Nuisance Wildlife Laws in Maryland: What Property Owners Need to Know

A raccoon tearing through your trash, a skunk burrowing under your deck, or a woodchuck destroying your garden — wildlife conflicts are a real and recurring problem for Maryland homeowners. What many people don’t realize is that how you respond to those conflicts is tightly regulated by state law.

Maryland gives property owners meaningful tools to protect their homes and land, but those tools come with clear rules about permits, methods, and what happens to the animal afterward. Getting any of those steps wrong can expose you to fines, permit revocations, or criminal charges. This guide walks you through exactly what the law allows, what it prohibits, and when you need professional help.

Pro Tip: Before trapping or removing any animal on your Maryland property, call the Maryland Nuisance Wildlife Hotline at 1-877-463-6497. USDA Wildlife Services staff can issue landowner permits over the phone and advise you on the legal method for your specific situation.

What Counts as Nuisance Wildlife in Maryland

Maryland does not publish a single statutory definition of “nuisance wildlife,” but the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) treats an animal as a nuisance when it causes damage to property, poses a threat to human health or safety, or creates ongoing conflict with people or their pets. Marylanders are encountering wild species more than ever before, and while growing human populations sometimes modify or destroy important animal habitat, other species have adapted to live close to people — adding interest to the local environment while also causing problems for their human neighbors.

Wildlife commonly addressed under Maryland’s nuisance control laws includes raccoons, squirrels, skunks, bats, snakes, and birds such as pigeons and seagulls — creatures that often seek shelter in urban and suburban areas, leading to conflicts with humans. Deer, groundhogs (woodchucks), opossums, muskrats, foxes, coyotes, and Canada geese round out the list of species most frequently reported to the DNR.

Under Maryland regulations, “wildlife” means any native species of mammal, bird, amphibian, or reptile that spends a majority of its life cycle on land, including any part, egg, offspring, or dead body of any of them. That broad definition matters: even a bird’s nest or a snake egg on your property can fall under state protection. Mice, moles, rats, and voles are handled differently and generally do not require a wildlife damage control permit for removal.

Your Rights as a Property Owner in Maryland

In order to manage and protect Maryland’s wildlife populations and serve the public interest, the DNR sets rules and policies that protect wildlife resources and regulate human actions — but some nuisance wildlife control actions you want to take will require a permit or use of a professional nuisance wildlife control operator licensed by DNR, while many do not.

Maryland law carves out several important exemptions that let you act without a permit when an animal is actively causing damage on your own land. A permit is not required for a landowner to hunt or trap a coyote, fox, or skunk that is damaging or destroying the personal or real property of the landowner on their land. A landowner may also destroy a muskrat that is damaging an embankment or impoundment, and may hunt or trap a coyote, fox, or skunk that is damaging or destroying personal or real property on their land.

A landowner or the landowner’s agent may set or use steel traps or similar devices at any time to trap raccoon or opossum which are damaging property. However, these self-help rights apply only on your own property and only when active damage is occurring. The landowner depredation exemption does not eliminate the need for a Furbearer Permit when you are hunting coyotes recreationally on your own land — it only waives the permit requirement when a coyote is actively damaging your property.

Important Note: Your self-help rights as a landowner do not extend to federally protected species. Migratory birds, bald eagles, and any animal listed under the federal Endangered Species Act carry separate federal protections that override state-level property owner exemptions.

For most other species — including chipmunks, rabbits, tree squirrels, and woodchucks — you need at least a free landowner permit before trapping. A landowner permit is required to trap chipmunks, opossums, porcupines, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, tree squirrels, and woodchucks in Maryland, and this free permit can be obtained by calling the Maryland Nuisance Wildlife Hotline at 877-463-6497.

Legal Methods for Removing Nuisance Wildlife in Maryland

Maryland emphasizes humane removal methods and restricts several techniques that were once common in other states. Live traps are the preferred method for capturing nuisance wildlife, as they allow for the safe removal and relocation of the animal, and Maryland emphasizes the importance of humane practices when it comes to removal techniques.

The state’s Wildlife Damage Control regulations specify which trap types are allowed under which conditions. Foothold traps are legal only when specifically authorized on a permit — they are not available to the general public as a default option. Foothold traps are legal if specifically allowed on the permit. Body-gripping traps require a licensed Wildlife Damage Control Operator and are subject to jaw-spread restrictions depending on where they are set.

