IWRC Foundations of Wildlife Rehabilitation Course: What It Covers and Which States Require It

The IWRC (International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council) Foundations of Wildlife Rehabilitation course is one of the most widely accepted training programs for new wildlife rehabilitators in the United States. It covers animal handling, housing standards, species-specific care protocols, intake and triage, record-keeping, and legal requirements. Many state wildlife agencies explicitly accept IWRC Foundations course completion as satisfying their training requirement, either as the sole accepted course or as one of several approved options.

Which States Require or Accept IWRC Training

Ohio (ODNR), Indiana (IDNR), Wisconsin (WDNR), and many other states explicitly accept IWRC Foundations as qualifying training. The course is typically offered as a multi-day workshop at regional training events, and increasingly as an online or blended option. Registration goes through the IWRC website at theiwrc.org. The National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA) also offers an equivalent Principles of Wildlife Rehabilitation course, and most states that accept one accept the other.

For specific training requirements in your state, see the state guides directory. To determine which training you need based on your situation, use the permit pathway finder.