Do you need a permit to own a pet tortoise in France?
Boom in tortoise trade in 1970s and 1980s led to strict regulations
Hermann's tortoises are accepted as a pet
Lubos Houska/Shutterstock
Reader Question: Is it legal to own a tortoise in France? I promised my grandson a tortoise for his sixth birthday but now I cannot find anyone in my area selling one.
Tortoises are a protected species in France, however it is possible to find the animals for sale from tropical pet stores and authorised breeders.
Popular pets in the latter half of the 20th century, a booming trade in tortoises saw thousands imported from North Africa and the Americas, as well as widespread breeding of a species native to France.
Overbreeding and abandonment led to restrictions being put in place, and the animals are now classified as exotic pets.
Two species of European tortoise – the Hermann’s tortoise native to southern France and the Greek tortoise (not native but heavily imported from North Africa in the 20th century) – are accepted as pets.
Both of these types of tortoise can be found for sale in pet stores and from professional breeders.
A third common pet in the late 20th century was the red-eared slider turtle or tortue de Floride, native to North and South America.
Many of the turtles were abandoned in France during these years and it is now a hostile invasive species, eating smaller aquatic life such as native pond turtles.
With no natural predators, its numbers are growing.
Selling and owning red-eared sliders is illegal in France, although some sanctuaries will help those found sick in the wild.
Pet must be declared
To own a tortoise, you will need to complete an animal ownership form found here.
You can either complete the process fully online by logging into the French government website using FranceConnect (click the Réalisable aussi en ligne button on the link above).
Alternatively you can print out the form and send it to the Direction départementale de la protection des populations of the department where the tortoise is to be kept.
If you purchase a pet from a store or professional breeder, they will likely be able to help you with the process.
People are allowed to keep up to six Hermann’s or Greek tortoises at a time, but from the seventh onwards they are considered to be running a breeding program and must apply for additional regulations.
Some other species may also be owned in France, but in most cases this also requires more complex formalities (see here, Hermann’s or Greek fall under the term ‘testdudo spp’).
The pets do not need to be put onto the usual ‘I-CAD pet register’ as cats or dogs do in France, but should rather be registered on i-fap. They should be tattooed or chipped for identification, which can be done by a vet.
