Sulcatas and Tennessee Law

Northern Torti

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2014
Messages
10
Location (City and/or State)
Eastern WA
Hi everyone! I will be relocating to Tennessee with my two 12yr old sulcatas in a few months, and I am coming up on different information regarding the laws. Some say the law prohibiting turtles includes tortoises and still stands, while other sites say it was repealed in 2016.

I have contacted the TWRA, but have not heard back. But if anyone has any advise in the meantime, I would greatly appreciate it.
 

Clamhandsmcgee

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2014
Messages
203
Location (City and/or State)
Tennessee
Yes, I'm a keeper in Tennessee. Up until last year it was illegal to own a pet tortoise turtle or terrapin. I did, but I wouldn't announce that I owned them. Now the only issues of having them is that they are bigger than 4” and not native, as @Markw84 said. Federal laws still apply.

As far as the native animals go, you are not allowed to take any reptile from the wild. I believe you can buy a native species (captive bred eastern box turtle) as long as you can provide proof that it wasn't taken from the wild.
 
Top