No, servals are not legal to keep as pets in California. The state classifies them as restricted wildlife, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) does not issue any permit that covers private pet ownership. The only people who can legally possess one are licensed exhibitors, breeders, researchers, zoos, and similar professionals who meet strict qualification and facility standards. Keeping a serval without the proper permit exposes you to a misdemeanor charge, civil fines of up to $10,000, and seizure of the animal.
Why Servals Are Restricted
California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 671 lists every species the state restricts, and servals fall under Family Felidae along with every other wild cat. The regulation designates them “welfare animals,” meaning the restriction exists to protect the animals themselves and to prevent depletion of wild populations, rather than because the state considers them an ecological threat.1Legal Information Institute. California Code of Regulations Title 14 Section 671 – Importation, Transportation and Possession of Live Restricted Animals The label does not change the result. You cannot import, transport, or possess a serval in California without a restricted species permit from CDFW.2California Legislative Information. California Fish and Game Code Section 2118
The permit requirement applies whether you bought the animal in California, inherited it, or moved to the state already owning one. There is no grandfather clause for new residents.
No Permit Exists for Pet Ownership
This is where most people’s plans end. Section 671.1 lists every type of restricted species permit the state issues, and none of them is for keeping an animal as a companion. The available categories cover accredited zoos (AZA), commercial breeding, broker/dealer activity, exhibiting at least half-time for commercial or educational purposes, scientific research, and shelters that house seized or surrendered animals.3Legal Information Institute. California Code of Regulations Title 14 Section 671.1 – Permits for Restricted Species
There is one additional category called Animal Care, but it is limited to California residents who legally possessed the animal in the state before January 1992. That door closed more than three decades ago and is not available to any new applicant.
Every remaining category requires a professional or institutional purpose, hands-on experience with restricted species, a facility that passes a CDFW inspection, and a current USDA license under the Animal Welfare Act. Someone who simply wants a serval as a pet does not qualify under any of them, no matter how much they are willing to spend on housing or care.
What Illegal Possession Costs You
California treats unpermitted possession of a serval as both a criminal and a civil violation, and the penalties stack.
The criminal charge is a misdemeanor carrying up to six months in county jail or a fine of up to $1,000. Separately, the state can pursue a civil penalty of $500 to $10,000 per violation. The district attorney, city attorney, or state Attorney General can bring the civil action, and the owner also pays all costs of seizing and housing the animal.4California Legislative Information. California Fish and Game Code Section 2125
Added together, a single incident can mean a $1,000 criminal fine, a $10,000 civil penalty, several thousand dollars in care costs from a specialized wildlife facility, and loss of the animal.
What Happens to a Seized Serval
When CDFW seizes an unpermitted serval, the owner has 30 days to come into compliance with permit requirements and reclaim the animal. If that doesn’t happen, the department can euthanize the serval or transfer it to an approved wildlife facility. The owner can buy a second 30-day window by paying all accumulated care costs before the first period expires, but if they are still not in compliance after 60 days, the department moves forward with permanent placement or euthanasia.4California Legislative Information. California Fish and Game Code Section 2125
Because no permit category exists for private pet ownership, most seized servals cannot be reclaimed and end up at sanctuaries. The owner still pays the care bills for the holding period.
Savannah Cats Are a Different Animal
Savannah cats, which are hybrids of a serval and a domestic cat, are legal in California. Section 671 explicitly provides that “domestic cats and hybrids of domestic cats are not restricted,” and the regulation draws no line between hybrid generations.1Legal Information Institute. California Code of Regulations Title 14 Section 671 – Importation, Transportation and Possession of Live Restricted Animals An F1 Savannah (with one serval parent) is legal to own, as is an F5 or later generation.
Breeding is where this gets complicated. Producing an F1 Savannah requires a serval, and possessing that serval requires a restricted species permit. You can legally buy and keep an F1 Savannah in California, but no one can legally breed one in the state without the proper permit for the serval parent. If a breeder offers California-born F1 kittens and cannot produce a valid restricted species permit, that’s a warning sign. Verify pedigree documentation from TICA or another recognized registry before buying.
Moving a Serval Into California Is a Federal Issue Too
People sometimes assume they can keep a serval in California as long as they bought it legally in another state. The opposite is true, and the federal consequences are worse than the state ones.
The federal Big Cat Public Safety Act, signed in 2022, restricts private ownership of lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, cougars, and several other large cats. Servals are not on that list.5U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. What You Need to Know About the Big Cat Public Safety Act The Lacey Act, however, makes it a federal offense to transport any wildlife across state lines in violation of the law of either state involved.6U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Lacey Act Bringing a serval into California without a permit violates California law, which means the transport itself violates the Lacey Act. A state misdemeanor becomes a potential federal wildlife trafficking charge.
If You Already Have a Serval in California
People sometimes contact CDFW after realizing they have been keeping a serval illegally. They bought one online, acquired it out of state, or didn’t understand the rules. There is no easy path forward. The Animal Care permit, the only category that covers simple possession without a professional purpose, closed to new entrants in 1992.3Legal Information Institute. California Code of Regulations Title 14 Section 671.1 – Permits for Restricted Species
The realistic options are surrendering the animal to a licensed sanctuary, transferring it to someone in a state where private ownership is legal, or contacting CDFW directly to see whether any permit category might apply. Self-reporting may reduce the chance of criminal prosecution compared to getting caught during an enforcement action, but it will not eliminate civil penalties. Keeping the animal and hoping no one notices is how owners end up with seizures, fines, and euthanized pets.