Fauquier County, VA Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration required
- before keeping any listed wild/exotic animal
- Covered animals
- monkeys, wolves, big cats, venomous/constricting snakes, alligators
- Registration fee
- $20 per registrant (§4-31)
- Exempt
- licensed vet clinics, circuses, temporary exhibits, education programs
- Point-of-sale notice
- required specific wording (§4-30)
- Penalty
- $150 civil penalty per 24-hour period (§4-28(h)(16))
Summary
Fauquier County allows residents to keep listed wild or exotic animals such as monkeys, wolves, big cats, poisonous snakes and alligators only if the animal is registered with the county animal warden first, under County Code § 4-29. Sellers must post a public notice at the point of sale, and violations carry a $150 civil penalty per § 4-28(h)(16).
Wild or exotic animal means any live monkey (non-human primate), raccoon, skunk, wolf, squirrel, fox, leopard, panther, tiger, lion, lynx or any other warm-blooded animal, poisonous snake, constricting snake, or tarantula, which can normally be found in the wild state or any other member of crocodilian, including but not limited to, alligators, crocodiles, caimans, and gavials. ... No person shall keep or permit to be kept any wild or exotic animal(s) as a pet or for display or exhibition purposes, whether gratuitously or for a fee, without first registering the animal with the animal warden pursuant to section 4-30 of this article. This section shall not apply to veterinary clinics, itinerant circuses, temporary performing animal exhibitions, or educational programs which are properly licensed by the federal government or Commonwealth of Virginia. ... The animal warden is authorized to charge a fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) per registrant to defray the cost of registration.
Full Breakdown
Section 4-1 defines wild or exotic animal to include any live monkey, raccoon, skunk, wolf, squirrel, fox, leopard, panther, tiger, lion, lynx or other warm-blooded wild animal, poisonous or constricting snakes, tarantulas, and crocodilians including alligators, crocodiles, caimans and gavials. Section 4-29 exempts veterinary clinics, itinerant circuses, temporary performing animal exhibitions and federally or state-licensed educational programs from the registration requirement. Anyone selling a wild or exotic animal must post a specific notice at the point of sale warning buyers that the animal cannot lawfully be kept without registering it with the animal warden (§ 4-30). The animal warden runs the registration system and may charge a $20 per-registrant fee (§ 4-31), and no registered wild animal may be released to the wild except as the warden authorizes (§ 4-32). Enforcement runs through the Sheriff, deputy sheriffs, the county game warden and the animal warden (§ 4-34).
Violations & Fines
Keeping an unregistered wild or exotic animal, or otherwise violating Article III, draws a $150 civil penalty chargeable once for each 24-hour period as a separate and subsequent violation under §§ 4-28(h)(16) and 4-33.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I legally own an exotic pet like a snake or monkey in Fauquier County?
How much does it cost to register a wild or exotic animal?
Are pet stores required to post anything about wild animals?
What's the penalty for keeping an unregistered exotic animal?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fauquier County
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