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Administration; Commission; Hunting; Lands-Management; Fishing; Education; Boating; Law-Enforcement; Licenses-and-Permits; Wildlife; Wildlife-Disease-Management
FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 6, 2026) — In accordance with KRS 150.025, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is providing updated information about proposed fish and wildlife-related regulation amendments that have received final legislative approval and are now in effect.
The following summarizes provisions that relate to or affect Kentucky Fish and Wildlife and the services the agency provides to hunters, anglers, boaters and the public at large. These include amendments that removed agency fees from multiple regulations and consolidated them all in one regulation for easier reference for the end user.
Chapter 1 – Fish
301 KAR 1:115. Propagation of aquatic organisms.
This administrative regulation establishes the requirements for obtaining a permit to raise aquatic organisms and the associated requirements for all permit holders in order to establish minimum standards for fisheries propagation permit holders and to help conserve native aquatic resources. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022. License, tag, registration, and permit fees, and similarly updated any applicable material incorporation by reference in an effort to consolidate fee information into one regulation for the end user. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 1:125. Transportation of fish.
This administrative regulation pertains to the transportation of fish, fish eggs, live bait and other aquatic organisms into, within and through the state, and is necessary to protect the resident fish populations of Kentucky by preventing the unwanted spread of invasive aquatic organisms or diseases. The amendment removed any reference to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022, and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference in an effort to consolidate fee information into one regulation for the end user. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 1:132. Sale of live bait.
This administrative regulation establishes the conditions and provisions under which live bait may be taken, transported and sold, and is necessary to protect the state’s aquatic resources. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022, and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference. In addition, this amendment added a “Live Bait and Fish Dealers Application” to the “Incorporation by Reference” section and removed the “Definitions” section from the regulation. Finally, the amendment corrected an error in the previous regulation where the “Live Bait and Fish Dealers License” had been called a “Live Fish and Bait Dealers license” and replaced the term “Asian carp” with “invasive carp” to match all other Chapter 1 regulations. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 1:140. Special commercial fishing permit for Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley.
This administrative regulation sets conditions and provisions for a special commercial fishery using gill and trammel nets at Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, and is necessary to specify the waters open to, and other restrictions on the use of, gill and trammel nets at Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022, and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference. In addition, this amendment replaced the improper name “Barkley Lake” with the correct name “Lake Barkley” throughout the regulation, including the title. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 1:152. Harvest and sale of invasive carp.
This administrative regulation establishes the requirements for the “Invasive Carp and Scaled Rough Fish Harvest Program” and “Experimental Commercial Fishing Methods Program” and is necessary to provide two important mechanisms for the removal of invasive carp from waters critical to sport fishing and recreational boating. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022, and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference. In addition, two new documents were added to the “Incorporation by Reference” section in an effort to consolidate fee information into one regulation for the end user. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 1:155. Commercial fishing requirements.
This administrative regulation establishes commercial fishing requirements to protect certain species from overharvest, and it regulates the buying and selling of roe-bearing species of rough fish to effectively manage rough fish populations in Kentucky. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022, and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference. In addition, two new documents were added to the “Incorporation by Reference” section. This amendment also replaced the improper name “Barkley Lake” with the correct name “Lake Barkley” throughout the regulation. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 1:185. Pay lakes.
This administrative regulation establishes requirements for pay-lake operators, including signage, documentation and stocking restrictions, and is necessary to provide oversight on the pay-lake industry and to ensure that overharvest of trophy catfish originating from public waters is prevented. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022, and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference. In addition, this amendment added a “Pay Lake License Application” to the “Incorporation by Reference” section and removed the “Definitions” section due to the creation of a new definitions regulation 301 KAR 1:001. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
Chapter 2 – Game
301 KAR 2:031. Repeal of 301 KAR 2:030.
This administrative regulation repealed 301 KAR 2:030, which established the requirements for commercial hunting and fishing guides. Repealing was necessary as the amendments to 301 KAR 3:150 included updated sections to address the subject matter contained in this regulation, thus making 301 KAR 2:030 outdated and redundant. The regulatory requirements for commercial guiding were consolidated in one regulation with 301 KAR 3:150. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 2:041. Shooting areas, dog training areas, commercial and noncommercial foxhound training enclosures, and bobwhite shoot-to-train season.
