In February, 2022, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission unilaterally passed a ban on the sale, trade, or transfer of Argentine black and white tegus in NC. This ruling will take effect on August 1, 2022. Fortunately, possession of these amazing animals is still allowed with a possession permit, but it has been an arduous wait for NCWRC to update their permit and process. After nearly 3 months, their website and permit application has been updated. Unfortunately, there seem to be some glaring issues with the wording of the NCWRC website.
Currently the permit application does not require a count of list of animals in possession, but this may change. There may also be requirements placed on private individuals to include plans for holding, transportation, final disposition, and safeguards to prevent accidental escape, as required for educational facilities. We recommend including this information with your application. Plan should be similar to the Article 55 compliant plan. Sample plan outline can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_CCcdLZQ9vwLHfP2Nv0JMr78G_cLZnYsjIbrUk8SVIA/edit?usp=sharing
We do not recommend that you disclose counts of your animals unless prompted to do so. You can reach out to NCWRC directly and ask for clarifications as well: licenses@ncwildlife.org.
You can get a Restricted Species Permit here: https://www.ncwildlife.org/Licensing/Other-Licenses-and-Permits/Restricted-Species-Permit
Before you rush out to buy a tegu, please consider the information and care guide found here first: Planning to buy a tegu?
NC Tegu Ban/Native Species Restrictions Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Please do not attempt to procure bogus permits. If NCWRC catches on to that, they are likely to respond with further restrictions. It is of the utmost importance that we follow the ruling to the letter while we explore options to have it overturned.