Need wood to burn? State forest fuelwood permits available now

Interested in collecting fuelwood for personal use from state forest land? Permits now are available for use on select state-managed land in Michigan's Upper and northern Lower peninsulas.

Permits cost $20 per household, with a limit of one per year. A permit allows you to collect five standard cords of wood, which is a stack measuring 4 feet by 4 feet by 8 feet. In the 12 counties of the northern Lower Peninsula affected by the ice storm in March 2025, the permit allows for collection of up to 10 cords of wood.

All collected wood must be from already dead and downed trees within 200 feet of the road.

Purchase options

There are three convenient ways to get a fuelwood permit:

• Buy online at mdnr-elicense.com.
• Purchase in person at DNR customer service centers in the northern Lower Peninsula or Upper Peninsula. A few forestry field offices also will sell permits in person; call to confirm business hours and availability.
• Mail an application to the DNR office that manages the state forest land where you wish to collect fuelwood.

Permits are valid for 90 days after the date they are issued, but all expire Dec. 31 regardless of when they were purchased.

Safe, sustainable collecting

A few rules are in place to ensure wood is collected safely and sustainably:

• Do not drive vehicles off the road, though you may use a wheelbarrow or handcart to move wood to your vehicle.
• Gather wood only from already dead and downed trees; do not remove wood from trees that are dead and still standing.
• You must have your permit with you and fill out the collection log before transporting your wood. Failure to do so could result in a citation.
• You may not sell or trade firewood; it is for personal use only.

When moving firewood across distances, there’s always risk of spreading invasive pests and diseases. Collect wood near where it will be used.

For more information and answers to frequently asked questions, visit Michigan.gov/Fuelwood.