Utah State Laws Governing Private Possession of Exotic Animals
• UTAH ADMIN. R. 657-3-17 - Personal Use.
A person may collect and subsequently possess live or dead zoological animals or their parts for a personal use only as follows:
(1) Certificates of registration are not issued for the collection and subsequent possession of any species or subspecies of zoological animals or their parts classified as prohibited.
(2) A certificate of registration is required for collecting and subsequently possessing any species or subspecies of zoological animals or their parts classified as controlled, except as otherwise provided by the Wildlife Board.
(3) A certificate of registration is not required for collecting and subsequently possessing species or subspecies of zoological animals or their parts classified as noncontrolled, except as provided in Subsections R657-3-20(3)(b), R657-3-25(3)(b), and R657-3-31(3)(b).
• UTAH ADMIN. R. 657-3-24 - Classification of Mammals.
(1) Mammals are classified as follows for collection:
TABLE 4
| Common Name | Family | Genus/Species | Classification |
| Abert's Squirrel | Sciuridae | Sciurus aberti | Prohibited |
| Bats | All families | All species | Prohibited |
| Bears | Ursidae | ||
| Black bear | Ursus americanus | Prohibited | |
| Grizzly bear | Ursus arctos | Prohibited | |
| Big game mammals | |||
| Bighorn sheep | Bovidae | All species | Prohibited |
| Bison (wild, free-ranging) | Bovidae | Bison bison | Prohibited |
| Elk (wild) | Cervidae | Cervus elaphus canadensis | Prohibited |
| Mule deer | Cervidae | Odocoileus hemionus | Prohibited |
| Moose | Cervidae | Alces alces | Prohibited |
| Pronghorn antelope | Antilocapridae | Antilocapra americana | Prohibited |
| Rocky Mountain Goat | Bovidae | Oreamnos americanus | Prohibited |
| Canids | Canidae | All species | Prohibited |
| Cats | Felidae | All species except felis catus which is domestic | Prohibited |
| Chipmunks | Sciuridae | Tamias/all species | Noncontrolled |
| Ground squirrel | Sciuridae | ||
| Golden-mantled | Spermophilus lateralis | Noncontrolled | |
| Townsend | Spermophilus townsendii | Noncontrolled | |
| Uinta | Spermophilus armatus | Noncontrolled | |
| Whitetail antelope | Spermophilus leucurus | Noncontrolled | |
| Hares and Rabbits | Leporidae | ||
| Cottontail | Sylvilagus/ all species | Prohibited | |
| Snowshoe | Lepus americanus | Prohibited | |
| Kangaroo mice | Heteromyidae | Microdipodos Megacephalus | Noncontrolled |
| Kangaroo rats | Heteromyidae | ||
| Merriam kangaroo rat | Dipodomys merriami | Prohibited | |
| Desert kangaroo rat | Dipodomys deserti | Prohibited | |
| Mustelids | Mustelidae | All species (badger, black-footed ferret, marten, mink, river otter, skunk, weasel, and wolverine) | Prohibited |
| Northern pocket gopher | Geomyidae | Thomomys bottae | Noncontrolled |
| Rats | Muridae | All species | Noncontrolled |
| Ringtail | Bassari-Scidae | Bassariscus astutus | Prohibited |
| Utah prairie dog | Sciuridae | Cynomys parvidens | Prohibited |
(2) All species and subspecies of mammals not listed in Table 4 are classified as controlled.
• UTAH ADMIN. R. 657-3-25 - Classification of Reptiles
(1) Reptiles are classified as follows for collection:
TABLE 5
| Common Name | Family | Genus/Species | Classification |
| Lizards | |||
| Banded gila monster | Helodermatidae | Heloderma suspectum cinctum | Prohibited |
| Desert night lizard | Xantusiidae | Xantusia vigilis vigilis | Controlled |
| Desert iguana | Iguanidae | Dipsosaurus dorsalis dorsalis | Prohibited |
| Mojave zebra tailed lizard | Phrynosomatidae | Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus | Controlled |
| Glen Canyon chuckwalla | Iguanidae | Sauromalus obesus multiforaminatus | Prohibited |
| Utah banded gecko | Gekkonidae | Coleonyx variegatus utahensis | Controlled |
| Utah night lizard | Xantusiidae | Xantusia vigilis utahensis | Controlled |
| Western chuckwalla | Iguanidae | Sauromalus obesus obesus | Prohibited |
| Snakes | |||
| California kingsnake (black-and- white banded form) | Colubridae | Lampropeltis getula californiae | Controlled |
| Desert glossy snake | Colubridae | Arizona elegans eburnata | Prohibited |
| Great Plains rat snake | Colubridae | Elaphe guttata emoryi | Controlled |
| Mojave Desert sidewinder | Viperidae | Crotalus cerastes cerastes | Prohibited |
| Mojave patch-nosed snake | Colubridae | Salvadora hexalepis mojavensis | Controlled |
| Mojave rattlesnake | Viperidae | Crotalus scutulatus | Prohibited |
| Sonoran lyre snake | Colubridae | Trimorphodon biscutatus lambda | Prohibited |
| Speckled rattlesnake | Viperidae | Crotalus mitchellii | Prohibited |
| Utah (western) blind snake | Leptotyphlopidae | Leptotyphlops humilis utahensis | Controlled |
| Utah milk snake | Colubridae | Lampropeltis triangulum taylori | Prohibited |
| Utah mountain kingsnake | Colubridae | Lampropeltis pyromelana infralabialis | Prohibited |
| Western rattlesnake | Viperidae | Crotalus viridis including all subspecies | Controlled |
| Turtles | |||
| Desert tortoise | Testudinidae | Gopherus agassizii | Prohibited |
(2) All species and subspecies of reptiles not listed in Table 5 are classified as noncontrolled.
(3)(a) Up to three reptiles of each species classified as noncontrolled may be collected and subsequently possessed without obtaining a certificate of registration. (b) A person must obtain a certificate of registration to collect and subsequently possess four or more reptiles of each species classified as noncontrolled within a calendar year, except as provided in Subsection (4).
(4) A person may collect and subsequently possess any number of the following species of zoological animals without obtaining a certificate of registration: (a) Side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana); and (b) Western terrestrial garter snake (Thamnophis elegans).
(5) A person may not transport a live snapping turtle or Texas spiny softshell turtle from the water from which it was captured without first obtaining a certificate of registration.
• UTAH ADMIN. R. 657-3-27 - Personal, Scientific, or Educational Use.
A person may import and subsequently possess live species or subspecies of zoological animals for a personal, scientific, or educational use only as follows:
(1)(a) Certificates of registration are not issued for importing and subsequently possessing any live species or subspecies of zoological animals classified as prohibited, except as provided in Subsection (b).
(b) The division may issue a certificate of registration to a zoo, aviary, government agency, a person involved in wildlife research, university, or college to import and subsequently possess live species or subspecies of zoological animals classified as prohibited if, in the opinion of the division, the scientific or educational activity is beneficial to wildlife or significantly benefits the general public without material detriment to wildlife.
(2) A certificate of registration, an entry permit number, and a certificate of veterinary inspection are required for importing and subsequently possessing any live species or subspecies of zoological animals classified as controlled.
(3) A certificate of registration is not required for importing and subsequently possessing any live species or subspecies of zoological animals classified as noncontrolled.
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