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General Permit Information Active

By Bird Banding Laboratory January 29, 2021

A Federal Bird Banding and Marking Permit is required by the Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) whenever someone wants to place a bird band or any type of marker on a wild bird protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act or on a Federally-protected bird that will be released into the wild.

Click here for more information about BBL operations and banding during the novel coronavirus pandemic

The following provisions within the Federal Code of Regulations apply to the issuance of federal bird banding and marking permits: 50 CFR 10 General Provisions, 50 CFR 13 General Permit Procedures and 50 CFR 21 Migratory Bird Permits. Only official federal bird bands may be placed on federally-protected birds that are released into the wild within the United States.

The Bird Banding Laboratory offers distinct federal permit types: master station, master personal and sub-permits. 

  • Master Station Permit: When a banding project is operated by an organization such as a university, government department or a bird observatory conducting long-term monitoring projects, a station permit may be issued. While individual banders in a long-term project may come and go, the projects are operated under a single organization and may occur at a fixed location or at multiple locations. Data are associated with the station (or organization) rather than an individual. An experienced and qualified "responsible individual" is designated by the organization to be responsible for the permit administrative duties. As the responsible individual, you may oversee the activities of one or many sub-permits and will be responsible for all operations/activities occurring under the permit. Some of those duties include reporting data collected, maintaining the band inventory, granting permissions to the sub-permits on the Bander Portal menu access, ensuring compliance with permit authorizations, requesting modifications or renewals of the permit, and requesting new sub-permits.  
  •  Master Personal Permit: The master personal permit holder is a qualified individual authorized to undertake the banding related activities for species listed on the master personal permit which may occur at a fixed location or multiple locations. As the master permit holder, you may oversee the activities of one or many sub-permits and will be responsible for all operations/activities occurring under the permit. The master personal permit holder is responsible for all permit administrative duties associated with the permit. Some of those duties include reporting data collected, maintaining the band inventory, granting permissions to the sub-permits on the Bander Portal menu access, ensuring compliance with permit authorizations, and requesting modifications or renewals of the permit, and requesting new sub-permits.  
  •  Sub-Permit: A sub-permit may be issued to a qualified individual who works on projects in association with a master personal or master station permit. Sub-permittees band birds for the project of the master personal or master station permit or for their own research project. A sub-permittee may work on the activities listed on the sub-permit without supervision; however, they must coordinate with the master bander for all administrative responsibilities, including permission with use of the Bander Portal. The sub-permittee may band birds on their own, record and report data collected, work as the bander in charge, or act as a non-banding data manager for the permit.  

To minimize the effects of banding birds and the costs of processing banding data, the use of bands and/or markers should be limited to well-designed projects that will improve our understanding of birds. Banders should ensure that the use of bands and/or markers will allow them to address the objectives of their studies. They should carefully select the most appropriate methods to capture, band, and/or mark birds, recognizing that the welfare of the birds should be the most important priority. Another consideration is whether banding birds is necessary for a project or whether temporary markers such as a drop of dye or trimmed feather tips may serve their purposes equally as well. A federal bird banding and marking permit and auxiliary marking authorization is still required for the use of temporary markers.

Federal bird banding and marking permits are issued only to persons 21 years of age or older. There is currently no fee for this permit which is valid for a period up to 3 years. This permit authorizes the capture of wild birds for the purposes of banding and marking and to salvage birds that are found dead or are accidentally killed during normal banding activities. Additionally, these permits can authorize the collection of blood samples, feather samples, and mouth swabs from birds that are also banded and/or marked. Permittees are required to maintain and electronically submit detailed records of all banded birds. Salvaged specimens must be donated to a public, educational, or scientific institution within 6 months of collection.

Activities that cannot be authorized under a permit include holding birds in captivity for any type of scientific study, transporting birds, eggs, nests, or parts thereof, collection of any tissues samples other than blood, feather, and mouth swabs, and performing surgical procedures. These activities will probably require a Migratory Bird Collecting Permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The regional USFWS Migratory Birds Office should be contacted to obtain this permit, or visit the permits section of the Ornithological Council.

To apply for a new master banding permit, a completed bird banding permit application form must be submitted to the BBL Permits Office. Please read the instructions for more details about completing this form and the related materials required by the BBL for its review of each application. Providing all of the required information will expedite the processing of each application. Please allow a minimum of 4-6 months for the BBL to process and review each application for a new master banding permit.

