Taxidermy Laws in Pennsylvania: Licensing, Permits, and Federal Rules Explained
October 13, 2026
Most Pennsylvania hunters assume that getting a trophy buck or a big largemouth bass mounted is simply a matter of finding a skilled taxidermist. In practice, taxidermy laws in Pennsylvania stack at least three separate government agencies onto that single mounted deer head: the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the Department of Agriculture, and — for any bird — the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Skip one layer of paperwork and a perfectly legal trophy can turn into a confiscated specimen or a citation. This guide walks through when you need a license, which species you can and cannot legally mount, how federal migratory bird rules stack on top of state law, and what to do with a mount a customer never picks up.
Pro Tip: Before you drop off any animal for mounting, ask your taxidermist to see their current state registration and, if the specimen is a bird, their federal permit number. A legitimate shop will show you both without hesitation.
Do You Need a Taxidermy License or Permit in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania regulates taxidermy through two separate tracks that operate at the same time. The Department of Agriculture requires anyone practicing taxidermy to register directly with the department, and state law defines a taxidermist broadly: a taxidermist is any person who holds him/herself out to the public as a taxidermist or mounts any specimen, and Pennsylvania requires taxidermists to register with the department on a form the department prescribes.
That registration comes with a real cost. Under the statute added by Act 77 of 2006, the department may charge taxidermy registrants an annual fee of $100 to cover the costs of administering the registration system. The official state application page confirms the same figure: all taxidermists must register with the department and pay a yearly fee of $100.
On top of that Department of Agriculture registration, the Pennsylvania Game Commission runs its own permitting track for anyone handling protected wildlife, complete with an examination requirement. Regulatory history from the Commission notes the last significant amendment specifies who may take the taxidermy examination and what form the examination may take. In short: registering your business with Agriculture does not automatically clear you to mount game animals — that authority runs through the Game Commission’s separate permit and testing process.
| Requirement | Issuing Agency | Who Needs It | Cost / Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxidermist registration | PA Department of Agriculture | Anyone offering taxidermy services to the public | $100 per year |
| Taxidermy permit & exam | PA Game Commission | Anyone mounting game, furbearers, or other protected wildlife | Exam-based permit |
| Migratory Bird Taxidermy Permit | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service | Anyone mounting migratory birds for someone else | Federal application; 18+ only |
| Unclaimed specimen sale permit (PGC-12) | PA Game Commission | Taxidermists selling abandoned mounts | $5 fee; valid 120 days |
Commercial Taxidermy vs Mounting Your Own Legally Taken Wildlife in Pennsylvania
State law draws a real line between working for pay and working on your own animal. The 2006 amendments spell out that it is unlawful for any person to do taxidermy work for another without a permit. The flip side is built into the same section: employees of a licensed taxidermist may perform taxidermy work without a permit at the permittee’s shop under the supervision of the permittee.
This mirrors a pattern seen in most states with commercial taxidermy licensing. As one industry overview puts it, many states distinguish between hobbyist taxidermy (personal use only, no compensation) and commercial taxidermy (payment received for services), and hobbyist taxidermists working only on their own legally harvested specimens may have minimal requirements in some states. If you shoot a legal buck and mount it yourself in your garage for your own wall, you are in a very different legal position than a shop charging customers to mount other people’s animals.
That distinction matters most for hunters who process their own harvest. If you’re weighing whether to learn bow hunting laws in Pennsylvania before attempting your first do-it-yourself mount, remember that the “for another” language is what triggers the state permit requirement — working on an animal you legally killed yourself is treated differently than doing it as a paid service.
What Species You Can and Cannot Mount in Pennsylvania (Game, Nongame, and Unprotected)
Pennsylvania’s rule for taxidermists starts from a default of “no” and works backward from documented, lawful proof. State code makes it unlawful for a taxidermist to mount any specimen unless the owner of the specimen presents the person with a copy of a permit issued by the Pennsylvania Game Commission or the Pennsylvania Fish Commission. The more detailed version of that rule covers animals that weren’t lawfully killed at all: a taxidermist may not mount any specimen which was not lawfully killed or raised under authority of a propagating permit unless the owner presents the taxidermist with a permit obtained from the Pennsylvania Game Commission or the Pennsylvania Fish Commission and, in the case of migratory birds, the required Federal permit.
There is an important carve-out for ordinary hunting. Game Commission regulations exempt the most common scenario a hunter will ever bring to a shop: game birds, game animals and furbearers lawfully taken and lawfully possessed are excepted from the stricter holding and permit-presentation rules that apply to other wildlife. That’s why a deer, bear, or legally trapped fisher taken during an open season with a valid license generally moves through a taxidermist’s shop without extra paperwork beyond a tag.
