Purchasing and sharing a trapping licence

Purchasing a licence

To purchase a professional trapping licence, you must:

The professional trapping licence is valid effective from its date of issue to July 1 following that date. It includes four transportation coupons to be affixed to black bears that are subject to a trap limit.

General notice

A person may not have more than one professional trapping licence.

You must sign your licence. If it contains errors relating to your name and date of birth or if your address has changed, you must write the correct information on the back of your licence.

Carry your licence on your person

You must carry your professional trapping licence on your person at all times when you engage in your activity.

If a wildlife protection officer or assistant asks to see it, you must present it immediately. To prove you are the licence holder, a photo ID will be required during this check.

If you do not have your licence in your possession, you will be given a notice. You will have seven days to complete the online form This hyperlink will open in a new window. or go to a wildlife protection office to prove you have a trapping licence.

If you do not submit this form, penal sanctions will apply.

Replacing a lost, stolen or unusable licence

In case of loss or theft of a licence or when the licence has become unusable, you must purchase a replacement licence at a sales outlet so you can continue trapping.

Trapping licence for non-residents of Québec

To purchase a professional trapping licence, a non-resident of Québec must be 12 years of age or older. The person does not need to take training or have a certificate to purchase a licence.

Non-residents of Québec may trap on their private land. The non-resident may also trap in the territory described in the lease granting exclusive trapping rights of a holder of an outfitter's licence or professional trapping licence. The non-resident must have and carry the authorization document (PDF 277 Kb) confirming permission to trap there.

Selling price of a licence

The rates below include taxes and the contribution paid to the Fondation de la faune du Québec. However, the contribution does not apply to the replacement licence.

Licence types2023-2024 season
Professional trapping licence for resident$34.76 
Professional trapping licence for non-resident$437.32 
Replacement licence$6.65 

Indemnity for accident

A person who has a trapping licence may receive an indemnity if seriously injured (permanent total disability, complete and incurable loss of an eye) when engaging in such activity. The same applies for the family of a trapper who dies in a trapping accident. To be able to obtain an indemnity, the person must have engaged in trapping legally for recreational purposes. On certain conditions, the lump sum may vary from $2500 to $5000.

For information, contact us.

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Sharing a trapping licence

You may share your professional trapping licence with your spouse, young people under 18 years of age or students 18 to 24 years of age.

Spouse

Your spouse may trap under your licence. The term “spouse” is defined as a person who has lived with another person in a conjugal relationship for at least one year or a person united with another person by the bonds of marriage.

Your spouse must carry your licence when not accompanied by you. Any spouse who is a resident of Québec must also carry their trapper's certificate.

Young person and student

A young person under 18 years of age may trap without a licence if accompanied by an adult who possesses and carries a professional trapping licence. A young person may also be accompanied by this adult’s spouse. This spouse must carry the licence concerned and, in the case of a resident of Québec, must carry a trapper's certificate.

A student 18 to 24 years of age with a valid student card and a young person 12 to 17 years of age may trap:

  • if they carry the professional trapping licence of one of their parents or a parent's spouse. If they are residents of Québec, they must carry their trapper's certificate
  • if the licence holder or the licence holder’s spouse accompanies them and carries their licence. The spouse must carry the licence concerned. If they are residents, these young people and students must carry their trapper's certificate.

A young person, a student or a spouse who traps in a territory under lease granting exclusive trapping rights must also carry the document attesting to the authorization to trap obtained from the leaseholder.

The capture of black bears by these persons must be accounted for in the permitted trap limits. If they trap on land under a lease granting exclusive trapping rights, their captures may be included in the commercial harvesting threshold of the land’s lessee if it is not reached.

Any persons holding their own trapping licence may trap without being accompanied.

Accompaniment without trapping in certain wildlife areas

Occasionally, persons may accompany you during your trapping activities to engage in an activity related to trapping. For any other activities, they must comply with the regulations of the territory.

In the sectors of a wildlife reserve where white-tailed deer or moose are hunted subject to quotas, travel is permitted for a professional trapping licence holder and a lessee of a lease granting exclusive trapping rights on this wildlife reserve for the persons they have authorized to trap for the purpose of engaging in trapping.

Outside hunting periods subject to quotas for white-tailed deer and moose in a wildlife reserve, a person who accompanies a trapper may travel with a vehicle, including an off-road vehicle, to participate in an activity related to trapping on that wildlife reserve.

In a controlled harvesting zone (ZEC), the accompanying person, when the by-law adopted by the managing body so requires, must register at the reception station and pay the amount established to travel with a vehicle. Where applicable, the accompanying person must carry the proof of registration and show it immediately to a wildlife protection officer or assistant who requests it. The accompanying person must also place the proof of registration on the dashboard of the vehicle so that it is legible from outside the vehicle and return it to the reception station when leaving the ZEC.

Information on the regulations

Last update: January 30, 2024

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