Taxidermy Laws in Missouri: Permits, Species Rules, and Federal Requirements Explained
October 18, 2026
If you’re planning to have a whitetail buck, a wall-hanger crappie, or a family heirloom bird mounted, taxidermy laws in Missouri decide far more than who’s allowed to do the stitching. They determine which species can legally end up on your wall, how a shop must document every piece that comes through the door, and which federal permits apply before a single stitch goes in.
Missouri splits this authority between the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), which licenses commercial taxidermists and tanners, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), which controls anything involving migratory birds or federally protected species. Understanding where each agency’s rules apply can save you a citation, a forfeited mount, or a much larger headache down the road.
Do You Need a Taxidermy License or Permit in Missouri?
Missouri requires a state permit only for people who charge money for taxidermy or tanning work. The Wildlife Code is specific about this: the Taxidermy and Tanning Permit exists to engage in the business of wildlife taxidermy or tanning at the specific location indicated on the permit. That’s a business-activity threshold, not a hobbyist one.
As of a rule amendment filed in May 2025, the fee is thirty-two dollars ($32), following a filing made May 16, 2025. That amendment simply moves the fee for a taxidermy and/or tanning permit to a separate fee schedule section rather than changing how the permit works.
Applicants complete the Application for Taxidermy-Tanning Permit, known internally as Code 610, which asks whether you’re applying as an individual or a business and requires business applicants to be registered and in good standing with the Missouri Secretary of State. Like most MDC commercial permits, all permits expire June 30 unless otherwise provided in the Wildlife Code of Missouri, so renewal is an annual task, not a one-time errand.
Pro Tip: Renew before the June 30 expiration date rather than after. A lapsed permit means any wildlife you receive during the gap is technically held without authorization, which complicates your recordkeeping even if you renew days later.
Commercial Taxidermy vs Mounting Your Own Legally Taken Wildlife in Missouri
Mounting your own legally taken deer, turkey, or fish for personal display doesn’t require a state permit — the rule only reaches people operating a business. But “legally taken” is the operative phrase, and it carries its own paperwork trail. The animal or fish still has to be harvested under whatever tag, season, or method restriction applied when you took it, whether that’s a firearms deer tag, a bowfishing permit for rough fish, or a spearfishing authorization for certain waters.
Once you hand that same specimen to a commercial shop, different rules kick in for the taxidermist, even though you did nothing wrong. Under state regulation, legally acquired wildlife may be possessed and stored by a licensed taxidermist or tanner at the specific location indicated on the permit, but only for the purposes of tanning, mounting, or preserving, and the taxidermist may transport, ship, exhibit, or display it after the work is finished. In practical terms, the shop can’t keep your mount as inventory or display it as a sample piece without meeting these conditions.
The code also addresses how wildlife physically moves between hunter and taxidermist. Wildlife legally possessed may be shipped or delivered to a licensed taxidermist or tanner and may be mounted or preserved by that taxidermist, subject to a narrow set of exceptions covering certain confined wildlife. That’s what allows drop-shipping a cape or a skull to a taxidermist across the state without either party running afoul of possession rules.
What Species You Can and Cannot Mount in Missouri (Game, Nongame, and Unprotected)
Missouri’s Wildlife Code doesn’t treat all animals the same way, and neither should your expectations about what a taxidermist can legally accept. Game species like white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), wild turkey, and black bear can be mounted only when harvested under an active permit and proper tags. Furbearer and black bear rules get an extra layer: legally taken and possessed furbearers and black bears legally harvested outside of Missouri may be purchased by licensed taxidermists or tanners, but only from the taker or a licensed fur dealer, and only for mounting or tanning.
Unprotected and nuisance species — coyotes, feral hogs, common carp, and similar animals without closed seasons — generally move through a taxidermist’s shop with the fewest restrictions, since no harvest tag or bag limit applies to them in the first place. Protected nongame species sit at the opposite end: raptors, owls, and songbirds require both a state accommodation and a federal permit before any taxidermist can legally touch them, a topic covered in more depth in the next section.
