Wisconsin Reptile and Amphibian Laws - Specialty Serpents

Wisconsin Reptile and Amphibian Laws
The primary objective of this page is to provide the Wisconsin herpetological and herpetocultural
community with a comprehensive, ongoing, and up to date listing and resource on local municipal
ordinances throughout Wisconsin pertaining to the keeping of exotic or nonnative reptile, amphibian,
and invertebrate species. This listing does not include federal and international legislation and
regulations intended for the collection, transport, and possession of federally or globally threatened,
endangered, or otherwise protected species. There may also be applicable zoning ordinances pertaining
to the keeping and breeding of animals (or certain genra of animals) in your municipality that the
specific details of which will need to be researched separately. This listing also assumes all applicable
statewide regulations and restrictions pertaining to all species indigenous to Wisconsin, which can be
located on the following web site: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/er/laws/herps.htm
If you do not see your municipality listed below (in alphabetical order), or if you have
updates/changes/corrections made to your ordinances, please contact Eric at herpzone@gmail.com to
have your area listed or updated.
Allouez: No particular restrictions currently. Be cautious and responsible.
Altoona: Poisonous snakes, and snakes exceeding 10 feet prohibited.
Amherst: No current restrictions found. Be cautious and responsible.
Antigo: All poisonous animals and reptiles including fear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes, poisonous insects prohibited.
Appleton: Poisonous reptiles, crocodilians, and any snake or reptile exceeding 3 feet prohibited.
Ashland: No current restrictions found. Be cautious and responsible.
Ashwaubenon: Family Helodermatidae (Gila monsters and beaded lizards), family Varanidae (any
monitors over 2 feet), family Iguanaidae (green iguanas and rock iguanas), family Boidae (boas and
pythons over 8 feet), family Colubridae (boomslangs and African twig snakes), family Elapidae (cobras,
coral snakes, mambas), order Crocodilia, family Viperidae (vipers, adders, copperheads, cottonmouths,
and rattlesnakes), and family Nactricidae (only keelback snakes) prohibited. Also prohibited: centipedes
of the family Scolopendridae, family Loxoscelidae (brown recluse spiders), Family Therididae (widow
spiders), and scorpions of the family Buthidae.
Baraboo: All poisonous and venomous animals including snakes, crocodilians, constrictor snakes 3
feet or more and snakes not indigenous to Wisconsin except ball pythons up to 4 feet and boa
constrictors up to 8 feet.
Beaver Dam: Crocodilians, venomous reptilia, and reptilia over 10 feet prohibited.

Belgium: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Beloit: Wild, or undomesticated animals (whether born or raised in captivity) prohibited except for
captive bred birds, rodents, turtles, fish, and non poisonous, non constricting snakes.
Belleville: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes, poisonous insects prohibited.
Berlin: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or more,
constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, poisonous insects prohibited.
Black River Falls: Ordinances not found online.
Boscobel: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Brodhead: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes, poisonous insects prohibited.
Brookfield: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Brown Deer: Poisonous snakes and reptiles, poisonous insects and arachnids prohibited.
Burlington: Snakes, reptiles, and other “wild animals” prohibited.
Chilton: No current restrictions found. Be cautious and responsible.
Chippewa Falls: No current restrictions found. Be cautious and responsible.
Clintonville: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Columbus: Any poisonous snakes or snakes exceeding 3 feet and dangerous insects prohibited.
Cottage Grove: Non domesticated pets prohibited; no specific definitions provided however.
Cross Plains: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Cudahay: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictors 6 feet or more, poisonous insects prohibited.
Cumberland: All poisonous animals including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or more,
constrictor snakes 6 feet or more prohibited.
DeForest: All poisonous animals including rear fang snakes, poisonous insects and arachnids, All
large reptilia including all crocodilians and constrictors over 6 feet prohibited.
Delafield: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Delavan: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, poisonous insects prohibited.

