Georgia Snake Removal Laws: What’s Legal, What’s Not, and What It Costs to Get It Wrong

If you find a snake curled up under your porch this summer, your first instinct might be to grab a shovel or call the first pest control number you can find. In Georgia, that instinct could land you a misdemeanor charge, a fine of up to $1,000, and even a year in jail. Snake removal laws in Georgia are stricter than most homeowners realize, and knowing the difference between a protected species and a legal target matters before you take any action.

Georgia’s rules on snakes sit inside a broader framework of state wildlife statutes that treat most native reptiles as nongame species deserving protection, not pests to be eliminated on sight. This guide walks through what you can legally do yourself, which species are off-limits, when permits come into play, and what happens if you get it wrong.

Is It Legal to Remove or Relocate a Snake Yourself in Georgia

The short answer is: sometimes, but with clear limitations. You can hire a nuisance wildlife control operator (NWCO), remove the animal yourself during regulated hunting and trapping seasons, or obtain a wildlife control permit from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. That said, “removal” for a snake in your yard almost always means leaving it alone rather than physically relocating it.

Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources is blunt about this. Its official guidance tells homeowners to identify a snake from a distance and avoid handling it altogether, since you should not attempt to handle the snake and should give it the space it needs. Most snakebites happen because someone tried to catch, move, or kill the animal, not because it was left alone.

Pro Tip: If a snake is in your yard but not actively threatening people or pets, a strong blast from a garden hose is often enough to encourage it to move along without anyone getting close enough to be bitten.

For a broader look at how these rules apply to raccoons, beavers, and other backyard wildlife, the wildlife removal laws in Georgia follow the same Title 27 framework that governs snakes.

Protected Snake Species in Georgia

Georgia is home to a large number of snake species, and the overwhelming majority of them are protected by state law. Of the 41 snake species that occur in Georgia, only one — the eastern indigo snake — is considered legally threatened, and all snakes except venomous ones are protected in the state. That means garter snakes, rat snakes, kingsnakes, and dozens of other harmless species cannot legally be killed, captured, or harassed.

The eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon couperi) carries extra weight under the law. The eastern indigo snake and the southern hognose snake are both state-listed as threatened, and the eastern indigo is also deemed threatened at the federal level under the Endangered Species Act. Harming this species can trigger both state and federal consequences, not just a local citation.

Important Note: Sources vary slightly on Georgia’s total snake count — some cite 41 species, others 46 to 48 — likely reflecting updated taxonomy over time. Regardless of the exact number, the legal takeaway is the same: nearly all of them are protected.

If you want to know exactly which snakes you might encounter and how to tell them apart before assuming one needs removal, the guides on venomous snakes in Georgia and rattlesnake species in Georgia break down identification in detail.

Permit Requirements for Snake Removal in Georgia

Georgia’s permit system for snakes is narrower than you might expect. Under O.C.G.A. § 27-2-31(1), DNR is authorized to issue nuisance wildlife control permits that prescribe the method, means, species, numbers, time limits, and location necessary to protect both the wildlife population and public safety. These individual wildlife control permits come with real restrictions. Permits may last for up to 90 days, do not cover deer, bear, turkey, waterfowl, or alligators, and are issued only to the property owner or legal resident for a specific property and species. Snakes fall outside most of those exclusions, so a permit can apply, but you still have to request it and follow the exact conditions DNR sets.

Keeping a snake as a pet is a separate legal question from removing one. Native venomous snakes carry a narrow exemption — state law does allow you to keep a native venomous snake — but the reverse is true for non-venomous species, which generally cannot be kept without a permit. If you’re weighing whether any wildlife-related permit applies to your situation, the overview of hunting laws in Georgia covers how licensing intersects with nongame species rules.

Key Insight: A permit only matters if you’re planning to trap, relocate, or kill a snake yourself. If you’re simply hiring someone to handle it, the licensing burden shifts to that operator instead.

Money changes the equation too. Property owners in Georgia may trap certain nuisance wildlife on their own property without an NWCO permit, but as soon as compensation is involved, NWCO licensure is required. A neighbor helping you out for free is treated differently under the law than a paid contractor.

When You Can Legally Kill a Snake in Georgia

This is where most confusion — and most legal trouble — happens. In Georgia, it is illegal to kill a nonvenomous snake under O.C.G.A. 27-1-28, and the misdemeanor offense is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. That covers the vast majority of snakes you’re likely to encounter in a backyard, garage, or garden bed.

Venomous snakes are handled differently. You can legally kill venomous snakes in Georgia, but the Department of Natural Resources says it’s best to leave them alone and call a professional instead. Legal permission doesn’t mean it’s the recommended course of action, and DNR’s own guidance leans toward calling a specialist rather than reaching for a shovel.

