State laws

Alabama

Code of Alabama

Alabama Administrative Code

BANS

“Any canidae or felidae for which there is no USDA licensed rabies vaccine” *

Nonindigenous venomous reptiles (those that have never naturally existed in the state including families Viperidae, Atractaspididae, Elapidae, Hydrophiidae and Collubridae but excluding hognose snakes), walking catfish, black carp, piranha, mongoose, San Juan rabbits or wild hares, tegus, and US injurious birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. Excludes blue black herring.

Any of the following from outside the state: cervidae, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, skunks, wild rodents, wild turkeys, black bears, mountain lions, bobcats, Pronghorn antelope, nondomestic pigs, or bovidae, piranha, Nile perch, Asian seabass, barramundi, lates, macquaria perches, and giant African snail

Black bears as protected species*

Protected Nongame

Migratory Game Birds, game and furbearers (after 2003)

Native protected invertebrates

Cervid import by public zoo or wildlife exhibit or privately owned traveling zoo, circus, pet shop

PERMIT/LICENSE

Native turtles (commercial) - turtle farmer’s permit or turtle dealer’s permit

Public exhibition of wildlife permit*

Game breeders (Game birds, game animals, furbearers, and exotic animal propagation)

REGULATIONS

Import regulated except for displays for carnivals, circuses, zoos, and shows
Game Breeders must report escapes within 24 hours

Endangered Species Act species must be in compliance with ESA

LEGAL

Unprotected native species

Arizona

Arizona Revised Statutes

Arizona Administrative Code

BANS

Restricted live wildlife as pets.

Import of zoo animals except circus, show or zoo

PERMIT

Game Bird Hobby

Game farms

Scientific collecting

Sports falconry

Wildlife holding

Wildlife rehabilitation

Zoos

REGULATIONS

Import of petting zoo animals and macaques

Federal agencies/employees must comply with state permit requirements

LEGAL

Various native reptiles and amphibians

Species listed as exempt from restricted live wildlife species

Native nongame rodents (various)

Arkansas

Arkansas Revised Statutes

Arkansas Administrative Rules

BANS

Cougars
Large Carnivores (tigers, African lions, hybrids, and bears)
Apes, baboons, macaques*
Commercial primate facility except AZA, ZAA, research
Import Terrapene turtle, cervid, raccoon, bat, skunk, coyote, gray and red, wild-caught rodents, African lion, tiger, bear, mountain lion, waterfowl, Injurious Wildlife*
Wild caught white-tailed deer as pets (except 6 before 6/30/2012)
Captive born white-tailed deer and elk as pets after 6/30/05 and breeding, purchasing or selling*
Moving cervid if CWD found within 25 miles
Birds not kept in buildings or covered pens (considered escaped)
Take of wild birds or eggs unless exempt
Prohibited Wildlife Species

PERMIT

Wildlife rehabilitation
Falconry
Red/grey fox and coyote sales (Live Fox and Coyote Permit) – required for Wildlife Breeder/Dealers - limited to holding for 30 days and sale limited to foxpens for Commercial Wildlife Hunting Resort Permit holders
Breeding/dealing wildlife and exotics (Wildlife Breeder/Dealer Permit)
Import permit for wildlife not exempted
Entry permit for zoo, furbearing, wild and exotic animals, ratites, camels, cerivds and birds
Venomous reptile possession - Started 7/1/21
Conservation Education
Import aquatic turtles for commercial sale or propagation – requires Commercial Fisherman Permit and Sportfishing License, Aquatic Turtle Dealer Permit and Wildlife Import Permit
Permitted Wildlife Species

REGISTRATION/SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

All primates
Wolf Hybrids

LEGAL

Unlisted exotics as pets (if free from diseases)
Unrestricted captive wildlife
Coyotes, gray foxes, red foxes, opossums, rabbits, raccoons and squirrels or native nongame wildlife - 6 hand wild-caught and 6 captive born as pets - Captive must be from Wildlife Breeder/Dealer, from 20 animals allowed without permit or from import
Sale or transfer of up to 20 animals on permitted list for residents legal without wildlife breeder/dealer permit excluding large carnivores, mountain lions, primates, Cervidae, blackbuck antelope and black-tailed prairie dogs
Aquatic Wildlife Pets – 6 total native fish, snails and crayfish – aquatic turtles and salamanders under Chapter 9

California

California Code

California Code of Regulations

BANS

Restricted species as pets
Protected native species except conservation or legal import
Using bullhooks, ankus, baseball bat, axe handle or pitchfork for training or controlling elephants
Desert tortoises after 5/7/73
Nongame birds
State threatened/endangered species
Fully protected species
Black bass take/possess (most waters)

PERMIT

Exhibiting, breeding, zoos, research, brokers, and shelters of restricted species
Native reptile propagation except pet shops
Game Breeders (game birds and mammals)