DePere: Any poisonous or venomous species of reptiles, amphibians, insects, and arachnids
prohibited, snakes not indigenous to Wisconsin and snakes over 3 feet prohibited.
Dodgeville: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Eau Claire: Poisonous snakes, and snakes exceeding 10 feet prohibited.
East Troy: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes, poisonous insects prohibited.
Edgerton: Wild, exotic, and viscous animals including any poisonous snake, constricting snake,
tarantulas, and crocodilians prohibited.
Elkhorn: Wild, dangerous, or poisonous snakes and reptiles prohibited unless securely enclosed in a
manner to prevent escape.
Evansville: Permit required from county Health Dept. for any non domesticated animals.
Fitchburg: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Fon du Lac: Turtle eggs, poisonous snakes prohibited. Wild or viscous animals prohibited from
display.
Fort Atkinson: Wild, viscous, and poisonous snakes and reptiles prohibited from display unless
securely enclosed to prevent its escape and with proper DNR permits.
Franklin: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Germantown: Poisonous insects and arachnids, crocodilians, all venomous snakes and other
reptiles, constrictor snakes, snakes over 4 feet, monitor lizards prohibited.
Glendale: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, poisonous insects prohibited.
Grafton: Venomous snakes and other reptiles, constrictors and non venomous snakes over 5 feet,
lizards over 5 feet, crocodilians, and poisonous insects and arachnids prohibited.
Green Bay: Family Helodermatidae (Gila monsters and beaded lizards), family Varanidae (any
monitors over 2 feet), family Iguanaidae (green iguanas and rock iguanas), family Boidae (boas and
pythons over 8 feet), family Colubridae (boomslangs and African twig snakes), family Elapidae (cobras,
coral snakes, mambas), order Crocodilia, family Viperidae (vipers, adders, copperheads, cottonmouths,
and rattlesnakes), and family Nactricidae (only keelback snakes) prohibited. Also prohibited: centipedes
of the family Scolopendridae, family Loxoscelidae (brown recluse spiders), Family Therididae (widow
spiders), and scorpions of the family Buthidae.
Greendale: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.

Greenfield: Poisonous snakes and other reptiles, poisonous insects or arachnids, any constrictor
snake over 6 feet, all crocodilians and other carnivorous reptiles over 12 inches prohibited.
Green Lake: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictors 6 feet or more, poisonous insects prohibited.
Hartford: All poisonous or venomous reptiles and snakes, poisonous or dangerous insects and
arachnids, constrictor snakes, snakes over 4 feet, crocodilians, monitor lizards prohibited.
Hartland: Poisonous snakes and snakes exceeding 3 feet prohibited.
Hayward: No current restrictions found. Be cautious and responsible.
Hudson: Wild animals and reptiles prohibited.
Howard: Poisonous snakes, crocodilians, or like dangerous reptiles prohibited.
Janesville: Poisonous snakes, crocodilians, tarantulas, and constricting snakes prohibited.
Jefferson: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Johnson Creek: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians
prohibited. Non poisonous reptiles may be kept only if kept in a locked cage or container.
Kaukauna: Ordinances not found online.
Kenosha: Any wild animals not indigenous to North America, and with dangerous propensities
prohibited.
LaCrosse: Crocodilians, poisonous snakes prohibited.
Lake Delton: “Poisonous” snakes and snakes exceeding 3 feet defined as “wild animals” and others
defined as “exotic domestic animals”. No particular restrictions found; Be cautious and responsible.
Lake Geneva: Poisonous insects and arachnids, all poisonous snakes and other reptiles, crocodilians,
and constrictor snakes prohibited.
Lake Mills: Poisonous snakes, constricting snakes, tarantulas, poisonous insects and spiders, and
crocodilians prohibited.
Little Chute: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, poisonous insects prohibited.
Lodi City: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, constrictor snakes 6 feet or
more, crocodilians 30 inches or more, poisonous insects probibited unless in properly zoned districts.

