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do you need a license when it comes to selling corn snakes and such?

darkmorning1

darkmorning1

New member
i know many of you have your own websites or sells some corn snakes on here. I wanna know if you need any real paper work. i know like a website,FedEx maybe a paypal account helps? but is there any real paperwork or License you need. Let me know:wavey:
 
Depending on what your preferences are, having a paypal account does help. Some people I know don't trust it, but I've personally never had any problems with it. In order to ship snakes, you do need to be fedex certified. UPS does not allow the shipment of snakes... some other reptiles, but not snakes. Licensure depends on the type of snakes you are selling, where you live, and where the snakes are going. I know quite a few people in Fl that don't have a license for selling corns, but it is illegal to send them to certain states (ie Tennessee I believe). Look into your laws and interstate laws as well before shipping.

You can find out how to become fedex certified here
 
If you sell ANY reptiles at all in Florida (that even applies for out of state residents who come here to sell at an expo for just one weekend), you need a license from the state FWC that costs $50 per year. You can find it here:
http://myfwc.com/permits/class_three_wild.pdf

You also need a free tax certificate from the state revenue dept. so you can charge sales tax on any items you sell. If you only sell a clutch or two per year, or just sell wholesale only, you probably won't have to worry about it though.

But be careful about getting in too deeply as a home breeding business. You might find out that your local city or county has more regulations and prohibitions than you could ever believe. If you are going to stay very small, you might want to just sell wholesale and keep a low profile.
 
As Kathey explained, it depends on where you live :)
Here in Israel you need a permit if you have more than 4 reptiles... which costs 50$ on a yearly basis -and- if you intend on selling in large numbers, an additional yearly fee of like... 250$ or so.
Meh, really, just meh
 
kathylove said:
You also need a free tax certificate from the state revenue dept. so you can charge sales tax on any items you sell. If you only sell a clutch or two per year, or just sell wholesale only, you probably won't have to worry about it though.
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Well, if one is required, I'd wouldn't say "Don't worry about it." :noevil:

Does each county in Florida also require a DBA, Kathy?
KJ
 
Sorry, I wasn't very clear about the difference between the FWC license and the state sales tax license. You need the FWC license even if you sell wholesale, even just one snake per year. But I don't believe you will need the resale tax license if you just sell wholesale. Also, there may be some threshold below which you do not need the sales tax license. You would have to check on that. I doubt that everyone who has a garage sale once per year charges sales tax, but maybe they are supposed to. The best thing is to check it out with the state revenue dept.

If you produce a few here in Florida, but only sell out of state (maybe go to an out of state show, or wholesale to an out of state dealer), maybe you can sidestep the license issues, since the sales would not occur in Florida. I really don't know, and can't advise about that. FWC also has some kind of free or cheap "pet keeper" permit for herps over a certain number. But I have always gotten the sales / exhibit license, so never read up on that. But it is on the same website as the permit I linked to in the last post, if you want to read about it.

Each county and city has its own regulations as well. Here in Lee County, you have to get what used to be called an occupational license, and now is called something else (I still call it an occupational license, and it still costs the same as before - about $50 per year). If your city or county requires these licenses, they will probably also check your zoning to see if you are allowed to do whatever you want to do where you live.

I am not ever suggesting that anyone just ignore the law. I am saying that if you are only producing a clutch or two per year, it might be worthwhile to do whatever is required to keep it at a hobby level and not get involved with dealing with more different levels of government than absolutely necessary - that can really take the fun out of a hobby fast. If you are producing at that level, and if sending them out of state in a trade or wholesale deal can legally allow you to sidestep dealing with government issues, then it might be worthwhile to do so. But check everything out for yourself - I am not giving any kind of legal advice here, lol! And don't necessarily just believe what a government employee tells you, either. If you talk to 5 different employees, you may get 5 different answers! Read it in black and white for yourself.
 
The license in TN is about $250 a year. We have some of the strictest laws regarding Colubrids, which is why we don't get good reptile shows. You are also supposed to have a receipt for every Colubrid you own, and if you bought it out of state apply for an import license which is, I believe, $25 per shipment.
 
knox said:
The license in TN is about $250 a year. We have some of the strictest laws regarding Colubrids, which is why we don't get good reptile shows. You are also supposed to have a receipt for every Colubrid you own, and if you bought it out of state apply for an import license which is, I believe, $25 per shipment.
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That's rediculous... reDONCulous, even.

note to self: Do not move to TN... :laugh:
 
In CA, I cannot buy, sell, or trade normal-phase native reptiles without a State Propogation Permit. Non-native colubrids and albino mutations are fine.

In order to sell them, I need a re-seller's certificate, which costs about $10 a year. I *can* register a Fictitious Business Name Statement, but it isn't necessary unless I make more than $2,000 per year in profit. As long as I stay below that mark, I do not need a full Business License or DBA...only a re-seller's permit.

I am FedEx certified, and I am PayPal verified. These things don't cost a dime, and make business MUCH easier...
 
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KY requires a $150/year propagation permit if you are selling “native” non- morphed animals. If you are not breeding or selling but own 5 or more native non morphed animals you can get a $50 permit that lasts for 3 years.
Our transport permits are $25 per shipment or $250 a year. KY considers animals only to the Genus level so to them a California King snake is considered a native animal.
 
Does anyone know if there are any hoops to jump through for Oregon or Washington? Maybe GhostHouseCorns knows? She's from around my neck of the woods... I'll probably PM her about it but it would be good to have this kind of information out where people can get to it as well...
 
I believe it varies, the laws for the city where I live (Eugene) are that you only need a business license for certain endeavours, and selling snakes was not one of them. Neither was yard maintenance, unlike Medford where I used to live. I actually have run a landscape maintenance business twice so I did do some research what the state's requirements are for business. So I would first find out what the city or county ordinances are and you may find that all you have to do is have a business license with the city and you are OK. Or you may even live somewhere like me that only certain kinds of business need a license. If you have a business name you may want to register it with the state.
Native herps are another matter, and there are several species like red eared slider turtles that are prohibited because they are exotic invaders, so if you are planning to do other than just corn snakes I would make sure they are not on the state's red list.
Oregon is a relatively easy place to have a business because we don't have a sales tax to charge and have to deal with. TBH I am not even sure if reptile dealers from other states do this, I think I have yet to see an itemized bill where a breeder was charging sales tax from anywhere. I actually do such a small volume of sales that I fall in the category of hobbyist breeder anyway. I might try to take it a step further this year so I can claim some of my expenses as tax deductions!
 
Does anyone know what the requirements is for Utah? Do you have to have a Registered Ficticious Business Name, etc. Will be breeding cornsnakes in 2010.
 
Devilscat said:
Does anyone know what the requirements is for Utah? Do you have to have a Registered Ficticious Business Name, etc. Will be breeding cornsnakes in 2010.
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Check with your local Better Business Bureau, and than you can go online and check your state Board of Equalization. These two places *should* be able to get you the information you need, and even provide you with the paperwork to get it done...
 
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