There’s also a location-based exception worth knowing. Venomous snakes cannot be killed in state parks, regardless of the general rule that applies elsewhere. And regardless of species, you cannot go after a snake’s shelter directly — state law says people cannot disturb or destroy the dens, holes, or homes of wildlife, or use explosives, chemicals, or other devices to drive wildlife, including venomous snakes, from those homes.

If you’re comparing this to how Georgia handles other nuisance wildlife that people are legally allowed to remove year-round, the rules for coyote hunting in Georgia offer a useful contrast — coyotes carry far fewer restrictions than snakes do.

Rules for Venomous Snake Removal in Georgia

Georgia recognizes six venomous species: the copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix), cottonmouth, Eastern diamondback rattlesnake, timber or canebrake rattlesnake, pigmy rattlesnake, and Eastern coral snake. Of the roughly 46 species of snakes known in Georgia, only six are venomous, so your chances of coming across a nonvenomous one are pretty good.

Because misidentification is common and the consequences of a wrong guess can be severe — either a snakebite or an illegal killing of a protected species — DNR steers people toward caution rather than confrontation. If a clearly identified venomous snake is in an area where it represents a danger to people or pets, the department recommends consulting its list of private wildlife removal specialists rather than handling it yourself.

Snake Type	Legal to Kill Yourself	DNR’s Recommendation
Nonvenomous (garter, rat, king, etc.)	No — protected nongame species	Leave alone; identify from a distance
Venomous (copperhead, rattlesnake, coral snake, etc.)	Yes, outside state parks	Call a professional removal specialist
Eastern Indigo Snake	No — state and federally threatened	Report sightings; do not handle

For a deeper species-by-species breakdown, including how to distinguish copperheads from harmless lookalikes, the guides on Georgia’s venomous snakes and Georgia’s rattlesnake species go into identification detail this article doesn’t cover. DNR also maintains a running list of vetted wildlife removal specialists for situations that genuinely warrant professional intervention.

Hiring a Licensed Wildlife Removal Operator in Georgia

Calling a professional is the path DNR recommends for most venomous snake encounters, and it’s often the safest option for nonvenomous snakes you’re not confident identifying. Licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators (NWCOs) work under DNR oversight and follow specific handling protocols the average homeowner isn’t equipped to follow.

NWCOs aren’t unlimited in scope, though. Wildlife control operators are not authorized to trap or remove bears involved in human-bear conflicts, and NWCOs are not authorized to handle deer, turkeys, and alligators over four feet long. Snakes generally fall well within their authorized species list, but it’s worth confirming with any operator you contact.

Pro Tip: Ask any wildlife removal company for proof of their current DNR NWCO permit number before they step onto your property. It’s a quick way to confirm they’re operating legally rather than as unlicensed pest control.

Record-keeping is part of the deal for licensed operators, too. The permittee must maintain records of all wildlife trapped, including county, species, number, disposition, and relocation site, and must submit an annual report of those records with the next renewal application. That paperwork trail is one reason licensed removal tends to be more accountable than a DIY approach.

Georgia’s approach isn’t identical to how other states handle wildlife removal permitting. If you’re comparing regulations across state lines — say for a move or a rental property — the breakdowns of wildlife removal laws in California, Arizona, North Carolina, and Minnesota show how much variation exists in permit requirements and protected species lists nationwide. For the full DNR permit application details, the department’s own Wildlife Control Permit information sheet lays out eligibility and limitations directly.

Penalties for Illegally Killing or Relocating a Snake in Georgia

The penalty structure for illegal snake killing is more consistent than the enforcement pattern behind it. The relevant statute is Ga. Code Ann. § 27-1-28, and violating it is treated as a misdemeanor offense carrying up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine, per the same code section referenced throughout Georgia’s nongame wildlife protections.

Enforcement in practice depends heavily on where you live. DNR law enforcement officers acknowledge that these cases are difficult to prosecute, and outcomes depend on the county court system and judge involved. That doesn’t make the law optional — it just means fines can vary case by case rather than following a fixed schedule.

Important Note: Harming an eastern indigo snake carries added exposure because of its federal threatened status under the Endangered Species Act, on top of any state misdemeanor charge. Federal wildlife violations are handled separately from Georgia’s state courts and can involve their own penalty structure.

Snake protection laws also connect to Georgia’s broader animal welfare framework. If you’re trying to understand how wildlife protections intersect with cruelty statutes more generally, the overview of animal cruelty laws in Georgia covers the adjacent legal territory that sometimes overlaps with wildlife cases involving intentional harm.

The bottom line for most Georgia homeowners: leave the snake alone, identify it from a safe distance using DNR’s snake identification resources, and call a licensed operator if it’s venomous or you’re not sure. That single habit avoids nearly every legal pitfall covered here.