Madison: Venomous reptilia, crocodilians, and all reptilia over 10 feet prohibited. Commercial sale
of red eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans), baby southern painted turtles (Chrysemys p. dorsalis),
and baby map turtles (Graptemys sp.) prohibited.
Manitowoc: Poisonous snakes, reptiles, and other exotic or wild animals prohibited unless written
permission from Chief of Police or designee.
Marshfield: “Poisonous” snakes prohibited.
Mauston: Wild, dangerous, viscous, poisonous, or carnivorous animals, insects, and reptiles
prohibited.
Mazomanie: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, poisonous insects prohibited.
Mayville: All venomous snakes, poisonous insects and arachnids, constrictor snakes, snakes over 4
feet, monitor lizards, crocodilians prohibited.
McFarland: Crocodilians, all reptilia over 10 feet, and venomous reptilia prohibited.
Medford: Ordinances not found online.
Menasha: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, poisonous insects prohibited.
Menomnie: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Menominee Falls: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Mequon: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Merrill: Crocodilians 30 inches or more, constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, all poisonous animals and
reptiles including rear fang snakes, poisonous insects prohibited.
Middleton: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Milton: Dangerous, wild, or viscous animals prohibited except nonpoisonous, non constricting
snakes bred in captivity.
Milwaukee: Commercial sale of turtles under 4 inches prohibited, No specific provisions on reptiles
or invertebrates. Be extremely cautious and responsible.
Monona: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Monroe: Poisonous animals prohibited. Non poisonous snakes under 6 feet, lizards, frogs, spiders,
turtles excluded.
Montello: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.

Mosinee: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, poisonous insects prohibited.
Mount Horeb: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Muskego: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, and poisonous insects prohibited.
Nekoosa: No pertinent ordinances found online.
Neenah: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
New Berlin: No person shall import or possess non domestic venomous snakes without notifying
and gaining approval of New Berlin police department.
New Glarus: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes, poisonous insects prohibited.
New Holstein: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
New London: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
New Richmond: Constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, crocodilians 30 inches or more, poisonous
animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes prohibited.
Oak Creek: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, poisonous insects prohibited.
Oconomowoc: Poisonous snakes exceeding 3 feet prohibited.
Oconto Falls: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 20 inches or
more in length, constrictor snakes 3 feet or more, iguanas, poisonous insects prohibited.
Omro: Any poisonous or venomous biting or stinging reptiles, amphibians, arachnids, insects, snakes
exceeding 3 feet, and snakes not indigenous to Wisconsin prohibited.
Onalaska: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, poisonous insects and arthropods, snakes 9 feet or more shall be registered; rock pythons,
reticulated pythons, green anacondas, and scrub pythons prohibited at any length.
Oregon: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Oshkosh: Snakes not indigenous to Wisconsin or exceeding 3 feet, all venomous or poisonous
reptiles, amphibians, arachnids, and insects prohibited.
Pewaukee: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Platteville: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.

Pleasant Prairie: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Plover: All poisonous animals including rear fang snakes, constrictor snakes, crocodilians, and snakes
“not naturally indigenous to Portage County” prohibited.
Plymouth: Crocodilians 30 inches or more, constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, all poisonous animals
and reptiles including rear fang snakes, poisonous insects prohibited.
Portage: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, poisonous insects prohibited.
Port Washington: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Poynette: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Prairie du Chien: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Prairie du Sac: All poisonous animals including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or more,
constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, and poisonous insects prohibited.
Princeton: Any animal with poisonous bites prohibited.
Racine: Restricted animals include crocodilians, venomous Reptilia, and snakes over 10 feet. $25 per
animal individual ownership permits allowed for individuals over 18 except for venomous reptiles.
Reedsburg: Sale and possession of any “poisonous” snake or snake exceeding 3 feet (wild animals)
and any wild animal not native to Wisconsin and may have been domesticated (exotic domestic animals)
both prohibited. No more than 2 of other animals (besides cats and dogs) over 4 months of age allowed
unless in areas zoned agricultural.
Rhinelander: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Rice Lake: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes 6 feet or more prohibited.
Richland Center: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Ripon: Animals other than domesticated pets prohibited.
River Falls: Crocodilians over 4 feet, poisonous snakes, large snakes over 6 feet prohibited.
Rothschild: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, poisonous insects prohibited.
Sauk City: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes, and poisonous insects prohibited.
Schofield: “Poisonous” snakes prohibited.

