Scientific and Educational Collecting Permits

301 KAR 4:070

What are Scientific and Educational Collecting Permits?

1.    The Scientific and Educational Collecting Permit authorizes the collecting and holding, even temporarily of wildlife for zoological, educational or scientific purposes.

2.     Scientific wildlife collecting – means the taking and subsequent possession or release of protected wildlife specimens for the purposes of conducting scientific investigations or evaluations for which compensation is received. 

3.    Educational wildlife collecting – means the taking and subsequent possession or release of protected wildlife by an individual or nonprofit organization for use in the bona fide instruction of students or for a university-related research project.

How do I get a Scientific or Educational Collection Permit?

1.       Fill out the appropriate application in its entirety, available on our website or upon request:

2.       Submit appropriate fee: Scientific Collection Permit $100.00, Educational Collection Permit $25.00

3.       If the applicant will be collecting ANY bats, mussels, or fishes in a watershed known to harbor federally threatened or endangered fish species, or any species with federal protection, applicant must provide a current valid federal permit.

Permit Renewal:

1.     Prior year’s data must be reported prior to January 15^th for an application to be considered  for renewal.

2.     Applicant must submit a new and/or updated application and appropriate fee each year.

3.     A valid copy of applicant’s federal permit must be provided if collecting ANY bats, mussels, fishes in a watershed known to harbor federally threatened or endangered fish species, or species with any federal protection.

Other important facts about Scientific or Educational Collecting Permits

1.    A Scientific or Educational Collecting Permit is valid from January 1, or date of issue through, December 31 of the same year.

2.    Collector must carry a valid copy or photocopy of their permit while in the field.

3.     A Scientific or Educational Collecting permit shall not be used in lieu of hunting, fishing, or trapping licenses.

4.    Federally-threatened or endangered species may not be killed.  Federally threatened or endangered species inadvertently killed shall be reported to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife within twenty-four (24) hours and all specimens submitted to the department within seven (7) days of taking.  All captured, protected wildlife shall be released at the capture location.

What are reporting requirements for both types of permits?

1.     All Scientific and Educational Permit holders must submit a report.

2.     In a given collection year, if you have “no data”, you have to submit an official letter or e-mail  to the appropriate Divisional administrative assistants stating that no specimens were collected.  This letter or e-mail will serve as your annual report .

3.     Data must be submitted for all vertebrate fish and wildlife species collected, and data on the following list of invertebrates shall be reported as well: Mussels (Class Bivaliva), Crayfish (Class Decopoda), and Federally threatened or endangered invertebrates.