Taxidermy License
A taxidermy license authorizes any person to conduct a taxidermy business or to engage in preparing or mounting the skins, plumage or parts thereof from any regulated birds or mammals for a fee.
License Restrictions, Rules and Conditions
Before a taxidermist accepts delivery of any wildlife which may be lawfully taken in North Carolina or in any other state during a prescribed open season, he must make a reasonable effort, satisfactory to himself, that the wildlife was lawfully taken. To aid in making this determination, the taxidermist may rely upon the statement of the person delivering the wildlife or upon any applicable license or permit that may provide verification of entitlement to take or possess the wildlife in question. It is unlawful for a taxidermist to accept delivery of any wildlife the acquisition of which he knows or through the exercise of reasonable effort as described herein should know to be illegal.
No taxidermist shall accept delivery of any wildlife on which there is no open season from any person other than a representative of a museum or other institution who has a permit to possess such wildlife for scientific or educational purposes.
Every licensed taxidermist shall keep an accurate record of each wildlife specimen contained within his place of business. Such record shall include the species and sex of the specimen, the date of delivery, the name and address of the person delivering the specimen, the name and address of the person killing the specimen if different from those of the person delivering the same, the date, authorization number and type of the license under which the wildlife was taken or the applicable exemption from license requirements which the taker met. Such records shall be maintained chronologically by dates of delivery of specimens to the taxidermist during the taxidermy license year, shall be retained by the taxidermist for at least one year after the termination of the applicable taxidermy license year, and shall be made available for inspection, upon request by any agent of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC).
The records required by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service under its taxidermy permit regulations for migratory game birds (50 CFR 21.63) are sufficient to satisfy requirements under this Rule.
Every individual operating a preservation facility for a licensed taxidermist shall be listed on the sponsoring taxidermist's annual license application and on the license, itself. The taxidermist shall provide the operator of each sponsored preservation facility with a copy of the taxidermy license which shall serve as a permit authorizing the facility to possess wildlife owned by another. The purpose of this possession shall be to provide temporary storage for wildlife specimens accepted for taxidermy purposes. Preservation facility operators are not authorized to process, skin, or conduct any regulated taxidermy activities.
In addition to a taxidermy license, license holders engaging in taxidermy of any species of the family Cervidae (deer, elk, ect.) must also obtain a taxidermy cervid certification.
Before an individual operating a preservation, facility accepts delivery of any wildlife he must ascertain that the wildlife was lawfully taken and shall keep written records as specified in Rule .1003 of this Subchapter.
The preservation facility and its records shall be accessible for inspection upon request by any agent of the NCWRC.
It shall be the responsibility of the sponsoring taxidermist to ensure that each preservation facility listed on his license is operated in compliance with all rules governing this activity.
Taxidermy FAQs
Taxidermy Cervid Certification FAQs
What you need to know about the Taxidermy Cervid Certification:
- The Taxidermy Cervid Certification is a certification required, in addition to a taxidermy license, to engage in the taxidermy of any species in the family Cervidae (deer, elk, moose).
- The certification expires on Dec. 31 of each year.
- The certification is $6 with proceeds going to the Cervid Health Cooperator Program and other chronic wasting disease surveillance efforts.
- The certification, if requested, will print as an item on the taxidermy license.
- The certification is necessary to identify taxidermist who engage in taxidermy of cervid species to allow for improved Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) sample collection, focused CWD education and outreach, and allow the NCWRC to respond more quickly to a potential outbreak of CWD. For this reason, it is important that taxidermist only obtain the certification if they taxidermy cervid species.
- This certification is not the same as, and does not replace the Cervid Health Cooperator Program, where participating taxidermist submit CWD samples to the NCWRC for surveillance testing.
How to Obtain a License
Complete an online application at Go Outdoors North Carolina. This license has a $60 license fee plus a $5.00 transaction fee payable by a Visa, MasterCard or Discover credit card.
All license fees are non-refundable.
Other Information
Taxidermy Record Log (PDF)
Contact Information
NC Wildlife Resources Commission
Customer Service Section
1707 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1700
Phone: 833-950-0575
Fax: 919-707-0292