Utah bans a specific list of animals from private ownership outright: all primates, big cats, bears, wolves, bats, most big game, crocodilians, non-native venomous snakes, and any federally threatened or endangered species. The list of illegal pets in Utah is set by the Division of Wildlife Resources under Administrative Code R657-3b for birds and mammals and R657-53 for reptiles and amphibians, and keeping a prohibited animal is a misdemeanor that can also trigger wildlife restitution reaching tens of thousands of dollars per animal.
Why “Illegal” Has Three Meanings in Utah
Utah sorts every bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian species into one of three buckets, and the bucket determines whether the animal is illegal, restricted, or freely allowed.
- Prohibited: cannot be privately owned. The classification table states plainly that for prohibited mammals, “personal possession will not be authorized.”1Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Administrative Rule R657-3b
- Controlled: legal only with a Certificate of Registration (COR) from the DWR, which involves an application, facility inspection, and ongoing fees.
- Noncontrolled: no permit needed.
Birds work in reverse of what most people expect. Every bird species is presumed prohibited unless it is specifically listed as noncontrolled or controlled, and any unlisted species requires a DWR assessment before possession is authorized.1Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Administrative Rule R657-3b If a bird species is not on either list, assume it is off-limits until the DWR says otherwise.
Mammals You Cannot Keep as Pets
Table 3b-1 of Rule R657-3b identifies the mammals that are prohibited for private possession in Utah. The list is where most exotic-pet plans run aground.
Carnivores and predators:
- All primates — every non-human primate species, including monkeys, apes, and lemurs
- All big cats — lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, snow leopards, cougars, jaguars, and any hybrid of these species
- All bears (family Ursidae)
- Gray wolves (Canis lupus)1Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Administrative Rule R657-3b
Big game:
- Bighorn sheep
- Bison
- Elk
- Moose
- Mountain goat
- Mule deer and white-tailed deer
- Pronghorn
Other prohibited mammals:
- All bats (order Chiroptera)
- Raccoon dogs
- Virginia opossums
- Nutria (coypu)
- Reindeer
- Non-domestic swine, including wild boar, feral hogs, and razorbacks1Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Administrative Rule R657-3b
Coyotes and raccoons are banned separately under Section 4-23-11 and Rule R657-14, administered by the Agricultural and Wildlife Damage Prevention Board rather than through the standard DWR classification table.2Utah Office of Administrative Rules. Utah Administrative Code R657-3b – Certification of Registration — Birds and Mammals Either way, they are off-limits as pets.
Reptiles and Amphibians You Cannot Keep
R657-53 defines prohibited reptiles and amphibians by category rather than species-by-species. Anything matching one of these descriptions carries a possession limit of zero:
- Non-native venomous snakes and lizards — any species in the order Squamata that is venomous, not native to Utah, and capable of inflicting a bite requiring medical treatment3Utah Office of Administrative Rules. Utah Administrative Code R657-53 – Amphibian and Reptile Collection, Importation, Transportation and Possession
- All crocodilians — crocodiles, alligators, caimans, and gharials, regardless of size
- Any species federally listed as threatened or endangered, unless the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has issued a specific permit3Utah Office of Administrative Rules. Utah Administrative Code R657-53 – Amphibian and Reptile Collection, Importation, Transportation and Possession
A pet Burmese python or a hatchling caiman cannot be kept legally in Utah under any circumstance available to a private owner. Utah-native venomous reptiles like rattlesnakes are handled differently; they are not flatly prohibited, but obtaining a COR for one requires meeting strict conditions on age, experience, local-ordinance verification, and proximity to medical treatment.4Cornell Law Institute. Utah Administrative Code R657-53-12 – Regulations Specific to Venomous Reptiles
Animals Many People Assume Are Illegal, But Aren’t
Several species that commonly appear on “banned exotic pet” lists in other states are actually legal in Utah, either outright or with a COR.
No permit needed under R657-3b:
- Ferrets and polecats
- White-bellied hedgehogs
- Sugar gliders
- Chinchillas
- Tenrecs
- Wolf-dog hybrids (classified alongside domestic dogs)
- Alpacas, llamas, camels, and yaks
- Emus, ostriches, rheas, and peafowl
- Domestically bred and raised foxes1Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Administrative Rule R657-3b
The fox entry surprises most people. Utah allows ownership of privately bred domestic foxes without a COR, which is uncommon among states. The qualifier “domestically bred and raised” is doing real work, though — capturing a wild fox is not permitted.
