Can You Kill or Trap a Squirrel in Florida? What the Rules Allow

The short answer: for a gray squirrel causing damage, yes, within limits. FWC lets property owners live-trap nuisance wildlife if they check traps every 24 hours, and the squirrel can only be released on their own property or permitted land. Fox squirrels can't be trapped or taken without FWC authorization. Call (844) 264-6254.

When a squirrel counts as nuisance wildlife

Florida's rule (68A-9.010) defines nuisance wildlife as an animal that causes or is about to cause property damage, threatens public safety, or causes an annoyance in, under or on a building (FWC). A gray squirrel nesting in your attic or chewing a soffit fits. FWC says gray squirrels are active by day and Florida also has fox squirrels and southern flying squirrels (FWC).

What the rule allows

• No permit for most cases. FWC says property owners, and trappers they hire, don't need to notify FWC or get its approval to take most nuisance wildlife from private property (FWC).
• Live traps, inspected at least once every 24 hours. Any other animal caught has to be let go on the spot.
• A decision within 24 hours. A live-caught animal has to be released legally or humanely euthanized within 24 hours of capture or trap inspection.
• Firearms only where allowed, in daylight. FWC notes that firing a gun may be prohibited in some cities and residential areas, so check with local law enforcement first.

Where a trapped squirrel can go

Gray squirrels are native, so they can be released, but only two ways, FWC says: on the property where they were caught (one contiguous piece of land), or on land of at least 40 contiguous acres in the same county, with the landowner's written permission in hand (FWC). Dropping one at a park or along a road without the landowner's written permission isn't legal. Our Florida wildlife trapping rules guide covers the details.

New FWC trapping rules start December 31, 2026. They change trap check times, allow remote (camera) checks, and require most people who trap to complete FWC's annual registration and training, which FWC says is at no cost. A homeowner using one regular-size cage trap (door up to 20 by 28 inches) on their own property, to catch nuisance or non-native wildlife, doesn't need registration, training or reporting. Nuisance animals moved off site must be released or put down within 12 hours of the trap check, down from 24. Details at MyFWC.com/TrappingRules.

Fox squirrels are different

FWC says fox squirrels may not be taken or pursued, and its rule (68A-29.002) covers their young and nests too, so the nuisance-wildlife rule above doesn't apply to them without FWC authorization (FWC). The Big Cypress fox squirrel in southwest Florida is state-designated Threatened. The southern fox squirrel, once called Sherman's fox squirrel and found in Central Florida, came off the Species of Special Concern list in 2018 but is still under FWC's conservation guidelines (FWC). If the squirrel in your attic is a big, black-faced fox squirrel, get advice before doing anything.

What about hunting season?

Gray squirrels are also a game species, with FWC hunting rules and bag limits (FWC). Those rules are about hunting, which generally needs a license and isn't the same thing as dealing with a squirrel in your house.

The part that actually fixes it

Removing a squirrel without closing the hole it chewed just leaves room for the next one. Check for a nest of young before anything is sealed, and close the roofline afterward. See squirrels in the attic, squirrel removal and why squirrels come back, or call (844) 264-6254.