The federal laws control the falconry licensing program and mandate which species of birds are endangered and which may be taken from the wild for the purposes of falconry. The Federal law also sets the standards and requirements for keeping a raptor.

A person wishing to become a falconer must first contact the local department of Fish and Game or Wildlife and Natural Resources and obtain the necessary forms that must be filled out prior to taking the exam.

The candidate will need a sponsor to sign one of these forms before he/she can take the exam. The department of F&G or W&NR can provide you with a list of local falconers and falconry clubs. After all fees have been paid and all forms have been submitted the candidate may take a falconry license exam given by the local F&G department or Department of W&NR. The candidate must answer eighty percent (80%) or more of the questions on the exam correctly. A date will then be scheduled for your facilities and equipment to be inspected to make sure that they meet federal standards. After your facilities have been certified as being adequate you may get your apprentice falconry license from your local F&G or W&NR department.

An apprentice must be 14 years or older. An apprenticeship lasts for a minimum period of two years. At the end of the two years the apprentice may apply for a general falconer's permit if he/she is 18 years of age or older. The apprentice may only have one bird at a time and may take no more than one bird per year if a bird is lost. The apprentice is limited to taking a red-tailed hawk and American kestrel.

In the state of Alaska an apprentice may also take a Northern Goshawk. The apprentice can only take passage birds or birds that are less than one year old and are trapped from the wild.

A general falconer must be 18 years or older and must have at least two or more years experience as an apprentice or in an equivalent class. A general falconer may keep two birds, but may not take more than two birds a year if his birds have been lost. A general falconer may take eyasses for the purpose of training.

A master falconer must have at least five years of experience as a general falconer or in an equivalent class. A master falconer may not have more than 3 birds and may not take more than three birds in a year if birds are lost.

There are some other regulations that pertain to each class but you can obtain all of these regulations as well as requirements for facilities from your local F&G or W&NR department.