How to Get a Falconry License in Virginia
Requirements, fees, exam, and resources for getting into falconry in Virginia
Falconry in Virginia is regulated by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, specifically the Wildlife Division. To practice falconry legally in VA, 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.
Virginia's falconry exam consists of 105 questions, and you need 80% or higher to pass. Up-front fees for an apprentice come to $90. Virginia 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 Virginia.
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.
Start here
The Virginia Falconer's 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 Virginia Falconer's Association. Of everything on this page, this is the link worth following first.
🏛️ Wildlife Agency
All falconry licensing in Virginia is handled through the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. Contact them directly with questions about exam scheduling, license applications, and facility inspections.
📝 Exam Requirements
The Virginia falconry exam covers raptor biology, training, housing, health care, and both state and federal regulation. You need at least 80% on the 105-question paper. Contact Virginia DWR to schedule falconry exam.
- •4VAC15-250 (Virginia Administrative Code - Falconry)
- •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 Virginia pays $90 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 Virginia issues a licence. Virginia 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. Facility inspection required. Raptor propagation requires both state and federal permits. Conditionally required — Virginia requires both indoor (mews) and outdoor (weathering area) facilities, except that DWR may require only one of the two depending on climatic conditions.
For detailed construction guidance, see our mews construction guide and facility requirements overview.
🦅 Species Notes
Virginia 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 Virginia adds on top.
- ⚠️Peregrine falcon take by random drawing (3 permits annually)
- ⚠️Take season: September 20 - October 20
Species profiles are in our falconry species guide.
🔗 Resources
📋 Falconry specifics in Virginia
- Virginia adopts the federal rules by reference
- The board "hereby adopts the federal definitions, regulations, and standards pertaining to falconry as contained in 50 CFR 21.29". The federal rules are the substance here, so read those first and treat Virginia's chapter as the wrapper.
- A visiting falconer can fly here on their home permit
- A non-resident may practise falconry in Virginia with a Virginia non-resident hunting licence plus satisfactory evidence that they legally possess the raptor and hold a valid falconry permit from their state, tribe or territory of residence — while still complying with Virginia's own conditions.
Sources
Checked against these sources on 2026-09-04.
🤝 Finding a Mentor in Virginia
Every apprentice needs a sponsor holding a general or master permit, and in Virginia 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 Virginia
Want to get into falconry in Virginia? 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 Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources on (804) 367-6913 (falconry permit contact, DWR Permits Section); general agency line 804-367-1000. Last checked 2026-08-21.