Nashville, TN Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Metro Code Ch. 8.16
- Covered animals
- Class I/IV wildlife, big cats, wolves
- Certificate fee
- $50 application, $25 renewal
- Approval required
- Metro Council resolution vote
- Acreage exemption
- 3+ acre premises exempt
Summary
Metro Nashville bans keeping wildlife, Class I and IV species plus pumas, cougars, cheetahs and wolves, as pets without a $50 certificate approved by the Metro Council; the ban does not reach lots of three acres or more.
"Wildlife" means any Class I or Class IV wildlife as classified by Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-4-403, and shall also mean pumas, cheetahs, cougars and wolves. ... It is unlawful for any person to possess wildlife on or about their premises within the area of the metropolitan government except as provided in this chapter. ... the provisions of this chapter shall not be applicable for any premises within the area of the metropolitan government that contain three or more acres.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 53 | Charter: Republication 9).
Full Breakdown
Metropolitan Code of Laws Chapter 8.16 makes it unlawful to possess "wildlife", defined as Class I or Class IV wildlife under T.C.A. § 70-4-403, plus pumas, cheetahs, cougars and wolves, anywhere in Davidson County. The only path to legally keep one is a certificate from the health director, which requires a $50 application fee and an affirmative resolution of approval from the full Metro Council (or 60 days passing with no council action). Renewal is $25 a year. Zoos, circuses, schools, colleges and animal rehabilitation centers are exempt and need no certificate, and the whole chapter drops away on any premises of three acres or more.
Violations & Fines
No specific penalty is written into Chapter 8.16, so the Code's general penalty section applies: violations are punishable by up to $50, with every day the animal is kept without a certificate counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I legally own a cougar or wolf in Nashville?
Does the wildlife ban apply on large rural lots?
Are zoos and schools exempt from the certificate?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nashville
Compare Nashville to another location·View the Tennessee animal ordinances overview
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