Nonresident Landowner Program Application and Permits Information

Nonresident landowners must submit an application and required proof of land documents annually. 

Please refer to the 2026 Nonresident Landowner Eligibility Application (available November 3, 2025) for detailed instructions of the application and permit purchase process.  Note:  IDNR is unable to notify each individual of application status. To check the status of your application, please email DNR.OSSLandowners@illinois.gov or call 217-782-7305 prior to the application deadline date. 

1. Landowners of 40 acres or more of land and their immediate families, and bona fide current income beneficiaries of a trust that owns 40 acres or more of land and their immediate families.
   
   "Immediate family of a landowner or a bona fide current income beneficiary" means, and is limited to, the spouse, children, brothers, sisters and parents permanently residing on the same property as the landowner or bona fide current income beneficiary.
   
   "Bona fide current income beneficiary" means, an individual who, at the time of application for a permit: is entitled to income (whether income exists or not) from the trust that owns the land the applicant wishes to hunt with no condition precedent (such as surviving another person, reaching a certain age, etc.) other than the trustee distributing the income; and is listed by name in the trust documents as an income beneficiary.
2. Bona fide equity shareholders of corporations or bona fide equity members of limited liability companies owning 40 or more acres of land in a county. For applicants eligible for permits under this Part:  Only one permit per 40 acres, for a maximum of 15 permits per county, for corporations and limited liability companies shall be issued based on ownership of lands by corporations or limited liability companies.

1. One Spring Turkey permit (valid for all 5 regular spring turkey seasons)
   Dates to purchase:  Nov. 17, 2025 - Feb. 20, 2026
   Fee:  $37.50  

2. Combination Firearm Deer permit (1 either-sex and 1 antlerless-only permit) (available only for counties open to firearm deer hunting)  
   Dates to purchase:  March 9, 2026 – Sept. 11, 2026
   Fee:  $175 

3. Combination Archery Deer permit (1 either-sex and 1 antlerless-only permit)
   Dates to purchase:  March 9, 2026 – Sept. 11, 2026
   Fee:  $210 

4. 1 Fall Shotgun Turkey permit (available only for counties open to fall shotgun turkey hunting)
   Dates to purchase:  March 9, 2026 – Sept. 11, 2026
   Fee:  $37.50 

5. 1 Fall Archery Turkey permit 
   Dates to purchase:  March 9, 2026 – Sept. 11, 2026
   Fee:  $25 

• Individuals who have purchased a nonresident landowner firearm deer or fall turkey shotgun permit shall not apply for additional permits in the First or Second Lottery Drawings for those seasons.
• Nonresident Landowner Deer Muzzleloader permits are not issued.  You must apply in either the 2nd or 3rd Deer Lottery for a Deer Muzzleloader permit.
• All nonresident landowner permits issued are valid on all properties owned by that permittee, regardless of in which county the property is located, so long as that county is open for the specific hunting season for which the permit is issued. This includes all permits issued to:
  1. A landowner, bona fide current income beneficiary, or the immediate family of a landowner or income beneficiary; or
  2. A bona fide equity shareholder or bona fide equity member, and on all lands owned by the corporation or limited liability company.

Qualified applicants of 20 acres, but less than 40 acres, in one of the following Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) identified counties:  Adams, Boone, Bureau, Carroll, DeKalb, Effingham, Ford, Grundy, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, LaSalle, Lee, Livingston, Marshall, McHenry, Ogle, Peoria, Putnam, Scott, Stark, Stephenson, Will or Winnebago: 

1. Landowners of 20 acres, but less than 40 acres, of land in a CWD county and their immediate families, and bona fide current income beneficiaries of a trust that owns 20 acres (but less than 40) of land in a CWD county and their immediate families.
   
   "Immediate family of a landowner or a bona fide current income beneficiary" means, and is limited to, the spouse, children, brothers, sisters and parents permanently residing on the same property as the landowner or bona fide current income beneficiary.
   
   "Bona fide current income beneficiary" means, an individual who, at the time of application for a permit: is entitled to income (whether income exists or not) from the trust that owns the land the applicant wishes to hunt with no condition precedent (such as surviving another person, reaching a certain age, etc.) other than the trustee distributing the income; and is listed by name in the trust documents as an income beneficiary.
2. Bona fide equity shareholders of corporations or bona fide equity members of limited liability companies owning 20 acres (but less than 40) of land in a CWD county. For eligible applicants, one permit shall be issued to one bona fide equity shareholder or one bona fide equity member for each 20 acres of land owned by the corporation or company in a CWD county; however, the number of permits issued to bona fide equity shareholders of any corporation or bona fide equity members of a limited liability company in any county shall not exceed 15.

Approved Applicants May Purchase: 

1. Combination Firearm Deer permit (1 either-sex and 1 antlerless-only permit) (available only for counties open to firearm deer hunting)  
   Dates to purchase:  March 9, 2026 – Sept. 11, 2026
   Fee:  $175 

2. Combination Archery Deer permit (1 either-sex and 1 antlerless-only permit)
   Dates to purchase:  March 9, 2026 – Sept. 11, 2026
   Fee:  $210 

• Individuals who have purchased nonresident landowner firearm deer permits shall not apply for additional permits in the First or Second Lottery Drawings for that season.
• Nonresident Landowner Deer Muzzleloader permits are not issued.  You must apply in either the 2nd or 3rd Deer Lottery for a Deer Muzzleloader permit.
• All nonresident landowner permits issued are valid on all properties owned by that permittee, regardless of in which county the property is located, so long as that county is open for the specific hunting season for which the permit is issued. This includes all permits issued to:
  1. A landowner, bona fide current income beneficiary, or the immediate family of a landowner or income beneficiary; or
  2. A bona fide equity shareholder or bona fide equity member, and on all lands owned by the corporation or limited liability company.