Last updated 2026-08-18
TL;DR
Tennessee has no single "wildlife rehabilitator board." Native wildlife licensing runs through the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). Migratory birds run through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. State permit fees stay low, roughly $10 to $50 depending on class. The real work is meeting enclosure standards, finding a veterinary sponsor, and finishing the federal USFWS application before you can legally hold most species.
Who actually oversees wildlife rehabilitators in Tennessee?
No dedicated "wildlife rehabilitator board" exists in Tennessee. The job splits between two agencies. Knowing which one owns which piece saves you weeks of confusion.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) issues state permits under Tennessee Code Annotated Title 70, which governs all wildlife possession in the state. [1] If the animal is a native non-migratory species, like a white-tailed deer fawn or a fox squirrel, TWRA is your primary contact.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) issues a federal Special Purpose or Migratory Bird Rehabilitation permit under 50 CFR Part 21. [2] That permit lets you legally hold, treat, and release protected migratory birds, including songbirds, raptors, and waterfowl. Every other native mammal sits fine on a TWRA permit alone. The moment a robin or a red-tailed hawk lands in your facility, federal law applies.
Serious rehabilitators in Tennessee carry both. The state permit is faster and cheaper. The federal permit has a longer application, a veterinary sponsor requirement, and a review timeline USFWS itself puts at 60 to 90 days or more for new applicants. That window is not guaranteed and can run longer.
Do you need a license to do wildlife rehabilitation in Tennessee?
Yes. "I found it in the yard" is not a legal defense for keeping it. Tennessee Code Annotated Section 70-4-403 prohibits holding wild animals without a permit, and the exemptions for temporary possession are narrow and time-limited. [1] Most counties treat an unlicensed animal in a box as a violation regardless of intent.
Here is the short answer. If you want to accept injured or orphaned wildlife from the public, treat them, house them for any meaningful period, and release them, you need the TWRA Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit at minimum. If any of those animals are migratory birds, add the federal USFWS permit. Both are required before you receive your first patient.
Raptors are their own category. Owls and hawks fall under federal jurisdiction through both the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. [8] Falconry-trained individuals sometimes hold raptor rehabilitation sub-permits, but for a standard wildlife rehabilitator in Tennessee the USFWS federal migratory bird rehabilitation permit is the correct instrument. [2]
Venomous reptiles and large carnivores (bears, coyotes, bobcats) also require a separate Class II or Class III possession permit from TWRA and carry much higher facility standards. Most new rehabilitators start with a Class I permit covering small mammals, songbirds, and similar species, then expand from there.
How much does a wildlife rehabilitator permit cost in Tennessee?
State fees are set by TWRA regulation and have stayed modest for years. Confirm current amounts directly with TWRA, because they adjust through rule-making without always updating every public summary at the same time. [3]
Here is a general framework based on published TWRA fee schedules:
| Permit Type | Approximate Fee | Renewal Period |
|---|---|---|
| TWRA Wildlife Rehabilitation (Class I) | ~$10-$25 | Annual or biennial |
| TWRA Wildlife Rehabilitation (Class II) | ~$25-$50 | Annual or biennial |
| USFWS Migratory Bird Rehabilitation (federal) | $0 (no fee for nonprofit/individual) | 3 years |
| USFWS Special Purpose Salvage | $0 | 3 years |
USFWS charges no application fee for standard migratory bird rehabilitation permits issued to individuals and nonprofit facilities. [2] That is consistent federal policy, not a Tennessee benefit.
The permit fee is the cheap part. The real cost of starting is infrastructure: a lockable, species-appropriate enclosure that meets TWRA inspection standards, a written treatment protocol, a licensed veterinarian who agrees to supervise, and liability coverage if your facility takes animals from the public. Those startup costs vary widely, from a few hundred dollars for a modest songbird setup to several thousand for a facility that handles raptors or deer. Nobody has published a reliable statewide cost survey for Tennessee. The closest reference data come from NWRA member surveys and state facility audits, which show median startup costs of $800 to $3,000 for small home-based operations.
Want a structured way to map your enclosure paperwork against TWRA and USFWS standards before your inspection? WildlifeRehabPath offers a $149 State + USFWS Enclosure Kit at /start that covers Tennessee-specific enclosure documentation.
How long does the Tennessee wildlife rehabilitation licensing process take?
The state TWRA half moves faster. Your regional TWRA office reviews the application for the county your facility sits in, and a straightforward Class I application can process in two to six weeks. Incomplete applications, missing veterinary documentation, or a required facility inspection each add time. [3]
The federal permit is slower. The USFWS Migratory Bird Program processes applications through Region 4, which covers Tennessee, and the agency's guidance acknowledges new permit applications may take 60 to 90 days. [2] Many first-time applicants in southeastern states report three to five month timelines, especially when the application arrives during high-volume permit seasons (late winter through spring).
