Exotic pet laws in Nevada

NAC 503.110(d)

All species in the genera Vulpes, Fennecus

Named twice over: the fennec fox is Vulpes zerda and the regulation also lists the older genus Fennecus.

Cities and counties here can prohibit what state law permits, so check your local ordinance too.

How this rule works: Two lists: 503.110 prohibits, 503.140 names species that may be possessed, transported, imported and exported without a permit. Nevada counties and cities are frequently stricter than the state, notably Clark County, Henderson and Las Vegas.

Checked against the published text on 4 August 2026.

NAC 503.110(1)(b)(8)

(8) Snapping Turtles................ All species in the family Chelydridae

Named at family level on the prohibited list, so importation, transportation and possession are all unlawful and no subspecies argument helps. The only permits available under this section go to accredited zoos and aquariums, universities and government agencies for research, other scientific institutions, commercial aquaculture, and tax-exempt nonprofits exhibiting wildlife for education, none of which is a pet route. Nevada leaves county and city ordinances untouched, and Clark County, Las Vegas and Henderson are all stricter than the state, so check the municipality before the state.

Cities and counties here can prohibit what state law permits, so check your local ordinance too.

How this rule works: Two lists: 503.110 prohibits, 503.140 names species that may be possessed, transported, imported and exported without a permit. Nevada counties and cities are frequently stricter than the state, notably Clark County, Henderson and Las Vegas.

Checked against the published text on 5 September 2026.

NRS 503.597(1)

it is unlawful, except by the written consent and approval of the Department, for any person at any time to receive, bring or have brought or shipped into this State, or remove from one stream or body of water in this State to any other...any aquatic life or wildlife

Resolved from unclear. The previous entry noted this animal is on neither Nevada list and that no default could be found for unlisted species. The default is NRS 503.597, which makes it unlawful to bring any wildlife into the state without the written consent and approval of the Department. NAC 503.140 is the list of exemptions from that requirement, so being absent from it leaves the requirement in place rather than leaving the animal unregulated. Nevada leaves county and city ordinances untouched, and Clark County, Las Vegas and Henderson are all stricter than the state, so check the municipality before the state.

Cities and counties here can prohibit what state law permits, so check your local ordinance too.

How this rule works: The default nobody had pinned down. NRS 503.597 makes it unlawful without the written consent and approval of the Department for any person to receive, bring or have brought or shipped into the state any aquatic life or wildlife, so an animal that is neither prohibited by NAC 503.110 nor cleared by NAC 503.140 needs Department approval rather than being unregulated. NRS 501.097 defines wildlife as any wild mammal, wild bird, fish, reptile, amphibian, mollusk or crustacean found naturally in a wild state, which leaves insects and arachnids outside the Department's authority entirely.

Checked against the published text on 5 September 2026.

NRS 503.597(1)

it is unlawful, except by the written consent and approval of the Department, for any person at any time to receive, bring or have brought or shipped into this State, or remove from one stream or body of water in this State to any other...any aquatic life or wildlife

The degu is on neither Nevada list. That is not the same as being unregulated, which is the point earlier research could not settle: NRS 503.597 makes it unlawful to bring any wildlife into the state without the written consent and approval of the Department, and NAC 503.140 is the Commission's list of exemptions from exactly that. An animal off both lists therefore needs Department approval. Nevada leaves county and city ordinances untouched, and Clark County, Las Vegas and Henderson are all stricter than the state, so check the municipality before the state.

Cities and counties here can prohibit what state law permits, so check your local ordinance too.

How this rule works: The default nobody had pinned down. NRS 503.597 makes it unlawful without the written consent and approval of the Department for any person to receive, bring or have brought or shipped into the state any aquatic life or wildlife, so an animal that is neither prohibited by NAC 503.110 nor cleared by NAC 503.140 needs Department approval rather than being unregulated. NRS 501.097 defines wildlife as any wild mammal, wild bird, fish, reptile, amphibian, mollusk or crustacean found naturally in a wild state, which leaves insects and arachnids outside the Department's authority entirely.

Checked against the published text on 5 September 2026.

NRS 503.597(1)

it is unlawful, except by the written consent and approval of the Department, for any person at any time to receive, bring or have brought or shipped into this State, or remove from one stream or body of water in this State to any other...any aquatic life or wildlife

The flying squirrel is on neither Nevada list. That is not the same as being unregulated, which is the point earlier research could not settle: NRS 503.597 makes it unlawful to bring any wildlife into the state without the written consent and approval of the Department, and NAC 503.140 is the Commission's list of exemptions from exactly that. An animal off both lists therefore needs Department approval. Nevada leaves county and city ordinances untouched, and Clark County, Las Vegas and Henderson are all stricter than the state, so check the municipality before the state.

