A Massachusetts Trap Registration Certificate must be renewed every 2 years.
You must have a current Trap Registration Certificate to trap on the land of another. The certificate number must be embedded or cut into each trap.
- This page, How to apply for or renew your Trap Registration Certificate number, is offered by
- Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
How to apply for or renew your Trap Registration Certificate number
Contacts
MassWildlife
The Details
What you need
Mandatory Trapper Education
Successful completion of a Trapper Education course is mandatory for first-time trappers and Problem Animal Control (PAC) agents to apply for a Massachusetts trap registration certificate. A MA Trap Registration Certificate is required to trap on the land of another.
You may complete the Massachusetts Trapper Education course. Alternatively, we accept all state trapper education certifications as well as the certificate earned by completing the North American Basic Trapper Course available online.
The Massachusetts course includes the training required to use Bailey and Hancock traps. Both a Trapper Education Certificate and a Bailey-Hancock Certificate are issued to students who successfully complete a Massachusetts Trapper Education course.
| Attention: The online North American Basic Trapper Course is scheduled for an upgrade early in the year 2025. The online course will be unavailable for a short time during this shift. |
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Trap Registration Certificate
All traps used on the land of another must have a valid Trap Registration Certificate Number embedded or cut into the trap. The assigned number, including letter and figures, must be at least 1⁄8 inches high and legible at all times. The trap must also have attached a metal tag bearing the owner’s name, town, and registration number. The registration number is yours for life, but must be renewed every two years. To trap on the land of another, a trapper must maintain a current certification of that registration number.
Fees
- Trap registration application fee: $17
- Trap registration renewal fee: $17
How to apply
TO RENEW your Trap Registration Certificate, log into MassFishHunt and click the green box to “Purchase a License, Tag, or Permit.”
TO APPLY FOR your Trap Registration Certificate for the first time:
- log into MassFishHunt
- under “Your Account” click “Hunter Education and Certifications”
- click the blue “Add Certification” box and select “Trapper Education”
- complete the other fields, and click “Save”
- on the home screen of your profile, click the green box to “Purchase a License, Tag, or Permit,” then search for “Trap Registration Certificate,” add it to your cart, and check out
The system will generate your unique Trap Registration Number which will be reflected on your Trapping License.