May marks the start of the Phase I application period for applying for alligator, fall quota, special opportunity and national wildlife refuge hunt permits.
The application period for alligator hunt permits, Phase I random drawing, begins May 12 at 10 a.m. and runs through May 22. More than 6,000 alligator harvest permits will be available. Learn more by clicking here.
The annual statewide recreational alligator harvest that runs Aug. 15 to Nov. 1. Alligators are a conservation success story in Florida. The state’s alligator population is estimated at 1.3 million and has been stable for many years.
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age by Aug. 15, and have a valid credit or debit card to apply. To submit an application click here.
A permit allows the harvest of two alligators on a designated harvest unit or county, click here.
Applications also may be submitted at any county tax collector’s office, license agent and at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. Applicants must provide their credit card information when they apply. Hunters can make updates for hunt choices until the application period closes.
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. The cost for applicants who already have an alligator trapping license is $62.
Any permits remaining after the first phase will be offered during the Phase II random drawing May 26 to June 5. Those who were awarded a permit in Phase I may not apply during Phase II. Remaining permits will be available in Phase III to anyone who did not draw a permit in either of the first two phases, and they may be applied for June 9 to 19.
If any permits remain after Phase III, there will be a fourth-phase issuance period beginning at 10 a.m. June 22 until all permits are sold. Anyone may apply during Phase IV, even if they were awarded a permit in one of the earlier phases. Customers who are able to purchase additional permits will be charged $62, regardless of residency or disability.
Within three days of an application period closing, applicants can expect to see an authorization hold on their credit card, verifying there is a sufficient balance to cover the cost of the permit. However, this does not mean they were awarded a permit.
Once the credit card authorization process is complete, the lottery drawing will be held. All successful applicants will be charged, while those who were unsuccessful will have the authorization hold lifted from their credit cards.
Successful applicants can expect to receive their alligator trapping license/harvest permit and two CITES alligator tags in the mail within six weeks of payment. Alligator trapping licenses are nontransferable. All sales are final, and no refunds will be made.
For more information on alligator hunting or the application process, see the 2017 Guide to Alligator Hunting in Florida.