The following information is exerpted from the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department website (http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/importation_pets.cfm). Please note that only reptile & amphibian information has been provided. Please refer to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department site for the full regulation text.

Importing and Possessing Pets and Animals in Vermont

Any person within the state of Vermont interested in purchasing, importing, or possessing a pet or animal (except fish) must determine whether that pet or animal species first requires an Importation and Possession Permit from the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.

Effective January 23, 2008, a new regulation, regulation 10 V.S.A. App. § 18 establishes a list of Domestic Species and Unrestricted Wild Animals for which no state Importation and Possession Permit is required by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. Species not listed as Domestic or Unrestricted Wild Animals will continue to require an importation and possession permit.

Individuals, educational institutions, or research facilities seeking to import or collect animals for the purposes of education or bona fide research must first obtain a Scientific Collection Permit. Individuals conducting any research or field activity that may result in the pursuit, capture, disturbance, handling, injury, death, or importation of any State threatened and endangered species are required to first obtain an Endangered Species Permit.

Importation and Possession Permit: Newly adopted Regulation #881 provides clear guidelines on the importation and possession requirements for all pet stores, dealers in wildlife, hobbyists, and prospective pet owners. These are intended to provide the public with current Department guidelines that identify which species are allowed to be imported and possessed without a permit and which species an individual or business must first obtain an importation and possession permit.

Many wildlife species are designated as Unrestricted Reptiles & Amphibians. Descriptions and lists of species are provided below. Species’ designations are generally based upon the following criteria as to whether the species is:

  • Capable of competing with native wildlife species
  • A risk of transmitting diseases to native wildlife species
  • A threat to human health and safety
  • Threatened in other regions by collecting for the pet trade

Species not listed as Unrestricted Wild Animals below require an Importation and Possession Permit, which may or may not be granted depending upon specific circumstances or conditions.

Unrestricted Reptile & Amphibian List: No Importation and Possession Permit is needed to import and possess these species into the state. These species have been designated as Unrestricted based on the fact that the species satisfy none of the criteria listed above. Those species listed as Exemptions in the Appendix: Exceptions to List do require an Importation and Possession Permit from the Department.

Permit applications can be obtained from the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, Agency of Natural Resources, 103 South Main Street, 10 South, Waterbury, VT 05671-0501. Their telephone number is: (802) 241-3700.

Click link to navigate to a specific section of the list:

Unrestricted List | Appendix: Exceptions to List

Unrestricted Reptile & Amphibian List

Animal Group Order Suborder Family Genus Species Common Name(s)
Amphibians* Anura Discoglossidae Bombina bombina Fire-bellied toads (Captive Bred Only)
Amphibians Anura Hylidae Hyla cinerea Green treefrog (Captive Bred Only)
Amphibians Anura Hylidae Agalychnis callidryas Red-eyed treefrog (Captive Bred Only)
Amphibians Anura Hylidae Litoria caerulea White’s treefrog (Captive Bred Only)
Amphibians Caudata All species salamanders and newts, except those listed in Appendix that require an importation and possession permit
Reptiles* Squamata Autarchoglossa Anguidae all species All species of alligator lizards, glass lizards, slow worms
Reptiles Squamata Autarchoglossa Lacertidae All species of wall lizards, except those listed in Appendix that require an importation and possession permit
Reptiles Squamata Autarchoglossa Scincidae All species of skinks, except those listed in Appendix that require an importation and possession permit
Reptiles Squamata Autarchoglossa Teiidae all species Tegus and whiptails
Reptiles Squamata Autarchoglossa Varanidae Varanus brevicauda Short-tailed pygmy monitor
Reptiles Squamata Autarchoglossa Varanidae Varanus exanthematicus Savannah/Bosc’s monitor
Reptiles Squamata Autarchoglossa Varanidae Varanus storri Dwarf monitor
Reptiles Squamata Autarchoglossa Varanidae Varanus timorensis Timor monitor
Reptiles Squamata Iguania Agamidae all species Agamas
Reptiles Squamata Iguania Chamaelonidae all species Chameleons
Reptiles Squamata Iguania Crotaphytidae Crotaphytus all species Collared lizards
Reptiles Squamata Iguania Polychrotidae Anolis all species Anoles
Reptiles Squamata Iguania Phrynosomatidae Sceloporus all species Fence lizards, spiny lizards
Reptiles Squamata Iguania Tropiduridae Leiocephalus all species Curly-tailed lizards
Reptiles Squamata Iguania Tropiduridae Liolaemus all species South American swifts
Reptiles Squamata Scleroglossa Gekkonidae all species Geckos
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Boidae All species of boas and pythons, except those listed in Appendix that require an importation and possession permit
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae All species of colubrids, except those listed in Appendix that require an importation and possession permit
Reptiles Testudines Emydidae Chrysemys picta dorsalis Southern painted turtle (Captine Bred Only)
Reptiles Testudines Emydidae Trachemys scripta elegans Red-eared slider (Captive Bred Only)
Reptiles Testudines Emydidae Trachemys scripta scripta Yellowbelly slider (Captive Bred Only)
Reptiles Testudines Emydidae Trachemys scripta troostii Cumberland slider (Captive Bred Only)
Reptiles Testudines Testudinidae Testudo/Agrionemys horsfieldii Russian tortoise (Captive Bred Only)
Reptiles Testudines Testudinidae Geochelone carbonaria Red-footed tortoise (Captive Bred Only)

