Tampa, FL Animal Ordinances: Exotic Pets (2026)

Florida regulates exotic pet ownership through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) under Florida Administrative Code Chapter 68A-6, with statutory authority from Florida Statutes Chapter 379. FWC divides captive wildlife into three classes. Class I wildlife includes large predators such as lions, tigers, bears, leopards, great apes, and crocodiles, and these species cannot be kept as personal pets under any circumstances. Class II wildlife includes species such as cougars, bobcats, servals, macaques, alligators, and large constrictor snakes, and requires a restrictive permit only available to qualifying facilities meeting substantial experience and caging requirements. Class III includes most other exotic species such as ferrets, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, parrots, smaller reptiles, and non-venomous snakes. A Class III personal pet permit is required for many Class III species, though FWC also maintains a list of species that do not require a permit for personal possession. Venomous reptiles and reptiles of concern such as Burmese pythons are separately prohibited as personal pets following 2010 legislation and subsequent rule updates. Owners must follow caging, feeding, and reporting rules, and escape of captive wildlife must be reported to FWC immediately. Tampa does not generally override FWC rules but enforces general animal cruelty statutes under Florida Statute 828.13, zoning rules that may restrict keeping certain animals in multi-family housing, and nuisance provisions. Rescuing or keeping native Florida wildlife such as raccoons, opossums, and songbirds requires a separate rehabilitation permit and is unlawful for casual pet keeping. Violations can result in fines, forfeiture of animals, and criminal charges depending on the species and circumstances.