New Hampshire – New England Herpetological Society

The following information is exerpted from the New Hampshire Fish & Game Department website (http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlife/Nongame/RAARP/herp_rules.htm). Please note that only reptile & amphibian information has been provided. Please refer to the New Hampshire Fish & Game Department site for the full regulation text.

For the full text of the Administrative Rules as recorded with the State Of New Hampshire Office Of Legislative Service, click: CHAPTER Fis 800 THE IMPORTATION, POSSESSION AND USE OF ALL WILDLIFE

Possession

Possession includes the keeping, holding, or restricting of wildlife as defined in RSA 207:1. Includes eggs or progeny thereof.

The following species shall not be possessed without an appropriate permit: (FIS 804.02; to request a permit see instructions under FIS 804.04) NOTE: No permit to possess shall be issued if there is any disease, genetic, ecological, environmental, health, safety or welfare risks to the public or other wildlife species.

All venomous reptiles (including specimens where venom glands have been removed)
All alligators and crocodiles
The following reptiles and amphibians:

Amphibians

Reptiles

Up to 5 specimens of the following species may be possessed without a permit

Amphibians

Up to 2 specimens of the following species may be possessed without a permit

[NOTE: Although limited possession of these species are currently legal in NH, the NH Fish & Game Department encourages people to leave wildlife wild and seek captive-bred sources of common non-native species if pets are desired. Populations of some species, especially turtles, can be adversely affected by the removal of a small number of individuals.]

Reptiles

Sale (FIS 811.01)

No person shall sell indigenous species of reptiles or amphibians (listed below), including parts or eggs thereof:

Amphibians

Reptiles

EXCEPTIONS (Sale allowed): | Non-living snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) and bull frogs (Rana catesbeiana) raised outside the state which may be possessed, bought and sold for use as food provided that with each package there shall be a bill of sale bearing the species, the weight of the package and the place of origin. | Certain non-living indigenous amphibians and reptiles listed below (also listed in Table 800.2 for category one) obtained outside the state to be used for educational purposes (e.g., biosupply companies selling frozen specimens to schools for dissection).

Amphibians

Reptiles

Importation

A permit shall be required to import (FIS 803.03; to request a permit see instructions under FIS 803.13) the following:

Alligators and Crocodiles
All venomous reptiles (including specimens where venom glands have been removed)
All indigenous amphibians and reptiles listed below:

Amphibians

Reptiles

EXCEPTIONS: Non-living members of the following species may be imported without a permit:

Amphibians

Reptiles

Release

It is illegal to release the following species in NH (FIS 805):

All amphibians and reptiles imported into the state
All exotic amphibians and reptiles

Water gardens and Outdoor ponds (FIS 804.0.9, 805):

Reptiles and amphibians including tadpoles originating outside of New Hampshire (including but not limited to internet and in-person purchases from water garden suppliers, reptile and amphibian distributors, biological supply companies, and pet stores importing specimens from out-of-state) must be caged or enclosed, and therefore can not be released to outdoor environments, including pools and ponds, in New Hampshire.

Reptile Rules – Other

No person shall take or possess at any time a spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata), Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii), wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta), Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina), or black racer (Coluber constrictor) or any egg or part thereof.
No person shall take any species of indigenous turtle from May 15 to July 15.

[In addition to species listed above that are restricted year-round (Blanding’s, spotted, wood, and box turtles), this rule includes painted turtles, common snapping turtles, and musk turtles]

Definition of ‘Take’– (RSA 207:1) Includes pursuing, shooting, hunting, killing, capturing, trapping, snaring, and netting wildlife, and all lesser acts, such as disturbing, harrying, worrying, wounding, or placing, setting, drawing, or using any net or other device commonly used to take wildlife, whether they result in taking or not, and includes every attempt to take and every act of assistance to every other person in taking or attempting to take wildlife, provided that whenever taking is allowed by law, reference is had to taking by lawful means and in lawful manner.

Also, see RSA 212-A for rules pertaining to threatened and endangered species.