At their November meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved staff recommendations to advertise proposed rule changes regarding Prohibited green iguanas. The changes focus on issues such as outdoor caging, biosecurity, collection, and transport of these invasive reptiles.
Green iguanas are not native to Florida and have become a concern due to their impact on native wildlife. The proposed amendments to Chapter 68-5 of the Florida Administrative Code aim to encourage more residents to remove green iguanas from the wild by offering practical options for secure outdoor caging for permit holders. The rules also clarify procedures for transporting Prohibited reptiles, address emergency preparedness, and outline protocols for collecting and transporting wild-caught green iguanas intended for sale or eradication.
These new proposals build on previous rule changes made in May 2025 that allowed wild-caught green iguanas to be transferred to permit holders authorized to sell live iguanas outside of Florida.
To develop these recommendations, FWC staff from the Nonnative Fish and Wildlife Program consulted with the Nonnative Fish and Wildlife Technical Assistance Group. They held three virtual public meetings with stakeholders and collected additional feedback through an online comment form and email.
“These rule changes will further enable more Floridians to collect live green iguanas from their established range within the state and facilitate sale of those iguanas out of Florida,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. “Thanks to the great work of staff and input from our stakeholders, these latest rule changes support the continued removal of invasive species from Florida.”
Florida has seen reports of over 500 nonnative fish and wildlife species in the state. Of these, about 80 percent were introduced through the live animal trade. Currently, 139 species are established in Florida’s environment—meaning they are reproducing in the wild. Managing invasive species is a priority for FWC because they can harm native wildlife populations, cause expensive damage, and sometimes threaten human health.
More information is available at MyFWC.com/Nonnatives.
