Owning a lion sounds like an extreme idea to most people, but it is a question that comes up more often than you might expect — especially in states with large rural areas and a history of livestock and animal ownership. If you live in Iowa and have ever wondered whether it is possible to legally keep a lion, the short answer is no. The longer answer involves both Iowa state law and a federal statute that now applies to every resident of every state.
Understanding exactly why it is illegal — and what consequences you could face — helps you stay on the right side of the law. It also sheds light on how Iowa handles exotic and dangerous animals more broadly, from mountain lions to other large predators. This article walks through each layer of the law, from federal rules down to local ordinances.
Is It Legal to Own a Lion in Iowa?
No, it is not legal to own a lion in Iowa. You cannot possess, transport, breed, or own any dangerous wild animal in Iowa. Lions fall squarely within that definition under Iowa state law, and a separate federal law adds a second, independent layer of prohibition on top of the state ban.
Iowa has very particular rules about wild and exotic animals; you cannot own, transport, or breed these restricted animals. Even crossbreeds with dominant wildlife features are illegal. This means that even a lion hybrid — an animal that is only part lion — is treated the same as a purebred lion under Iowa law.
Key Insight: Iowa’s ban on dangerous wild animals applies to ownership, possession, transportation, and breeding. You do not need to be caught with a lion on your property to face penalties — transporting one into the state is also a violation.
What Federal Law Says About Lion Ownership
Before examining Iowa’s specific rules, it is worth understanding the federal law that now governs lion ownership nationwide. The Big Cat Public Safety Act was enacted December 20, 2022, to end the private ownership of big cats as pets and prohibit exhibitors from allowing public contact with big cats, including cubs. This law applies in every state, including Iowa.
The Big Cat Public Safety Act makes it unlawful to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce, or in a manner substantially affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or breed or possess prohibited wildlife species — including lions, tigers, leopards, snow leopards, clouded leopards, jaguars, cheetahs, and cougars, or any hybrids thereof. Lions (Panthera leo) are explicitly named in the statute.
The law amends the Captive Wildlife Safety Act to prohibit the private possession of lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, cougars, or any hybrid of these species. The law also restricts direct contact between the public and big cats. This means that even holding or petting a lion cub at a roadside attraction is now a federal offense.
A narrow grandfather provision existed for people who already owned big cats before the law passed. In order to continue to legally possess privately owned big cats, the Act required individuals or entities to register any big cats in their possession before the date of enactment with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, unless another exception of the Act applies. This registration had to occur no later than June 18, 2023, which was 180 days after the date of enactment. Registration is now closed. If you did not register a pre-existing lion by that deadline, you are in violation of federal law.
Anyone who violates the law faces up to $20,000 in fines and up to five years in prison. These are serious federal penalties that apply regardless of what Iowa’s own laws say. You can read more about the statute directly on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website.
Important Note: The federal registration window closed on June 18, 2023. No new registrations are accepted. Any lion acquired after December 20, 2022, cannot be legally registered under the grandfather provision.
Iowa’s Laws on Owning a Lion
Even if the federal law did not exist, Iowa’s own statutes would still make lion ownership illegal for private residents. The key statute is Iowa Code Chapter 717F, known as the Dangerous Wild Animals Act. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a person shall not own or possess a dangerous wild animal or cause or allow a dangerous wild animal owned by a person or in the person’s possession to breed. Further, a person shall not transport a dangerous wild animal into this state.
Lions are specifically listed in the definition of “dangerous wild animal.” The law covers any member of the family Felidae of the order Carnivora, including but not limited to lions, tigers, cougars, leopards, cheetahs, ocelots, and servals. Domestic cats are the only felines excluded from this definition.
Under Iowa Code Ann. § 717F.1, .3, .4, a person shall not own or possess a dangerous wild animal. A “dangerous wild animal” includes but is not limited to wolves, coyotes, hyenas, lions, tigers, cougars, cheetahs, bears, rhinoceroses, elephants, primates, alligators and crocodiles, Gila monsters, vipers, rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, pythons and anacondas, and boars. The list is broad, and lions sit near the top of it.
Iowa’s Dangerous Wild Animals Act was passed in 2007. There is a grandfather provision that allows a person who owns or possesses a dangerous wild animal on July 1, 2007, to continue to own or possess the dangerous wild animal subject to the provisions of the laws. Like the federal grandfather window, this provision has long since passed. Anyone who did not already own a lion before July 1, 2007, has no legal pathway to private ownership under Iowa state law. You can review the full text of Iowa’s dangerous animal statutes at the Animal Legal & Historical Center.
If you are curious about what large predators do exist in Iowa’s wild spaces, our guide to dangerous and poisonous animals in Iowa covers the native species you are more likely to encounter.
Permits and Requirements for Lion Ownership in Iowa
Because lions are classified as dangerous wild animals under Iowa Code Chapter 717F, there is no standard permit that a private individual can apply for to own one as a pet. The law does not create a licensing pathway for private residents — it simply prohibits ownership outright.
That said, certain entities are exempt from the ban. Wildlife sanctuaries, circuses, research facilities, disabled individuals, and accredited zoos are exempt from the Dangerous Wild Animals Act, and there are no state permit requirements for the importation, possession, or sale of dangerous wild animals by those entities. However, these exemptions apply to institutions and qualified organizations, not to individuals keeping lions as pets.
