North Las Vegas, NV Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)
Key Facts
- Wild animals
- Outright ban, no permit path
- Governing section
- NLVMC § 6.10.040
- Examples named
- Lions, tigers, bears, monkeys, raccoons, bats
- Pot-bellied pigs
- Separate, allowed exception (§ 6.10.020)
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine / 6 months jail (§ 6.06.050)
Summary
North Las Vegas bans keeping or publicly exhibiting any wild animal under NLVMC § 6.10.040: a flat prohibition, not a permit system. The code defines 'wild animal' broadly to include raccoons, monkeys, skunks, lions, tigers, bobcats, deer, bears, opossums, beavers, and bats, among other species not traditionally kept as household pets.
6.10.040 - Keeping or Exhibiting of Wild Animals. A.No person may exhibit in public or keep on public or private property any wild animal.B.For purposes of this section and this title, "wild animal" means an animal that traditionally has not lived in a state of dependence upon humans or has not traditionally been kept as a household pet. Such animals, include, but are not limited to, raccoons, monkeys, skunks, lions, tigers, bobcats, deer, bears, opossums, beavers, bats, etcetera.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 146 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
040 of the Animal Code states plainly that no person may exhibit in public or keep on public or private property any wild animal, there's no permit, license, or exception process built into this section, unlike the City's dangerous-animal or wildlife programs elsewhere in Title 6. 'Wild animal' is defined functionally rather than by a fixed list: any animal that has not traditionally lived in a state of dependence on humans, or has not traditionally been kept as a household pet. The code gives examples but says the list isn't exhaustive, raccoons, monkeys, skunks, lions, tigers, bobcats, deer, bears, opossums, beavers, and bats are named specifically.
020 carves out pot-bellied pigs, up to two per detached single-family lot, capped at 120 pounds and 22 inches tall, and registered with a nationally recognized pot-bellied pig registry, as an exception to the general pig restriction, not the wild-animal ban. 040 wild-animal ban itself.
Violations & Fines
Keeping or publicly exhibiting a wild animal violates § 6.10.040 and is enforceable as a misdemeanor under the Title 6 penalty provision, § 6.06.050, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both. Animal protection officers and police officers are authorized under § 6.06.020 to investigate and cite violations and may impound a wild animal held in violation of this section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep an exotic animal as a pet in North Las Vegas?
What counts as a 'wild animal' under North Las Vegas's code?
Are pot-bellied pigs banned as wild animals?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in North Las Vegas
Compare North Las Vegas to another location·View the Nevada animal ordinances overview
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Exotic Pets in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Clark County handle exotic pets.