Can you tap maple trees on public land in Kentucky?

We found no Kentucky Division of Forestry rule, permit or program for tapping on state forests (the Division's regulations were not reached in this session — not confirmed). Kentucky's park-and-refuge statute (KRS 433.750) is written for parks, refuges and road rights-of-way rather than state forests. Ask the Division of Forestry's district office before tapping on a state forest.

Kentucky State Parks' regulations page quotes KRS 433.750: a person who "cuts, breaks, burns or otherwise damages any tree" on land "set aside, dedicated or maintained by this state as a public park or as a refuge or sanctuary" without first obtaining written permission of the superintendent or custodian "shall be fined not less than $25 nor more than $300." The same page cites a Department of Parks policy memo (87-11-5) prohibiting all collecting of plants without the Commissioner's written approval.

The Daniel Boone National Forest's permits page (updated January 2026) says forest products "may require a permit to be harvested" and directs people to district offices; it names firewood and special uses but not maple sap. The default federal rule prohibits damaging or removing any tree or forest product without authorization (36 CFR 261.6); ask a district office whether it would permit tapping (not confirmed).

Forests in Kentucky: Daniel Boone National Forest

Town, county and roadside trees

County and city parks and street trees need the local government's permission; KRS 433.750 also covers trees on state highway and county road rights-of-way, where written permission of the engineer in charge is required. No local tapping programs were surveyed.

Private land you don't own

Get the owner's permission. Kentucky's timber-trespass statute targets cutting: whoever cuts or saws down timber on another's land without legal right owes three times the stumpage value plus three times any property damage and the owner's legal costs, regardless of state of mind (KRS 364.130, as amended by 2017 Ky. Acts ch. 66). Tapping is not named. Use a written agreement; UVM Extension's annotated sugarbush lease is a usable template.

Lease rates seen in the sources: No Kentucky-specific survey was opened. UVM Extension's 2019 northeastern survey found private rents most commonly $1.00–$1.24 per tap per year ("Maple Rental Rates," January 2020).