I decided to make this topic as a tool for people looking at their national, state and/or local laws or if they’re thinking about moving and want to check the laws on reptiles in that area. If there are any local laws in a certain state you can add that in the state drop-down. To edit you can either edit the topic or comment info and I can add it. I’m looking for info regarding what reptiles are legal/illegal to keep (whether exotic, venomous, local reptile found in the wild, is a license needed, etc.) and any laws restricting the sale of reptiles and/or licences needed to sell certain reptiles.
Canada
Alberta
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British Columbia
Vancouver
Native species are illegal including gopher snakes and bullsnakes
Manitoba
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New Brunswick
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Newfoundland and Labrador
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Northwest Territories
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Nova Scotia
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Nunavut
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Ontario
Toronto
All of the following are prohibited:
Alligators, crocodiles, gavials – and other Crocodylia
All snakes that reach an adult length larger than 3 metres (about 9’ 10")
All lizards that reach an adult length larger than 2 metres (about 6’ 7")
All venomous and poisonous animals
Source: https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/animals-pets/pets-in-the-city/prohibited-animals/
Prince Edward Island
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Quebec
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Saskatchewan
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Yukon
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USA
Alabama
All Tegus, Retics, (including super dwarf) ,most other giant snakes are prohibited. Law went into effect last year. All venomous snakes not native to the State, with the exception of hognose snakes, are banned. A free permit to keep current pets was due by Jan 2021 the permit does not allow breeding, selling instate, or replacing a deceased animal. The permit has to be updated every October with an inventory and detailed explanation of what happened to any missing animals.
the permit requires the animals to be pit tagged and gives the state the right to conduct inspections . (this is not a complete list, just the ones that I know about, needs further updating.)
Alaska
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Arizona
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Arkansas
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California
Details of amphibian and reptiles species not allowed to be kept/sold in CA without a permit…and such permits are not issued for pets:
CA - Exotic pets - § 671. Importation, Transportation and Possession of Live Restricted Animals | Animal Legal & Historical Center
Details what is allowed regarding the collecting of native reptiles and amphibians in California:
California Laws Regarding Reptiles and Amphibians
Colorado
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Connecticut
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Delaware
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District of Columbia
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Florida
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Georgia
Exotic animals ban list, including all crocodilians
Wild Animals/Exotics | Department Of Natural Resources Division
Hawaii
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Idaho
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Illinois
Permits are required to keep venomous snakes (including hognoses), endangered/threatened snakes, and native species. It is illegal to buy, sell, or breed any species of wild caught native species, or animals that descended from animals caught from Illinois.
Source: Snakes and the law in Illinois, Hognose snakes in Illinois
Indiana
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Iowa
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Kansas
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Kentucky
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Lousiana
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Maine
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Maryland
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Massachusetts
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Michigan
Regulations on keeping reptiles
I can’t find anything, it seems as if there aren’t any restrictions, someone can update this if they find anything
Regulations on taking wildlife
Taking reptiles and amphibians for personal use requires a fishing license. BANS taking herp for commercial purposes. BANS taking, possessing, buying and selling the following herp from the wild except by permit for scientific research, conservation, or educational purposes: Eastern massasauga, queen snake, blanding’s turtle, wood turtle, Eastern box turtle, grey rat snake except common albino colors, boreal chorus frog, Western lesser siren, mudpuppy, fowler’s toad, pickerel frog, Butler’s garter snake, smooth green snake. BANS taking and possessing wild-caught threatened and endangered species (includes Kirtland’s snake, copper-bellied water snake, Eastern fox snake, six-lined racerunner, spotted turtle, marbled salamander, small-mouth salamander, and Blanchard’s cricket frog) except by permit for scientific research, conservation, or educational purposes. Allows taking other native herp as follows: 10/day and possess 10 frogs, toads and salamanders, 2/day (1/species) and possess 4 (2/species) snapping and softshell turtles (snapping turtles must be 13”), 3/day (limit 2 turtles and 1/species) and possess 6 (limit 4 turtles and 4/species) of all other turtles, snakes and lizards.
Source: Michigan Exotic Animal Laws
Minnesota
Pet-trade sales of reptiles & amphibians in Minnesota.
Minnesota’s endangered, threatened, and special concern species.
