Antique engraving of a serval

Is it legal to own a serval in Colorado?

VERIFIED 2026-07-03CONFIDENCE: HIGH2 CCR 406-11 (serval not unregulated)

The short answer

Banned
Regulated wildlife — exotic cats closed to private ownership.

No. Servals aren't on Colorado's unregulated list, making them regulated wildlife with no pet licensing pathway.

What Colorado law says

Same whitelist logic: unlisted means regulated, and regulated means no pets.

Which agency regulates servals in Colorado

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is the authority for serval (Leptailurus serval) possession in Colorado.

Is there a permit for pet servals?

No. There is no permit pathway that allows private pet ownership.

Penalties for owning a serval illegally

Misdemeanor possession, fines, and seizure.

Local city and county rules

Statewide framework controls.

Frequently asked questions

Are Savannah cats legal in Colorado?

Domestic cat hybrids are treated as domestic animals; pure servals are regulated wildlife and prohibited as pets.

Sources

More animals in Colorado

See all animals on the exotic pet laws in Colorado page, or compare every state on the pet serval laws by state page.

Last verified 2026-07-03 against the cited primary sources. This is a research directory, not legal advice — confirm current rules with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and your local animal-control authority before acquiring any animal.