Cities and counties here can prohibit what state law permits, so check your local ordinance too.

How this rule works: The default nobody had pinned down. NRS 503.597 makes it unlawful without the written consent and approval of the Department for any person to receive, bring or have brought or shipped into the state any aquatic life or wildlife, so an animal that is neither prohibited by NAC 503.110 nor cleared by NAC 503.140 needs Department approval rather than being unregulated. NRS 501.097 defines wildlife as any wild mammal, wild bird, fish, reptile, amphibian, mollusk or crustacean found naturally in a wild state, which leaves insects and arachnids outside the Department's authority entirely.

Checked against the published text on 5 September 2026.

NRS 503.597(1)

it is unlawful, except by the written consent and approval of the Department, for any person at any time to receive, bring or have brought or shipped into this State, or remove from one stream or body of water in this State to any other...any aquatic life or wildlife

Resolved from unclear. The previous entry noted this animal is on neither Nevada list and that no default could be found for unlisted species. The default is NRS 503.597, which makes it unlawful to bring any wildlife into the state without the written consent and approval of the Department. NAC 503.140 is the list of exemptions from that requirement, so being absent from it leaves the requirement in place rather than leaving the animal unregulated. Nevada leaves county and city ordinances untouched, and Clark County, Las Vegas and Henderson are all stricter than the state, so check the municipality before the state.

Cities and counties here can prohibit what state law permits, so check your local ordinance too.

How this rule works: The default nobody had pinned down. NRS 503.597 makes it unlawful without the written consent and approval of the Department for any person to receive, bring or have brought or shipped into the state any aquatic life or wildlife, so an animal that is neither prohibited by NAC 503.110 nor cleared by NAC 503.140 needs Department approval rather than being unregulated. NRS 501.097 defines wildlife as any wild mammal, wild bird, fish, reptile, amphibian, mollusk or crustacean found naturally in a wild state, which leaves insects and arachnids outside the Department's authority entirely.

Checked against the published text on 5 September 2026.

NAC 503.080(1)(b), with NAC 503.140(1)(aa)

(b) Snake Rosy Boa.................................. Lichanura orcutti

The condition is which rosy boa, and it turns on a species split most keepers have never heard of. Nevada classifies Lichanura orcutti, the northern three-lined rosy boa, as protected, and NAC 503.093 bars possessing protected wildlife without a licence or permit from the Department. Lichanura trivirgata, the Mexican rosy boa that the pet trade mostly sells, was separated from orcutti and is not indigenous to Nevada, which puts it inside the clearance for nonvenomous nonindigenous reptiles at NAC 503.140(1)(aa). So the same common name lands on either side of the line depending on the animal's actual identity and provenance. Nevada leaves county and city ordinances untouched, and Clark County, Las Vegas and Henderson are all stricter than the state, so check the municipality before the state.

Cities and counties here can prohibit what state law permits, so check your local ordinance too.

How this rule works: Nevada Legislature's administrative code chapter defining unprotected reptiles as any species not classified protected, sensitive, threatened, or endangered.

Checked against the published text on 5 September 2026.

NAC 503.110(1)(d)(5)

(5) Wild European Rabbit....................... Oryctolagus cuniculus

The two columns of this row disagree with each other. The scientific classification names Oryctolagus cuniculus, which is the species every domestic rabbit belongs to, while the common name column says Wild European Rabbit. Nothing in the section says whether domesticated races are carved out, and unlike the chinchilla, mink, rat, mouse, turkey and duck entries elsewhere in these rules, no domesticated races wording appears here. Pet rabbits are plainly sold in Nevada and the definition of wildlife at NRS 501.097 reaches animals found naturally in a wild state, which a domesticated breed arguably is not. Rendered grey rather than guessed, because the text arguably reaches the animal and clearly was aimed at the wild form. Nevada leaves county and city ordinances untouched, and Clark County, Las Vegas and Henderson are all stricter than the state, so check the municipality before the state.

Cities and counties here can prohibit what state law permits, so check your local ordinance too.

How this rule works: Two lists: 503.110 prohibits, 503.140 names species that may be possessed, transported, imported and exported without a permit. Nevada counties and cities are frequently stricter than the state, notably Clark County, Henderson and Las Vegas.

Checked against the published text on 5 September 2026.