You’ve probably seen the headlines or heard a neighbor swearing they’re about to get rich off those green lizards sunning on the seawall. People keep talking about a Florida iguana bounty 2025 like there’s a government office handing out stacks of cash for every tail you bring in.
Honestly? It’s mostly a myth.
Florida does have a massive iguana problem. They dig up sidewalks, poop in pools, and eat expensive landscaping like it’s a five-star buffet. But if you’re looking for a state-run program that pays you per head—sort of like the famous Python Challenge—you’re going to be disappointed.
The Reality of the Florida Iguana Bounty 2025
Let’s clear the air. There is no standing, statewide bounty where the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) cuts checks to random residents for catching iguanas. It just doesn’t exist.
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What does exist is a mix of high-end private removal services, limited municipal contracts, and a brand-new rule change that shifted everything in August 2025.
Basically, the state realized that just killing them wasn’t enough. In mid-2025, the FWC approved new rules—specifically updates to Chapter 68-5 of the Florida Administrative Code—to make it easier for people to actually make money from these lizards. Instead of a "bounty," the state is betting on a "market."
The 2025 Market Shift
Rather than paying you to kill them, the FWC is now allowing more people to apply for permits to collect live, wild-caught green iguanas to sell them out-of-state.
It's a weird pivot. You can’t keep them as pets here, and you can’t release them somewhere else in Florida. But if you have the right permit and the "locked" escape-proof containers required by the new law, you can ship them to places where they aren't an invasive nightmare.
Why Everyone Thinks There is a Bounty
Confusion usually starts because of the "Python Challenge." That event is real. People win $10,000 for catching snakes. Naturally, people assume there’s a similar "Florida iguana bounty 2025" happening in the background.
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There isn’t. Not for the general public.
However, some cities and counties occasionally set aside "eradication budgets." For instance, places like Sanibel or certain parts of Miami-Dade have historically hired private trappers. These guys aren't hobbyists; they are licensed contractors. They might get paid an hourly rate—usually between $18 and $22—or a flat fee per iguana, but those are private government contracts, not a public bounty.
Private "Hunts" vs. Real Bounties
If you search for "iguana bounty," you’ll find plenty of companies offering "Iguana Hunts."
Don't get it twisted. These aren't programs that pay you. You pay them.
Tourists and locals actually shell out $500 to $2,000 to go out on a boat with an air rifle and shoot as many as they can. It’s "lifestyle" entertainment for some, but it’s the opposite of a bounty. You’re the one providing the revenue.
What You Can Actually Do Right Now
If you have iguanas on your property, you don't need a permit to remove them. You can humanely kill them on your own land year-round. No license required.
But you have to be careful. Florida has strict anti-cruelty laws. If you aren't "humane"—meaning a quick, instant death—you could end up with a felony instead of a clean yard. Most people use high-powered pellet guns or specialized traps.
The Cost of Doing Nothing
If you're waiting for a Florida iguana bounty 2025 to make it worth your while to clean up your yard, you're losing money.
Professional removal is expensive. A single iguana removal usually starts at around $200. If you have a full-blown infestation? You’re looking at $2,000 or more for trapping and "exclusion" work (that’s the fancy term for fixing the holes they dug under your house).
- Property Damage: They can undermine seawalls, which cost $50,000+ to replace.
- Health Risks: Iguana feces can carry Salmonella. Not great for your pool deck.
- Landscape Loss: They love hibiscus and orchids. They'll clear a garden in a weekend.
The New 2025 Rules for Collectors
If you're serious about making money off iguanas this year, you need to look into the Eradication and Control Permit.
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Following the August 2025 rule changes, the FWC clarified exactly how these animals must be handled. If you are transporting them to sell out-of-state, your cages must have a "double-doored safety entrance." If they are over 9 inches from snout to vent, they have to be in their own individual enclosures to prevent breeding during transport.
The state isn't handing out cash. They are handing out permission to create a business.
Moving Forward in 2025
Stop waiting for a government check. It’s not coming. The "bounty" is the money you save by not having your seawall collapse or your expensive landscaping eaten.
If you want to get involved in the new 2025 commercial market, your first step is visiting the FWC website to look at the Limited Exception Commercial Use Permit. This is for people who want to turn the invasive crisis into a legitimate export business.
For the average homeowner, the best move is to contact a professional trapper or look into DIY humane trapping methods. Just remember: you can't relocate them. Once you catch an iguana in Florida, it either stays on your property in a cage, gets sold out of state by a permit holder, or it gets humanely euthanized. Those are the only legal paths.
Check your local city ordinances too. Some South Florida municipalities are currently debating small-scale "incentive" programs for 2026, but as of right now, the only "bounty" is the one you create for yourself through private contracts or out-of-state sales.
Next Steps:
- Verify your local laws: Before you grab a pellet gun, check your city’s firearm and projectile ordinances.
- Apply for a permit: If you want to sell iguanas, download the Chapter 68-5 permit application from the MyFWC website.
- Get a quote: If the infestation is under your foundation, call a licensed removal specialist before the structural damage exceeds your insurance coverage.