Delaware Exotic Pets Law: Statewide Animal Ordinances Rules (2026)

Key Facts

Statute: 3 Del. C. Chapter 72
Permit fee: $25
Issuing agency: Department of Agriculture
Max jail: 30 days per violation

Full Breakdown

Under 3 Del. C. Chapter 72, no person may bring into Delaware, possess, sell, or exhibit any live wild mammal, hybrid of a wild mammal, or live reptile not native to or generally found in Delaware without first securing a permit from the Department of Agriculture. Permits cost $25 and are issued only when possession serves the public interest. Poisonous snakes native to other regions are flatly prohibited regardless of permit, with narrow exceptions for medical research, scientific research, or licensed zoological displays. The permit framework is statewide, and local rules cannot authorize possession that the Department has refused to permit.

Violations & Penalties

Fine up to $500 and/or imprisonment up to 30 days per violation; animals may be seized and forfeited.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I keep a serval, monkey, or fennec fox in Delaware?

Only with a Department of Agriculture permit issued under Chapter 72, and only if the Department finds public-interest justification. Most private pet applications for non-native wild mammals are denied.

Are non-native venomous snakes allowed with a permit?

No. Delaware bans possession of poisonous snakes not native to the state outright, with narrow exceptions limited to medical research, scientific research, or licensed zoological displays.

Delaware Requires State Permit for Non-Native Exotic Animals