The South African Bird Ringing Unit

Ringing birds around Africa!


× SAFRING Logo



Ringing Permits


Permits - South Africa

Ringers Please Note:

Kindly inform SAFRING of any change in these contact details. We can be reached at: tel: 021-650-2421; or email: safring[at]adu.org.za

SANBI has additional details on their web (see here) about various permits and there is also a Word document with contact details, so any numbers below do not work, try the Word doc - if there are different contact details that do work, please let SAFRING know so that we can update our web page.

Code Province Address & Contact
EC Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs,
Cacadu Region
P Bag X5001, Greenacres, P.E. 6057

Att: Contact Luzuko Dali or Thembinkosi Tyali: Luzuko.Dali[at]dedea.gov.za and Thembinkosi.Tyali[at]dedea.gov.za.
Regional Office Number 041-508-5800
Fax: 086-519-7698

Details: Protected Species in terms of the Nature and Environmental Conservation Ordinance: Ringers are required to e-mail a copy of their SAFRING Membership Cards and a record of the birds they ringed during the year the previous year. There is no cost.
Threatened or Protected Species (ToPS): Ringer to complete an Application Form and pay the R50.00 by EFT into our bank account; e-mail a copy of their SAFRING Membership Cards and a record of the bird they ringed during the year the previous year. Permits can be renewed if Ringers did not ring for a specific period of time providing they provide the above-mentioned information.
FS Free State Free State Economic Development, Tourism & Environmental Affairs
P/Bag X20801
Bloemfontein
South Africa
9300
Attention: Cynthia Seqhobane (seqhobane[at]destea.gov.za) or Johannes Mosia (mosiaj[at]destea.gov.za ) for any assistance

To obtain an e-permit: Go to the e-Services website.

Free State application form

GP Gauteng (Jhb) Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
P O Box 8769
Johannesburg 2000

Download permit application Updated 2024 (Click to download)

The contact person is: Heidy Potgieter,

Permits Office, Directorate of Biodiversity Management,

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, 

tel. 086 420 3043, fax: 0864202203 / 011 240 3044

e-mail: heidy.potgieter@gauteng.gov.za, website: www.gauteng.gov.za

56 Eloff Street, Ground Floor, Umnotho House Building, JOHANNESBURG


Please Note:
The reference requirements when applying for birding permits.
  • A 20 characters field is provided for the reference.
  • No spaces between elements are allowed.
  • Start with Regional Office Pretoria code: CONSP
  • Followed by the clients name: Tom van der Merwe.
  • At the end filled-up all spaces with a X

  • Note: The annual fee for a Gauteng permit is R92 (updated Feb. 2024) - Permits CPA1, CPA2 and CPA3

GP Gauteng (Pta)

The Gauteng permits office has a branch in Pretoria at the corner of Lilian Ngoyi and Pretorius Street. Fedsure Forum Building, 7th floor. The banking details have also changed for payments

The contact person is:
Violet Ndongeni
Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
Biodiversity Management: Resource Protection
Permits Office
Tel: 063 695 2107
Email: Violet.ndongeni@gauteng.gov.za
Website: www.gauteng.gov.za/

  • Download the Permit Application Updated 2024 (Click to download)

  • Note: The annual fee for a Gauteng permit is R92 (updated Feb. 2024) - Permits CPA1, CPA2 and CPA3

    KZ KwaZulu-Natal KZN Wildlife
    Box 13053
    CASCADES 3202

    Attention: Sharron Hughes
    Tel: 033-845-1999 or 033-845-1324
    Fax: 033-845-1747
    Email: permits [at] kznwildlife.com
    Emails may also be sent to Brent Coverdale: Brent.Coverdale[at]kznwildlife.com

    Cost of the permit if no threatened or protected species (ToPS) involved = R50.00

    Cost if ToPS are involved = R100.00. We need a copy of the SAFRing licence. We need a return from the previous year if a permit had been issued. All queries or applications, POP and additional documents as listed above must be submitted to permits@kznwildlife.com for processing.(Updated April 2018)

    LP Limpopo

    (prev Northern

    Province)


    Limpopo Province (updated Nov. 2021)
    Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment & Tourism
    PO Box 419 
    Modimolle

    0510

    Att: Vivianne Mazibuko
    Tel: 014-717 1093/3873/5305 and ask for permit office
    Fax: 014-717-3567 
    Note: Annual cost is R70 (March 2022).

    PROCESS: email your application to Vivianne Mazibuko, tel 014-717-5383, MazibukoLVS@ledet.gov.za with your SAFRING authority card (and ringing data - see below), then he will verify and pass onto the permit office. He also needs a certified copy of your ID document (certification stamp must not be older than 3 months).
    Once received at permit office the lady above will contact you back with a payment ref-number then only do you do the payment of R70 into the bank account.

    The following extra detail must accompany every application:
    Date, Species name, Safring bird number, Location and Co-ordinates (degrees, minutes and seconds) for every bird caught in the Limpopo province for the previous year’s licence ended. If any of these are left out on the application, a permit will not be issued.
    All the contact details of the applicant with his Safring number must also be included. [add the co-ordinates as a 12 digit number – six for latitude and 6 for longitude].

    Download Limpopo application form

    These permits are valid for 3 years.

    MP Mpumalanga

    Permits Office
    Mpumalanga Parks Board, P/Bag X11338, Nelspruit, 1200

    narriman [at] mtpa.co.za or narriman.mtpa [at] gmail.com, 013-759-5348

    Note: R50 fee from 2013


    Download form here

    The new procedures for bird ringing applications will be: [from Dec 2014]

    • Apply/ telephone/ e mail Narriman Shaik of WPS unit of MTPA, narriman [at] mtpa.co.za or narriman.mtpa [at] gmail.com
    • WPS will supply/ e mail the new procedures to applicant
    • WPS will check if the application is complete or will request documents or payment fee that might not be not included,
    • WPS will forward the final documents to ornithologist
    • Ornithologist will then evaluate /check/ doc’s of application,, approve the permit, and send docs back to WPS
    • and finally, WPS will issue the Mpu bird ringing permit to the applicant.

     

    NC Northern Cape Northern Cape Nature Conservation Service
    Department of Environment and Nature Conservation
    Private Bag X6102
    Kimberley 8300
    Email applications to dencpermits[at]ncpg.gov.za / dencpermits[at]gmail.com / Marietjie Smit: MSmit [at] ncpg.gov.za / David Paulse: paulsedavid[at]gmail.com
    Tel: 053 807 7430
    Fax: 0866 597 032 / 086 5151 769
    Departmental Fax: 053 831 3530

    Permit costs R50. The application, tariff form, proof of payment of R50 and Newest safring card should be forwarded and for renewal applications the list of species and numbers must also be sent as well as the previous permit issued.

    Application form

    Tariff list
    NW North West
    2020: The North West Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development (READ) rolled out a new online application system (called “NIPAS”). Visit NIPAS to apply for your permit.
    WC Western Cape
    CapeNature

    Manager: Fauna, Flora, CITES & Hunting [contact: permits.fax@capenature.co.za]
    CapeNature, Private Bag X29, Gatesville, South Africa 7701
    Contact: 087 087 4088

    An online self-service permits portal allows one to register, upload an application form, and track the status of your enquiry.