Appendix: Exceptions to Unrestricted Reptile & Amphibian List

Species below are exceptions to the Unrestricted Wild Animal List status and require an importation and possession permit

Animal Group Order Suborder Family Genus Species Common Name(s)
Amphibians Caudata Ambystomatidae Ambystoma all species Mole salamanders
Amphibians Caudata Cryptobranchidae Cryptobranchus alleganiensis Hellbenders
Amphibians Caudata Ambystomatidae Dicamptodon all species American giant salamanders
Amphibians Caudata Hynobiidae Ranodon all species Asian salamanders
Amphibians Caudata Plethodontidae Desmognathus fuscus Northern dusky salamanders
Amphibians Caudata Plethodontidae Eurycea all species Two-lined salamanders
Amphibians Caudata Plethodontidae Gyrinophilus porphyriticus Spring salamanders
Amphibians Caudata Plethodontidae Hemidactylium scutatum Four-toed salamanders
Amphibians Caudata Plethodontidae Plethodon all species Slimy salamanders
Amphibians Caudata Proteidae Necturus maculosus Mudpuppy
Amphibians Caudata Salamandridae Cynops cyanurus Blue tailed fire belly newt
Amphibians Caudata Salamandridae Cynops orphicus Dayang newt
Amphibians Caudata Salamandridae Cynops chenggongensis Chenggong fire belly newt
Amphibians Caudata Salamandridae Cynops wolterstorffi Wolterstorff’s newt
Amphibians Caudata Salamandridae Euproctus all species Brook salamanders
Amphibians Caudata Salamandridae Mertensiella all species Spine-tailed salamanders
Amphibians Caudata Salamandridae Notopthalmus all species Eastern newts
Amphibians Caudata Salamandridae Taricha rivularis Western newts
Amphibians Caudata Salamandridae Taricha torasa Western newts
Amphibians Caudata Salamandridae Taricha granulose Western newts
Amphibians Caudata Salamandridae Triturus all species Alpine newts
Reptiles Squamata Autarchoglossa Lacertidae Gallotia all species Canary Island lizards
Reptiles Squamata Autarchoglossa Lacertidae Lacerta monticola Iberian mountain lizard
Reptiles Squamata Autarchoglossa Lacertidae Lacerta strigata Caucasian green lizard
Reptiles Squamata Autarchoglossa Lacertidae Lacerta vivipara Viviparous lizard
Reptiles Squamata Autarchoglossa Scincidae Eumeces all species Skinks
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Boidae Apodora papuana Water/Papuan python
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Boidae Eunectes all species Anacondas
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Boidae Eryx johnii Indian sand boa
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Boidae Gongylophis conicus Russell’s sand boa
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Boidae Liasis olivaceous Olive python
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Boidae Morelia amethystina Scrub/Amethistine python
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Boidae Morelia oenpelliensis Oenpelli python
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Boidae Python molurus Indian/Burmese python
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Boidae Python reticulatus Reticulated python
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Boidae Python natalensis Southern African python
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Boidae Python sebae Northern Aftrican python
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Boiga dendrophilia Mangrove snake
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Boiga irregularis Brown tree snake
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Coluber all species Racers
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Diadophis all species Ring-necked snakes
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Dispholidus typus Boomslang
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Elaphe obsoleta N. American/Eastern ratsnakes
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Elapomorphus all species Diadem snakes
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Hydrodynastes gigas False water cobra
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Lampropeltis traingulum Eastern milk snake
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Nerodia sipedon Northern watersnake
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Opheodrys all species Green snakes
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Rhabdophis subminiatus Red-necked snakes
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Rhabdophis tigrinus Tiger keelback snakes
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Storeria dekayi Dekay’s brownsnakes
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Storeria occipitomaculata Red-bellied snakes
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Tachymenis all species False vipers
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Thamnophis all species Garter snakes, ribbon snakes
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Thelotornis capensis Twig/Bird snake
Reptiles Squamata Serpentes Colubridae Thelotornis kirtlandi Bird/Vine snake