Legal with a COR as controlled species:
- Fennec foxes
- Capybaras
- Two-toed sloths
- Kangaroos and wallabies
- Zebras
- Hedgehogs other than white-bellied
- Shrews
- Bobcats, Eurasian lynx, fallow deer, American marten, and muskox (captive-bred only)1Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Administrative Rule R657-3b
The captive-bred requirement is strict for the species that carry it. You cannot trap a wild bobcat and apply for a COR after the fact; the animal has to come from a captive breeding source.
Criminal Penalties for Owning an Illegal Pet
Possessing a prohibited mammal or bird is a violation of the Wildlife Resources Code (Title 23A), charged as a Class B misdemeanor. The maximum penalty is six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.5Utah Legislature. Utah Code 23A-5-301 – Violations in General — Criminal Penalty6Utah Legislature. Utah Code 76-3-301 – Fines of Individuals Violations of Wildlife Board rules and proclamations are classified as infractions, carrying fines up to $750 and no jail time.
Reptile and amphibian violations under R657-53 are Class C misdemeanors, with fines up to $750.3Utah Office of Administrative Rules. Utah Administrative Code R657-53 – Amphibian and Reptile Collection, Importation, Transportation and Possession In every case, the DWR will seize the animal.
Wildlife Restitution Can Dwarf the Fine
The criminal fine is often the smaller part of the bill. Under Utah Code 23A-5-312, courts can order restitution on top of any fine or jail time, not instead of it. The minimum suggested values are set by species:
- $1,500 per animal — bears, bighorn sheep, moose, bison, mountain goats, bald eagles, peregrine falcons, and endangered species
- $1,250 per animal — elk and threatened species
- $750 per animal — golden eagles, river otters, and Gila monsters
- $600 per animal — deer and pronghorn
- $525 per animal — cougars and bobcats
- $150 per animal — raptors (except threatened or endangered species), turkeys, swans, sandhill cranes, and certain snakes7Utah Legislature. Utah Code 23A-5-312 – Restitution — Disposition of Money
Trophy-class animals carry far higher minimums. A trophy bighorn sheep triggers $45,000 in restitution. Trophy deer and elk are $12,000 each. Trophy moose, mountain goats, and bison are $9,000.7Utah Legislature. Utah Code 23A-5-312 – Restitution — Disposition of Money Courts can deviate from these minimums but must document the reasoning if they go lower.
Federal Bans That Override Any State Rule
Some animals are illegal in Utah because federal law prohibits them nationwide, and no state permit can authorize what federal law forbids.
Bald and golden eagles. Possessing a bald or golden eagle, alive or dead, including feathers, nests, or eggs, is a federal crime. A first offense carries fines up to $5,000 and up to one year in prison; a second conviction doubles the maximum to $10,000 and two years.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 16 USC 668 – Bald and Golden Eagles
The Lacey Act. Transporting wildlife across state lines in violation of any state’s law is a federal offense. The Act also maintains a list of roughly 800 “injurious” species banned from importation into the United States entirely, including Burmese pythons, northern snakeheads, and raccoon dogs.9U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Lacey Act’s Injurious Wildlife List Helps Prevent Harm to and From Wildlife Ordering a prohibited animal online from another state violates both federal and Utah law at once.
Endangered Species Act. Any animal federally listed as threatened or endangered carries a zero possession limit in Utah unless the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has issued a specific permit, and R657-3b requires both the state COR and the federal permit before possession is authorized.2Utah Office of Administrative Rules. Utah Administrative Code R657-3b – Certification of Registration — Birds and Mammals
Cities and Counties Can Ban More
State law sets the floor on what is illegal, not the ceiling. Utah cities and counties routinely pass animal ordinances stricter than state rules. Wolf-dog hybrids are the clearest example: classified as domestic dogs by the DWR, but banned by multiple municipalities around Salt Lake City and elsewhere in the state. The DWR’s own COR process for venomous reptiles requires written verification from your local government that the activity complies with municipal ordinances before approving the application.4Cornell Law Institute. Utah Administrative Code R657-53-12 – Regulations Specific to Venomous Reptiles
Before buying any unusual animal, call both the DWR and your local animal control office. A pet that is legal under state law can still be banned in your city, and the local penalty applies regardless of what the state allows.