Roadkill occupies its own middle category. When drivers hit deer in Missouri, they can legally claim possession by filling out a wildlife dispensation permit, which can be requested by contacting the Conservation Department, because “anybody can take roadkill” once that paperwork is in hand. Check the details on roadkill laws in Missouri before you or your taxidermist assumes a found carcass is fair game.
| Category | Examples | Mounting Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Game species | Deer, turkey, black bear, furbearers | Must be legally harvested with valid tag/permit; furbearer and bear purchases restricted to taker or licensed fur dealer |
| Protected nongame | Hawks, owls, songbirds | Requires state accommodation plus a federal USFWS taxidermy permit |
| Unprotected/nuisance | Coyotes, feral hogs, common carp | No special harvest tag; still needs a licensed taxidermist for commercial work |
| Roadkill | Deer struck by vehicles | Requires a wildlife dispensation permit from MDC before claiming |
Federal Overlay You Still Must Follow: Migratory Bird Taxidermy Permits (MBTA)
State law is only half the picture once birds are involved. Under federal regulation, a taxidermist permit is required before any person may perform taxidermy services on migratory birds or their parts, nests, or eggs for any person other than himself. That single sentence covers the vast majority of native North American bird species, since all native birds are classified as migratory except for the starling, English sparrow, quail, and turkey.
The federal permit doesn’t operate in isolation from state rules, either. 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. In other words, a Missouri taxidermist needs both the MDC commercial permit and the USFWS Federal Migratory Bird Taxidermy Permit to legally work on ducks, geese, or other game birds for clients.
Nongame birds carry even tighter restrictions on the back end. Protected nongame birds such as songbirds, hawks, and owls 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 individuals with a valid Special Purpose Possession Dead permit, since personal possession of nongame birds is prohibited. Raptors add one more requirement: each raptor must be covered by a CITES certificate of ownership. Non-native species are the exception — English sparrows, common starlings, and feral pigeons (rock doves) are not native to the United States and are not protected by federal law, so they can be handled without this federal layer.
Key Insight: A taxidermist can legally hold the federal permit and still be operating illegally if the Missouri commercial permit lapses, and vice versa. The two approvals are independent and both have to stay current at the same time.
Endangered, Threatened, and CITES Specimens in Missouri
Endangered and threatened species sit under a separate, stricter federal framework that neither an MDC permit nor a standard USFWS taxidermy permit can override on its own. The Endangered Species Act generally prohibits taking, possessing, or engaging in commerce involving any endangered species of fish or wildlife listed pursuant to section 4 of the Act, with only narrow statutory exceptions. Anyone bringing a specimen to a Missouri taxidermist should treat that prohibition as the default, not the exception.
International specimens add a documentation burden on top of the domestic rules. If a mount was imported from outside the United States, it is extremely valuable to have a copy of all import documents, including a copy of the CITES Import Permit, because a taxidermist and the client may both need to prove lawful origin if the specimen is ever questioned. Federal rules also note that you may need one or more additional permits to take a bird from the United States or to return home with it, under the Wild Bird Conservation Act, the Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants regulations, or CITES.
When a specimen appears on the federal endangered/threatened list or falls under CITES, the standard permitting process changes. Concurrence must be obtained from the appropriate Ecological Services or International Affairs issuing office before the Migratory Bird Permit Office can move forward. This is not a step most local taxidermists handle routinely, so specimens in this category typically get referred to specialists who work with these approvals regularly.
Recordkeeping, Tagging, and Inspection Rules for Taxidermists in Missouri
Missouri places the bulk of the paperwork burden on the taxidermist, not the customer, but every client benefits from knowing what’s supposed to be on file. State rule requires that all licensed taxidermists and tanners shall keep accurate, up-to-date records of the number and species of all wildlife received, the full name and address of the consignor, the dates of all transactions and disposition of all wildlife, and the specific locations where all tanned or mounted wildlife is being exhibited or displayed on a form approved or provided by the department.
- Species and number of every animal or bird received
- Full name and address of the person who dropped it off (the consignor)
- Dates of receipt, transaction, and final disposition
- Current display or storage location of every mounted or tanned piece
- For cervids specifically, proof of proper carcass disposal
These aren’t just filing-cabinet formalities. These records and wildlife shall be available for inspection by an authorized agent of the department at any reasonable time, and all completed records, including proof of disposal of cervid carcass parts, shall be retained for three years. Cervid handling has its own disease-related layer on top of that: licensed taxidermists shall dispose of all cervid carcasses not returned to patrons, along with carrion beetles and their waste, in a permitted sanitary landfill or transfer station and retain proof of disposal, a requirement tied to chronic wasting disease monitoring.
Migratory bird specimens carry a parallel but separate tagging requirement. 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 regulatory citation. If you’re dropping off a legally taken duck for mounting, expect the shop to ask for this information up front.
