How to Get a Falconry License in Minnesota
Requirements, fees, exam, and resources for getting into falconry in Minnesota
Falconry in Minnesota is regulated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, specifically the Division of Fish and Wildlife. To practice falconry legally in MN, 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.
Minnesota's falconry exam consists of 100 questions, and you need 80% or higher to pass. Minnesota does not publish its permit fee. Minnesota 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 Minnesota.
The midwestern United States is a heartland for falconry, offering expansive agricultural landscapes, prairie grasslands, and river corridors that support thriving populations of small game. Midwestern falconers benefit from excellent access to public and private hunting land, and the region's mix of open fields and shelterbelts creates ideal habitat for both longwing and broadwing falconry. Red-tailed Hawks are the iconic midwestern falconry bird, perfectly adapted to hunting cottontails along fencerows and farm edges.
More on falconry across the Midwest, including trapping seasons, terrain and the regional community.
Start here
The Minnesota 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 Minnesota Falconers Association. Of everything on this page, this is the link worth following first.
🏛️ Wildlife Agency
All falconry licensing in Minnesota is handled through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Contact them directly with questions about exam scheduling, license applications, and facility inspections.
📝 Exam Requirements
The Minnesota 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 Falconry Coordinator Heidi Cyr; must wait 2 weeks between exam attempts
- •Federal falconry regulations
- •Minnesota Rules Chapter 6238
Need help preparing? See our falconry exam preparation guide for study strategies and practice questions.
💰 Fees
Minnesota 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 Minnesota issues a licence. Minnesota 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. Inspection by Conservation Officer, Nongame Specialist, or Falconry Coordinator. Photos/schematics required for multiple birds.
For detailed construction guidance, see our mews construction guide and facility requirements overview.
🦅 Species Notes
Minnesota 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 Minnesota adds on top.
- ⚠️Bald eagles prohibited for falconry
- ⚠️Golden eagles require federal approval and commissioner approval
- ⚠️State threatened species limited to 1 per 12-month period for masters
Species profiles are in our falconry species guide.
🔗 Resources
📋 Falconry specifics in Minnesota
- Fail the exam and you wait a fortnight
- Minnesota requires anyone who fails the falconry exam to wait a minimum of two weeks before retaking it — the DNR's own factsheet says so, so book the first attempt when you are genuinely ready.
- You only ever sit it once
- Once you have passed, no further exam is required for permit renewal, for changing permit class, or for changing your state of residence. The exam is a gate you cross a single time.
- The coordinator administers it in person
- The written exam is arranged directly with the DNR falconry coordinator rather than booked through a general licensing system.
Sources
- Minnesota DNR — Falconry permit application requirements
- Minnesota DNR — Qualifying exam for falconry permits
Checked against these sources on 2026-09-04.
🤝 Finding a Mentor in Minnesota
Every apprentice needs a sponsor holding a general or master permit, and in Minnesota 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 Minnesota
Want to get into falconry in Minnesota? 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 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources on 651-259-5107. Last checked 2026-08-21.