Frequently Asked Questions

The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is a native Florida reptile and a threatened species under state law. It is protected by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Disturbing, harming, or displacing a tortoise or its burrow without a permit is a criminal offense under Florida Statute 379.231.

An FWC Authorized Agent is licensed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to conduct gopher tortoise surveys, apply for relocation permits, and legally capture and relocate tortoises. Without this authorization, any handling of a tortoise or its burrow is illegal. Mr. Tortoise LLC holds this authorization for all three counties we serve.

We serve Charlotte, Sarasota, and Lee counties — covering Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Englewood, Sarasota, Venice, North Port, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres, Bonita Springs, Estero, and surrounding areas. Call us if you're unsure — we cover a wide area and can often accommodate nearby locations.

It's not legally required before purchase, but it's one of the smartest due diligence steps you can take. If gopher tortoises are found after you close, you'll pay for the survey anyway — plus the relocation — and you'll lose construction time waiting for the FWC permit. A pre-purchase survey gives you the facts before you're committed.

We charge $350 per quarter acre. A standard residential lot is one quarter acre = $350 total. Larger parcels are priced proportionally. See our full pricing page for examples by property size.

Most residential lots (under 1 acre) take 1–2 hours on-site. Larger parcels take longer proportionally. The written report is delivered the next business day.

The report documents all active, inactive, and abandoned burrows with GPS coordinates, measurements, and photographs. It includes an aerial map with burrow locations marked and a tortoise population estimate. The format meets FWC requirements and is accepted by title companies and lenders.

FWC accepts surveys conducted within 90 days of a permit application. If your permit timeline extends past that window, a new survey is required before submitting. We'll advise on timing when you book.

You receive a written negative survey report. This protects you legally — it documents that a licensed FWC agent found no evidence of tortoise presence. You can share it with your title company or lender and proceed with your project without any further action.

No — as long as we have legal access to the property, you don't need to be there. We handle everything and send the report directly to you (and your realtor or attorney if you'd like).

Relocation is required any time you need to clear, grade, or disturb land that has active gopher tortoise burrows. Florida law prohibits any disturbance of a tortoise or its burrow without an FWC relocation permit. This applies to new construction, site clearing, road work, and agricultural clearing in tortoise habitat.

Our relocation service is $1,400 per job, covering up to 2 gopher tortoises. Each additional tortoise beyond 2 is $400. Off-site relocation also requires a separate fee paid to the recipient conservation site — we'll tell you that amount before you commit. See the pricing page for full details.

FWC permit review typically takes 2–6 weeks from the date of submission. We submit promptly after your survey is complete and follow up with the agency on your behalf. Once approved, the relocation itself takes only a few days.

No. You cannot disturb the area containing tortoise burrows until the permit is issued and the relocation is complete. Construction on other parts of the site (if unaffected) may be able to proceed — but check with us first.

On-site relocation means tortoises are moved to another suitable habitat area on the same property — simpler, faster, and no recipient site fee. Off-site is required when no suitable habitat exists on the parcel, and also for any waterfront or canal lot — FWC does not permit on-site relocation when a property borders a canal or waterway. Off-site carries an additional $5,000 per tortoise captured, paid directly to the recipient reservation (separate from our service fee). We assess which applies during the survey.

Yes — completely. We prepare and submit the permit application using your survey data and handle all follow-up with FWC. Most clients have no direct interaction with the agency at all. You'll get a copy of everything for your records.

Contact us immediately and stop all work in that area. The sooner an FWC-authorized agent is engaged, the better your situation. We can assess the site and advise on the fastest path to compliance. Do not continue work.

Contact us at mr-tortoise.com/contact or email tortoiserelocation@gmail.com with the property address. We'll confirm scheduling within 24 hours. You can provide the buyer's contact info if you want us to coordinate directly with them, or we'll go through you — your choice.

We schedule within 48 hours and deliver the written report the next business day after the site visit. For most deals, that's 2–3 business days total from when you contact us. If you have a hard closing deadline, tell us and we'll prioritize.

Yes — we offer referral fees for agents who send us repeat business. Contact us to discuss the structure. We keep it simple: payment by Zelle or Venmo the same week the job is complete.

Keep it simple: "It's an FWC-licensed inspection that tells us if gopher tortoises are on the property. If they are, we'll know what it costs to relocate them before you're committed. If they're not, you get a written report confirming that. $350, takes less than a day." Most buyers appreciate knowing upfront.