Frequently Asked Questions

Q:  How long is my permit valid?  

ANS, 
All permits sold by the Natural Resources Office have the expiration date specified on the permit  Most permits are valid for 1 year from the purchase date.  

Q:  I created an account in iSportsman last year, do I need to create a new account each year?

ANS.
No, if you already have an iSportsman account you do NOT need to create a new account again!  

Q: Does the Natural Resources Office offer family permits?

ANS.
No, each individual person must register for his/her own personal account. 

Q:  I've forgotten my username and/or password what do I do?

ANS.
1.) If you forgot your username and still have a copy of your printed (or electronic) permit, use your permit number as your username to log in.   

2.) If you forgot your password and did not enter an email address when you registered, contact the Eglin Natural Resources office for assistance.

Q: How come I can't see any available permits?

ANS.
Everyone who wishes to purchase permits on Eglin.iSportsman must watch the safety brief and correctly answer the questions.  After answering the questions correctly, you'll be able to view the available permits.  

If you want the FREE Beach Permit, you must first watch the Beach Video and answer the questions.  After answering the questions, you'll be able to view the beach permit.

Q: I can't find the permit that I want in the list of available permits and I have viewed the videos?

ANS.
If you accidentally click to select a permit, the number 1 will appear next to your purchasing cart (as it does with most online shopping websites, like Amazon).  If the permit you have selected is in your cart, it may not be found in the list of available permits.  Some permits can be selected multiple times, but most can only be selected once.  If you cannot find the permit you want in the list of available permits, check your cart: look at the top right of the screen for the blue button that shows your cart. 

If you are looking for a military, youth, or disabled hunter permit, your account information must show the correct requirements.  If you are looking for a military permit, your registration information must show that you are in the military or retired.  If you are looking for a youth or senior permit, your age must show that you are younger than 16 or older than 65.  If you are looking for a disabled permit, you must have a disabled number in your registration information.  If you are missing this information, the permit will not appear in the list of available permits.    

Q:  What if I purchased the wrong online permit?  

ANS.
The NRO cannot refund online sales.  The NRO can process your request for a refund through pay.gov.  The process takes weeks and weeks to process.

Q:  How do I know what areas are closed or open?

ANS.
We require all visitors on the Eglin reservation to check the PAM before entering the Eglin reservation for area closures.  The PAM updates periodically during the day and forecasts closures for 3 days.  Unscheduled closures may occur, in which case you should pay attention to any signs, road closures, and personnel in the field.  Our Outdoor Recreation, Hunting, and Freshwater Fishing Regulations booklet also has specific information about which Management Units are typically open or closed.   

Q:  Does the Free Beach Permit allow me to saltwater fish on portions of the Eglin open beach on Santa Rosa Island?

ANS:
Yes.  A separate Recreation/Fishing Permit is only required when fishing in freshwater ponds and streams within Eglin's boundary or when needing to drive through portions of the Eglin Reservation to access a fishing location (on the Bay or River) and is not necessary for saltwater fishing on Santa Rosa Island.  However, a State of Florida fishing license is required when saltwater fishing on Santa Rosa Island.