Unclaimed Mounts: Can a Taxidermist Sell Abandoned Work in Missouri?
Finished mounts that never get picked up create a real liability for taxidermists, and Missouri gives them a defined path to resolve it rather than leaving specimens in limbo indefinitely. Per the Wildlife Code language reflected in the permit application materials, with written approval from the department for each specimen, taxidermists may sell or dispose of any tanned, cured, or mounted fish and wildlife specimen legally acquired but unclaimed by the customer within 30 days after written notice to the customer by certified mail.
That means a shop can’t simply auction off your abandoned buck mount the moment it’s finished. Written departmental approval and a documented, certified-mail notice attempt both have to happen first, and the 30-day clock only starts once that notice goes out. If you’ve ever left a deposit and disappeared for a season, this is the mechanism that eventually lets the shop legally move the piece along.
Separately, taxidermists also have latitude with leftover material that was never destined to become a full mount. Unused parts of wildlife may be disposed of or sold, except unused parts of a black bear, by licensed taxidermists or tanners, but not for human consumption. Black bear parts get a carve-out because of ongoing concerns about illegal trade in bear gallbladders and other parts, so that species is treated more conservatively than the rest.
Penalties for Unlicensed Taxidermy or Illegal Possession in Missouri
Operating a taxidermy business without the required MDC permit, or accepting protected species without the matching federal authorization, exposes both the taxidermist and sometimes the client to enforcement action under the Wildlife Code of Missouri and applicable federal wildlife statutes. Conservation agents have authority to inspect records and wildlife held under a taxidermy permit at any reasonable time, and a permit holder who can’t produce required documentation, or who is found without a valid permit at all, risks citation, permit denial or revocation, and potential seizure of the specimens involved.
Important Note: Exact fine amounts, misdemeanor classifications, and federal penalty ranges vary by the specific offense, whether it involves a first violation, a protected species, or a pattern of unlicensed commercial activity. If you’re facing a citation or are unsure whether a specific transaction is compliant, confirm current classifications directly with your local MDC office or consult an attorney familiar with Missouri wildlife law.
Federal violations involving the Endangered Species Act or the Migratory Bird Treaty Act are handled separately from state Wildlife Code violations and can carry their own civil and criminal exposure, since they’re enforced by USFWS rather than MDC. A specimen that’s illegal to possess under federal law doesn’t become legal simply because a Missouri state permit was otherwise in order.
Where to Apply and Who to Call in Missouri (Wildlife Agency + USFWS)
Two separate agencies handle the paperwork depending on what you’re trying to do, and knowing which one to contact first saves a lot of back-and-forth.
- Confirm what permit you actually need. Commercial taxidermy or tanning work requires the state permit; migratory birds add the federal layer on top.
- Contact MDC Commercial Permits. Reach the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Application for Taxidermy-Tanning Permit office at (573) 522-0107, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102, or by email at commercialpermits@mdc.mo.gov.
- Check the full commercial permit list. MDC maintains a page of Commercial and Confined Wildlife Permits, including the taxidermy/tanning application and the required Taxidermy/Tanning Record Form used by licensed taxidermists to record required information.
- Apply for the federal permit if birds are involved. Submit USFWS Form 3-200-8, the Migratory Bird Taxidermy application, noting that a Federal Taxidermy permit is required to perform taxidermy services on migratory birds or their parts, nests, or eggs for someone other than yourself, and you must apply as an individual.
- Verify your state permit lines up with your federal application. Any permit issued as a result of the federal application is not valid unless you also have any required state or tribal permits or approvals associated with the activity.
For most special permits beyond taxidermy, including collector and breeder categories, you may need to purchase a special permit if you collect, handle, breed, or process wild animals, since wildlife managers, researchers, taxidermists, dog trainers, collectors, and hobbyists need special permits, and all special permits must be purchased at MDC headquarters in Jefferson City. If your work also touches imported specimens from outside Missouri, it’s worth reviewing pet import laws in Missouri for how the state treats animals and animal parts crossing state lines.
Between MDC’s commercial permit desk and the USFWS Migratory Bird Permit Office, most legitimate taxidermy operations in Missouri end up dealing with both agencies at some point. Keeping your permit renewal date, your recordkeeping, and your species documentation in order is the difference between a straightforward mount and a compliance problem you didn’t see coming.