Laws, legislation, and selling by location

All Reptiles Legislation
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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

It is currently (as of 2024) illegal to own any captive bred colubrid/reptile that breeds in North America unless you are a licensed breeder through Colorado Parks and Wildlife. This includes, Milk Snakes, King Snakes, Corn Snakes, Garter Snakes, Hognose Snakes and more.

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

https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/Licenses/captive.aspx

Here are the regulations below; permits are needed with native species (in the 2nd link below)

https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/plants_wildlife/herps/Herp-Ethics.aspx
https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/Licenses/captive.aspx

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: http://www.uappeal.org/michigan.html

Minnesota

Pet-trade sales of reptiles & amphibians in Minnesota.

Minnesota’s endangered, threatened, and special concern species.

Endangered and Threatened Species Permits.

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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Anyone selling more than 5 pet animals in a calender year must register as a supplier of pet animals. Registration is free, but must be signed off on by a vet you hire at your own expense, and must be reinspected by your vet yearly. Registered premises are liable to be inspected by law enforcement, officials from the department of agriculture, the ispca and other named entities.

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:

Survey or research smooth snakes and sand lizards

Other licences

Scotland

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Wales

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Northern Ireland

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Done! :metal:
Also added some countries/states.

Love this idea.

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I’d love if someone could explain the laws about owning and possessing a Retic in the state of Florida. @erie-herps this is a wonderful topic, I believe that it much needed.

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@eaglereptiles: Thanks for making it a wiki
@lumpy: Thank you, I had thought about making this for a while and I hope this will help some people, below are a few things I’ve found about keeping Retics in Florida, I’m not totally sure about any of it so keep that in mind as you read it.
According to the sites below it looks as if they’re illegal to keep as pets aside from educational purposes.
Until you have professional advice or can find more details on this on an official site then I’d play it safe and not possess one, you could go to expos in Florida and if anyone has retics for sale you could inquire about keeping them. These websites don’t go into much detail on the bill so it looks like they’re illegal to possess, the websites don’t mention any way around it. The actual bills might have more details about exceptions like education, permits, wild-caught, etc.


https://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/invaderupdater/legislation.shtml
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Here in Toronto Ontario Canada where Im at anything venomous no matter how mild including Tarantulas and such is forbidden (although I dunno about say hognoses or something like that although something like a FWC is prob not allowed) and with herps size plays a role on if its allowed or not. Lizards cant be more than 2 M (6’8" or so) max adult size and with snakes the max size allowed is 3 M (about 10 ft). Any lizard or snake over these parameters is forbidden even if non venomous under city animal bylaw (I plan to try to have this changed once covid dies down)

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@beast-blade-wolf_987: I added it under Ontario, from what I’ve found it looks like everything venomous or poisonous is prohibited.

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Yep unfortunately. Im fine with the serious stuff like vipers, elapids and powerfully venomous inverts staying off-limits but more “tame” stuff like hognoses, FWCs, most Ts, things like that I hope to see earn their place in the future in the hands of responsible owners who do their homework and have a decent respect for such creatures. Venom isnt something to be feared its to be respected. After all its nothing more than just another of natures tools that some species get to possess…no different then a porcupine’s quills or the talons of a bird of prey.

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Anyone have any idea on permits/restrictions for breeding and selling reptiles in NC?

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Your best bet is to contact the local USFW and talk with them, they would have the most current information

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It’s recently been announced lampropeltis king snakes are to be banned in the EU on Europe due to them decimating bird populations on the canary islands.
From 2nd of August it’ll be illegal to keep breed or sell them with the exception of animals already in people’s collections or if they own any.

As of now I don’t know how it’ll affect people in Ireland or my neighbors in the UK.

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My parents are planning to move to Utah at some point. Just wondering if Tegus specifically are legal in the state or do they need a permit?

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From my quick Google search:

Utah Code §23-20-25 outlines the exhibition of a license, permit, tag, or device required in Utah. Violation of this code results in a misdemeanor.

Utah’s Administrative Code governs administrative rules. As it pertains to this subject, Rule R657-3 governs the Collection, Importation, Transportation, and Possession of Animals. R657-3(2)(a) states:

A person may import or possess a live animal or parts classified as non-controlled for commercial use or a commercial venture. Except for native or naturalized animals, animals may not be sold or traded unless they originate from a captive-bred population.

Utah has specific rules regarding certificates of registration as to reptiles and amphibians. These rules are found in Utah Administrative Code R657.35. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources also has a “Utah Reptiles and Amphibians Online Guide Book,” which provides information and guidance on this subject. Before considering ownership of an exotic reptile or amphibian, I recommend spending time reading the Online Guide Book as the website outlines new rules issued in 2020

I would advocate starting by looking up the cited rules and then follow up with Utah’s DoW for specifics

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Does anyone have a clear understanding about Corn Snakes in Tennessee? Stores sell them, expo’s have them, but I have been told Corn’s, King’s, Milk and Garters are not legal to own. Then I was told You can own them but they have to be a non-native morph. And you cannot breed or sell them without permits etc. Thx

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So, you can own them, however to buy/sell/breed you will need a propagation permit, as far as I can tell. Native reptiles are considered class II animals. Here’s where I got the information: https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/1660/1660-01/1660-01-18.20220130.pdf

Edited to add: If/when you do purchase, you will need to keep proof of that transaction.

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Does anyone know about reptiles laws in Ireland? I cant find any information on what snake species are not allowed.

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There are no species that are specifically banned in Ireland only. However, we are subject to EU regulations on invasive alien species. The only snake species listed is the common kingsnake, lampropeltis getula. Unfortunately most of the common subspecies of kingnsnakes in the hobby are part of this species (californians, chains, mexican blacks, floridas etc) there are some other herps listed here also, such as african clawed frogs and the T. scripta slider species.

There are some other regulations, such as:

If you wish to own a snake on annex A of cites, you will need to make sure it is microchipped and accompanied by an A10 certificate on purchasing.

If you intend on breeding snakes you will need to register as a seller of pet animals also.

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Tegus do not fit the definition of a “prohibited species” as defined by Utah’s Administrative code, R657-53-9. However, the local city code may have different restrictions, so you would have to look that up as well.

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Does anyone have an updated list of which states restrict keeping Western hognose?

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Believe there are only 4 states at the moment. (someone please correct me if I’m wrong.)

IA you cannot own them, CO I believe you can have wild caught ones with a limit of how many, otherwise you have to be a licensed business and breeder with the state from what I’m seeing.
While MO and IL require a permit to own them.

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Colorado law allows four total species from a list of 16 at any one time, wild caught, as pets. They do not allow the sale, trade, transfer, or breeding of Plains Hognoses unless you are licensed, indeed. That process, however, is not easy and has lots of requirements, and afaik there is only one known licensed breeder there. This also means you can’t even purchase from a licensed breeder in CO unless you are licensed as well.
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