Add the time to find and confirm a veterinary sponsor, draft your facility protocols, and schedule any required enclosure inspection. A realistic end-to-end timeline for a new Tennessee wildlife rehabilitator is four to seven months, from the day you decide to apply to the day you can legally receive patients. That is not a scare number. It is the honest window most practitioners describe walking through their first application.
Here is the sequence that cuts total time. Contact your TWRA regional office first to confirm current forms and fees. Get your veterinary relationship in writing before you submit either application. Submit the state and federal applications in parallel rather than waiting for the state permit before touching the federal paperwork.
What are the TWRA permit classes and which one do you need?
TWRA sorts wildlife possession permits into classes based on the risk level and care demands of the species. Confirm the specific class definitions in TWRA's current permit rules (TWRA Rule Chapter 1660-1-21 or the current equivalent). [3]
Class I covers low-risk native species: small mammals like rabbits, squirrels, and opossums, plus small songbirds and other non-raptorial birds under state authority. This is the entry-level permit and the right start for most new rehabilitators.
Class II covers species with higher husbandry demands or public safety considerations, including some waterfowl, wading birds, and medium-sized mammals. Facility standards are higher and an inspection is usually required before the permit issues.
Class III covers large carnivores, venomous reptiles, and other species where public safety comes first. Most wildlife rehabilitators in Tennessee never hold a Class III permit. Those species usually go to licensed facilities with dedicated safety infrastructure.
One practical note matters here. Even a Class I state permit does not authorize possession of federally listed migratory birds without the USFWS permit. An opossum needs only the state permit. A mourning dove needs both.
What does TWRA require for facilities and enclosures?
TWRA does not publish a single consolidated enclosure spec sheet for rehabilitators the way some states do. That is genuinely frustrating. Requirements live inside the permit conditions themselves and in TWRA officer guidance during inspections. The practical benchmark inspectors reference is the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA) Minimum Standards for Wildlife Rehabilitation, now in its 4th edition. [4] TWRA has not formally codified those standards by citation, but rehabilitators who meet or beat NWRA minimums generally pass Tennessee inspections.
At a minimum, expect TWRA to want to see:
- Enclosures that prevent escape and unauthorized human access
- Species separation to prevent predator-prey stress
- Access to appropriate food and water at all times
- A plan for veterinary care, signed by your supervising vet
- Sanitation protocols
- Records for each animal received (intake date, species, origin, disposition)
Raptors carry extra requirements. USFWS adds its own enclosure conditions to the federal permit, including minimum flight cage dimensions that differ by species. Those live in the federal permit itself, not in TWRA documentation.
For comparable requirements in neighboring states, the guides for wildlife rehabilitator board in Alabama and wildlife rehabilitator board in Georgia give useful side-by-side context.
Do you need a veterinary sponsor to get licensed in Tennessee?
For the USFWS migratory bird rehabilitation permit, yes. The application requires you to name a licensed veterinarian who agrees to provide care and oversight for your facility. [2] This is a federal requirement, not a Tennessee add-on, and it applies to every individual or organization seeking a federal rehabilitation permit in any state.
For the TWRA state permit, TWRA strongly encourages (and in practice often requires) a veterinary relationship as part of demonstrating adequate care standards, though the exact regulatory language on this point has shifted across permit revision cycles. Confirm the current TWRA requirement for your specific permit class when you request the application forms. [3]
Finding a willing vet is frequently the longest single step. Most companion animal veterinarians have limited wildlife medicine training. Start your search with veterinarians who already work with wildlife facilities, zoological collections, or who have completed AAZV or similar wildlife medicine continuing education. The NWRA membership directory sometimes surfaces veterinarians already working with Tennessee rehabilitators. [4]
How do you apply for a TWRA wildlife rehabilitation permit?
The application runs through your regional TWRA office, not a central headquarters. Tennessee splits into four TWRA regions (Region I through IV), and your application gets assigned to the region covering the county where your facility sits. [3]
The general steps:
1. Download or request the current wildlife rehabilitation permit application from TWRA (confirm you have the current-year version; forms update). 2. Complete all sections including species list, facility description, and veterinary contact. 3. Attach any required documentation: enclosure diagrams, your vet's written agreement, proof of any required training. 4. Pay the applicable permit fee (confirm current amount with TWRA before submitting). 5. Submit to your regional office and schedule any required inspection.
TWRA's wildlife division can be reached through the main agency contact page, and regional office contact information is published on the TWRA website. [3] Do not mail a check and wait passively. Follow up by phone within two weeks of submission.
