Raccoons, squirrels or bats in the attic: who can legally remove them?

Updated November 10, 2026 · KeystoneProGuide editorial team

Who is allowed to remove wildlife from your house?

Anyone you pay must hold a permit. The Pennsylvania Game Commission's regulation in 58 Pa. Code says a nuisance wildlife control operator permit is required for anyone who traps, harasses, moves, releases or kills designated wildlife for another person, or offers to, when the animal is a nuisance, damaging property or a risk to health. The permit covers that work at any time of year.

This is a different license from the pesticide license an exterminator holds. A company that treats your home for insects and mice is regulated by the Department of Agriculture; the person who takes a raccoon out of the attic is regulated by the Game Commission. If a company offers wildlife removal, ask to see the Game Commission permit; the regulation says operators must carry it and show it to an officer on request.

What does the permit require?

• An exam. New operators must score at least 80% on a supervised written exam covering wildlife biology, control methods and euthanasia, the law, diseases and parasites, and public relations.
• A clean record. A conviction under the Game and Wildlife Code within 5 years bars a permit.
• Your approval. The operator must have the approval of the property owner or tenant and keep the work to that property.
• Records. Operators keep records for 3 years and report each month to the district wildlife conservation officer what species they took and what happened to them.

What happens to the animal?

The regulation sets the rules. Approved methods include box and cage traps, foot-hold and body-gripping traps, nets and snares. Traps must carry the permit number and be checked at least once every calendar day, and only the operator may take an animal out. An animal caught alive must, within 24 hours, either be killed humanely or released in an area open to hunting or trapping.

There is one exception: the regulation says rabies vector species, a term defined elsewhere in the Game Commission's rules, must be euthanized rather than released. Ask any operator which animals that covers and what will happen to the one in your attic.

Some animals need the Game Commission's prior approval even for a permit holder, including deer, black bears, wild turkeys, beavers and bobcats. Migratory birds need a federal permit, and threatened or endangered species need special permits.

Can you deal with it yourself?

On your own property, sometimes. Penn State Extension's landowner guide, prepared with the Game Commission, says protection is removed from most wildlife when it is damaging personal property, and only the owner or the person in charge of the property may then take it. Migratory birds, big game and threatened or endangered species are excluded. No animal taken this way may be kept alive, sold or given away. The guide's advice if you are unsure a method is legal is to call your regional Game Commission office before acting.

What about bats?

Treat them differently, because of rabies. The CDC says bats are the most reported animals with rabies in the United States, and that most people in the country who die of rabies were exposed to a rabid bat. Bat bites can be tiny enough to go unnoticed. Its advice:

• Do not touch a bat.
• If you find a bat in your home, contact animal control or the health department so it can be captured for rabies testing, and do not release it until you have talked with a public health expert.
• If you think anyone has had contact with a bat, talk to your health department.

Penn State Extension's article on bats in the house in winter says a bat found indoors then is most likely a big brown bat, which hibernates in attics and walls and can wander into living space when it wakes. Penn State's article says such a bat can be caught under a container, wearing gloves, and released outdoors if it is above freezing; it does not discuss contact with people. The CDC's advice is stricter, and where anyone might have touched the bat or been bitten without noticing, the CDC's advice is the one to follow.

The regulation adds a limit for operators: they may not kill five or more bats at one location without special written permission.

How are bats kept out?

The CDC says bats can fit through openings as small as a quarter of an inch, and that an animal control or wildlife agency can bat-proof a home. Its method is to watch where bats leave at dusk, hang plastic sheeting or netting loosely over the exits so bats can get out but not back in, and seal the openings once all have gone. It says fall and winter are the best times, and that excluding bats between May and August can trap young bats inside. Some bats are endangered, so local rules apply.

The same sealing protects against rodents. The CDC's rodent guidance lists roof rafters, gables, eaves and soffits among the places to check.

What does removal cost?

HomeGuide lists wildlife removal at $200 to $600, with squirrel removal at $300 to $600, raccoon removal at $200 to $300, and bat removal at $250 to $600 for up to 5 bats. HomeAdvisor puts bat removal at $230 to $700. Ask whether sealing entry points and repairs are included.

In Philadelphia, nuisance wildlife such as squirrels and pigeons is handled by ACCT Philly, the city's animal care and control service.

For other pests that get into attics and walls, see mice and rats, and for licensing in general see Pennsylvania's rules.

Sources

1. 58 Pa. Code Subchapter T. Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Code)
2. Landowner's Guide to Wildlife Control and Prevention Laws in Pennsylvania, Penn State Extension
3. Preventing Rabies from Bats, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
4. Bats in the House in Winter, Penn State Extension
5. How to Seal Up to Prevent Rodents, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
6. How Much Does Pest Control Cost?, HomeGuide
7. How Much Does Pest Control Cost in 2026?, HomeAdvisor
8. Report rats, City of Philadelphia