Herptile Permits

​Section 885.15 Purpose: to govern the taking, acquisition, possession, transport, disposition and commercial use of herptiles defined and specified in the Act, the issuance of those permits, and reporting requirements.

• Administrative Rule 17-885
• Herptile Code Permit Application

A Herpetoculture Permit (HRHN) is required of any persons wishing to:

• be exempt from his or her possession limits for non-listed native herptile taxa, regardless of whether the permit holder only possesses, or also breeds or commercializes;
• commercialize any non-listed native herptile taxa that have not originated from the wild in Illinois;
• breed (either intentionally or unintentionally) any non-listed native herptile taxa.
• Residents seeking to obtain a Herpetoculture Permit must submit an application form, provided by the Department, along with a non-refundable annual fee of $50.

A Herptile Special Use Permit (HSUR) is required of any resident who:

• commits to conducting at least 6 educational programs per calendar year for which he or she is seeking to possess any venomous reptile or other special use herptile species, including, but not limited to, any crocodilian, Komodo dragon, or crocodile monitor lizard.
• The non-refundable annual fee for a residential Herptile Special Use Permit shall be $250 per permittee.
   

A Limited Entry (Nonresident) Special Use Herptile Permits (HLEH) - Nonresidents seeking to transport, ship or display venomous or other special use herptiles through or within the State must apply for a Limited Entry Special Use Herptile Permit.

• The permit shall be valid for a specified period that does not exceed 30 consecutive days.
• The nonrefundable fee for the Limited Entry Permit is $25.

Instructions – Fill out the appropriate Herptile application form and email it to scott.ballard@illinois.gov.

To pay the permit fee:

• You can go ONLINE and make a one-time electronic payment using your debit or credit card at Herptile Permit Payments. Select the Office of Resource Conservation as the category and Herptile Permits as the payment type.
• Or you can mail a paper check to Susan J. Duke, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield IL 62702-1271.
  When your permit is approved, authorized, and signed, we will email you a pdf of the permit and mail you the paper version. Once you have a permit you are required to fill out the Herptile Code Permit Annual Reporting Form.
  
  If you have any questions about Herptiles or the Permits, email Scott Ballard.