Hunting licence and rules on hunting

In the Netherlands, you are only allowed to hunt animals if you have hunting rights or permission to hunt. If you hunt animals with a hunting rifle, you need an environment and planning permit for a hunting rifle activity. If you hunt animals with birds you need an environment and planning permit for falconry activity.

Who is allowed to hunt in the Netherlands?

You are allowed to hunt in the Netherlands if you are a holder of hunting rights (jachthouder, in Dutch). You are also allowed to hunt if you have permission to do so from a holder of hunting rights.

Holder of hunting rights

You are a holder of hunting rights if you:

• are the owner of land suitable for hunting, or
• are a leaseholder or usufructuary of such land, or
• have leased hunting rights from the owner, leaseholder, or usufructuary of the land, or
• have leased hunting rights from another lessee of hunting rights.

As a holder of hunting rights, you must be a member of a local hunting association (a game management unit, wildbeheereenheid).

Permission to hunt from a holder of hunting rights

You are also allowed to hunt if you have permission from a holder of hunting rights. For example, if you are a gamekeeper. This permission must be in writing, and signed and dated. If you hunt together with the holder of hunting rights, you are allowed to hunt without written permission.

Rules for hunting

You must comply with the national rules for hunting (in Dutch). Important rules include:

• You are only allowed to hunt pheasants, mallards, wood pigeons, hares, and rabbits.
• You must take care when hunting that the population of these species is not too small.
• You may only hunt during the hunting season (in Dutch).
• For some hunting seasons or regions, there may be a ban on hunting 1 or more of the 5 animal species.
• The animals must not suffer unnecessary pain during the hunt.
• You must comply with the rules in the fauna management plan of the fauna management unit in your province.
• You may use a rifle or another hunting method (in Dutch) for hunting, such as dogs, peregrine falcons, or duck decoys. You need an environment and planning permit (omgevingsvergunning) to use a rifle or a bird for hunting.
• You are not allowed to hunt within the built-up hunting zone. This is an area designated by the municipality in the environment plan where hunting is prohibited.

View all government regulations on hunting (in Dutch). These also state when you are not allowed to hunt. The regulations for flora and fauna activities (in Dutch) also apply.

Environment and planning permit for use of a hunting rifle

Do you hunt with a hunting rifle? If so, you need an environment and planning permit for hunting rifle activity (omgevingsvergunning jachtgeweeractiviteit, in Dutch). You must meet the following conditions:

• You are 18 years of age or older.
• You have passed the hunting rifle exam (in Dutch).
• You have hunting rights or permission to hunt.
• You have liability insurance for using a rifle.
• You have a proper safe to store the rifle.

You apply for the environment and planning permit for hunting rifle activity in person from the police in your area. To do this, you contact the police chief's department (in Dutch). Complete the application forms (in Dutch) in advance. After applying, you must undergo a psychological test.

Permit for hunting with birds

Do you want to hunt with a game bird such as a peregrine falcon or hawk? This is called a falconry activity. You must have an environment and planning permit for falconry activity (omgevingsvergunning valkeniersactiviteit). To apply for this, you must:

• be 18 years of age or older
• have passed a hunting with game birds exam

You apply to the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) for an environment and planning permit for falconry activity (in Dutch).