Mushroom foraging laws in Pennsylvania

Summary

In state parks, Pennsylvania rules allow gathering fungi in reasonable amounts for your own or your family's use. State forest rules list fungus among things that need written permission, with an exception for edible wild plants that does not clearly cover mushrooms. Selling wild mushrooms requires approval from the Department of Agriculture first.

Public land

State parks: 17 Pa. Code 11.211 permits gathering edible fruits, nuts, berries and fungi, in reasonable amounts, for personal or family use (not threatened, endangered, rare or vulnerable plants). State forests: DCNR bars picking or removing plants, including fungus, without written permission, but permits gathering edible wild plants or plant parts for personal or family use. The forest rule does not say whether mushrooms fall under that exception, so ask the forest district. Federal and other lands follow their own rules.

Permits

State parks: no permit is described for personal-use gathering of fungi. State forests: written DCNR permission is needed to pick fungus unless the personal-use exception for edible wild plants applies. No separate mushroom permit is described.

Limits

State parks: 'reasonable amounts' for personal or family consumption; no numeric limit is set. State forests: personal or family consumption; no numeric limit found.

Selling

The Department of Agriculture's guidance (dated 8/2018) says harvesters must be approved by its Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services before harvesting mushrooms for retail or wholesale sale. Approval can come from an accepted identification course, a master's degree in mycology, or written verification from a recognized expert. Packages must be labeled with species names, harvester name and address, harvest location, harvest date and net weight. Food facilities that receive them keep records for at least 90 days. Mushrooms for retail sale should not be taken from federal, state or local parks and forests without written permission. Check with the Department that this guidance is still current.

Morel sales

The Department's guidance lists morels (Morchella spp.) among the wild mushrooms it considers approved, so the same harvester approval, labeling and record rules apply. The guidance is from 2018; confirm with the Department.

Sources

• PA DCNR - State Forest Rules and Regulations
• 17 Pa. Code 11.211 - Natural resources (State parks) (Cornell LII)
• 17 Pa. Code 45.32 - Plants in State Parks and State Forest lands (Cornell LII)
• PA Department of Agriculture - Wild Mushroom Harvesting in PA (guidance, 8/2018)

Last verified: November 11, 2026