For the narrow category of people who qualified under the pre-2007 grandfather provision, specific ongoing requirements apply. Registering certain pets and obtaining permits in Iowa is a structured process. Owners of potentially dangerous wild animals must secure permits under Iowa Code Chapter 717F by providing detailed information about the animal and its origin. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) issues these permits, ensuring applications meet public safety and animal welfare standards.
Grandfathered owners face strict day-to-day obligations under Iowa Code 2025, Section 717F.4. The person must maintain health and ownership records for the dangerous wild animal for the life of the dangerous wild animal. The person must confine the dangerous wild animal in a primary enclosure as required by the department on the person’s premises. The person must not allow the dangerous wild animal outside of the primary enclosure unless the dangerous wild animal is moved to receive veterinary care from a licensed veterinarian or to comply with official directions.
Background checks are also part of the requirements for anyone holding a grandfathered permit. The person must not have been convicted of an offense involving the abuse or neglect of an animal pursuant to a law of this state or another state. The department, another state, or the federal government must not have suspended an application for a permit or license or revoked a permit or license required to operate a commercial establishment for the care, breeding, or sale of animals.
Pro Tip: If you are interested in wildlife but want a legal alternative, Iowa has rich wildlife to explore. Check out the owls of Iowa or the many hawks found across the state for a closer look at Iowa’s native predators.
Local Laws That May Apply in Iowa
Even if state law were somehow silent on the matter, local governments in Iowa have the authority to impose their own restrictions on exotic and dangerous animals. While the importation and possession of apes and other dangerous wild animals are regulated under both federal and state laws, county and municipal governments may also regulate animals within their jurisdictions. Typically, local ordinances either restrict the possession of animals, regulate activities involving animals, or set minimum standards for the housing and care of animals.
Story County, Iowa, provides a clear example of how local rules can add another layer of restriction. No person may own, possess, or have custody of any exotic animal unless that person obtains a license for that purpose from the Animal Control Department. All animals that are not domesticated pets or domesticated livestock are considered exotic animals. Any of the big cat or wildcat species and crosses of one-half or more are specifically listed among the regulated animals in that county code.
While your state may allow you to keep certain animals as pets, local laws can restrict ownership. State laws are frequently changing in response to concerns for public safety and animal well-being. You should always double-check for any new or proposed state or local legislation. This advice applies doubly in Iowa, where the state ban already exists but individual cities and counties may have additional rules — or stricter enforcement mechanisms — of their own.
If you want to understand more about Iowa’s wildlife rules in a broader context, the guides to snakes in Iowa and frogs in Iowa show which native species you can and cannot legally collect or keep.
Penalties for Illegally Owning a Lion in Iowa
Violating Iowa’s Dangerous Wild Animals Act carries real financial and legal consequences. A person owning or possessing a dangerous wild animal who violates a provision of this chapter is subject to a civil penalty of not less than two hundred dollars and not more than two thousand dollars for each dangerous wild animal involved in the violation. These civil fines apply per animal, so owning more than one prohibited species multiplies the exposure.
The penalties do not stop at fines. Iowa imposes strict penalties for illegal possession of prohibited animals. Violators of Iowa Code Chapter 717F without necessary permits face civil and criminal penalties, including fines ranging from $200 to $2,000 per day for each violation. Criminal charges can range from misdemeanors to felonies, depending on the circumstances. If illegal possession results in harm, penalties may escalate to imprisonment.
Courts have the power to take the animal away as well. Courts may also order confiscation and relocation of animals to wildlife sanctuaries or zoos, addressing risks while ensuring animal welfare. In practice, this means that illegally owning a lion in Iowa could result in losing the animal, paying thousands of dollars in fines, and facing criminal charges — all simultaneously.
On top of Iowa’s state penalties, the federal Big Cat Public Safety Act adds its own enforcement layer. Violators are subject to civil or criminal penalties, or both, including potential fines, imprisonment, or both. Additionally, big cats bred, possessed, imported, exported, transported, sold, received, acquired, or purchased contrary to the provisions of the Act are subject to seizure and forfeiture. Federal and state charges can be pursued at the same time, meaning the total legal exposure for illegally owning a lion in Iowa is significant.
The following table summarizes the key penalties you could face under each layer of law:
| Law | Civil Penalty | Criminal Penalty | Other Consequences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa Code Chapter 717F (State) | $200–$2,000 per animal per day | Misdemeanor to felony charges | Animal confiscation; relocation to sanctuary |
| Big Cat Public Safety Act (Federal) | Up to $20,000 per violation | Up to 5 years in prison | Animal seizure and forfeiture |
| Local Ordinances (varies by county/city) | Varies | Varies | Additional fines; permit revocation |
If you have questions about a specific situation involving exotic animal ownership in Iowa, consulting a licensed Iowa attorney familiar with wildlife law is the safest course of action. In certain situations, you may need legal advice about an animal you or someone else owns. You can speak with a lawyer who knows your state laws and can help you with a particular type of animal issue.
Iowa’s wildlife is rich and varied without venturing anywhere near illegal territory. From the butterflies and bees that support local ecosystems to the woodpeckers and hummingbirds that attract birdwatchers from across the Midwest, there is no shortage of fascinating animals to observe and appreciate — all without legal risk. The Born Free USA state law summary and the FindLaw exotic animal guide are also useful resources if you want to compare Iowa’s rules to those of other states.