This administrative regulation establishes a bobwhite shoot-to-train season and requirements to regulate the operation of shooting areas, dog training areas and commercial and noncommercial foxhound training enclosures. It also establishes requirements for the possession, holding, commercial activity and transportation of red fox and coyote for foxhound training enclosures. Provisions in this regulation are necessary to provide a defined process for the permitting, holding and transportation of wildlife used during shoot-to-train season, shooting areas, dog training areas and commercial and noncommercial foxhound training enclosures. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022, and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference in an effort to consolidate fee information into one regulation for the end user. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 2:075. Wildlife rehabilitation permit.
This administrative regulation establishes the permitting and operating requirements for wildlife rehabilitators and is necessary to provide safe guidelines for wildlife rehabilitators to operate in a manner that will protect both their operation and the wildlife in the commonwealth. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022, and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference. The amendment also established a sub-permit to allow volunteers to assist permitted wildlife rehabilitators, redefined the Enhanced Rabies Surveillance Zone, expanded options for release of rabies vector species, allows for an exemption to hold wildlife undergoing rehabilitation for longer than 180 days and designated bats as rabies vector species. Effective March 3, 2026.
301 KAR 2:081. Transportation and holding of native wildlife.
This administrative regulation establishes requirements for the buying, selling, holding and transportation of live native wildlife and is necessary to provide a defined process for the holding and transportation of live native wildlife. These processes are necessary to provide for the health and welfare of native wildlife and the safety of Kentuckians. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022, and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference in an effort to consolidate fee information into one regulation for the end user. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 2:082. Transportation and holding of exotic wildlife.
This administrative regulation establishes requirements for importation, transportation and possession of exotic wildlife and is necessary to provide for the protection of our native ecosystem, health and welfare of native wildlife from disease and the safety of Kentucky citizens. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022, and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference in an effort to consolidate fee information into one regulation for the end user. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 2:083. Holding and intrastate transportation of captive cervids.
This administrative regulation establishes legal methods of holding and intrastate transportation of captive cervids and is necessary to establish guidelines for the holding of captive cervids. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022, and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference. Also, the amendment removed the need to report the number of captive cervids being held in captivity since that is required by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 2:172. Deer hunting seasons, zones, and requirements.
This administrative regulation establishes deer hunting seasons and zones, bag limits, legal methods of taking and checking and recording requirements for deer hunting. The amendment changed county-wide deer hunting zones and is necessary to allow more liberal taking of white-tailed deer to better control population growth:
Effective March 3, 2026.
301 KAR 2:178. Deer hunting on public properties.
This regulation establishes the framework for deer hunting on publicly owned properties in Kentucky and is necessary to manage white-tailed deer populations on public lands and provides the legal framework for the same. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022, and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference. The amendment also streamlined the regulation to make public lands deer management and hunting regulations as consistent as possible across the state, and it provides state parks with more flexibility for managing wildlife on park properties. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 2:195. Falconry, raptor take, and raptor propagation.
This administrative regulation establishes permitting, taking, possessing and reporting requirements for people engaged in falconry and raptor propagation in order to provide safe guidelines for falconers to operate in a manner that will protect their operation and the wildlife in the commonwealth. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022, and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference in an effort to consolidate fee information into one regulation for the end user. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 2:221. Waterfowl seasons and limits.
This administrative regulation establishes waterfowl seasons and bag limits within federal migratory bird hunting frameworks. The amendment changed the bag limit for northern pintails from one pintail daily to three pintails daily. New harvest models employed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) allow for increased harvest and would allow Kentucky hunters to participate. Waterfowl seasons and limits are set on an annual basis following the establishment of federal frameworks by the USFWS each year. It is Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s responsibility to allow quality hunting opportunities within these federal frameworks. The changes in bag limit maximizes the hunting opportunity allowed by federal frameworks. Effective Sept. 18, 2025.
301 KAR 2:230. Shoot-to-retrieve field trial permits and procedures.
This administrative regulation establishes seasons, permit application procedures, game bird marking and other requirements for conducting a shoot-to-retrieve field trial on department-owned or controlled lands. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022, and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference. The regulation was also updated to reflect any references to “game wardens” to be consistent with KRS 150 and KRS 235 statutory language. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 2:251. Hunting and trapping seasons and limits for furbearers.
This regulation establishes furbearer hunting and trapping seasons, bag limits, legal methods of take and other furbearer hunting and trapping requirements and is necessary to properly manage furbearer populations in Kentucky. The amendment extended the season for trapping furbearers with water sets through March to help alleviate wildlife damage issues and provide opportunity for take of furbearers. Effective March 3, 2026.