The use of chemical repellents or toxic substances for removal is strictly prohibited, as these methods can harm not only the targeted animal but also other wildlife and the environment. This means products marketed as “wildlife poison” or lethal bait stations are off-limits for most nuisance situations. Exclusion — physically blocking entry points with hardware cloth, sheet metal, or similar materials — is always a legal and preferred first step before trapping.

• Live cage traps — legal for most species with the appropriate landowner permit
• Exclusion devices — legal for all species; often required before or alongside trapping
• Foothold traps — legal only when specifically authorized on your permit
• Lethal removal — permitted for certain species (coyotes, foxes, skunks) when actively damaging property; euthanasia required for rabies-vector species after live-trapping
• Toxic substances or poisons — prohibited for nuisance wildlife removal

You can also use habitat modification to reduce conflicts without trapping at all. Often a conflict can be resolved by removing the attractant such as a food source, and if removing the attractant is not feasible or has been tried and is not working, other humane measures to remove nuisance wildlife can be taken. Securing garbage cans, removing bird feeders during problem periods, and sealing foundation gaps are all legal and cost-free first responses.

Relocation Rules in Maryland

Relocation sounds like the humane solution, but Maryland’s rules on where — and whether — you can release a trapped animal are strict. The most important restriction applies to rabies-vector species. Maryland regulations require that rabies-vector species (raccoons and skunks) be euthanized when they are live-trapped, with the only exception being that the animal may be released on the property from which it was trapped.

This rule exists because transporting raccoons and skunks to a new location spreads rabies risk to areas that may not have been previously exposed. If you trap a raccoon in your backyard and drive it to a park across town, you are violating state law — even if your intention is to help the animal. The only legal options after live-trapping a raccoon or skunk are euthanasia or same-property release.

For species that are not rabies vectors — such as groundhogs, squirrels, and opossums — relocation to a suitable habitat is allowed, but you must have the landowner’s permission before releasing the animal on any property other than your own. No permit is required to trap a groundhog, but permission is required from the landowner before releasing the animal on another property.

Pro Tip: When in doubt about relocation rules for a specific species, call the DNR hotline before you set a trap. Trapping an animal without knowing what you are legally allowed to do with it afterward can put you in violation of state law the moment the trap closes.

Maryland also prohibits releasing any wildlife in a way that would damage another person’s property or create a public safety hazard. Dumping a trapped animal at a roadside or in a suburban neighborhood — even a non-rabies-vector species — can draw enforcement attention and civil liability.

Species With Special Rules in Maryland

Several species in Maryland carry additional layers of protection or specific handling requirements that go beyond the general nuisance wildlife framework.

Bats receive some of the most detailed treatment in Maryland’s regulations. A wildlife damage control operator must remove bats only by nonlethal methods, except when a State or local public health department requires lethal removal. The timing of exclusion work matters enormously: bat colonies containing more than 10 adults, whether or not young are present, require prior approval from the Service to be excluded from buildings from March 1 to August 31. This seasonal restriction protects nursing colonies and prevents young bats from being trapped inside walls. All companies that do nuisance bat work in the state of Maryland must have a Wildlife Damage Control Operator’s permit from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, including pesticide applicators licensed by the Maryland Department of Agriculture and national pesticide companies with offices in Maryland.

Deer are managed under a separate deer cooperator permit system through the DNR and are not handled under the standard nuisance wildlife damage control framework. If deer are damaging crops or landscaping, contact the DNR directly about a deer management permit rather than attempting standard nuisance trapping.

Migratory birds — including Canada geese, starlings, house sparrows, and pigeons — fall under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), which prohibits harming, killing, or disturbing nesting birds without a federal permit. A wildlife damage control permit is not required to control European starlings, feral pigeons, and house sparrows if the person is certified by the Maryland Department of Agriculture — but most other bird species require federal authorization before any active removal.

State-listed endangered and threatened species are fully off-limits. The authority of a permit issued pursuant to the wildlife damage control chapter does not allow the control of any species listed as endangered, threatened, or in need of conservation in COMAR 08.03.08. If you discover a state-listed species on your property, contact the DNR’s Wildlife and Heritage Service before taking any action.

Nutria (Myocastor coypus), a large invasive semi-aquatic rodent found along Maryland’s coastal marshes, are treated differently from most native wildlife. A hunting license and furbearer permit are not required to hunt nutria and woodchucks, except in Baltimore County, where a hunting license is required to hunt woodchucks.