The federal USFWS application goes through the Migratory Bird Permit Office for Region 4 (Southeast), based in Atlanta. The form is FWS Form 3-200-10b for Migratory Bird Rehabilitation. [6]
What training or experience does Tennessee require before you apply?
Tennessee does not name a mandatory pre-licensing training course in its permit rules the way a few other states do. Even so, experience and training documentation strengthens an application and is sometimes informally expected by inspectors.
The two most accepted training credentials in the field are:
- IWRC (International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council) Basic and Advanced Wildlife Rehabilitation courses, offered online and in-person. [5]
- NWRA Skills Seminars and their Minimum Standards publication. [4]
New applicants with no prior supervised experience often apprentice under an existing permitted rehabilitator before submitting their own application. Tennessee does not require this, but it matters in practice. An inspector who sees an experienced mentor listed in your application materials reads that application differently than one from a complete first-timer.
For comparison, states with formal training mandates, like California, require documented hours before an initial permit issues. Tennessee's approach gives you more flexibility on paper but less structure, which can actually slow first-timers down.
How is Tennessee different from neighboring states on rehabilitation licensing?
A few real differences are worth knowing if you've looked at how this works elsewhere.
Arkansas requires a state Rehabilitation Permit from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission with more specific training documentation requirements than Tennessee currently mandates. See the full comparison at wildlife rehabilitator board in Arkansas.
Alabama's ADCNR permit process includes a written examination for some applicants, which Tennessee does not currently impose. Details at wildlife rehabilitator board in Alabama.
Georgia's DNR process is structurally similar to Tennessee's, with a state permit plus federal overlay, but Georgia publishes more explicit enclosure specifications in its permit documentation. See wildlife rehabilitator board in Georgia.
Florida has a tiered permit structure (subpermittee, standard, master) that is more formally defined than Tennessee's class system. Details at wildlife rehabilitator board in Florida.
The federal USFWS requirement is identical everywhere in the country. That part does not vary by state.
One honest assessment: Tennessee's requirements sit on the less prescriptive end compared to coastal states. That is not the same as easy. The gap that trips up Tennessee applicants is almost always the veterinary sponsor piece and enclosure inspection, not the paperwork itself.
Want to see how other regions handle the same permit architecture? The guides for wildlife rehabilitator board in Colorado and wildlife rehabilitator board in Idaho show how western states structure it differently.
What happens after you're licensed: recordkeeping and renewals
Tennessee wildlife rehabilitation permits require annual recordkeeping. You track every animal by species, intake date, source location (general), treatment provided, and final disposition (released, transferred, died, or euthanized). TWRA may request these records during inspection or renewal. [3]
The federal USFWS migratory bird permit requires an annual report to the regional Migratory Bird Permit Office. USFWS is specific about this: federal regulations at 50 CFR 21.76 require that rehabilitation permittees submit annual reports. [2] Missing the annual report deadline is one of the most common reasons federal permits are not renewed.
State permits renew annually or biennially depending on class. Confirm your cycle with TWRA at issuance. Federal permits renew on a three-year cycle under current USFWS policy. [2]
At renewal, TWRA can require a facility re-inspection if there have been complaints, if you've asked to add new species to your permit, or if your facility location has changed. Build that possibility into your renewal planning.
WildlifeRehabPath's enclosure documentation kit at /start includes the recordkeeping templates most commonly requested during TWRA inspections, though you should always confirm TWRA's current preferred format with your regional office.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a license for wildlife rehabilitation in Tennessee?
Yes. Tennessee Code Annotated Section 70-4-403 prohibits holding wild animals without a state TWRA permit. If you plan to handle migratory birds, including most songbirds, waterfowl, and all raptors, you also need a federal USFWS Migratory Bird Rehabilitation permit under 50 CFR Part 21. Both permits must be in hand before you accept your first patient.
How much does a wildlife rehabilitator permit cost in Tennessee?
The TWRA state permit fee has historically run roughly $10 to $50 depending on permit class. The federal USFWS migratory bird rehabilitation permit charges no application fee to individuals and nonprofit organizations. Confirm current TWRA fees directly with your regional office before submitting, since fee schedules update through rule-making and published summaries can lag behind.
How long does it take to get licensed as a wildlife rehabilitator in Tennessee?
Realistically, four to seven months from decision to first legal patient. The TWRA state permit can process in two to six weeks for a complete application. The USFWS federal permit typically takes 60 to 90 days or more. Finding a veterinary sponsor and passing any required facility inspection add time before permits issue.
What agency issues wildlife rehabilitation permits in Tennessee?
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) issues the state permit under Tennessee Code Annotated Title 70. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Region 4 office in Atlanta issues the federal Migratory Bird Rehabilitation permit. Most working rehabilitators in Tennessee hold both. Neither agency is a dedicated "wildlife rehabilitator board."
