The contest officially opens on June 1 of each year. Entries must be postmarked no later than midnight, August 15. For the latest information on contest time and place as well as all deadlines, please visit our website at http://www.fws.gov/birds/get-involved/duck-stamp.php or call (703) 358-2145.

(a) U.S. citizens, nationals, or resident aliens are eligible to participate in the contest.

(b) Any person who has won the contest during the preceding 3 years is ineligible to submit an entry in the current year's contest. For the 75th contest (2007) only, any artist, even those who won the 2004, 2005, and 2006 contests may enter. However, 2004, 2005, and 2006 winners must still fulfill their 3-year ineligibility terms after the 2007 contest. The 2007 contest will not count toward fulfilling ineligibility terms of 2004, 2005, or 2006 winners.

(c) All entrants must be at least 18 years of age by the contest opening date (see § 91.11) to participate in the contest.

(d) Contest judges and their relatives are ineligible to submit an entry.

(e) All entrants must submit a nonrefundable fee of $125.00 by cashier's check, certified check, or money order made payable to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Personal checks will not be accepted.

(f) All entrants must submit a signed Reproduction Rights Agreement and a signed Display and Participation Agreement.

The design must be a horizontal drawing or painting 7 inches high and 10 inches wide. The entry may be drawn in any medium desired by the contestant and may be either multicolored or black and white. No scrollwork, lettering, bird band numbers, signatures or initials may appear on the design. Each entry must be matted (on the front only) with a 9 inch by 12 inch white mat, 1 inch wide. The matting must be affixed with clear or white tape holding the matting to the picture. Entries must not be framed, or under glass, or have any protective covering (other than the matting) attached to them. The entire entry cannot exceed 1/4 inch in total thickness.

A live portrayal of any bird(s) of the five or fewer identified eligible waterfowl species must be the dominant feature of the design. The design may depict more than one of the eligible species. The judges' overall mandate is to select the best design that will make an interesting, useful, and attractive duck stamp that will be accepted and prized by hunters, stamp collectors, conservationists, and others. The design must be the contestant's original hand-drawn creation. The entry design may not be copied or duplicated from previously published art, including photographs, or from images in any format published on the internet. Photographs, computer-generated art, or art produced from a computer printer or other computer/mechanical output device (airbrush method excepted) are not eligible to be entered into the contest and will be disqualified. An entry submitted in a prior contest that was not selected for a Federal or State stamp design may be submitted in the current contest if the entry meets the criteria set forth in this section.

(a) Each contestant may submit only one entry. Each entry must be accompanied by a non-refundable entrance fee and a completed and signed Reproduction Rights Agreement and a completed and signed Display and Participation Agreement. The bottom portion of the Reproduction Rights Agreement must be attached to the back of the entry.

(b) Each entry should be appropriately wrapped to protect the artwork and then either hand-delivered or sent by registered mail, certified mail, express mail, or overnight delivery service to: Federal Duck Stamp Contest, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: MB, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041.

Each contestant is responsible for obtaining adequate insurance coverage for his/her entry. Neither the Service nor the Department of the Interior will insure the entries, nor is the Service or Department responsible for loss or damage unless such is caused by Service or Department negligence or willful misconduct. The Service and Department reserve the right to determine whether negligence or willful misconduct led to artwork being damaged. Entry fees for the subsequent year's contest may be waived for artists whose artwork we determine to be damaged by any negligence on our part. This waiver remains at our discretion.

Any entry that does not comply with the requirements of subpart B will be disqualified from the contest.