipality. While keeping them is legal in Michigan, parts of Detroit ban private ownership. In other states, such as New Mexico, pet gators are illegal without a permit, and in Arizona and New York, private ownership is banned.
Can u tame an alligator?
No, crocodiles can't be tamed. Some people do have a crocodile as a pet, yet keeping a crocodile in captivity does not mean that the animal can be tamed or domesticated. Crocodiles are dangerous and unpredictable animals, and their place is in the wild.
What do I feed my pet alligator?
Choose foods such as small fish, insects, crawfish, small mice and frogs. Alligators eat whole food in the wild, so do not feed your hatchling a steady diet of meat pieces. They need the calcium and other nutrients found in whole food.
How old is a 12 foot alligator?
An alligator nearly 12 feet in size could be 40 years old. The death came as temperatures in north-central Florida began climbing and just ahead of mating season, when male alligators become far more active.
How many alligator tags are issued in Florida?
Every year about 7,000 alligator harvest permits are issued through three random drawings and a final leftover phase. The demand for Florida alligator harvest permits is high and random drawings are used to provide a fair unbiased way to issue them.
Can alligators jump on land?
So, some advice for the residents of the swamp… stay out of an alligator's site! They can jump and climb - They can swim, run and jump? It's safe to say there isn't an animal that can escape these big guys. Even from a state of rest, alligators can jump up to six feet into the air!
How much is a gator worth?
Reportedly, Louisiana alligator hunters used to make between $20 – $40 per foot of unprocessed alligator. However, in 2017 and 2018 there was increased competition coming from overseas and this caused gator sales to drop to an all-time low.
Is there a gator season in Florida?
Florida is the alligator hunting capital of the world!
The alligator hunting season runs Aug. 15 – Nov. 1 each year. Over 7,000 alligator harvest permits are available this season.
How much do Swamp People make?
He's said to have a net worth of $2 million and makes $30,000 per month from the show. His son Jacob makes $40 per Swamp People episode. Other sources say that the cast of the show makes as little as $10,000 per episode.
Has an alligator ever killed a human?
Between 1999 and 2019, alligators killed 10 people in the southeastern U.S., according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In that same time period and in the same area, nearly five times as many people were killed by dogs, and nearly 12 times as many people were killed by lightning, he said.
Do alligators eat people?
Alligators rarely eat people. The big gators may eat a whole person in some cases, but this doesn't often happen since people are not their primary prey. If an alligator is hungry enough, it may injure or bite off a part of the human body, but it will likely not eat the whole person.
Can a baby alligator hurt you?
These little alligators are carefully protected by their Moms, just like you! Baby alligators are less aggressive but if they receive any harm from other animals or human beings then they bite with their little but very sharp teeth.
Are there mini alligators?
With a total length averaging 1.4 m (4.6 ft) for males and typically up to 1.2 m (3.9 ft) for females, Cuvier's dwarf caiman is not only the smallest extant species in the alligator and caiman family, but also the smallest of all crocodilians. An adult typically weighs around 6 to 7 kg (13 to 15 lb).
How big do alligators get?
American alligators are large crocodilians found only in the United States. They can grow to be more than 12 feet (3.6 meters) in length and weigh as much as 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms), with males being slightly larger than females on average. The animal's dark skin is armored with small, bony scales called scutes.
Why do alligator hunters use a 22?
Most use . 22 rimfires because the sound does not carry so far in the dark.
How do alligator hunters get their hooks back?
The bait should be set closer to the water to catch smaller alligators. To increase success, baited hooks should be set in the evening and left overnight during the primary feeding time of alligators. Once swallowed, the hook lodges in the alligator's stomach and the alligator is retrieved with the attached rope.
What caliber is used for alligator hunting?
Alligators may only be dispatched with a shotgun with shot size no larger than #6 shot (ex. 6, 7, 7.5, 8, and 9 shot only) or with a bangstick chambered in . 38 caliber or larger.