How to Get a Falconry License in Kentucky
Requirements, fees, exam, and resources for getting into falconry in Kentucky
Falconry in Kentucky is regulated by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR), specifically the Wildlife Division. To practice falconry legally in KY, 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.
Kentucky does not publish how many questions its falconry exam has. You need 80% or higher to pass it. Up-front fees for an apprentice come to $79.28. Kentucky 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 Kentucky.
The southeastern United States combines lush forests, coastal plains, and piedmont terrain to create varied falconry opportunities throughout the region. Southeastern falconers pursue quarry ranging from cottontails and squirrels in hardwood forests to game birds along agricultural edges. The temperate climate supports a long hunting season, and the dense ground cover found in many southeastern habitats makes shortwing hawks like Cooper's Hawks particularly effective hunting partners.
More on falconry across the Southeast, including trapping seasons, terrain and the regional community.
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The Kentucky Falconers Association
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 Kentucky Falconers Association. Of everything on this page, this is the link worth following first.
🏛️ Wildlife Agency
All falconry licensing in Kentucky is handled through the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR). Contact them directly with questions about exam scheduling, license applications, and facility inspections.
📝 Exam Requirements
The Kentucky falconry exam covers raptor biology, training, housing, health care, and both state and federal regulation. You need at least 80% to pass. Kentucky does not publish the number of questions on its falconry exam. Confirm the format with Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) when you book it. Contact local KDFWR Game Warden to administer the exam.
- •301 KAR 2:081 (Falconry Regulations)
- •California Hawking Club Apprentice Study Guide
Need help preparing? See our falconry exam preparation guide for study strategies and practice questions.
💰 Fees
A new apprentice in Kentucky pays $79.28 up front, covering the permit. 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.
Source: agency documentChecked September 13, 2026.
🏠 Facility Requirements
Your facilities must pass inspection before Kentucky issues a licence. Kentucky 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. Raptor Facilities and Equipment Inspection Report form must be signed by KDFWR game warden. Conditional — a weathering area is not required if the mew is adequate, and a mew is not required if the weathering area is adequate; at least one adequate facility must be present and inspected.
For detailed construction guidance, see our mews construction guide and facility requirements overview.
🦅 Species Notes
Kentucky 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 Kentucky adds on top.
- ⚠️Apprentice: American Kestrel, Red-tailed Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, or Harris's Hawk
- ⚠️General: Great horned owl and Falconiformes except golden eagle, bald eagle, white-tailed eagle, Stellar's sea eagle
- ⚠️Master: May possess up to 3 eagles (golden, white-tailed, or Stellar's sea eagle)
- ⚠️Peregrine Falcon (passage tundrius) take by annual drawing only for Master class residents
Species profiles are in our falconry species guide.
🔗 Resources
📋 Falconry specifics in Kentucky
- You get three exam attempts a year
- Kentucky caps it explicitly: an applicant may not take more than three exams in any twelve-month period. Few states put a number on retakes at all.
- The bird is for falconry and nothing else
- A raptor obtained under a Kentucky falconry permit may not be used or kept for any purpose other than falconry — the permit defines what the bird is for, not merely that you may hold it.
Sources
Checked against these sources on 2026-09-04.
🤝 Finding a Mentor in Kentucky
Every apprentice needs a sponsor holding a general or master permit, and in Kentucky 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 Kentucky
Want to get into falconry in Kentucky? 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 Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) on 1-800-858-1549. Last checked 2026-08-21.