Serval Cat Laws by State (2025) — Legal, Permit, or Banned?

Overview: Serval Cat Legality in the US

Servals (Leptailurus serval) are medium-sized African wild cats weighing 20–40 lbs, known for their spotted coats and extraordinary jumping ability. They are among the most-regulated exotic cats in the United States, legal in roughly 16 states with various permit requirements, and banned in the majority of states that have enacted exotic animal legislation.

States Where Servals Are Legal (With or Without Permit)

State	Status	Notes
Alabama	Legal	No state permit required for servals specifically; verify local rules
Florida	Permit	Class II Wildlife License from FWC required; annual inspection, $140/yr fee
Idaho	Legal	No state-level restrictions on servals
Indiana	Legal	Legal; verify county-level rules
Maine	Permit	Importation permit required from ME Dept. of Agriculture
Montana	Legal	No state restrictions on servals
Nevada	Legal	No state permit required; one of the clearest serval states
North Dakota	Legal	No restrictions
Oklahoma	Legal	No state permit required
Pennsylvania	Permit	Exotic Wildlife Possession Permit from PA Game Commission required
South Carolina	Legal	No state-level ban
South Dakota	Legal	No restrictions
Texas	Permit	Not on TX Dangerous Wild Animal list; may need county-level approval
Wisconsin	Permit	Captive wildlife license required from WI DNR
California	Banned	All wild cats banned under CA Fish & Game Code
Georgia	Banned	Wild cats prohibited; servals classified as dangerous wild animals
Massachusetts	Banned	All wild cats prohibited
New York	Banned	Wild cats prohibited under ECL
Ohio	Banned	Servals banned post-2012 Dangerous Wild Animal Act
Most other states	Banned	The majority of states ban serval ownership; check your state specifically

Serval cat inside a state-permitted wire enclosure with enrichment items

Florida's Class II License for Servals

Florida permits serval ownership under a Class II Wildlife License — a stricter tier than the Class III license required for smaller exotics. Class II animals are defined as animals that can pose a "significant danger" to people, and the licensing requirements reflect this: annual facility inspections, specific cage size and construction standards (servals require a minimum 12x12x8 ft outdoor enclosure with reinforced roof), and an annual fee of $140 as of 2024.

Class II applicants must also demonstrate relevant experience with the species — typically 1,000+ hours documented experience with wild or exotic cats prior to receiving a Class II license for personal possession. This experience requirement is the most common barrier for new applicants in Florida.

The Ohio Serval Ban: Zanesville's Legacy

Ohio's 2012 Dangerous Wild Animal Act was passed in direct response to the Zanesville incident of October 2011, when Terry Thompson released 56 exotic animals — including servals, lions, and bears — before taking his own life. Law enforcement was forced to shoot 49 of the escaped animals. The incident galvanized Ohio's previously lax exotic animal regulations into one of the most restrictive frameworks in the country.

Under the 2012 Act, servals are classified as Restricted Dangerous Wild Animals. Individuals who owned servals before the law's effective date could grandfather their animals through a registration process, but new ownership is prohibited. Grandfathered animals cannot be bred, sold within Ohio, or replaced when they die.

USDA Requirements for Serval Owners

If you exhibit your serval publicly — even informally, such as allowing people to visit your property to see the animal — you may be required to obtain a USDA Animal Welfare Act Class C Exhibitor license. The USDA's definition of "exhibition" is broad and has been applied to private individuals who charge admission or regularly allow public access to their animals. Private possession for personal companionship, with no public exhibition, does not require USDA licensing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Servals are wild animals capable of causing injury. At 20–40 lbs with powerful legs designed for leaping, a serval can knock down an adult human and cause serious scratches or bites. They are not domesticated cats — their behavior is fundamentally wild even when hand-raised. This is why many states require significant enclosure standards and documented experience before issuing serval permits.

This depends on the generation (F1–F5+) of the savannah cat. F1 savannah cats are 50% serval and are regulated as exotic wild cats in many states that ban servals. F2 and lower generations are more domesticated and typically treated as domestic cats under state law. The key question is whether the state's regulations apply to "hybrids" or only to pure servals — this varies and is worth verifying for the specific generation you are considering.

This is one of the most important practical questions for serval owners. If no estate plan addresses the animal, it typically becomes subject to state wildlife agency disposition — which may mean transfer to a sanctuary, a licensed facility, or in some cases euthanasia if no placement is available. Creating a written plan with a designated recipient who is legally permitted to possess the animal in your state is essential. Reputable serval sanctuaries can sometimes serve as planned placement destinations.

Husbandry requirements are not legal requirements, but some states incorporate them into permit conditions. Servals are obligate carnivores requiring a diet of whole prey (mice, rats, chicks, rabbits) or balanced raw meat diets — commercial cat food is nutritionally inadequate for long-term serval health. Some states' permit applications ask about your feeding plan, and describing an inappropriate diet may affect permit approval.

Serval Cat Ownership Laws by State (2025)