Possessing or rehabilitating injured wildlife in Raleigh requires a North Carolina Wildlife Rehabilitator permit issued by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission under NCGS §113-272.4. Unpermitted possession of native wildlife is unlawful even for rescue purposes.
NC Wildlife Resources Commission issues Wildlife Rehabilitator permits under NCGS §113-272.4, requiring training, facility inspection, and demonstrated competency before any person may legally possess injured native wildlife in Raleigh. Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act permits are additionally required for protected birds. Citizens encountering injured animals should contact licensed rehabilitators or NCWRC rather than taking the animal home, since unpermitted possession is unlawful even with good intent. The NC Zoo, the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, and various Triangle-area rehabilitators maintain referral lists. Federally protected species like raptors, songbirds, and bats require additional federal subpermits beyond the state license.
Unlawful possession of native wildlife violates NCGS §113-272.4 with civil penalties; federal MBTA violations add fines up to $15,000 per protected bird.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Raleigh, NC
Raleigh has no city ordinance regulating residential lawn ornaments, statuary, or year-round decor. UDO setback rules in Section 1.5.5 apply to permanent str...
Raleigh, NC
Raleigh has no city ordinance regulating residential holiday inflatables. General noise rules under Raleigh Code Chapter 12 and right-of-way rules under Code...
Raleigh, NC
Raleigh has no city ordinance regulating residential holiday lights. There is no display-window restriction, brightness cap, or duration limit. UDO outdoor l...
Raleigh, NC
Raleigh requires building, gas, electrical, and plumbing trade permits for built-in outdoor kitchens with utility connections under the NC State Building Cod...
Raleigh, NC
Raleigh has no city ordinance specifically regulating residential wood-fired smokers or pizza ovens. Smoke nuisance complaints fall under Raleigh Code Sectio...
Raleigh, NC
Raleigh prohibits open-flame cooking devices and LP-gas containers over 1 pound on combustible balconies of multi-family buildings under the North Carolina F...
See how Raleigh's wildlife rescue permits rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.