How to Get a Yamadori Collection Permit from the US Forest Service (2026)

On most National Forest land in the United States, digging up a wild tree requires a permit. There are some exceptions. Mt. Hood National Forest allows up to 15 transplants under two feet per person per year without a permit under its “incidental use” rule. The Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests allow personal-use transplants without a permit, with some restrictions on sensitive species. A few other forests have similar carve-outs.

But those are the exceptions. The working assumption on every ranger district you call should be: a permit is required, and collecting without one is take of government property.

The permit itself is cheap and most ranger districts will issue one to any adult collector who walks in and asks correctly. The problem is that almost nobody explains how the system works, so people either don’t try or try the wrong way and get turned down.

What you’re actually asking for: a Special Forest Products (SFP) permit

The permit is called a Special Forest Products permit, usually shortened to SFP permit. On most National Forests, the paperwork is USDA form FS-2400-1 (Forest Products Removal Permit and Cash Receipt).

It’s the same form used for firewood, Christmas trees, mushrooms, cones, and a long list of other things people legally remove from National Forest land. Forest Service policy documents list “transplants” as one of the product categories this permit covers, alongside fuelwood and mushrooms. That’s the word that tells you you’re in the right paperwork.

A few things the SFP permit is not:

It is not a Special Use Permit. Those are for commercial occupancy and activities like guiding, events, and research. You don’t want to be routed toward one. If a district employee suggests Special Use, they’re usually wrong for personal collecting. Politely steer back to “Special Forest Products, for a live tree transplant.”
It is not issued by the regional office. Regional offices don’t sell permits to the public. Ranger districts do.
It is not a nationwide permit. Each permit is valid only on the district that issued it, for the species, area, quantity, and dates written on it.

Who can get one

Federal rules require the permit holder to be at least 18 years old with valid photo identification. Some forests will issue permits to minors aged 12–17 if a parent or sponsoring adult co-signs, but the default assumption should be 18+ only.

Standard SFP permits are for personal use. One household, non-commercial. Commercial collection (reselling the material, producing items to sell) requires a separate commercial permit with a different application path.

Who issues the permit: the ranger district, not the forest supervisor

This is the part most first-time collectors get wrong.

The US Forest Service is organized in three layers:

Region (R1–R10). Nine numbered regions covering the lower 48 plus Alaska.
National Forest. Each region has 10–20 individual forests.
Ranger District. Each forest is split into 2–7 ranger districts.

Permits are issued at layer 3. The ranger district is the local office with a counter, a phone, and a staff member whose job includes writing FS-2400-1s. The forest supervisor’s office handles forest-wide policy and administration but typically doesn’t sell individual permits to walk-in collectors. Call the supervisor’s office and at best you’ll get redirected to the right district.

Skip the middleman. Call the ranger district that covers your specific target area.

If you don’t know which district covers the area you want to collect in, you need a directory of ranger district contacts organized by region and forest. That’s what the Yamadori Collector’s Field Directory was built for. It lists phone, address, hours, and current permit status for 446 ranger district offices across R1–R10 — every district office in the forests that matter most to yamadori collectors.

What it costs: typically $5–$20 per tree, with a $20 minimum

SFP permit fees are set at the district level and vary. From data we verified across hundreds of ranger districts in early 2026:

Typical range is $5 to $20 per tree. Most western districts charge $7–$10.
Some districts sell permits by quantity packages (three trees per permit for $22.50) or by size ($1 per foot).
Most districts enforce a per-household per-year cap, often 3 to 10 trees total.
Permits usually have size limits. 2 to 4 feet in height is standard. Some districts also cap trunk caliper.
Forest Service policy sets a $20 minimum charge on FS-2400-1 permits. If you’re buying a single $7.50 tree, expect to pay the $20 floor or be asked to buy enough trees to reach it.

Call before you drive.

