{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/29.1-569.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/29.1-569.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/29.1-569.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/29.1-569.html"}],"law_id":357069,"edition_id":2,"section_id":357069,"structure_id":51088,"section_number":"29.1-569","catch_line":"Keeping of reptiles generally; penalty","history":"1980, c. 202, \u00a7 29-213.35; 1987, c. 488; 1999, c. 85.","full_text":"It shall be unlawful for the owner or keeper of any exotic reptile or type of reptile not native to the Commonwealth of Virginia, including but not limited to the American alligator, to keep the reptile in any manner that will permit its escape or to knowingly permit the reptile to run at large. Any violation of this section shall constitute a Class 2 misdemeanor.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1328848,"text":"It shall be unlawful for the owner or keeper of any exotic reptile or type of reptile not native to the Commonwealth of Virginia, including but not limited to the American alligator, to keep the reptile in any manner that will permit its escape or to knowingly permit the reptile to run at large. Any violation of this section shall constitute a Class 2 misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":51088,"edition_id":2,"name":"Endangered Species","identifier":"6","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":7,"parent_id":51081,"metadata":{"child_laws":8,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:37:17","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:31:53","permalink":{"id":1420319,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51088,"identifier":"6","token":"29.1\/5\/6","url":"\/29.1\/5\/6\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51081,"edition_id":2,"name":"Wildlife and Fish Laws","identifier":"5","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":8,"parent_id":51066,"metadata":{"child_laws":102,"child_structures":9},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:37:09","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:31:53","permalink":{"id":1419969,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51081,"identifier":"5","token":"29.1\/5","url":"\/29.1\/5\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51066,"edition_id":2,"name":"Wildlife, Inland Fisheries and Boating","identifier":"29.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":72,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":397,"child_structures":36},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:36:48","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:31:51","permalink":{"id":1419279,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51066,"identifier":"29.1","token":"29.1","url":"\/29.1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":357063,"structure_id":51088,"section_number":"29.1-563","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/29.1-563\/","token":"29.1\/5\/6\/29.1-563","metadata":false},{"id":357064,"structure_id":51088,"section_number":"29.1-564","catch_line":"Taking, transportation, sale, etc., of endangered species prohibited","url":"\/29.1-564\/","token":"29.1\/5\/6\/29.1-564","metadata":false},{"id":357065,"structure_id":51088,"section_number":"29.1-565","catch_line":"Reserved","url":"\/29.1-565\/","token":"29.1\/5\/6\/29.1-565","metadata":false},{"id":357066,"structure_id":51088,"section_number":"29.1-566","catch_line":"Regulations","url":"\/29.1-566\/","token":"29.1\/5\/6\/29.1-566","metadata":false},{"id":357067,"structure_id":51088,"section_number":"29.1-567","catch_line":"Penalties; authority of conservation police officers and police officers; disposition of property seized","url":"\/29.1-567\/","token":"29.1\/5\/6\/29.1-567","metadata":false},{"id":357068,"structure_id":51088,"section_number":"29.1-568","catch_line":"When Board may permit taking of endangered or threatened species; designated experimental populations","url":"\/29.1-568\/","token":"29.1\/5\/6\/29.1-568","metadata":false},{"id":357069,"structure_id":51088,"section_number":"29.1-569","catch_line":"Keeping of reptiles generally; penalty","url":"\/29.1-569\/","token":"29.1\/5\/6\/29.1-569","metadata":false},{"id":357070,"structure_id":51088,"section_number":"29.1-570","catch_line":"Cooperation of state agencies","url":"\/29.1-570\/","token":"29.1\/5\/6\/29.1-570","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":357068,"structure_id":51088,"section_number":"29.1-568","catch_line":"When Board may permit taking of endangered or threatened species; designated experimental populations","url":"\/29.1-568\/","token":"29.1\/5\/6\/29.1-568","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":357070,"structure_id":51088,"section_number":"29.1-570","catch_line":"Cooperation of state agencies","url":"\/29.1-570\/","token":"29.1\/5\/6\/29.1-570","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/29.1-569\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1980. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 202 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1980 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1987, chapter 488; in 1999, chapter 85<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1420345,"object_type":"law","relational_id":357069,"identifier":"29.1-569","token":"29.1\/5\/6\/29.1-569","url":"\/29.1-569\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/29.1-569\/","token":"29.1\/5\/6\/29.1-569","dublin_core":{"Title":"Keeping of reptiles generally; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 29.1-569","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

It shall be unlawful for the owner or keeper of any exotic reptile or type of reptile not native to the Commonwealth of Virginia, including but not limited to the American alligator, to keep the reptile in any manner that will permit its escape or to knowingly permit the reptile to run at large. Any violation of this section shall constitute a Class 2 misdemeanor<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nKEEPING OF REPTILES GENERALLY; PENALTY (\u00a7 29.1-569)\n\nIt shall be unlawful for the owner or keeper of any exotic reptile or type of\nreptile not native to the Commonwealth of Virginia, including but not limited to\nthe American alligator, to keep the reptile in any manner that will permit its\nescape or to knowingly permit the reptile to run at large. Any violation of this\nsection shall constitute a Class 2 misdemeanor.\n\nHISTORY: 1980, c. 202, \u00a7 29-213.35; 1987, c. 488; 1999, c. 85.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}