CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. — Saw palmettos are in bloom, which means their berries are in plentiful supply.
But before you reach out to grab a handful, officials want to remind you about the legal ramifications.
Saw palmetto berry harvesting requires a permit, and has done since July 2018.
Click here to download the permit [PDF].
In addition, you must have permission from the landowner before you can harvest.
Other tips, provided by the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office:
- When applying for the permit, the property owner's information and contact number will need to be submitted with the application on the second page.
- When led by a crew leader as a day worker, the picker does not need a permit but the crew leader does. The names of the day workers do not need to be on the permit.
- There still is no fee for the permit. It takes up to 14 days for the processing and issuance of the permit.
- Berries cannot be harvested until the permit is in the possession of the harvester.
Violations of this law are a misdemeanor.
