Snake Removal Laws in Alabama: What You Can and Cannot Do Yourself
August 14, 2026
Finding a snake coiled near your porch steps or slithering through the garden triggers an instinct in most Alabama homeowners: grab a shovel, a bucket, or the nearest broom handle. Before you act on that instinct, it helps to know that snake removal laws in Alabama treat nearly every native snake as protected wildlife rather than a pest you can freely trap or kill.
Alabama protects snakes under the Alabama Nongame Wildlife Regulations and the Alabama Administrative Code, classifying them as nongame wildlife that cannot be hunted or fished for sport or commercial purposes. That legal status changes how you’re allowed to respond when a snake shows up on your property, whether it’s a harmless species from the state’s long list of native snakes or a venomous one near your back door. This guide covers what you can legally do on your own, which species carry extra protection, when a permit is required, and when calling a licensed operator is the safer and more legal choice.
Is It Legal to Remove or Relocate a Snake Yourself in Alabama
Attempting to relocate a snake yourself may feel like the responsible thing to do, but it usually isn’t legal without authorization. According to Outdoor Alabama, it is unlawful to take, capture, kill, or attempt to take, capture, or kill nongame wildlife species without a scientific collection permit or written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Because snakes fall under this nongame wildlife category, that rule applies to nearly every native species you’re likely to find in your yard.
Relocating a snake without a permit from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is illegal, partly because moving snakes can disrupt their natural habitat, spread disease, or create conflicts with other wildlife. Wildlife officials also point to a practical problem with do-it-yourself relocation: snakes frequently return to familiar territory, so experts generally discourage relocation because many fail to survive in unfamiliar habitat and may create new problems elsewhere.
If you spot a nonvenomous snake around your home, wildlife experts recommend using a nonlethal method to encourage it to move away on its own rather than trying to kill or relocate it. If the snake is venomous or belongs to a protected species, the safer route is contacting an authorized wildlife control operator through Outdoor Alabama.
Pro Tip: Sealing gaps under porches, closing off crawl space vents, and clearing brush piles removes the shelter and rodent prey that draw snakes to your property in the first place, often solving the problem without any direct handling.
Protected Snake Species in Alabama
All snake species are protected in Alabama, including both venomous and nonvenomous kinds, though the level of protection varies by species. Several carry specific legal protection under state nongame wildlife rules, meaning you cannot capture, kill, sell, or possess them without authorization. State law prohibits killing, capturing, selling, or possessing these nongame snakes without a scientific collection permit or written authorization from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the restriction extends to a snake’s offspring or parts.
The state’s specifically listed protected snakes include:
- All native kingsnakes
- Eastern coral snake
- Eastern indigo snake
- Eastern diamondback rattlesnake
- Gulf salt marsh snake
- Pine snake
- Rainbow snake
- Southern hognose snake
Among this list, the eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) and the eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon couperi) draw the most attention because of their appearance and rarity. The eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) also made the state’s protected list despite being venomous, a detail that surprises many residents who assume dangerous species have no legal protection at all. The rainbow snake is likewise protected by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Important Note: Sources vary on which snakes carry federal Endangered Species Act protection on top of state protection. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has federally listed the eastern indigo snake (in 1978) and the black pine snake (in 2015) as threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. These two species, the eastern indigo snake and the black pine snake, are the ones that receive this additional federal protection in Alabama. Other species on the state’s protected list, including the eastern coral snake and eastern diamondback rattlesnake, are protected under state regulation rather than federal law.
Permit Requirements for Snake Removal in Alabama
Handling nongame wildlife in Alabama requires a scientific collecting permit, and this applies whether you’re removing a snake from a basement or relocating one from a garden bed. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources can also issue a written permit specifying exactly what a permittee may do with a protected species, and any additional federally required permits must be obtained separately for federally protected species.
Homeowners dealing with a nuisance snake typically rely on a different authorization: the Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator (NWCO) permit. The Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries permits Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators to remove nuisance wildlife at the landowner’s or tenant’s expense, though the Division’s authority over these operators is limited to permitting them to take protected wildlife. This NWCO permit carries no cost to obtain.
Even permitted operators face restrictions on what happens after capture. Live-caught animals may not be relocated across a county line or a major river drainage, which is one reason “catch and release far away” isn’t the simple fix many homeowners assume.
If your interest in permits extends to keeping a snake rather than removing one, a separate set of rules applies. Since an amendment took effect on October 15, 2020, Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Regulation 220-2-.26 has prohibited possessing, selling, or importing certain venomous reptile species that never naturally existed in the wild in Alabama. For a full breakdown of what’s allowed, see this guide on owning a venomous snake in Alabama.
In practice, four separate authorizations cover most snake situations:
- Scientific Collecting Permit — required to handle, study, or temporarily possess nongame wildlife, including most native snakes.
- Written Commissioner Permit — issued case by case, specifying what actions are authorized for a listed species.
- Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator Permit — allows a permitted business to remove nuisance snakes from private property for a fee.
- Restricted Species Permit — covers captive possession of certain non-native or venomous reptiles, separate from field removal.
When You Can Legally Kill a Snake in Alabama
Alabama law does carve out room for self-defense. Alabama law includes an exception for self-defense, and if a snake poses an immediate threat to your safety, the law does not prevent you from protecting yourself. That said, wildlife officials discourage killing snakes unless it’s absolutely necessary, since most encounters end safely once the snake is given space to leave on its own.
