Palm Springs follows California Code of Regulations Title 14 Β§671 and California Fish and Game Code Β§2118, which prohibit private ownership of most exotic animals including large cats, wolves, wolf hybrids, monkeys, ferrets, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, and venomous reptiles. Palm Springs Municipal Code Chapter 10.80 adds local restrictions, and violations are enforced by California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Riverside County Animal Services.
California has one of the strictest exotic-pet regimes in the United States, and Palm Springs enforces it. Under California Fish and Game Code Β§2118 and California Code of Regulations Title 14 Β§671, private individuals may not possess as pets: all non-human primates; large cats (lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars); all wolves and wolf hybrids; bears; elephants; crocodilians; venomous reptiles including most venomous snakes (limited zoo/educational permits exist); most native California wildlife (raccoons, skunks, squirrels, coyotes, deer); ferrets; sugar gliders; hedgehogs; prairie dogs; and many exotic reptiles and birds. Legal pets generally include domestic dogs and cats, common domesticated rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, chinchillas, most parrots and domestic birds (not wild-caught), aquarium fish, and common non-venomous reptiles (ball pythons, corn snakes, bearded dragons, leopard geckos) and amphibians specifically listed as exempt. Exotic-looking but legal: servals are illegal; Bengal cats (F5 generation and later, after 5 generations from an Asian Leopard Cat) are legal under specific conditions. Violations under Fish and Game Code can carry fines up to $10,000 and criminal penalties, and the animal is typically seized and may be euthanized if no accredited sanctuary is available. Palm Springs residents moving from states with more permissive exotic-pet laws should confirm legality before relocating; ferrets that are legal in Nevada or Arizona become illegal upon entering California. Service animals, educational permits, and USDA-licensed exhibitors operate under separate rules.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact Palm Springs code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
Palm Springs, CA
Palm Springs restricts amplified music at residential properties, vacation rentals, and outdoor spaces under PSMC Ch. 11.74 with strict nighttime decibel lim...
Palm Springs, CA
Palm Springs enforces California Vehicle Code Β§22651 and Β§22669 and Palm Springs Municipal Code Chapter 12 to remove abandoned vehicles from streets and priv...
Palm Springs, CA
Palm Springs does not impose a citywide ban on overnight on-street parking in residential neighborhoods, but the 72-hour stationary limit under Palm Springs ...
Palm Springs, CA
Palm Springs requires a building permit and engineered plans for any retaining wall over 4 feet in height (measured from the bottom of the footing to the top...
Palm Springs, CA
Palm Springs defers to California Civil Code Β§841 (Good Neighbor Fence Act) for shared boundary fences. Adjoining property owners are presumed to benefit equ...
Palm Springs, CA
Palm Springs enforces California Building Code Appendix V and Health & Safety Code Β§115920β115929 (the Swimming Pool Safety Act) requiring barriers at least ...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Riverside County.
See how other cities in Riverside County handle exotic pets.
See how Palm Springs's exotic pets rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.