Home/Virginia Law
Virginia Wildlife Removal Laws
Most sites that rank for wildlife removal say nothing about the law. It is the part that decides who may do the work, and (for bats and birds) when they may do it at all. Everything below is sourced to Virginia DWR and federal statute.
https://dwr.virginia.gov/
Nothing here is legal advice. Wildlife law changes and enforcement varies, so confirm anything that affects a permit or a prosecution with your state wildlife agency.
Who is allowed to charge for this work
Commercial Nuisance Animal Permit (CNAP)
Commercial wildlife control in Virginia runs through the DWR Commercial Nuisance Animal Permit. The application fee is $75, non-refundable, and the permit is valid for three calendar years beginning with the year of issue. Bat conflict management additionally requires bat-specific training, with limited exceptions; the training requirement does not apply to exclusion work performed outside maternity season with no bats present in the structure.
Bats
Virginia layers a training requirement on top of the seasonal one: handling bats is not simply a matter of holding the general permit.
| Restriction | Dates | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Maternity season (exclusion restricted) | reported as roughly May 15 – August 15 | These dates are widely cited by the trade rather than published as a flat statutory range. Confirm the current position with Virginia DWR before relying on a specific date. |
Bat conflict management generally requires bat-specific training in addition to the CNAP.
Bats are never exterminated. Removal is by one-way exclusion; how that works →
Trap checking
Virginia requires trap identification: setting a trap on the land or water of another without attaching either the trapper's name and address, or a DWR-issued identification number, is unlawful. It is a reasonable thing to look for on a trap set at your property. It is a reasonable question to ask an operator directly, because it tells you whether they are running a compliant route or leaving animals in traps.
Federal law applies on top of this
Birds: the Migratory Bird Treaty Act
Nearly every native North American bird is federally protected. Only three species commonly found in buildings are exempt: the pigeon (rock dove), the European starling and the house sparrow. An active nest containing eggs or young is protected regardless of species. That means a great many bird-in-the-vent jobs legally have to wait. More on bird removal →
Bats
Several bat species carry federal listings in addition to state protection, and maternity season restrictions exist to stop flightless pups being sealed inside a structure.
Somebody has to look at the property to answer that. How many entry points or burrows there are, how hard they are to get at, and whether young are present is what sets the price, and none of it can be judged from a description. Send us your address and we will pass it to a licensed local operator where one is available. Request a quote →
Questions
Do I need a permit to remove an animal from my own house in Virginia?
Confirm this with Virginia DWR before relying on it: the answer depends on the species and whether you are being paid.
Can a pest control company do this work?
Not always. Nuisance wildlife control is a separate licence from pesticide application, and protected species add further restrictions. Ask to see the wildlife permit specifically, not a general pest licence.
What happens if the work is done illegally?
It is the operator who carries the licence, but the homeowner commissioned the work. Penalties vary by state and species, and federal bird and bat protections apply on top of state law. This is a reason to check a licence rather than take a cheap quote.
Sources
Request a quote
We read every request and pass it to a licensed wildlife operator covering Roanoke where one is available. We are still building our list of operators here, so we cannot promise one is available or say how quickly they will respond.