Florida hunters interested in participating in this year’s regulated bear hunting season will soon have their chance to apply for permits. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced that applications for bear harvest permits will open at 10 a.m. EDT on Friday, Sept. 12, and will remain available until 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 22.
A bear harvest permit is required to hunt bears in one of the four designated Bear Harvest Zones during the season, which runs Dec. 6–28, 2025. In addition to the harvest permit, hunters must also hold a valid Florida hunting license unless exempt.
Permit Details
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Applicants must be at least 18 years old by Oct. 1 to apply.
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Each application costs $5 plus handling fees. Applicants may submit as many as they wish, but only one permit will be issued per person.
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Permits will be awarded through a random drawing.
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Once drawn, permits cost $100 for Florida residents and $300 for nonresidents, plus handling fees.
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No more than 10% of permits will be issued to nonresidents.
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All permits are nontransferable.
How to Apply
Hunters can apply online by visiting GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, logging into their account, and selecting “Apply for Limited Entry/Quota Permits.” Applications can also be submitted in person by completing an application worksheet and presenting it at a license agent or Florida tax collector’s office.
For more details on the application process, hunters can visit MyFWC.com/License under “Limited Entry and Quota Permits.” Additional information about bear hunting in Florida is available at MyFWC.com/BearHunting.
