How to Get a Falconry License in Colorado
Requirements, fees, exam, and resources for getting into falconry in Colorado
Falconry in Colorado is regulated by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (Colorado Department of Natural Resources), specifically the CPW. To practice falconry legally in CO, you need a state falconry permit. A separate federal falconry permit is no longer issued to individual falconers — the state permit is the one that matters. The process involves passing a written exam, having your facilities inspected, and finding a licensed sponsor if you are applying as an apprentice.
Colorado's falconry exam consists of 100 questions, and you need 80% or higher to pass. Colorado does not publish its permit fee. Colorado does not publish a minimum mews size, so build to the federal standard and confirm before your inspection. Below is what you need to get started with falconry in Colorado.
The western United States offers some of the most diverse falconry terrain in the country, from open sagebrush flats ideal for longwing flights to mountainous forests suited to shortwing pursuits. Western falconers commonly hunt jackrabbits, cottontails, and upland game birds across vast public lands. The arid climate and wide-open spaces make the West a premier destination for falconers who prefer long, dramatic flights with falcons and buteos alike.
More on falconry across the West, including trapping seasons, terrain and the regional community.
Start here
The Colorado Hawking Club
You cannot be licensed as an apprentice without a sponsor, and almost everyone finds theirs through the state club. Meets, field days and introductions to general and master falconers all run through Colorado Hawking Club. Of everything on this page, this is the link worth following first.
🏛️ Wildlife Agency
All falconry licensing in Colorado is handled through the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (Colorado Department of Natural Resources). Contact them directly with questions about exam scheduling, license applications, and facility inspections.
📝 Exam Requirements
The Colorado falconry exam covers raptor biology, training, housing, health care, and both state and federal regulation. You need at least 80% on the 100-question paper. Contact Special Licensing at (720) 660-1001 to schedule exam. Two hours allowed, mix of true/false, multiple choice, and short answers.
- •Federal falconry regulations (50 CFR 21)
- •Colorado Parks and Wildlife Regulations Chapters W-00, W-03, W-05, W-06
- •Recommended falconry books from Colorado Hawking Club
Need help preparing? See our falconry exam preparation guide for study strategies and practice questions.
💰 Fees
Colorado does not publish its falconry permit fee in any document we could find, so ask the agency before you apply. Terms vary by state — some annual, some three or five years — so confirm yours with the agency. This is separate from the state hunting licence you will also need.
🏠 Facility Requirements
Your facilities must pass inspection before Colorado issues a licence. Colorado sets no minimum mews floor area in its regulations. The federal standards under 50 CFR 21.82 apply: the enclosure must protect the bird from predators and weather and let it fully extend its wings. A separate weathering area is required where your bird can sun and bathe outdoors. Your facilities must pass a wildlife officer inspection before you can be licensed. District Wildlife Manager conducts facility inspection after application submitted. Conditional — an outdoor weathering area is required unless the indoor facility, constructed or modified specifically to house raptors, provides adequate fresh air ventilation and direct sunlight.
For detailed construction guidance, see our mews construction guide and facility requirements overview.
🦅 Species Notes
Colorado sets its own rules on which raptors may be flown. Federal rules already limit apprentices to red-tailed hawks and American kestrels; the restrictions below are what Colorado adds on top.
- ⚠️Ferruginous hawk take quota: 4 per year (May 1 - Sept 30)
- ⚠️Peregrine falcon take quota: 4 resident permits (June 1 - Aug 31)
- ⚠️Nonresident take quota: 20 permits (Oct 1 - Dec 31)
Species profiles are in our falconry species guide.
🔗 Resources
📋 Falconry specifics in Colorado
- Colorado asks a year more of sponsors than the federal rule
- A sponsor here must be a Colorado master falconer, or a licensed Colorado falconer "with at least three years experience as a general license holder". The federal minimum is two, so Colorado adds a year — worth knowing before you ask someone who has just made general.
- The sponsor stays for two years, whatever your age
- A sponsor is required for the first two years an apprentice licence is held, regardless of the licensee's age. The regulation states the purpose plainly: to give the apprentice guidance across all aspects of the sport.
- Hacking is defined in the rules
- Colorado defines hacking in the regulation itself — the temporary release of a falconry raptor to the wild so it can learn to hunt and survive there — rather than leaving it to custom.
Sources
Checked against these sources on 2026-09-04.
🤝 Finding a Mentor in Colorado
Every apprentice needs a sponsor holding a general or master permit, and in Colorado the state club is where those introductions happen. Sponsors tend to say yes to people who have already started studying and who turn up more than once.
The ask itself is covered in our guide to finding a falconry sponsor.
How to Become a Falconer in Colorado
Want to get into falconry in Colorado? Here is the recommended path to your license:
- 1Study for the exam — Use our exam prep guide and the study materials listed above.
- 2Find a sponsor — Connect with local falconers — see our guide to finding a sponsor.
- 3Build your facilities — Review mews construction requirements before starting.
- 4Serve your apprenticeship — Plan on at least two years flying one bird under your sponsor — our falconry apprenticeship guide covers what those years involve.
- 5Follow the complete path — See our step-by-step path to becoming a falconer for the full timeline.
- 6Know the license classes — Understand the three license classes and how you will progress from apprentice to general to master.
- 7Budget for equipment — Beyond the mews, work through the falconry equipment list, which prices each item you will need for your first season.
- 8Know the federal rules — Every state’s rules sit on the same federal framework — our guide to federal falconry regulations covers license classes, reporting and moving between states.
This page is a summary for general information, not legal advice. Falconry regulations change, and the authoritative source is always the state agency. Confirm anything you plan to act on with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (Colorado Department of Natural Resources) on (720) 660-1001 (CPW Special Licensing — falconry exams and licensing). Last checked 2026-08-21.