Fish work under a similar framework, so if you’re planning to mount something you caught rather than shot, it helps to understand the harvest rules first — including specialized methods covered under spearfishing laws in Pennsylvania. Coyotes and other year-round furbearers raise their own questions, and reviewing coyote hunting laws in Pennsylvania before dropping an animal off at a shop can save you a rejected mount. The same caution applies to animals found dead: a taxidermist has no legal basis to mount most roadkill without documentation, so check roadkill laws in Pennsylvania before assuming a found carcass is fair game for a shoulder mount.
Important Note: Songbirds, hawks, owls, and other nongame birds are treated as fully off-limits for private taxidermy in almost every case, even if you found the bird already dead. Possessing these species without a specific state or federal authorization is a separate violation from the taxidermy permit question.
Federal Overlay You Still Must Follow: Migratory Bird Taxidermy Permits (MBTA)
Even a fully licensed Pennsylvania taxidermist cannot legally work on most birds without also holding a federal permit. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service application form is direct about this: a Federal Taxidermy permit is required to perform taxidermy services on migratory birds or their parts, nests, or eggs for someone other than yourself. Applicants also face an age floor — you must be at least 18 years old to apply for a migratory bird permit — and must apply as an individual rather than a business entity.
State and federal permits are legally linked, not independent of each other. According to the Fish and Wildlife Service’s own permit guidance, if your state requires you to have a permit to perform taxidermy on migratory game birds, you must hold a valid state permit in order for your federal permit to be valid. Pennsylvania’s own Game Commission regulation reinforces the point on the state side: a taxidermist mounting or preparing any migratory birds shall be in possession of a current and valid Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit.
Nongame migratory birds face an even harder line. Protected species such as hawks, owls, and songbirds can legally reach a taxidermist only through specific channels: protected nongame birds can be legally brought to a taxidermist by game wardens, federal agents, or holders of appropriate state and federal permits, and once mounted, these birds can be legally possessed only by public scientific and educational institutions or facilities holding a valid Special Purpose Possession Dead permit — personal possession of nongame birds is prohibited. A federal permit does authorize specific commercial activity once granted: under 50 CFR Part 21, a permit authorizes a taxidermist to receive, transport, hold, mount, or otherwise prepare migratory birds and return them to another, and to sell properly marked, captive-reared migratory waterfowl that they have lawfully acquired and mounted.
A few common backyard birds fall outside this entire framework. English sparrows, common starlings, and feral pigeons (rock doves) are not native to the United States and are not protected by federal law, so mounting one of these species doesn’t trigger the migratory bird permit question at all.
Endangered, Threatened, and CITES Specimens in Pennsylvania
Species listed as threatened, endangered, or covered under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species carry the tightest reporting deadlines in the entire regulatory framework. Pennsylvania taxidermists who receive an unmarked specimen in one of these categories face a strict 72-hour clock: the Game Commission’s regulations list it as a violation to fail to report unmarked C.I.T.E.S. or threatened or endangered species to the wildlife conservation officer in charge of the area within 72 hours. The state’s own consumer-facing guidance puts the same duty in plainer terms, telling taxidermists to tell the authorities within three days if you find an animal that doesn’t have a tag or is endangered.
Federal oversight adds another approval step before any permit involving these species can move forward. The Fish and Wildlife Service’s own permitting handbook explains that when an animal is on the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife (50 CFR 17.11) or is a CITES-listed species, concurrence must be obtained from the appropriate Ecological Services or International Affairs issuing office before a permit can be approved. That extra sign-off means CITES and endangered species work almost always takes longer than a standard game mount.
Pro Tip: If you inherit or purchase an older mount that includes ivory, sea turtle shell, or any exotic import, ask for the original CITES import documentation before you bring it to a taxidermist for repair or restoration. Without that paperwork, even minor touch-up work can create possession problems for both you and the shop.
Recordkeeping, Tagging, and Inspection Rules for Taxidermists in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania taxidermists answer to two separate recordkeeping systems, and both are subject to inspection. On the business-registration side, the Department of Agriculture requires taxidermists to hold onto records of each taxidermy item they create, showing the type of animal and the location where it was created, and these records should be available to the department for inspection.
The Game Commission’s parallel recordkeeping rules go further, focused on chain-of-custody rather than just species and location. Amendments to the taxidermy regulations require currently licensed taxidermists to keep records relating to from whom and when a specimen is received, when a specimen is returned, and a description of the specimen, and require an annual report be made to the Commission by each taxidermist if so requested. The statute adds a species-and-harvest-location layer on top: a person registered under the chapter shall maintain an accurate record of all specimens that they mount, including the type of specimen mounted and the location where the specimen was harvested.