LEGAL

Unrestricted live wild animals
Exempt restricted live wild animals
Native game, sun, and various freshwater fish

Colorado

Colorado Revised Statutes

Colorado Code of Regulations

BAN

Species not listed as exempt or domestic as pets
Non commercial use of felines, canines, bears, venomous reptiles
Terrestrial wildlife
Native and exotic mammals as pets
Prohibited aquatic wildlife
Native herptiles (various)

PERMIT

Commercial Wildlife Park(AZA, exhibitors before 1/1/06, sell/propagate/broker/transport, non AZA zoos)
Non-Commercial Wildlife Park (birds along with exotic mammals prior to 1/1/83 & offspring)
Wildlife Sanctuary
Raptor Educational Exhibitors License

LEGAL

Exempt species and domestic species as pets
Unregulated wildlife
Native - Game fish, certain native herptiles, game birds
Insects/arachnids not endangered/threatened
Common snapping turtles
4 each (12 total): Plains spadefoot, Woodhouse’s toad, Boreal chorus frog, painted turtle, Ornate box turtle, common sagebrush lizard, Ornate tree lizard, common side-blotched lizard, prairie lizard, plateau fence lizard, gopher snake, terrestrial garter snake, plains garter snake, common lesser earless lizard, tiger whiptail, North American racer, plains hog-nosed snake

Connecticut

Connecticut Revised Statutes

Connecticut General Statutes

BANS

Potentially dangerous wild animals (Category 1) as pets and certain USDA
Category 2 and 3 non domestic wild animals as pets*
Skunk and raccoon*
Wood turtles
Import/release of red sliders
Possess red-eared sliders except educational or research organization and distinctive aberrant color patterns

PERMIT

Category 4 non domestic wild animals
Wild birds or quadrupeds as pets or for sale
2 or more duck, goose, swan, quail, partridge, certain pheasants, ruffed grouse, nondomestic turkey, sika and white tail deer, raccoon, otter, beaver, or wild rabbit/hare as pet or sales

REGULATES

Bog turtles
Turtle sales
Primates under 35 pounds before 10/1/2003

LEGAL

Bengal cats
1 duck, goose, swan, quail, partridge, certain pheasants, ruffed grouse, nondomestic turkey, sika and white tail deer, raccoon, otter, beaver, or wild rabbit/hare as pet or sales
3 marbled salamanders, 3 spotted salamanders, 1 Eastern bog turtle, 1 Eastern hognose snake, and 1 Eastern ribbon snake
Guinea pig, chinchilla, gerbil, rat, mouse, hamster, Patagonia mara

Delaware

Delaware Code

Delaware Administrative Code

BANS

Breeding carnivores, hybrids of wild mammals, omnivores, primates or certain herbivores or reptiles except accredited zoo
Red fox possession/transfer for compensation except state owned exhibit
Bullfrogs*
Giving wild animals and hybrids non USDA approved rabies vaccines
Nongame wildlife as pets
Native endangered/threatened species

PERMIT

Non exempt exotic animals
Skunk and raccoon
Rehabilitators
2 or more native wildlife for commercial purposes/breeding
2 or more wild-caught herp

LEGAL

Legally taken bullfrogs
Exempt exotics
Game fish with no closed season
Invertebrates

Florida

Florida Statutes

Florida Administrative Rules

BANS

Class I wildlife and hybrids for personal use
Wild-caught fox, skunk, bat, raccoon, white-tail deer for pets
Venomous reptiles except USDA Class C and zoo
Reptiles of concern except USDA Class C and zoo
Import of injurious species
Prohibited and conditional nonnative wildlife
Possession, sale, breeding and import of Prohibited Reptiles except educational, research, eradication or control

PERMIT

Class I wildlife/hybrids for all other uses
Class II and III wildlife and hybrids
Temporary possession and import of wildlife
Exotic or pet bird dealers
Species of special concern
Falconry
Wildlife rehabilitation
Game farm (game birds and mammals)

REGULATES

Game fish

LEGAL/NO PERMIT

Domestic list species
Species not requiring a permit

NOTE: Florida counties can only regulate enclosure and only through their building codes

Georgia

Code of Georgia

Georgia Rules & Regulations

BANS

Inherently dangerous/regulated animals as pets
Threatened/endangered species
Native nongame other than herptiles and invertebrates

PERMIT

Inherently dangerous/regulated animals (wholesale/retail, exhibit, science/education or service animal)
Wild Animal Auction
Exhibition permits
Rehabilitation (releasable)
Bird Dealer
Film Production Wildlife Permit (film, video or digital projects involving wildlife)
Bird import
Restricted Java Rice bird and monk parakeet
Game birds (game holding permit)

LEGAL

Native reptiles/amphibians (various)