Hunting License Donations

If you’re unable to use your big-game hunting license and don’t qualify for a refund or transfer, the license can be donated to a youth hunter, or a NM resident veteran or first responder through a Commission-approved nonprofit organization.

Donating a License

  • To donate a hunting license, please e-mail the request to
  • All license donation requests must be received in writing.
  • Please provide your Customer Identification Number (CIN), or enough information so we can identify your account. Name and date of birth or last four digits of social security number will also work.
  • Once the Department receives a written request, it will be routed to the next approved nonprofit organization on the list.
  • Approved nonprofits can provide any eligible recipient.


Eligibility Requirements for Recipients

  • Recipient must not possess a current-year license for the same species
  • Youth recipient must be 17 or younger on the first day of the hunt and have a hunter education certification or mentor youth number, if applicable
  • Resident veterans must either have a NMDGF Disabled Veteran card, or must provide documentation of military service
  • First responders must provide documentation of employment as a law enforcement officer, EMT, firefighter, or other eligible profession
  • All recipients must pay any applicable fee differences and purchase or possess all required licenses and stamps prior to license transfer


Approved Nonprofit Organizations

  • Hunting license donation requests shall be routed to approved nonprofit organizations in a manner that is fair and equitable to each organization, and that does not allow Department staff to influence the process in any way.
  • Approved nonprofit organizations shall be ranked in order of Commission approval date.
  • Organizations approved at the same time shall be ordered alphabetically by name.


Department Procedures

  1. Ensure that written donation request is received.
  2. Route donation request to the next nonprofit organization according to ranked order described above (generally by e-mail). The requester may not specify what organization they wish to receive the request, and may not specify the category of the eligible recipient.
  3. Save a copy of the original license, specifying the name of the original license holder, species, GMU and initials of organization the request is sent to
  4. Nonprofit must provide NMDGF an eligible recipient within a reasonable timeframe, allowing time for the recipient to obtain the license and tag prior to the start of the hunt.
  5. When a recipient is found, ensure that the nonprofit organization has provided documentation that the recipient is eligible by rule if the recipient is a resident veteran or first responder
  6. Ensure that recipient has purchased a game hunting license and appropriate stamp(s).
  7. Once verification of eligibility and game hunting license purchase is complete, transfer the license from the original license holder to the recipient
  8. Offset fees paid by original license holder and collect any outstanding fees necessary so the recipient can print the license
  9. Notify recipient and nonprofit organization that the transfer is complete and e-mail license to recipient if possible