Section 885.90  Herpetoculture Permit Provisions

a)         Additions of native herptile species to Herpetoculture Permits must be approved by the Department prior to acquisition of the species and any changes or reductions in native herptile species identified on the permit must be reported to the Department in writing no later than the first business day after the change or reduction occurs.

b)         Herpetoculture Permit holders must have in possession proof of origin of the native herptiles that are being sold or offered for sale.  This can be original receipts from when the permit holder acquired the specimens, along with photo documentation of subsequent hatching eggs and/or hatchlings.  Documentation must be presented, upon request, to any authorized officer or agent of the Department or local, state or federal law enforcement officer.

c)         Native herptile species held under a Herpetoculture Permit shall be maintained in facilities that meet the standards of Section 885.160.

d)         Paper receipts/bills of sale must be issued for each sale of native herptile species.  Failure to issue paper receipts/bills of sale or issuance of incomplete paper receipts/bills of sale shall constitute a violation of this Part.  Receipts/bills of sale shall include:

1)         name, address, phone number and Department Herpetoculture Permit number of the seller in the upper left hand corner;

2)         name, address and phone number of the buyer;

3)         date of transaction;

4)         quantities and species of each native herptile sold.

e)         Any sale of a native herptile to a nonresident shall be documented by a receipt/bill of sale as described in subsection (d) to verify, when the herptile is exiting the State, that it was legally obtained.

f)         Permits must be in the possession of the holder or his or her agent (the agent must be disclosed in the permit application) when engaged in activities involving native herptile species and must be presented, upon request, to any authorized officer or agent of the Department or any local, state or federal law enforcement officer.

g)         No person shall transfer a Herpetoculture Permit to another person.

h)         The authorization on the face of a permit that allows specific activities (such as sale, possession, etc.), specifies numbers of native herptile species, or otherwise specifically limits the permit are to be strictly construed and shall not be interpreted to permit similar or related matters outside the scope of strict construction.

i)          All records of permit holder sales and purchases must be kept for a minimum of 2 years from the date of disposition of the herptile.