Hunting iguanas in Florida is legal year-round, with no hunting license required, no bag limit, and no closed season. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission classifies the green iguana as an invasive species and actively encourages the public to remove them. The rules that do exist govern how you kill the animal, where you’re allowed to shoot, and what you can do with it afterward.
Where You Can Legally Hunt Iguanas
Two settings are open to you: private property and certain public lands.
On private land, you need only the landowner’s permission (or to be the landowner yourself). No FWC permit, no hunting license, no paperwork. The FWC explicitly encourages property owners to remove iguanas whenever they find them.1Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Green Iguana
On public land, Executive Order 23-16 allows the public to capture and humanely kill green iguanas year-round, without a permit or license, on 32 Commission-managed properties in South Florida.1Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Green Iguana These are concentrated in the counties where iguana populations are densest, from Palm Beach south through the Keys. Each property sets its own access hours and equipment rules. Some allow air rifles but not traps, some the reverse. Check the specific location’s rules before you show up.
Local Firearm Ordinances Are the Bigger Hurdle
Florida law makes it a crime to knowingly discharge a firearm in any public place or on the right-of-way of any paved road, highway, or street.2The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 790.15 – Discharging Firearm in Public or on Residential Property Beyond that, many South Florida cities and counties have their own ordinances restricting the discharge of firearms and high-powered air rifles in residential areas. A legal iguana kill can still earn you a citation if you violate a local discharge rule. Look up your municipality’s code before you pick up a pellet gun.
Approved Killing Methods
This is where casual hunters get into trouble. The FWC requires a two-step process for humanely killing nonnative reptiles. First, render the animal unconscious immediately using a captive bolt gun, a firearm, or a pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) air gun with at least 300 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. Second, once the animal is unconscious, destroy the brain through pithing to prevent it from regaining consciousness.3Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Humane Killing Methods for Nonnative Reptiles
The 300 foot-pound threshold matters. A weak pellet gun that only wounds or stuns the animal creates both a cruelty problem and a criminal one. Drowning, freezing, and blunt-force methods against pavement are not approved and have led to criminal investigations. The invasive status of the iguana does not create an exception to Florida’s cruelty statute.
Anti-Cruelty Penalties Still Apply
Under Florida Statute 828.12, anyone who unnecessarily kills an animal in a cruel or inhumane manner commits animal cruelty, a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $5,000. If a court finds the cruelty intentional and that it caused a cruel death or excessive suffering, the charge becomes aggravated animal cruelty, a third-degree felony carrying up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.4The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 828.12 – Cruelty to Animals Videos of people beating or intentionally running over iguanas have generated public outcry and, in some cases, charges.
What You Can’t Do with a Live Iguana
If you trap an iguana on your own property, you cannot transport it alive without a Conditional/Prohibited/Nonnative Species Permit for Eradication and Control.5Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Nonnative Species Permit Applications and Information Without that permit, the animal must be humanely killed on site.
Rules effective January 7, 2026, require permitted individuals to keep all wild-caught green iguanas in secure, escape-proof containers during field collection — cloth sacks, buckets, or traps that nothing can get out of.6Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. 2025 Rule Changes for Green Iguana Outdoor Caging and Biosecurity Tossing a live iguana into an open truck bed is a violation waiting to happen.
Relocating a captured iguana is never legal. Nonnative wildlife removed from a capture site may only be transported for humane euthanasia.7Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Relocating Wildlife – Transportation of Nuisance Wildlife Under Florida Statute 379.231, releasing a non-native species without FWC authorization is a Level Three offense. A first offense is a first-degree misdemeanor. A second Level Three violation within ten years carries a mandatory minimum $750 fine and permanent revocation of all wildlife permits. The FWC can also impose a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per animal released, capped at $10,000 per assessment per animal.8The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 379.231 – Regulation of Nonnative Animals Driving a captured iguana to a canal across town and letting it go is a crime with real consequences.
Handling the Animal Safely
Adult green iguanas commonly reach four to five feet, and their claws, teeth, and tails can cause lacerations and deep punctures. Wear heavy gloves and long sleeves any time you handle a live one. Iguanas also carry Salmonella in their intestinal tracts and on their skin, so wash your hands thoroughly with warm soapy water after any contact with the animal or equipment that touched it, and keep them away from food-preparation surfaces.
Eating and Disposing of the Kill
Nothing in Florida law prohibits eating a green iguana you’ve legally killed. If you plan to eat one, treat the meat like poultry and cook it to an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) throughout, since wild reptiles can carry Salmonella and parasites. Clean surfaces and utensils thoroughly.
Florida’s carcass-disposal statute covers domestic animals like livestock, dogs, and cats, so it doesn’t technically apply to invasive reptiles.9The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 823.041 – Disposal of Bodies of Dead Animals; Penalty Even so, dumping carcasses in canals, roadways, or a neighbor’s yard can violate local littering ordinances. Most residential waste services accept iguana remains in sealed bags with regular trash, though rules vary by county. Large removal efforts may require a licensed disposal service.
When It Makes Sense to Hire a Professional
If you don’t want to kill iguanas yourself, the FWC recommends hiring a licensed nuisance wildlife trapper.1Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Green Iguana A professional who transports live iguanas must hold a Conditional/Prohibited/Nonnative Species Permit, which allows them to legally move live animals from your property to a disposal site.5Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Nonnative Species Permit Applications and Information Single-animal visits typically start around $200, while clearing a large colony from a waterfront property can run into the low thousands. Before hiring, confirm the trapper holds the appropriate FWC permit — an unlicensed operator moving live iguanas is breaking the law, and you don’t want to be part of that transaction.