Do I need a veterinary sponsor to get a Tennessee wildlife rehabilitation permit?
For the federal USFWS migratory bird permit, a named supervising veterinarian is required on the application. For the TWRA state permit, a veterinary relationship is strongly expected and frequently required in practice during the inspection process. Finding a vet willing to sponsor a rehabilitation facility is often the longest single step in getting licensed.
Can I rehabilitate wildlife at home in Tennessee?
Yes, if your home facility meets TWRA enclosure and care standards and passes any required inspection. Home-based rehabilitation is common for Class I species (small mammals, songbirds). Larger or more dangerous species typically require dedicated facility space that exceeds what most residential properties can support. Confirm your planned setup with TWRA before applying.
What species can I rehabilitate under a Tennessee Class I permit?
Class I typically covers low-risk native wildlife: squirrels, rabbits, opossums, small songbirds, and similar species. It does not authorize possession of federally protected migratory birds without the USFWS permit. Species lists are confirmed in your permit conditions. Confirm current Class I species coverage with TWRA when you request your application forms, as rule revisions can shift the list.
Does Tennessee require a training course before I can apply for a rehabilitation permit?
No mandatory pre-licensing course is currently required by Tennessee regulation, unlike some states. Documented training through IWRC or NWRA and supervised apprenticeship under an existing permitted rehabilitator strengthens your application and is often informally expected. Inspectors treat experienced applicants differently than untrained first-timers, even when training is not legally required.
What recordkeeping does Tennessee require from wildlife rehabilitators?
TWRA requires intake records for every animal: species, intake date, source location, treatment, and final disposition. Federal USFWS permittees must also file an annual report under 50 CFR 21.76 covering all migratory birds held during the permit year. Missing the USFWS annual report is a common reason federal permits are not renewed.
How do I renew my Tennessee wildlife rehabilitation permit?
TWRA state permits renew annually or biennially depending on class; your permit conditions specify the cycle. Confirm with TWRA at issuance. Federal USFWS migratory bird permits renew on a three-year cycle. Both renewals require current records to be in order. TWRA can require a re-inspection at renewal if you have requested new species or changed facility location.
Can I take in and care for deer in Tennessee as a wildlife rehabilitator?
White-tailed deer are regulated separately from typical Class I wildlife in Tennessee. Fawn rehabilitation requires specific TWRA authorization and stricter facility standards because of CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) management concerns. TWRA may restrict or closely limit deer rehabilitation permits. Contact your TWRA regional office specifically about deer before including them in your application.
Is the federal USFWS permit free for Tennessee wildlife rehabilitators?
Yes. USFWS does not charge an application or permit fee for the Migratory Bird Rehabilitation permit when issued to individuals or nonprofit facilities. This is federal policy that applies equally in Tennessee and every other state. The cost is your time on the application, your annual report compliance, and any enclosure modifications the permit conditions require.
How does Tennessee's licensing process compare to neighboring states like Georgia or Alabama?
Tennessee's process is less prescriptive than some neighbors. Georgia publishes more explicit enclosure specifications. Alabama requires a written examination for some applicants. All southeastern states share the same federal USFWS permit overlay for migratory birds. Tennessee's relative flexibility can feel like an advantage until you hit a facility inspection with no documented standards to reference.
Sources
- Tennessee Legislature, Tennessee Code Annotated Section 70-4-403: Tennessee law prohibits holding wild animals without a permit; foundational statute for TWRA wildlife possession permitting
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 50 CFR Part 21 Migratory Bird Permits: Federal permit requirement for migratory bird rehabilitation, no application fee for individuals/nonprofits, 3-year renewal cycle, annual report requirement under 50 CFR 21.76
- Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency: TWRA issues state wildlife rehabilitation permits; regional office structure; permit classes and fee schedule
- National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association, Minimum Standards for Wildlife Rehabilitation, 4th Edition: NWRA Minimum Standards used as practical benchmark for enclosure and care requirements by state inspectors including Tennessee
- International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council, Educational Programs: IWRC Basic and Advanced Wildlife Rehabilitation courses accepted as training credentials by state agencies including Tennessee
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Permit Applications (eCFR 50 CFR 21.76): FWS Form 3-200-10b is the federal migratory bird rehabilitation permit application; requires a named supervising veterinarian; annual report requirement
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Program: USFWS Migratory Bird Program processes migratory bird permit applications, including for Region 4 Southeast covering Tennessee
- Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, 50 CFR Part 22: Federal law governing possession of bald and golden eagles; applies to raptor rehabilitation in Tennessee alongside Migratory Bird Treaty Act