Mississippi
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Missouri
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Montana
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Nebraska
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Nevada
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New Hampshire
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New Jersey
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New Mexico
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New York
All reptiles that are venomous by nature, pursuant to department regulation, and the
following species and orders: Burmese Python (Python m. bivittatus), Reticulated Python
(Python reticulatus), African Rock Python (Python sabae), Green Anaconda (Eunectes
maurinus), Yellow Anaconda (Eunectes notaeus), Australian Amethystine Python (Morelia
amethistina and Morelia kinghorni), Indian Python (Python molurus), Asiatic (water) Monitor
(Varanus salvator), Nile Monitor (Varanus nilocitus), White Throat Monitor (Varanus
albigularis), Black Throat Monitor (Varanus albigularis ionides) and Crocodile Monitor
(Varanus salvadori), Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodensis) and any hybrid thereof,
AND
(6) All Crocodylia.
Under the current regulation above, “No person shall knowingly possess, harbor, sell, barter, transfer, exchange or import any wild
animal for use as a pet in New York state,” unless they are properly licensed by the DEC.
Page 2: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/about/healthcode/health-code-article161.pdf
Page 3: http://nytts.org/nytts/NYS_and_Federal_Statutes_Applicable_to_Reptiles_and_Amphibians.pdf
New York state proposed regulation changes | USARK - United States Association of Reptile Keepers
North Carolina
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North Dakota
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Ohio
All of the following are illegal to keep, buy, sell, or breed:
Komodo dragons
Alligators
Crocodiles
Caiman excluding dwarf caiman
All of the following snakes that are twelve feet or longer: (I assume this means you can keep these species as long as they don’t grow twelve feet or longer)
Green anacondas
Yellow anacondas
Reticulated pythons
Indian pythons
Burmese pythons
North African rock pythons
South African rock pythons
Amethystine pythons
Species of the following families:
Atractaspididae
Elapidae
Viperidae
Boomslang snakes;
Twig snakes.
Source: http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/935
Oklahoma
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Oregon
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Pennsylvania
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Rhode Island
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South Carolina
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South Dakota
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Tennessee
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Texas
Texas turtle laws:
https://turtleowner.com/texas-turtle-laws-explained/
Utah
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Vermont
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Virginia
See source below for detailed regulations by location.
Virginia Herp Regulations
Washington
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West Virginia
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Wisconsin
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Wyoming
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Europe
In the European Union, Lampropeltis king snakes and african clawed frogs will be illegal to keep/breed/sell. Current animals will likely be able to be grandfathered in. As of August 2nd, it will be illegal to keep, breed, or sell Lampropeltis king snakes. African clawed frogs will have a 2 year delay before there are restrictions placed on them.
Adding Cities
Albania
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Andorra
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Armenia
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Austria
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Azerbaijan
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Belarus
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Belgium
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Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Bulgaria
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Croatia
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Cyprus
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Czechia
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Denmark
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Estonia
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Finland
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France
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Georgia
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Germany
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Greece
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Hungary
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Iceland
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Ireland
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Italy
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Kazakhstan
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Kosovo
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Latvia
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Liechtenstein
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Lithuania
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Luxembourg
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Malta
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Moldova
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Monaco
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Montenegro
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Netherlands
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North Macedonia
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Norway
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Poland
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Portugal
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Romania
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Russia
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San Marino
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Serbia
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Slovakia
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Slovenia
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Spain
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Sweden
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Switzerland
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Turkey
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Ukraine
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United Kingdom
England
All reptiles are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), which makes it an offence to intentionally (or recklessly, in Scottish law ) kill or injure a reptile . Breaching these laws can result in fines up to £5000 per offence and/or a prison sentence.
Mitigation licence for smooth snakes and sand lizards:
Smooth snakes and sand lizards: apply for a mitigation licence (A46) - GOV.UK
Possess or sell smooth snakes and sand lizards:
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European protected species: apply for a licence to possess them (A37 and LR37)
- 17 April 2018
- Form
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Licence to possess plants and animals for scientific purposes (CL01)
- 1 January 2021
- Statutory guidance
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Licence to sell animal specimens taken before October 1981 (CL07)
- 1 January 2021
- Statutory guidance
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Licence to sell protected plants and animals (A38 and LR38)
- 17 July 2015
- Form
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Protected animals: licence for taxidermists to own dead animals (GL02)
- 1 January 2021
- Statutory guidance
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Wild animals: licence for individuals to possess specimens (CL06)
- 1 January 2021
- Statutory guidance
- Wild birds and animals: licence to possess samples (GL10)
Survey or research smooth snakes and sand lizards
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Protected species licence for science, education or conservation (A29)
- 4 March 2021
- Form
Other licences
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Non-native (alien) species: apply for a licence to release them (A03 and LR03)
- 16 February 2021
- Form
Scotland
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Wales
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Northern Ireland
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