Clarksville, TN Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)
Key Facts
- Initial fee
- $50.00 to the police department
- Annual renewal
- $25.00, no new vote needed
- Approval body
- full Clarksville City Council
- Exempt
- zoos and transient circuses
- Wildlife defined by
- T.C.A. § 70-4-402(a)(1)
Summary
Clarksville makes it unlawful to keep Class I or Class IV wildlife under Tennessee Code Annotated section 70-4-402(a)(1) anywhere in the city without a police-issued certificate. The chief of police charges a $50 application fee, and the full city council must approve issuance by resolution vote.
Wildlife shall mane any Class I or Class IV wildlife as classified by Section 70-4-402(a)(1) Class I of the Tennessee Code Annotated. It is declared unlawful for any person to possess wildlife on or about their premises within the city limits of the City of Clarksville, except as hereinafter provided. Any person possessing wildlife on or about any premises within the city limits of the City of Clarksville shall first make application to the chief of police, or his designated agent, for a certificate to permit such possession; such certificate shall contain such information as may be required by the chief of police. A fee in the amount of fifty dollars ($50.00) shall be paid to the police department with the application... The provisions of this section shall not prohibit the possession of wildlife by zoos or transient circuses, and no certificate shall be required in these instances.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 110 Update 2 | Zoning Ordinance: Supplement 6).
Full Breakdown
Section 10-243 declares it unlawful to possess wildlife, defined by cross-reference to Tennessee Code Annotated section 70-4-402(a)(1)'s Class I and Class IV categories, on any premises within Clarksville city limits without first obtaining a certificate. 00 fee that becomes the police department's money to spend on law enforcement as it sees fit, win or lose. Before any certificate issues, the chief must file a resolution with the city council, and that resolution has to clear a favorable vote from a majority of the entire council membership at the next regular or called meeting; a failed vote means the certificate is denied but the $50 stays with the department.
00 without a fresh council vote, unless the animal is being moved to a new location, which triggers council approval again. Zoos and transient circuses are carved out entirely: neither needs a certificate to possess wildlife under this section. The ordinance dates to Ordinance No. 21-1988-89, adopted October 12, 1988, and sits in Title 10, Chapter 2 among the city's other enumerated public-safety offenses.
Violations & Fines
Section 10-243 does not spell out a separate fine for keeping wildlife without a certificate; enforcement runs through the permitting mechanism itself. The chief of police can decline to forward an application, the city council can vote down the resolution, and either way the $50 fee is kept by the police department regardless of outcome. A certificate holder who moves the animal to a new address without seeking fresh council approval loses the renewal path described in the section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to own an exotic animal in Clarksville?
What happens if the city council votes no on my application?
Are zoos or circuses exempt from this permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clarksville
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