- Species and date the specimen was received
- Name of the person who dropped off the specimen
- Location where the animal was legally harvested
- Date the finished mount was returned to the owner
- Federal tag or permit number for any migratory bird specimen
Federal law layers on its own tagging standard for any migratory bird passing through a shop. Under 50 CFR Part 21, each migratory bird specimen must remain tagged with the species, date, location, name of the donor, and the donor’s authorization for acquisition, such as a permit number or the applicable CFR citation. Deer and elk carcasses moving through a shop also intersect with disease-monitoring rules, so anyone dropping off a head for mounting should also be familiar with chronic wasting disease laws in Pennsylvania, which restrict how certain deer parts can be transported and processed even before taxidermy work begins.
There’s also a tax-compliance angle that surprises many first-time shop owners. Pennsylvania’s sales tax regulation treats taxidermy as a taxable service: persons engaged in the business of performing taxidermy services upon birds, animals, fish, or other personal property are vendors of the service so rendered and shall collect sales tax upon the entire charge made for the work, including charges for time, labor, materials, and service.
Unclaimed Mounts: Can a Taxidermist Sell Abandoned Work in Pennsylvania?
Every taxidermy shop eventually ends up holding a finished mount nobody comes back for. Pennsylvania law gives shops a legal path to resell that work, but only after following a specific notice sequence. State code requires the taxidermist to make a reasonable effort to contact the original owner or depositor and inform them the specimen is complete, and the specimen will be considered unclaimed after 30 days from the date the taxidermist notified the owner.
Certified mail plays a specific role in that notice process. Regulatory history describes the requirement as making reasonable efforts, including certified mail, to contact the owner of a specimen before declaring it unclaimed. Once that 30-day clock runs out, the taxidermist still can’t simply list the mount for sale — a second permit step kicks in.
- Attempt to contact the owner through reasonable means, including certified mail
- Wait 30 days from the date of notification before treating the specimen as unclaimed
- Obtain a permit from a Game Commission officer before selling
- Complete form PGC-12 listing every item to be sold
- Sell within the permit’s 120-day validity window
The permit itself carries specific procedural and cost details. State regulations require that before selling a specimen, a permit shall be obtained from a Commission officer, and an executed copy of the permit application (PGC-12) shall list the items to be sold. That approval isn’t indefinite: the permit is valid for 120 days, and the fee for a permit issued under this section is $5. Shops that skip this step and sell a mount outright are treated the same as anyone illegally disposing of wildlife — a topic that overlaps with broader nuisance wildlife laws in Pennsylvania governing how protected animals and their parts can be handled once in human possession.
Penalties for Unlicensed Taxidermy or Illegal Possession in Pennsylvania
Operating without the required permits, or mounting a specimen without proof it was lawfully taken, is treated as a violation under both the Agriculture Code and the Game and Wildlife Code — not a paperwork technicality. The 2006 statute is explicit that it is unlawful for any person to do taxidermy work for another without a permit.
Beyond the basic licensing violation, the Game Commission’s regulations list a specific set of failures that can cost a taxidermist their permit entirely. A licensed taxidermist’s permit is subject to revocation for actions including failing to submit the annual report, when required by the Director, within 30 days of expiration of the permit, or for taking shortcuts with unclaimed inventory — the rules specifically bar taxidermists from selling an unclaimed specimen contrary to the procedures established in this part, or selling a specimen that is not properly disposed of in accordance with the act.
Staffing and location violations carry the same weight. A permit can also be pulled for failing to list or delete an employe or apprentice from the permit, or establishing drop points or pick-up stations contrary to this part. And as covered above, missing the 72-hour reporting window on a CITES or endangered species specimen is its own separate violation, not a minor oversight.
Important Note: This article summarizes publicly available Pennsylvania and federal regulations for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. Penalty structures, fee amounts, and enforcement practices can change; verify current requirements directly with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the Department of Agriculture, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before starting any taxidermy business or bringing in a protected species.
Where to Apply and Who to Call in Pennsylvania (Wildlife Agency + USFWS)
Because Pennsylvania taxidermy runs through more than one agency, knowing which office handles which piece of paperwork saves time. Business registration and the $100 annual fee go through the Department of Agriculture, and the current application page for a Pennsylvania taxidermy license confirms that anyone practicing taxidermy in Pennsylvania needs to register with the Department of Agriculture, which handles approving taxidermy licenses in the state.
Wildlife-specific permits and the taxidermy examination fall under the Pennsylvania Game Commission rather than Agriculture, and the underlying statute for that registration framework is available through the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, Title 3, Chapter 27. Anyone planning to mount migratory birds needs to go a step further and apply directly to the federal Migratory Bird Permit Office through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, using the process outlined on the Service’s Migratory Bird Taxidermy permit page.
If your work will ever touch nongame species, roadkill, or animals someone else brought to you unsolicited, it’s worth reviewing how Pennsylvania treats those situations more broadly under nuisance wildlife laws in Pennsylvania before you accept the specimen. Taken together, the registration fee, the Game Commission permit and exam, the federal migratory bird permit when birds are involved, and the recordkeeping obligations that follow every mount form a compliance checklist that’s worth confirming with each agency directly rather than assuming any single license covers everything.