Bat Removal Laws in Minnesota: Protected Species Rules and Exclusion Season Explained
August 14, 2026
Finding bats roosting in your attic in Minnesota puts you in a legally tricky spot: the animals causing your problem are classified as wildlife the state actively protects. Before you grab a broom, a cage trap, or a can of pesticide, you need to know that Minnesota bat removal laws limit when, how, and by whom bats can be excluded from a structure.
This guide walks through what state and federal law actually require, from species protections to exclusion timing, permits, and the penalties you risk by getting it wrong.
Are Bats a Protected Species in Minnesota
Minnesota is home to eight species of bats, and one of them carries the strongest legal protection available under federal law. Minnesota is home to eight species of bats, one of which — the northern long-eared bat — is protected by the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973. The northern long-eared bat, scientifically known as Myotis septentrionalis, was listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2015, and listings of additional Minnesota bat species are anticipated in the future.
Beyond federal protection for that single species, Minnesota state law casts a wider net over all eight bat species. They are listed as protected wild animals under Minnesota statute, and certain bat species in the state are also federally protected. That statutory list is broad: “Protected wild animals” under Minnesota statute means big game, small game, game fish, native rough fish, minnows, leeches, chubs, frogs, turtles, clams, mussels, wolf, mourning doves, bats, snakes, salamanders, lizards, any animal species listed as endangered, threatened, or of special concern.
The state’s broader wildlife removal laws apply this same protected classification to raccoons, foxes, and other species, but bats get extra scrutiny because a listed species may be living among them. Minnesota’s endangered species statute adds another regulatory layer: Minnesota’s Endangered Species Statute and the associated Rules impose a variety of restrictions, a permit program, and several exemptions pertaining to species designated as endangered or threatened. Species of special concern, however, fall outside that stricter framework — species of special concern are not protected by Minnesota’s Endangered Species Statute or the associated Rules, even though they still count as protected wild animals under the general statute.
Pro Tip: If you’re unsure which bat species is roosting in your home, treat it as potentially protected under the strictest applicable rule until a wildlife professional confirms otherwise. Misidentifying a northern long-eared bat as a common little brown bat is the fastest way to trigger federal penalties.
Is It Legal to Remove Bats From Your Home in Minnesota
Removing bats from your Minnesota home is legal, but the law dictates the method, not just the outcome. Bats are a protected species in Minnesota, which means you cannot kill or harm them. Homeowners are not allowed to remove bats from their property without adhering to strict state and federal regulations, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) regulates how bats can be removed from homes.
You might assume the DNR sends someone out to handle the job, but that isn’t how the system works. You can complete the exclusion yourself or call a professional to conduct an exclusion — the DNR does not conduct bat removals. The agency sets the rules; you or a licensed operator carry out the work within them.
Lethal control is off the table in nearly every circumstance. Killing bats is prohibited unless there is a confirmed public health emergency, such as a rabies outbreak. That standard mirrors Minnesota’s broader game and fish laws, which similarly restrict how and when protected species can be taken, even on your own property.
Bat Exclusion Season and Restricted Dates in Minnesota
Timing is the single most important legal detail in Minnesota bat removal, because excluding bats at the wrong time doesn’t just violate the law — it kills flightless pups. The DNR’s own guidance ties the restricted window to the bat lifecycle rather than a single fixed date: in summer, if you notice a maternity colony has taken up residence, you should delay excluding the bats until August when the young are able to fly, because excluding the adult bats while the young are flightless causes the young bats to needlessly starve to death and may create an odor problem.
The DNR’s mammal guide narrows this further, recommending exclusion work in the shoulder seasons: conduct exclusions in April or September to avoid harming bat pups. Winter isn’t a safe option either, since bats are hibernating rather than active. Winter months are not a suitable time to conduct exclusions or bat removals — bats are in a dormant state until the weather becomes reliably warm again, typically in late March and early April.
Important Note: You’ll find conflicting maternity-season date ranges across pest control websites — some cite May 15 through August 1, others cite June 1 through August 15. The Minnesota DNR itself doesn’t publish a single fixed date range; it ties the safe window to whether a maternity colony is actually present and recommends April or September as the most reliable months. When in doubt, follow the DNR’s colony-status-based guidance over any third-party calendar.
If your bat problem overlaps with tree removal or work near bridges, a separate federal timing rule applies. Activities such as tree clearing and bridge work conducted April 1 to October 31 may incidentally affect bats that use those structures as day or night roosts, so property owners planning larger site work should factor this window in as well.
Minnesota’s restrictions aren’t unique in structure, though the exact dates vary. States like California, Arizona, and North Carolina each set their own maternity-season windows based on regional climate and bat breeding patterns, so an exclusion company operating across state lines has to track several different calendars at once.
Approved Bat Removal Methods in Minnesota
Minnesota law recognizes exactly one reliable, legal path for getting bats out of a building for good. Whether you do the work yourself or call a pest control company, the only consistently successful method is permanent physical exclusion. Everything else — repellents, ultrasonic devices, mothballs — falls short both practically and, in some cases, legally.
The DNR outlines the exclusion process in a fairly specific sequence:
- Confirm a bat colony is using your building by doing an emergence survey, looking for bat signs, or hiring a bat exclusion specialist.
- Identify all entry points bats use to access the roost, including non-primary exits.
