The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is the agency that has jurisdiction over amphibians in Pennsylvania.

All species of amphibians in Pennsylvania are protected.

Collecting or catching any species of amphibian for any purpose requires a valid fishing license.

Collecting or catching any amphibian, for any purpose, requires a valid collectors permit. An amphibian will not be considered to be in possession of a person if, after it is taken or caught, it is immediately returned unharmed to the area from which it was taken.

Endangered or threatened species of amphibians may not be caught, collected or disturbed without a special permit.

More details below

§ 51.71. Scientific collectors’ permits.

(a) A valid and current scientific collector’s permit issued by the Commission is required to

collect, take or maintain, for scientific or educational research purposes, any species of

Pennsylvania fishes, amphibians, reptiles or aquatic organisms, during seasons not permitted

by regulations governing holders of a valid Pennsylvania fishing license, individual rattlesnake

hunter permit, organized amphibian and reptile hunt permit, or other license or permit.

(b) Holders of scientific collectors’ permits and their assistants shall comply with terms and

conditions of the permit, including the requirement for a report of collecting activities.
 
 

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (b) and (c), it is unlawful for a person to take,

catch or kill more than the daily limit specified in subsection (d) in 1 calendar day or to have in

possession more than the possession limit, dead or alive, specified in subsection (d); or to take,

catch or kill reptiles or amphibians during the closed season. An amphibian or reptile will not

be considered to be in possession of a person if, after it is taken or caught, it is immediately

returned unharmed to the area from which it was taken.

(b) This section does not prohibit the sponsors of an organized reptile/amphibian hunt

conducted under a permit issued under § 77.2 (relating to reptile and amphibian hunt permits)

from possessing more than the daily limit of the species of reptiles or amphibians hunted if the

total number of reptiles and amphibians held in possession during each hunt and for not more

than 48 hours thereafter does not exceed the daily limit for the species hunted times the number

of persons engaged in each organized hunt or in the case of hunts for timber rattlesnakes two

times the number of persons engaged in the hunt. This subsection applies to possession limits

only. It does not permit the sponsors of a hunt or individual hunters to take, catch or kill any

number of amphibians and reptiles in excess of the daily limits. This section does not prohibit

possession of numbers of amphibians and reptiles in excess of possession limits by zoos and

other institutions or persons for scientific, educational or research purposes or licensed

taxidermists for the purpose of mounting for properly permitted customers, licensed wildlife

rehabilitators or licensed pest control agents with the written permission of the Executive

Director or a designee. These persons shall maintain a current open inventory of and report

annually changes in the number of reptiles and amphibians possessed. The Executive Director

may limit the number of reptiles and amphibians that a person or institution may possess when

the Executive Director or a designee issues permission under this subsection.

(c) In prosecutions for violations of the possession limits, when poisonous reptiles have been

killed in apparent violation of the limits, it shall be a defense that the person who killed the

poisonous reptiles acted under a reasonable apprehension of immediate death or bodily harm to

himself or other persons in his immediate vicinity, if no more poisonous reptiles are killed than

necessary to protect life and limb and if the person reported the kills in writing to the

Commission within 5 business days after the kill. Individuals are required to obtain a permit to

possess any timber rattlesnake killed under this subsection.

(d) When season or annual limits apply, a season or annual limit has been reached once a

reptile or amphibian, dead or alive, has not been immediately released and is in the possession

of a person.

(e) The following seasons, size and catch limits apply to amphibians and reptiles except

endangered and threatened species:

§ 77.3. Taking and selling reptiles or amphibians under section 2102(b) and (c) of the

code.

(a) A reptile or amphibian may not be taken through the use of chemicals, smoke, explosives,

winches, jacks or other devices or materials, or manually that may disrupt, damage or destroy

the den or the immediate surroundings thereof. Habitat may not be destroyed in pursuit of a

reptile or amphibian.

(b) It is unlawful to take, catch, kill or possess an amphibian or reptile, whether dead or alive,

in whole or in parts, including eggs or any lifestage, except common snapping turtles (Chelydra

serpentina), in this Commonwealth for the purpose of selling the amphibian or reptile or

offering it for sale.

(c) It is unlawful for a person to sell, offer for sale, import or export for consideration, trade or

barter, or purchase an amphibian or reptile, except common snapping turtles, whether dead or

alive, in whole or in parts, including eggs or any lifestage, that was taken, caught or killed in this

Commonwealth. It is not a violation of this subsection to sell, offer for sale, import or export for

consideration, or purchase an amphibian or reptile taken, caught or killed prior to September 1,

1979.

(d) In prosecutions for violation of this section, it shall be a rebuttable presumption that a

species of amphibian or reptile that is native to or occurs within this Commonwealth, was taken,

caught or killed in this Commonwealth, and that a reptile or amphibian offered for sale, sold, or

purchased in apparent violation of this section was taken, caught or killed after September 1,

1979.

(e) It is unlawful to damage or disrupt the nest or eggs of a reptile or to gather, take or

possess the eggs of any reptile in the natural environment of this Commonwealth.

Source

The provisions of this § 77.3 amended April 19, 1996, effective April 20, 1996, 26 Pa.B.