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Attention hunters: Visit our FAQ page for information about the use of centerfire, single-shot rifles for deer hunting in Illinois. 

Governor JB Pritzker Illinois.gov Contact IDNR DNR A to Z

Commercial Licenses

Attention: Businesses will need to call the DNR at 217-785-3423 or 217-782-2965 to set up a customer number prior to using our new DNR Direct feature. Once your customer id # is obtained, many of the Commercial License Types listed below can be purchased Online or by phone at 1-866-716-6550.

If you are a private citizen wishing to obtain a commercial permit in your OWN name, NO separate customer id # is required.

Name Fee Expiration (Month/Day) Available Online Available thru Vendors           Paper Application Available Title License/Permit Type

Additional Commercial License Information

Commercial License Information

  • Furbearing Animal Breeder Permit - Required to have for facilities that are holding with the potential to possess, breed, and/or sell fur bearing mammals.  This includes Hound Running Areas.  Permit can be purchased online and over the counter wherever licenses are sold.

  • Wild Game & Bird Breeder License, Class A - Required to purchase and possess wild game birds for personal use.  Mainly used by people with dog training areas or raising birds for their personal use. License can be purchased online and over the counter wherever licenses are sold. Class A is noncommercial and does not allow licensees to sell.

  • Wild Game & Bird Breeder License, Class B - Required to purchase, possess, and sell wild game birds to others who have a wild game bird breeder license or a hunting preserve.  Used primarily by people raising game birds for sale to hunting preserve or for food distribution.  License can be purchased online or over the counter wherever licenses are sold.

  • Game Bird Breeder and Hunting Preserve Permit, Class A - Allows individuals with 200 total acres with 100 acres of suitable habitat to hunt pen raised game birds September 1 to April 30 annually. This is for do it yourself type farms or clubs with closed memberships.  The game bird breeder license is included.  Each license must release a minimum of 250 birds during the license year (May 1 – April 30) to stay within compliance.   APPLICANTS MUST APPLY AND RECEIVE APPROVAL FROM IDNR TO PURCHASE PERMIT.

  • Game Bird Breeder and Hunting Preserve Permit, Class B - Allows individuals with 200 total acres with 100 being suitable upland habitat to hunt pen raised game birds year-round.  Class B is a commercial license that allows the site to sell day use hunts to outside individuals not part of the hunt club.  The sites are selling hunts.  Game bird breeder license is included.  Each license must release a minimum of 250 birds during the license year (May 1 – April 30) to stay within compliance.   APPLICANTS MUST APPLY AND RECEIVE APPROVAL FROM IDNR TO PURCHASE PERMIT.

  • Hound Running Area Permit - The Department will issue Hound Running Area Permits for coyote and fox areas, for rabbit areas, for raccoon areas and for certain combinations of those animals.  Individuals must possess a Fur-bearing Mammal Breeders Permit for possession of coyotes, foxes and/or raccoons and a Class B Commercial Game Breeders Permit for possession of rabbits.  Pens to conduct field trials with dogs over 1 year of age must be 160 contiguous acres, whereas pens for inexperienced dogs (puppy pens; less than 1 yr. old) can range from 10-80 acres.  Depending on species within the pen the fencing requirements differ.  APPLICANTS MUST APPLY AND RECEIVE APPROVAL FROM IDNR. 

  • Fur Tanner or Dyer Permit - allows individuals who engage in the dressing, dyeing or tanning of green hides for other individuals

  • Taxidermy Permit - allows individuals to engage in the business of taxidermy for other individuals.

  • Processed Wild Game Dealer Permit - allows processors to buy, sell and/or process wild game for public consumption.

  • Aquaculture Permit - allows breeding, hatching, propagating or raising of aquatic life, whether indigenous or non-indigenous. Aquatic life bred, hatched, propagated or raised by a permittee may be transported and sold for food or stocking purposes. APPLICANTS MUST APPLY AND RECEIVE APPROVAL FROM IDNR TO PURCHASE PERMIT. 

  • Non-resident Aquatic Life Dealers License – Any person, not a resident of Illinois, who sells or ships to other wholesalers, retailers, or consumers any aquatic life protected by the Code from waters within or without the State

  • Resident Retail Aquatic Life Dealers License – Any person, who within the Stat of IL, is conducting a retail fish market, or buying, selling, or shipping any aquatic life protected by the Code, whether from waters within or without the State

  • Resident Wholesale Aquatic Life Dealers License – Any resident, who within the State of IL, conducts a wholesale fish market or who sells or ships to any other wholesaler, retailer, or other commercial institution, aquatic life that are protected species and indigenous to Illinois.

  • Resident Mussel Dealers Permit is issued to an Illinois resident who receives, buys or offers to buy or who acts as an agent or broker in the receipt or purchase of mussels.

  • Non-Resident Mussel Dealers Permit is issued to a Non-Resident who purchases mussels in Illinois.

  • Resident Retail Minnow Dealers License allows the retail sale of minnows and frogs for bait.

  • Resident Wholesale Minnow Dealers License allows the wholesale sale of minnows and frogs.

  • Ginseng Grower License allows any person to engage in the propagation and harvesting of cultivated ginseng.

  • Resident Ginseng Dealers License allows any person to buy wild or cultivated ginseng from harvesters, growers or other dealers for resale to exporters or to other dealers.

  • Non-Resident Ginseng Dealers License allows Non Residents to buy ginseng in Illinois.

QUESTIONS? You can contact our office at 217-782-2965.