Beyond the questions driving an individual’s research, heading into the field and collecting specimens is one of the most enjoyable parts of field-based research. Acquiring the necessary permits and permissions to collect and bring specimens back to the University of Michigan, however, can be one of the most challenging parts of research. As the new EEB Museums Registrar, I will share some of my background and show examples of the best practices in navigating this part of research. As a part of the EEB Museums, I will show current examples from EEB curators, collection managers and graduate students on how to acquire specimens correctly.