Class III Captive Wildlife Permit Required
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission considers domestic skunks to be wildlife, therefore, they regulate them as such. You must have a Class III Wildlife Permit to own or keep a domestic skunk in Florida. This means that even if you keep a skunk for a friend, offer a skunk a temporary home, or have one in your permission for any reason, you must have a permit in Florida.
If you will never take your skunk out in public view, with the exception of Vet visits, you can apply for the Class III, No-cost Personal Pet Permit. To obtain this permit, you must go to the FWC site (link below) and print out the permit application, questionnaire, and the Captive Wildlife Critical Incident - Disaster Plan. The answers to the questionnaire can be found by reading the FWC website. Complete the permit, the questionnaire, and the first page of the Disaster Plan and submit them to FWC for processing. The remaining pages of the Disaster Plan are to be completed and retained in an easy to location place in case of emergency.
If you will be taking your skunk out where the public can see it at anytime, you must have a Class III for Exhibition or Public Sale License. The cost is $50.00 no matter how many skunks you own. For this permit you need to print out the permit application and the Captive Wildlife Critical Incident - Disaster Plan. You fill out the permit application and the first page of the Disaster Plan and submit them with your check to FWC. The remaining pages of the Disaster Plan are to be completed and retained in an easy to location place in case of emergency.
Currently permits are taking 8 to 12 weeks to process. You will need to keep a record of where you got the skunk and the permit number of the person you got the skunk from. Ask for a receipt.
You can access the FWC website from the link below. There are also buttons below that will take you to the permit so you can print it out. FWC does not have a computerized application process as of yet.
Feel free to contact us if you need more information or help obtaining your permit. Call Brenda at 727-809-0975
Click to go to FWC Website