Even a snake that’s already dead can pose a hazard. A venomous snake can still reflexively bite after being killed, creating a risk of envenomation when people try to handle it. That reflex is one more reason wildlife agencies encourage distance over direct confrontation whenever possible.
The self-defense exception doesn’t erase protections for listed species. Alabama law still prohibits killing, capturing, selling, or possessing certain protected nongame snakes without a scientific collection permit or written DCNR authorization, even in situations that fall short of genuine self-defense. On the other hand, not every venomous snake in Alabama carries state protection; species such as copperheads, cottonmouths, timber rattlesnakes, and pygmy rattlesnakes are not included on the protected list.
Outside of self-defense, Alabama’s broader hunting regulations govern when and how nongame reptiles may be taken at all. If you’re weighing whether a specific situation qualifies, reviewing the state’s hunting laws in Alabama can clarify how nongame species fit within seasonal and licensing rules.
Rules for Venomous Snake Removal in Alabama
Alabama is home to six venomous snake species. The copperhead, cottonmouth, eastern diamondback rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake, pygmy rattlesnake, and eastern coral snake make up the state’s six venomous species. Their scientific names include the copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix), cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus), timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), and pygmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius).
Only two of these six carry state-level legal protection: the eastern diamondback rattlesnake and the eastern coral snake. The other four fall outside the state’s protected nongame list, though that doesn’t mean removal is unregulated. Trapping, transporting, and releasing any snake still triggers the same nongame wildlife permit requirements described earlier.
| Venomous Species | State Protection Status | Common Habitat |
|---|---|---|
| Copperhead | Not state-protected | Wooded areas, leaf litter |
| Cottonmouth | Not state-protected | Swamps, streams, wetlands |
| Eastern diamondback rattlesnake | State-protected nongame species | Pine flatwoods, coastal scrub |
| Timber rattlesnake | Not state-protected | Forested hills, rocky ridges |
| Pygmy rattlesnake | Not state-protected | Mixed forests, near water |
| Eastern coral snake | State-protected nongame species | Sandy woodlands, pine forests |
Because identification mistakes carry real consequences, wildlife experts recommend keeping your distance and contacting a wildlife removal professional rather than trying to handle or kill a snake you cannot confidently identify. A cottonmouth can look similar to several harmless water snakes, and a young eastern coral snake is sometimes confused with nonvenomous mimics.
Pro Tip: If you can safely do so from a distance, photograph the snake before calling for help. Accurate species identification determines which permit rules and removal methods apply, and it saves the responding operator time.
Hiring a Licensed Wildlife Removal Operator in Alabama
For most homeowners, calling a permitted professional is the simplest way to stay on the right side of snake removal laws in Alabama. Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators are permitted by the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries to remove nuisance wildlife at the landowner’s or tenant’s expense, and their methods have proven effective.
State wildlife officials generally step back from hands-on removal themselves. According to Outdoor Alabama, the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries typically does not remove nuisance wildlife from private property unless public safety is at risk, which puts most residential snake calls in the hands of permitted private operators rather than state staff.
It’s worth understanding the limits of that permitting system before you hire someone. The Division doesn’t have regulatory authority over these individuals or businesses beyond permitting them to take protected wildlife, so it can’t guarantee the quality of service, though it makes reasonable efforts to exclude disreputable operators from the permitting process. Checking reviews, asking about specific snake-handling experience, and confirming an operator’s permit status before work begins protects you from subpar service.
Several permitted Alabama operators specifically list snakes among the species they handle, alongside more common nuisance calls like raccoons, squirrels, and bats. Wildlife removal permitting varies significantly by state; homeowners who split time between Alabama and other regions may find it useful to compare how North Carolina and Virginia handle similar nuisance wildlife permitting.
Other states take notably different approaches to snake and wildlife control licensing. Arizona, California, and Minnesota each maintain their own permitting structures, which is why it’s worth confirming an operator’s Alabama-specific license rather than assuming credentials from another state transfer automatically.
Penalties for Illegally Killing or Relocating a Snake in Alabama
Ignoring Alabama’s nongame wildlife protections carries real financial and legal risk. Anyone who kills, injures, possesses, or sells a protected snake without a permit may face a fine of up to $5,000 and up to one year of imprisonment. Those penalties can apply per violation, meaning multiple protected snakes or repeated incidents may compound the consequences.
The restriction isn’t limited to live animals. Alabama’s protections extend to a protected snake’s offspring or parts, so keeping a shed skin, skull, or rattle from a protected species without authorization can also violate state law.
Relocation carries its own penalty exposure. Relocating a snake in Alabama without a permit from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is illegal, regardless of the good intentions behind the move. Even permitted operators must follow placement rules, since live-caught animals cannot be relocated across a county line or a major river drainage.
Key Insight: The safest path for both you and the snake is contacting a permitted Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator or Outdoor Alabama directly rather than guessing at species identification or permit requirements on your own.
Important Note: This article provides general information about Alabama snake removal laws and is not legal advice. Regulations and permit fees can change, so confirm current requirements with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources or a licensed attorney before acting.
Snake removal laws in Alabama ultimately favor caution over quick action. Most native species carry some form of protection, self-defense is narrowly defined, and permits govern nearly every method of capture or relocation. When in doubt, contacting a permitted Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator keeps you compliant while giving the snake its best chance of survival.