When You Need a Licensed Wildlife Control Operator in Maryland

In Maryland, anyone conducting work for wildlife damage control must obtain a Wildlife Damage Control Permit, and the state offers three permit types: Commercial, Assistant, and Public Agency. If you are a homeowner handling your own property, the free Landowner Permit covers most situations. But there are circumstances where hiring a licensed Wildlife Damage Control Operator (WDCO) is not just advisable — it is legally required.

You need a licensed WDCO when:

• You are dealing with a bat colony, particularly during the March 1–August 31 active colony season
• The work involves body-gripping traps, foothold traps, or other restricted devices not covered by a standard landowner permit
• You want to use methods or equipment beyond what a landowner permit authorizes
• You are a business owner or property manager acting on behalf of someone else — commercial wildlife control requires a Commercial Wildlife Damage Control Permit
• The animal involved poses a public health risk and the situation has been escalated by a county health department

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for conservation and management of Maryland’s natural resources, and DNR’s Wildlife and Heritage Service is the agency within the Department that manages wildlife species — monitoring populations, establishing hunting seasons, managing habitat on public Wildlife Management Areas, and protecting endangered species. The DNR maintains a searchable list of licensed WDCOs by county on its website.

Maryland may impose specific training requirements for individuals seeking permits to handle nuisance wildlife, with training often covering topics such as humane trapping methods, wildlife biology, and relevant laws and regulations. When hiring a WDCO, ask to see their current Maryland DNR Wildlife Damage Control Permit — the holder of a wildlife damage control permit may not transfer the permit to another person, so a valid permit must be in the operator’s own name.

A wildlife damage control operator may not engage in any form of false or misleading advertising or promotional activities, including falsification or misrepresentation of the work, academic or professional qualifications, or the experience or licensing status of the operator. If a company cannot produce a current DNR permit on request, that is a red flag.

For a comparison of how neighboring states structure their nuisance wildlife licensing requirements, see the guides on nuisance wildlife laws in Virginia and nuisance wildlife laws in Pennsylvania.

Penalties for Violating Nuisance Wildlife Laws in Maryland

Maryland enforces its wildlife laws through the Natural Resources Police, county animal control agencies, and USDA Wildlife Services. Penalties range from administrative consequences to criminal charges depending on the nature and severity of the violation.

Violation Type	Potential Penalty	Legal Authority
Trapping without a required permit	Fines, permit revocation, civil liability	COMAR 08.03.11
Violating terms of a landowner or WDCO permit	Fines, permit suspension or revocation	COMAR 08.03.11
Harming a state-listed endangered or threatened species	Up to $1,000 fine and/or up to 1 year imprisonment	MD Code, Natural Resources § 10-2A-07
Possessing a dangerous animal without authorization	Up to $1,000 fine (individual); up to $10,000 (business)	MD Criminal Law § 10-621
Knowingly taking a federally listed species	Up to $25,000 per violation (federal)	Federal Endangered Species Act

Any person who violates the provisions of the Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act, fails to procure any required permit, or violates the terms of any permit shall be fined not more than $1,000 or be imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both. These penalties apply to individuals who harm, possess, or disturb any state-listed species — including those that might wander onto your property.

An individual convicted of violating Maryland’s dangerous animal statute faces a fine of up to $1,000, and if the violator is a business or other non-individual entity, the maximum fine jumps to $10,000. Federal exposure is even higher: any individual who knowingly takes a federally listed species can be fined up to $25,000 by the federal government for each violation or instance.

Any Natural Resources police officer or law enforcement officer who has made an arrest in connection with any violation may search the person, premises, or business records at the time of arrest and may seize any wildlife, plants, records, or property taken or used in connection with any violation — and seized items shall be held pending disposition of court proceedings, then forfeited to the State.

Individuals found guilty of violating wildlife laws may face monetary fines, suspension or revocation of permits or licenses, and even criminal charges in severe cases, and repeat offenders may experience escalated penalties leading to more substantial fines or harsher legal actions. If you are unsure whether a planned action is legal, contact the Maryland DNR Wildlife and Heritage Service before proceeding — not after.

Maryland’s rules are stricter than many people expect, but they are manageable once you understand the framework. Get the right permit, use approved methods, follow the relocation restrictions, and call a licensed operator when the situation requires one. For comparison, see how nearby states handle similar situations in the guides on nuisance wildlife laws in New Jersey, nuisance wildlife laws in North Carolina, and nuisance wildlife laws in Ohio.

Important Note: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Wildlife regulations change, and local county rules may impose additional restrictions beyond state law. Always verify current requirements with the Maryland DNR or a licensed attorney before taking action.