- Place one-way exit devices on entry points so bats can leave but cannot get back inside.
- Leave devices up for at least one week and up to three weeks if the exclusion is conducted in early spring or late fall.
- Permanently seal or repair access points to prevent bats from re-entering.
Chemical control has no place in this process. The use of pesticides or other harmful chemicals is not allowed against bats in Minnesota, and products marketed as repellents don’t hold up to scrutiny anyway. As one wildlife management resource puts it bluntly, “There is no such thing as an effective bat repellent.” If a product claims otherwise, treat that claim skeptically.
For a broader look at which methods are and aren’t allowed across other nuisance species in the state, the wildlife removal laws for Minnesota cover similar exclusion-first principles for animals like raccoons and squirrels.
Do You Need a Permit to Remove Bats in Minnesota
For a standard attic exclusion targeting common, non-listed bat species, Minnesota doesn’t require you to apply for a permit before installing one-way doors and sealing entry points — the exclusion process itself is the legal method, not a licensed activity. Special permits come into play in narrower circumstances involving damage control or federally listed species.
Under state law, the DNR commissioner may issue special permits to take protected wild animals that are damaging property or to remove or destroy their dens, nests, or houses. These aren’t rubber-stamp approvals, though. These permits are not automatically granted — you must demonstrate that the animal is causing actual damage and that other control measures are insufficient.
Where the northern long-eared bat is involved, federal permitting adds another layer. Permits may be issued for activities that might incidentally harm bats, provided a conservation plan is in place, and Minnesota’s endangered species rules mirror this at the state level, since the Endangered Species Statute and the associated Rules impose a variety of restrictions, a permit program, and several exemptions pertaining to species designated as endangered or threatened. Anyone planning construction, demolition, or large-scale tree removal near a known roost should confirm permit requirements before starting work rather than after a listed bat turns up.
What to Do If You Find a Bat Inside Your Home in Minnesota
A single bat flying through a living room calls for a different response than a colony in the attic. In cases where a bat enters a space where employees or the public are present, the bat should be actively removed from the property, and in these situations, the best approach would be to isolate the bat into a room and open a window to let it escape. Close interior doors first so the bat can’t move deeper into the house while you set up its exit route.
If the bat is injured, dead, or acting strangely, handling it changes entirely. If you find a bat that is injured or dead, never handle it with your bare hands — make sure you wear thick gloves or use a container to gently trap it. A dead bat found outdoors falls under general wildlife-handling guidance similar to the state’s roadkill laws in Minnesota, which likewise caution against bare-hand contact with wild animal carcasses.
Important Note: This section provides general safety guidance, not medical advice. If you have any concern about rabies exposure, contact a medical provider and the Minnesota Department of Health directly rather than relying solely on this article.
Possible rabies exposure is the scenario that demands immediate action. If there is any chance the bat has come into contact with humans or pets, you must assume possible rabies exposure and immediately contact the Minnesota Department of Health for advice — in some cases, the bat may need to be tested for rabies, and individuals who may have been exposed to it may require post-exposure rabies treatment. Don’t release or discard a bat that touched a sleeping person or an unattended pet; capture it safely in a container and call for guidance before deciding what to do next.
Penalties for Illegal Bat Removal in Minnesota
Minnesota backs its bat protections with real enforcement, and the penalties scale with the severity of the violation. At the baseline level, a violation involving an endangered species is a misdemeanor under Minnesota Statutes Section 84.0895, which can carry penalties including fines and potential jail time of up to 90 days.
More serious violations escalate to gross misdemeanor status. A person convicted of violating a provision of the game and fish laws that is defined as a gross misdemeanor is subject to a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $3,000 and imprisonment in the county jail for not less than 90 days or more than 364 days. Selling or buying protected wildlife pushes the fine range even higher: a person that buys or sells protected wild animals in violation of the game and fish laws where the sales total $300 or more is guilty of a gross misdemeanor, subject to a fine that may not be less than $3,000 or more than $10,000.
| Violation Level | Applies To | Potential Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Misdemeanor | General endangered species violation | Fine plus up to 90 days jail |
| Gross misdemeanor | Serious game and fish law violations | $100–$3,000 fine; 90–364 days jail |
| Gross misdemeanor (sale/purchase) | Buying or selling protected wildlife over $300 | $3,000–$10,000 fine |
| Federal ESA violation | Harming a federally listed species (e.g., northern long-eared bat) | Up to $50,000 fine or up to 1 year imprisonment |
Because the northern long-eared bat carries federal protection, violations involving that species can trigger separate consequences under the ESA. The ESA prohibits various forms of disturbance to listed species, which are punishable by up to a $50,000 fine or imprisonment up to one year. Civil penalties can apply on top of criminal charges: civil penalties of up to $24,625 may also apply in cases involving federally or state-protected bat species. Beyond the fines themselves, there’s a reputational cost to consider, since killing a threatened or special concern species may damage an organization’s reputation if environmental groups and advocates bring media attention to the situation.
Given the stacked state and federal exposure, most homeowners come out ahead by hiring a licensed wildlife control operator familiar with Minnesota’s exclusion timing and permit rules rather than attempting a DIY removal during the wrong season. If bats have already established themselves in your attic, start by confirming the species and colony status before touching a single entry point — the law, and the bats themselves, depend on getting that first step right.