St. Charles County, MO Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Section 205.080 states the rule flatly: it is unlawful "to sell, own, possess or harbor any wild or exotic/dangerous animal" outside the narrow exempt settings listed above. Chapter 205's definitions section, 205.010, defines an exotic/dangerous animal as one "not indigenous to the United States and/or not normally kept as a pet including but not limited to non-human primates, alligators, large carnivores, deadly or poisonous animals, wolves, coyotes or any animal bred with a wolf or coyote." The ban has one narrow release valve, not an exception to ownership itself: an exempt-location animal present in the county more than thirty days out of the year must be identified by microchip and that chip registered with the Division.

Section 205.080 sets its own escalating fine just for that microchip/registration failure, up to $100.00 a day, with a fresh violation running for every day the animal goes unchipped and unregistered. The underlying prohibition on illegally keeping the animal at all, separate from the microchip failure, is enforced under the Chapter's general penalty in Section 205.250, which the Department of Public Health's Division of Humane Services and the County Counselor apply through Section 205.260. Section 205.085(D) makes clear obtaining a kennel registration to exceed the county's four-pet household limit does not repeal or override the Section 205.080 ban on exotic and dangerous animals.