Chapter 3 – Hunting and Fishing
301 KAR 3:001. Definitions for 301 KAR Chapter 3.
This new administrative regulation establishes definitions for terms used in 301 KAR Chapter 3 and is necessary to avoid confusion when interpreting the meaning of terms used in 301 KAR Chapter 3. By providing definitions for the terms used in 301 KAR Chapter 3, misinterpretation of the regulations should be minimized. Effective Sept. 18, 2025.
301 KAR 3:010. Public use of Wildlife Management Areas.
This administrative regulation authorizes the department to impose and enforce special administrative regulations on lands acquired for public hunting, fishing and related recreational uses. It prohibits certain actions inconsistent with the intended purpose of Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), establishes requirements for other uses and stipulates the procedure for obtaining group use permits on these areas. The amendment created “Special-Use Wildlife Management Areas” that may restrict certain public uses due to the size of the property, its location or because of deed restrictions at the time of purchase. It allows for the use of trail cameras on WMAs if they are properly identified. Language was added to conform with hunter orange requirements as found in 301 KAR Chapter 2. Also, a provision was added to require groups with a valid WMA user permit that hold events at a shooting range to provide the department with a sign-in sheet from those events within 30 days. The amendment was necessary to allow for safe public use of WMAs for hunting, fishing and related recreational uses. Effective Sept. 18, 2025.
301 KAR 3:015. Shooting ranges on department-owned or managed lands.
This administrative regulation establishes rules for the use of shooting ranges on department-owned or managed lands. The regulation is necessary to establish rules for the safe and equitable usage of department-owned shooting ranges, track usage at department-owned shooting ranges and generate income to use as match for federal shooting range grants. This amendment added a free annual shooting range permit for holders of a valid Kentucky annual hunting or fishing license, as well as a paid annual permit and a paid one-day permit for shooting range use on lands owned or managed by the department through ownership, lease, license, or cooperative agreement, or a facility owned or managed by an affiliated partner of the department that is designated for the shooting of firearms or archery equipment. Effective March 3, 2026. Press release March 16, 2026.
301 KAR 3:120. Commercial wildlife control.
This administrative regulation establishes the requirements for commercial wildlife control permits and wildlife control operators and authorizes the department to issue permits to qualified persons to take and transport wildlife causing damage under commercial wildlife control permits. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022, and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference in an effort to consolidate fee information into one regulation. It also removed all references to “nuisance” wildlife and established the legal means and methods for wildlife control operators who wish to take deer causing damage. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 3:140. Take of wildlife with aircraft prohibited.
This new administrative regulation establishes the use of aircraft or unmanned aircraft for the taking of wildlife and is necessary to effectively manage wildlife populations in Kentucky, specifically with the growing use of technology available for outdoor recreation. It will assist in the effective administration of statutes by establishing requirements for the use of aircraft in the field. Effective Oct. 16, 2025. Press release Oct. 28, 2025.
301 KAR 3:150. Hunting and fishing outfitter and guide licenses.
This new administrative regulation establishes the requirements for hunting and fishing outfitters and hunting and fishing guides and is necessary to establish minimum regulatory standards and qualifications for hunting or fishing outfitters and hunting or fishing guides. Provisions outlined in the new regulation set the minimum standards and qualifications for outfitters and guides and ensure that an applicant is qualified to act as an outfitter or a guide to the public. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 3:160. Reciprocal agreements regarding fishing and hunting.
This administrative regulation identifies all current reciprocal agreements established between Kentucky and bordering states pertaining to hunting and fishing and it establishes procedures for applying the administrative regulations of Kentucky and the states bordering Kentucky who share common waters. This new regulation replaced dated documents previously found in 301 KAR Chapter 1 and reorganized both hunting and fishing agreements in 301 KAR Chapter 3. Effective Oct. 16, 2025. Press release Oct. 17, 2025.
Chapter 4 – Wildlife
301 KAR 4:070. Scientific and educational collecting permits.
This administrative regulation establishes the requirements for the issuance and use of scientific and educational collecting permits to protect the wildlife of Kentucky. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022., and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference in an effort to consolidate fee information into one regulation for the end user. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 4:090. Taxidermy and the buying and selling of inedible wildlife parts.
