Am I allowed to keep exotic pets like snakes and lizards in Denmark?
It depends on the species — Denmark uses a ban list (annex 1) of animals private individuals may not keep. Under the 2015 regulation on banning the keeping of special animals, all venomous snakes, the giant constrictors, big cats, bears, wolves, primates and crocodiles are forbidden, among others. The logic is the reverse of what many think: if the species is not on the list, you may usually keep it without a special permit — that covers the common terrarium pets such as the ball python, boa, corn snake, leopard gecko and bearded dragon. A permit is granted only as a grandfather scheme by the Food Authority for animals lawfully held before 2016; there is no route to acquiring a new banned animal.
📋 The rules
- Denmark uses a ban list (annex 1)
- Forbidden: venomous snakes, giant constrictors, big cats
- Forbidden: bears, wolves, primates and crocodiles
- Legal: ball python, boa, corn snake, bearded dragon
- A permit only as a grandfather scheme from before 2016
🔓 Exceptions
- Approved zoos and registered circuses are exempt
- Animals lawfully held before 2016 can be kept with a permit
- CITES rules apply on top for endangered species
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Keeping a forbidden animal can bring a fine, and the animal can be confiscated — and it is the confiscation that hurts, because you do not get the animal back, and no permit exists that can legalise a new animal from annex 1. There is no fixed fine tariff in the regulation; it is set case by case. Having bought the animal lawfully abroad does not help — the ban is on keeping the animal here in the first place. If the species is endangered, the CITES rules apply on top, and the animal-welfare rules apply to every animal, including the legal ones.
📎 Official sources
- Special Animals Regulation · Retsinformation →
- Food Authority · Animal permits →
- Environment Agency · CITES →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I keep a snake or lizard?
Yes, if the species is not on the ban list. The common terrarium pets such as the ball python, boa, corn snake, leopard gecko and bearded dragon are legal and need no permit, but the welfare rules still apply.
Which animals are forbidden?
Among others, all venomous snakes, the giant constrictors, big cats, bears, wolves, primates and crocodiles. They are on annex 1 of the 2015 regulation on special animals and may not be kept privately.
Is there a list of forbidden animals?
Yes, annex 1 of the 2015 regulation. The list works the other way round from what many expect: if the species is not on it, you may usually keep the animal without applying, rather than needing a permit first.
Can I get a permit for a forbidden animal?
Only as a grandfather scheme from the Food Authority for animals lawfully held before 2016. There is no route to acquiring a new animal from the ban list, not even by buying it lawfully abroad.
What is the penalty for an illegal animal?
A fine, and the animal can be confiscated. There is no fixed fine tariff in the regulation — it is set case by case — and only approved zoos and registered circuses are exempt from the ban.
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