State Forest Use Permit

As of July 1, 2009, a State Forest Use Permit is required for those persons aged 16 or older to practice the following activities on a state forest:

•ride horses
•ride mountain bikes
•hunt
•fish
•trap

A valid Virginia hunting license or fishing license in addition to a State Forest Permit ($15 per year) are required for hunting, trapping or fishing on the forest.

A State Forest Use Permit is not required for forest visitors who practice the following activities on a state forest:

•walking
•hiking
•boating

Permits can be purchased two ways
•Go to any location where you purchase a hunting license. Ask the clerk for the "State Forest Permit" to be added to your license.
•Use your credit card and purchase a permit online from the Virginia Department Of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) Web site.

Currently the penalty for being caught without a state forest use permit is a Class 4 misdemeanor which can be punishable by up to a $250 fine. The penalty for not having the use permit while hunting/trapping is a Class 3 misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine.

For more information on the Virginia's State Forests and the State Forest Use Permit go to the Virginia Department of Forestry website at
http://www.dof.virginia.gov/stforest/index.htm