Regulations for Prohibited Snakes and Lizards
FWC Commissioners approved rule changes to Chapter 68-5, F.A.C. on February 25, 2021 which added 16 high-risk nonnative reptiles to Florida’s Prohibited list. Possession of these species by eligible entities is now limited to the purposes of research, educational exhibition, control or eradication, and for qualifying commercial use sales (green iguanas and tegus only) and pet owners (green iguanas and tegus only).
Important Dates For New Rules
Effective date for new rules: April 29, 2021
90-day grace period to apply for a permit, upgrade indoor caging, and have any qualifying animals PIT tagged ends: July 28, 2021
180-day grace period to upgrade outdoor caging requirements for Prohibited reptile species ends: October 26, 2021
Persons or businesses in possession of the newly listed Prohibited reptiles for commercial sale use have until July 28, 2021 to liquidate their inventory in Florida. These species may not be possessed for commercial sale purposes in Florida after July 28, 2021, except green iguanas or tegus possessed by qualifying entities under a limited exception commercial use permit.
Apply for a permit
You can apply for a permit today.
The following species, including their taxonomic successors, subspecies, hybrids or eggs, are listed as Prohibited snakes and lizards:
- Burmese or Indian python (Python molurus)
- Reticulated python (Python reticulatus)
- Green anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
- Northern African python (Python sebae)
- Southern African python (Python natalensis)
- Amethystine python (Morelia amethistinus)
- Scrub python (Morelia kinghorni)
- Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus)
- Green iguana (Iguana iguana)
- Tegus (genera Salvatorand Tupinambis, all species)
See all the current list of all Prohibited species in Florida
Pythons can be humanely killed on private lands at any time with landowner permission - no permit or hunting license required - and the FWC encourages people to remove and kill pythons from private lands whenever possible.
The FWC wants the public to help remove invasive species such as the Burmese python and has made it easier for the public to do so year-round. Per Executive Order 20-17, Burmese pythons and other nonnative reptiles may be humanely killed without a permit or hunting license at any time throughout the year, except by use of traps or firearms (unless provided for by specific area regulations) on the following Commission-managed areas. Do not enter areas posted as “Closed to Public Access.”
Help remove nonnative reptiles from these Commission-managed areas:
- A I -FEB SGA
- Allapattah Flats WMA
- Allapattah Flats PSGHA
- Big Cypress WMA
- C-23/24 Reservoir PSGHA
- CREW WEA
- Dinner Island Ranch WMA
- DuPuis Dove Field PSGHA
- Everglades and Francis S. Taylor WMA
- Fisheating Creek WMA
- Frog Pond North PSGHA
- Holey Land WMA
- J. W. Corbett WMA
- John C. and Mariana Jones/Hungryland WEA
- John G. and Susan H. DuPuis, Jr. WEA
- Okaloacoochee Slough WMA
- Picayune Strand WMA
- Rocky Glades PSGHA
- Rotenberger WMA
- Southern Glades WEA
- Spirit-of-the-Wild WMA
- Stormwater Treatment Area 1 West PSGHA
- Stormwater Treatment Area 2 PSGHA
- Stormwater Treatment Area 3/4 PSGHA
- Stormwater Treatment Area 5/6 PSGHA
Live pythons may not be removed from these areas. However, python skins or meat may be kept for personal use. Python skins and leather products may be sold. PLEASE NOTE: Burmese pythons from Everglades National Park have been found to have very high levels of mercury; therefore, meat from pythons harvested in Florida may not be recommended for human consumption.