Legally, yes — because green iguanas are invasive, Florida allows a property owner to remove them humanely from their own land year-round, no permit required. So this isn't a case where you have to hire anyone. Plenty of people successfully trap a light problem on their own with a live-catch cage placed on the route and a little patience.
Where DIY makes sense
If you've got one small iguana on flat ground, or a couple of animals and a burrow or two, by all means try. A live-catch trap set on the right route, checked regularly, and a burrow you can collapse and backfill will handle a light, non-waterfront problem for a determined homeowner.
Where it stops making sense
The reasons people still call me are practical, not legal. The trouble usually falls into a few buckets:
- A 5-foot adult bites, claws, and tail-whips hard enough to send you to urgent care
- Roof and pool-cage jobs add a real fall risk
- Handling humanely and disposing lawfully — no relocating an invasive species — trips up a lot of DIY attempts
- A canal full of them isn't a DIY project; the water keeps resupplying faster than you can catch
Common questions
Do I need a permit to remove iguanas myself?
Not on your own property — Florida lets homeowners remove invasive green iguanas humanely year-round without one. The handling still has to be humane and lawful, but no permit is required.
What's the risk of doing it myself?
A big adult can bite, claw, and tail-whip badly, and roof or pool-cage jobs add fall risk. Lawful humane disposal of an invasive species also trips people up, since you can't just relocate or release it.
Can I release the one I catch somewhere else?
No — that's the one thing you legally can't do. Green iguanas are invasive, so releasing them just spreads the problem and isn't allowed. Whatever you catch has to be handled humanely and disposed of lawfully, not driven off and let go.
