Charleston County, SC Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)
Key Facts
- Sale ban
- Wild carnivores may not be sold as pets statewide
- Exempt species
- Domesticated ferrets only, with proof of rabies vaccination
- Local permit list
- County Sec. 3-1 names 6 exotic families needing permits
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, magistrate's-court fine/jail under § 47-5-200
- Zoo exception
- USDA-licensed zoos only, no transfers to private owners
Summary
South Carolina law bars the sale of any carnivore that is not normally domesticated as a pet anywhere in Charleston County, covering raccoons, foxes, skunks, bobcats, coyotes, wolves, weasels and their wolf-dog or wolf-cat hybrids. A carnivore kept privately cannot be let run loose and then re-caged. Only domesticated ferrets are exempt, and Charleston County's own code separately lists exotic families, from bears to mongooses, that require a special permit.
(A) No carnivores, which normally are not domesticated, may be sold as pets in this State. A carnivore kept by an individual must not be allowed to run at large and then returned to confinement. A normally wild animal indigenous to this State, if held captive for a period of time, may be released to the wild. This section does not apply to domesticated ferrets. However, no ferret may be sold in this State without proper and current vaccination against rabies. Evidence of rabies vaccination is a certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian. A person who purchases or possesses a domesticated ferret shall maintain proper vaccination treatment for it annually. ... (D) This section does not apply to the sale, purchase, donation, or transfer of ownership of carnivores between publicly owned zoos or animal dealers located in this State and licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the Animal Welfare Act on the effective date of this chapter. These exemptions do not allow for the sale, purchase, donation, or transfer of ownership to private individuals in this State.
Full Breakdown
C. Code § 47-5-50(A), no carnivore that is not normally domesticated may be sold as a pet anywhere in the state, including unincorporated Charleston County. The statute defines the banned class broadly: raccoons, foxes, skunks, bobcats, coyotes, wolves, wolf-dogs, weasels, civet cats, spotted skunks, and lynx, plus any offspring crossbred with domestic dogs or cats (§ 47-5-20(1)). A carnivore already kept by an individual "must not be allowed to run at large and then returned to confinement," and a wild animal indigenous to South Carolina that has been held captive may instead be released back to the wild.
Domesticated ferrets are the only species carved out of the sale ban, though every ferret sold in the state must carry current rabies vaccination proof (§ 47-5-50(A)). 131). Charleston County's own animal code goes further at the local level: Sec. 3-1 defines a lawful "pet" as only a dog or cat, and separately lists six families, Canidae (coyotes, wolves, foxes), Ursidae (bears), Procyonidae (raccoons), Mustelidae (weasels, ferrets, otters, badgers, skunks), Viverridae (mongooses), and Felidae (wild cats), as "exotic pets or wildlife which require special permits" before anyone may keep one.
Violating the state sale ban is enforced as a Title 47 offense; § 47-5-210 confirms the ban does not preempt Charleston County from imposing further restrictions of its own.
Violations & Fines
A person who sells or offers a prohibited wild carnivore as a pet, or who violates any Title 47 Chapter 5 provision, is guilty of a misdemeanor under S.C. Code § 47-5-200 and must be punished up to the maximum penalties a magistrate's court can impose, meaning fines and jail time set at that level. Charleston County animal control officers and the state Department of Public Health share enforcement, and county code layers its own special-permit requirement for the exotic families listed in Sec. 3-1.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I legally own a pet raccoon or fox in Charleston County?
Are pet ferrets banned along with other exotic carnivores?
What happens if someone is caught selling a wild carnivore as a pet?
Does Charleston County have its own exotic-pet permit rule beyond state law?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Charleston County
Compare Charleston County to another location·View the South Carolina animal ordinances overview
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