Sheboygan: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Sheboygan Falls: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Sherwood: Archived ordinances not found online.
Shorewood: Poisonous reptiles and snakes, crocodilians, poisonous insects and arachnids
prohibited.
South Milwaukee: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, constrictor snakes
6 feet or more, crocodilians 30 inches or more, poisonous insects, snapping turtles prohibited.
Sparta: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Spring Green: All wild or poisonous animals and reptiles, poisonous insects prohibited.
St. Croix Falls: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Stevens Point: “Wild”, “exotic”, and “farm” animals require annual city permit from Public
Protection Committee.
Stoughton: “Poisonous“ snakes and snakes over 4 feet prohibited.
Stratford: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, poisonous insects prohibited.
Sturgeon Bay: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Sturtevant: Restricted animals include crocodilians, venomous Reptilia, and snakes over 10 feet. $25
per animal individual ownership permits allowed for individuals over 18 except for venomous reptiles.
Suamico: Crocodilians, poisonous snakes, and other reptiles and animals not indigenous to
Wisconsin prohibited.
Sun Prairie: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, poisonous insects prohibited.
Superior: Poisonous reptiles, constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, crocodilians, and poisonous insects
and arachnids prohibited.
Sussex: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Thiensville: Crocodilians, venomous snakes, lizards capable of over 5 feet, non venomous snakes
over 6 feet, venomous invertebrates and amphibians.
Tomah: Wild and exotic animals prohibited; including snakes including constrictors.
Tomahawk: Contact city hall for ordinances.

Two Rivers: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Verona: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, poisonous insects prohibited.
Viroqua: Poisonous snakes prohibited.
Waterloo: No current restrictions: Be cautious and responsible.
Watertown: All poisonous animals and snakes, constrictor snakes 6 feet more prohibited. Limit of
10 live rodents, iguanas, birds, turtles, snakes or any combination of. Permit can be requested for other
species. Apply to health officer for permits/exceptions.
Waunakee: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians 30 inches or
more, constrictor snakes 6 feet or more, poisonous insects and spiders prohibited.
Waukesha: Poisonous insects and arachnids, all poisonous snakes and other reptiles, constrictor
snakes, crocodilians prohibited.
Waupaca: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Waupun: Poisonous snakes and reptiles, nonpoisonous snakes and other reptiles over 3 feet,
crocodilians disallowed unless kept in a locked, secure and controlled environment on the owner’s
property.
Wausau: “Poisonous” snakes prohibited.
Wauwatsoa: No specific restrictions found. Be cautious and responsible.
West Allis: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
West Bend: Poisonous reptiles and snakes, constrictor snakes, any snakes exceeding 4 feet,
crocodilians, poisonous insects and arachnids prohibited.
Westfield: No restrictions on reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. Be cautious and responsible.
West Milwaukee: Any animal, reptile, amphibian or invertebrate that could be dangerous due to its
size, venom, or generally known propensities, any constrictor snake over 6 feet, all crocodilians and
carnivorous reptiles more than 12 inches prohibited.
Weston: No specific herp ordinances currently. Be cautious and responsible.
West Salem: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Whitefish Bay: No particular restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Whitewater: Wild animals, dangerous animals, crocodilians, and poisonous snakes or reptiles
prohibited.

Winneconne: No current restrictions. Be cautious and responsible.
Wisconsin Dells: Commercial animal sales prohibited without an annual city license. Commercial
sale of turtles under 4” and viable turtle eggs prohibited. Snakes and other reptiles normally found in a
wild state prohibited.
Wisconsin Rapids: All poisonous animals and reptiles including rear fang snakes, crocodilians,
poisonous insects, and constrictor snakes 6 feet or more prohibited.