The applicant must indicate the specific authorizations that are being requested for their new master banding permit. Specific details for each authorization are provided below:

To make changes to existing permits, go to the links below:

Report a problem on this page

  • Overview

    A Federal Bird Banding and Marking Permit is required by the Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) whenever someone wants to place a bird band or any type of marker on a wild bird protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act or on a Federally-protected bird that will be released into the wild.

    Click here for more information about BBL operations and banding during the novel coronavirus pandemic

    The following provisions within the Federal Code of Regulations apply to the issuance of federal bird banding and marking permits: 50 CFR 10 General Provisions, 50 CFR 13 General Permit Procedures and 50 CFR 21 Migratory Bird Permits. Only official federal bird bands may be placed on federally-protected birds that are released into the wild within the United States.

    The Bird Banding Laboratory offers distinct federal permit types: master station, master personal and sub-permits. 

    • Master Station Permit: When a banding project is operated by an organization such as a university, government department or a bird observatory conducting long-term monitoring projects, a station permit may be issued. While individual banders in a long-term project may come and go, the projects are operated under a single organization and may occur at a fixed location or at multiple locations. Data are associated with the station (or organization) rather than an individual. An experienced and qualified "responsible individual" is designated by the organization to be responsible for the permit administrative duties. As the responsible individual, you may oversee the activities of one or many sub-permits and will be responsible for all operations/activities occurring under the permit. Some of those duties include reporting data collected, maintaining the band inventory, granting permissions to the sub-permits on the Bander Portal menu access, ensuring compliance with permit authorizations, requesting modifications or renewals of the permit, and requesting new sub-permits.  
    •  Master Personal Permit: The master personal permit holder is a qualified individual authorized to undertake the banding related activities for species listed on the master personal permit which may occur at a fixed location or multiple locations. As the master permit holder, you may oversee the activities of one or many sub-permits and will be responsible for all operations/activities occurring under the permit. The master personal permit holder is responsible for all permit administrative duties associated with the permit. Some of those duties include reporting data collected, maintaining the band inventory, granting permissions to the sub-permits on the Bander Portal menu access, ensuring compliance with permit authorizations, and requesting modifications or renewals of the permit, and requesting new sub-permits.  
    •  Sub-Permit: A sub-permit may be issued to a qualified individual who works on projects in association with a master personal or master station permit. Sub-permittees band birds for the project of the master personal or master station permit or for their own research project. A sub-permittee may work on the activities listed on the sub-permit without supervision; however, they must coordinate with the master bander for all administrative responsibilities, including permission with use of the Bander Portal. The sub-permittee may band birds on their own, record and report data collected, work as the bander in charge, or act as a non-banding data manager for the permit.  

    To minimize the effects of banding birds and the costs of processing banding data, the use of bands and/or markers should be limited to well-designed projects that will improve our understanding of birds. Banders should ensure that the use of bands and/or markers will allow them to address the objectives of their studies. They should carefully select the most appropriate methods to capture, band, and/or mark birds, recognizing that the welfare of the birds should be the most important priority. Another consideration is whether banding birds is necessary for a project or whether temporary markers such as a drop of dye or trimmed feather tips may serve their purposes equally as well. A federal bird banding and marking permit and auxiliary marking authorization is still required for the use of temporary markers.

    Federal bird banding and marking permits are issued only to persons 21 years of age or older. There is currently no fee for this permit which is valid for a period up to 3 years. This permit authorizes the capture of wild birds for the purposes of banding and marking and to salvage birds that are found dead or are accidentally killed during normal banding activities. Additionally, these permits can authorize the collection of blood samples, feather samples, and mouth swabs from birds that are also banded and/or marked. Permittees are required to maintain and electronically submit detailed records of all banded birds. Salvaged specimens must be donated to a public, educational, or scientific institution within 6 months of collection.

    Activities that cannot be authorized under a permit include holding birds in captivity for any type of scientific study, transporting birds, eggs, nests, or parts thereof, collection of any tissues samples other than blood, feather, and mouth swabs, and performing surgical procedures. These activities will probably require a Migratory Bird Collecting Permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The regional USFWS Migratory Birds Office should be contacted to obtain this permit, or visit the permits section of the Ornithological Council.

    To apply for a new master banding permit, a completed bird banding permit application form must be submitted to the BBL Permits Office. Please read the instructions for more details about completing this form and the related materials required by the BBL for its review of each application. Providing all of the required information will expedite the processing of each application. Please allow a minimum of 4-6 months for the BBL to process and review each application for a new master banding permit.

    The applicant must indicate the specific authorizations that are being requested for their new master banding permit. Specific details for each authorization are provided below:

    To make changes to existing permits, go to the links below:

    Report a problem on this page