This administrative regulation establishes the requirements for taxidermy licensure, the buying and selling of inedible wildlife parts and the proper disposal of cervid carcasses and parts. It also establishes the requirements to obtain a taxidermy license and the corresponding storage of records, the parameters for buying and selling of inedible wildlife parts and the method of proper disposal of cervid carcasses and parts in order to protect wildlife in Kentucky. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022., and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference. It also made a technical update to change the name of Conservation Officer to Game Warden. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 4:100. Peabody Wildlife Management Area use requirements and restrictions.
This administrative regulation establishes a permit for public use of the Peabody Wildlife Management Area and placed necessary restrictions on its use by the public for safety. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022., and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference. It also removed Starfire and Robinson Forest from the name of the permit because Kentucky Fish and Wildlife does not own those properties and no longer has public access to those areas. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 4:120. Wildlife Disease Reporting.
This new regulation establishes reporting requirements for diseases of concern found in wildlife and established authority for various officials to perform euthanasia of wildlife suspected of having reportable diseases. It is necessary to provide local animal control agencies with a mechanism to euthanize wildlife suspected of disease, to provide public health officials with authority to euthanize animals suspected of rabies and to help control the spread of wildlife diseases. The regulation will assist in the effective administration of the statutes by providing means for which local officials may eliminate diseased wildlife and public health officials can protect against rabies. It also establishes a centralized reporting system for wildlife diseases so that department staff can track the spread of diseases and coordinate efforts to combat them. Effective Sept. 18, 2025.
Chapter 5 - Licensing
301 KAR 5:001. Definitions for Chapter 5.
This regulation establishes definitions for terms within 301 KAR, Chapter 5. By defining specific terms used in the other regulations within 301 KAR, Chapter 5, it assists the effective administration of the statutes by clarifying the specific meanings of the terms in one consolidated location. The amendment reflects additional definitions or edits to existing definitions used in 301 KAR, Chapter 5, based on amendment language in other regulations and will conform to include terms that need to be defined for consistency. Effective Nov. 6, 2025.
301 KAR 5:022. License, tag, registration, and permit fees.
This administrative regulation establishes fees and terms for licenses, permits and tags sold by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife and is necessary for the department to establish reasonable license fees, permit terms and the expiration dates of licenses and permits. The amendment moved fees that were previously listed in other regulations to a central fee regulation for all department licenses, registrations and permits. It modified pre-exiting boat registration fee categories, reducing them from six to four. The amendment also added new fees for hunting and fishing guides and outfitters, a new reduced-price fee for first-time resident sportsman’s licenses, a three-day non-resident fur buyer license, updated the bobcat permit fee, and established shooting range permit fees. It also removed defunct rental fees that are no longer necessary. Additionally, the amendment adjusted the fees associated with all licenses, registrations and permits based upon the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the two prior years. The adjustments will be established as the baseline fees for future biennial price adjustments based upon CPI-U. Effective Nov. 6, 2005. Press release Nov. 7, 2025.
Chapter 6 – Water Patrol
301 KAR 6:006. Repeal of 301 KAR 6:005.
This regulation establishes motorboat registration fees for motorboat owners of Kentucky. It regulation repealed 301 KAR 6:005 and was necessary as the amendments to 301 KAR 5:022 included updated sections to address the subject matter contained in these regulations, thus making 301 KAR 6:005 outdated and redundant. The repeal of the regulation and inclusion of its subject matter in 301 KAR 5:022 consolidated the regulatory requirements for motorboat registration fees into one regulation for the end user. Effective Sept. 18, 2025.
301 KAR 6:070. Motorboat dealer and manufacturer registration.
This administrative regulation establishes the requirement for an annual registration for boat manufacturers and dealers and establishes the requirements for registering as a boat manufacturer and boat dealer. The amendment removed any references to fees and replaced them with a reference to the fee regulation, 301 KAR 5:022, and similarly updated any applicable material incorporated by reference and removed definitions which are no longer necessary as the definitions for the chapter have been consolidated into 301 KAR 5:001. Effective March 3, 2026.
For updated information about proposed and recently enacted amendments to administrative regulations, visit the department’s website at fw.ky.gov.
Additional information about changes to administrative regulations is available through RegWatch, a free service that enables users to register to be notified of changes to existing administrative regulations or to receive notice of newly proposed regulations. Notifications are sent for four years after initial sign-up. More information about the service is available via the KAR FAQs online at legislature.ky.gov.
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