The process, end to end

Pick your target area first. Know the forest and, ideally, the road number or drainage you’re targeting. Rangers are helpful when you’re specific.
Identify the ranger district that covers that area. One national forest can have five districts, and what’s legal on one may not be legal on the neighbor.
Check harvest status before you call. Some districts don’t issue transplant permits at all. Seasonal embargoes, staffing shortages, fire restrictions. A quick status check saves a wasted call.
Call during business hours. Tuesday through Thursday, 9–11am local time is the window. Monday and Friday mornings hit voicemail more often because many districts run on reduced staff. If you do leave a message, include your name, target area, species of interest, and the best time to call back.
Ask the right questions. Script below.
Pick up the permit, usually in person. Most districts require in-person pickup during business hours. A handful will issue by mail or phone authorization. A small number have moved to online permits. Some stations only issue permits during limited morning hours. Confirm before you drive.

What to say on the phone

Start the call with this:

“Hi, I’m interested in a Special Forest Products permit for live tree or sapling collection. A transplant permit for personal use. Do you issue those on this district?”

That sentence names the correct permit type, includes the word (“transplant”) that appears on the form so staff can find the right category, clarifies it’s personal and not commercial, and asks a yes/no question that either opens the conversation or closes it cleanly.

From there, work through these in order. Take notes.

“What species are permitted on this district?” Don’t assume your target is on the list. Common yamadori targets like junipers, pines, spruce, larch, hawthorn, oak, and maple are widely allowed, but sensitive species (whitebark pine, limber pine, bristlecone, mountain hemlock on some R6 forests) are off-limits.
“Is there a seasonal window?” Most districts restrict collection to a defined window tied to dormancy and the snow-free season. Get exact open and close dates.
“What’s the permit fee, and what are the quantity and size limits?” Confirm per-tree cost, minimum charge, maximum trees per permit, per-household cap, and any height or caliper limits.
“Are there any exclusion areas in my target zone?” Wilderness areas, Research Natural Areas, sensitive-species habitat, and active fire or wildlife closures may be inside your target zone even if the district generally issues permits.
“How do I pick up the permit?” In person, by mail, or online. What hours.
“What are the current road conditions to [specific road or trailhead]?” Many high-elevation forest roads stay closed by snow or mud well into June. The district knows this better than any website.
“Are there sensitive species I should be aware of in that area?” Protects you legally, and signals to the ranger that you’re not the problem they’re worried about.

What the permit lets you do, and what it doesn’t

Once issued, the permit is a physical document. You have to carry it during collection and transport. If a Forest Service law enforcement officer asks to see it and you don’t have it, any material in your possession can be treated as illegal take.

Standard SFP permits are personal use only. You cannot sell, trade, or barter any material collected under a personal-use permit, including trading to another bonsai collector. Commercial collection requires a separate commercial permit.

Near-universal conduct rules:

Hand tools only. No tree spades, backhoes, or power augers.
Backfill every hole. Not optional. This is the rule that most often gets access shut down when people ignore it.
No cross-country motorized travel. Park at a legal road or trailhead, walk in, carry material out by hand.
Honor every quantity limit, on the permit, per trip, and per year.
Leave the stand intact. Most regions require that at least one tree of the same species remain within about 20 feet after removal. Some forests apply a stricter standard, requiring 20 plants of the same species to be present for every one collected. You cannot collect the last or only specimen.
Stay out of excluded zones. Wilderness areas, developed recreation sites, riparian buffers, municipal watersheds, and any area with an active forest order are off-limits regardless of your permit.

These are permit conditions, not suggestions. Violating any of them is a federal offense, and a good way to get transplant permits suspended on that district for everyone who comes after you.

Why this system stays fragile

Yamadori collecting in the US runs on a narrow margin of goodwill. Rangers have discretion. Districts can suspend transplant permits with no public announcement when they see problems: unfilled holes, collectors without permits, abandoned half-dug trees, trespassing in excluded zones. One bad actor on one district can end access for a whole region.

Show up prepared. Know which district covers your area. Know the species you’re after. Know the permit type by name. Carry the permit. Backfill the holes. Thank the ranger who wrote it, and call again next year.

Your next steps

If you’re ready to start making calls, you need the phone numbers in front of you. The Yamadori Collector’s Field Directory (2026 edition) covers 446 ranger district offices across R1–R10: phone, address, hours, current harvest status, and a fallback contact when a district is unavailable.