Los Angeles, CA Animal Ordinances: Coyote Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Coyote trapping permit fee
- $200
- Trap deposit
- $100 (refundable on return)
- Neighbor notification
- Required within Department-established radius
- Prohibited trap types
- Leg-hold, body-gripping, snare, deadfall, body-crushing traps
- Exemptions (no permit needed)
- Rats, mice, pocket gophers, ground squirrels, moles
Summary
Trapping coyotes in Los Angeles requires a $200 permit from the Department of Animal Services, which may impose conditions including neighbor notification; inhumane traps such as leg-holds and body-gripping traps are banned entirely.
(a) No person shall set, or cause to be set, any trap to catch any animal, other than rats, mice, pocket gophers, ground squirrels and moles, without having first obtained a permit therefor from the Department prior to the setting of any such trap.
(b) The Department shall charge and collect for issuance of a permit to trap a coyote a fee of $200.00.
(c) The Department shall establish conditions which the applicant for a permit to trap a coyote must satisfy prior to the issuance of any such permit... The Department shall further ensure that those conditions will be maintained and that the permittee shall inform neighboring residents, located within a distance established by the Department, that coyote trapping will be occurring in their area.
(d) No person shall set, or cause to be set, any snare, body gripping trap, body crushing trap, deadfall trap, leg hold trap, or any trap or snare that captures an animal other than rats, mice, pocket gophers, ground squirrels and moles, by gripping or snaring any part of the animal including its body, head, neck or limb, or that maims or causes the inhumane death or suffering of any animal.
Full Breakdown
LAMC § 53.06.3 prohibits setting any trap for animals other than small rodents and moles without a prior Department permit. A specific coyote trapping permit costs $200 plus a $100 trap deposit (refunded on return). The Department establishes eligibility conditions and requires the permittee to notify neighboring residents within a distance set by the Department that coyote trapping will occur. Inhumane trap types, snares, body-gripping traps, leg-hold traps, deadfall traps, are categorically prohibited regardless of the target animal.
Violations & Fines
Setting a trap without a permit or using a prohibited trap type is a violation subject to misdemeanor prosecution. Permit may be revoked for non-compliance with conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I trap a coyote on my property?
Are leg-hold traps legal in LA?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Los Angeles
California rules heatmap·Compare Los Angeles to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Coyote Management in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle coyote management.