• No license is required to dig wild ginseng on private land in Ohio, but diggers are required to have written permission to harvest, and to keep accurate harvest records by county and collection date.

• The harvest season for wild ginseng in Ohio is September 1 to December 31. Fresh ginseng may be sold beginning on September 1, and dried ginseng may be sold from September 16 to March 31.

• Ohio requires that all harvested plants have at least 3 prongs, and that seeds be planted at the place where the plant was collected.

• An Ohio Ginseng Dealer’s Registration Permit is required to buy ginseng for resale or export from the state. Dealers must be informed of and comply with all state laws.

• Harvest of ginseng is prohibited on all state-owned lands in Ohio.

• The Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife, serves as the state’s ginseng coordinator. This office can be contacted by calling (614) 265-6300, or:

Ohio Division of Wildlife
Ginseng Coordinator
2045 Morse Road, Building G
Columbus, OH 43229

• A permit is required to collect ginseng in Wayne National Forest. Contact any of the Forest’s offices for information:

Nelsonville: (740) 753-0101
Marietta: (740) 373-9055
Pedro: (740) 534-6500