LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeFish and Game CodeDiv. 3Ch. 6.5§ 2582 Wildlife And Plant Trade Penalties

§ 2582 Wildlife And Plant Trade Penalties

Fish and Game Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 2582 Wildlife And Plant Trade Penalties

This law lets the state fine people who illegally trade, keep, or move animals, plants, or fish for profit, especially protected or endangered species.

Key Takeaways

  • •It covers illegal actions like selling, transporting, or possessing wildlife for profit.
  • •It applies to many types of wildlife, including birds, mammals, fish, plants, insects, and endangered species.
  • •It also penalizes false records or failing to keep required paperwork.

Example

A person tries to sell a turtle they caught without a permit.

Because the turtle was taken in violation of wildlife rules and the seller was doing it for profit, the state can impose an administrative penalty on them.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 2582 Wildlife And Plant Trade Penalties

(a) The department may impose an administrative penalty upon any person pursuant to this chapter for any of the following acts done for profit or personal gain: (1) Unlawfully export, import, transport, sell, possess, receive, acquire, or purchase, or unlawfully assist, conspire, or aid in the importing, exporting, transporting, sale, possession, receiving, acquisition, or purchasing of, any bird, mammal, amphibian, reptile, or fish which are taken or possessed in violation of this code or the regulations adopted pursuant to this code. (2) Unlawfully export, import, transport, sell, possess, receive, acquire, or purchase, or unlawfully assist, conspire, or aid in the importing, exporting, transporting, sale, possession, receiving, acquisition, or purchasing of any plants, insects, or other species listed pursuant to the California Endangered Species Act (Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 2050)), which are taken or possessed in violation of this code or the regulations adopted pursuant to this code. (3) Unlawfully export, import, transport, sell, possess, receive, acquire, or purchase any bird, mammal, amphibian, reptile, or fish, or any endangered or threatened species, or any fully protected bird, mammal, or fish which has been taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of this code or the regulations adopted pursuant to this code. (4) Unlawfully possess any bird, mammal, amphibian, reptile, or fish, or any endangered or threatened species, or any fully protected bird, mammal, or fish which has been taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of this code or any regulations adopted pursuant to this code within the maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the state or within the portions of the special maritime jurisdiction of the United States upon which the State of California exercises concurrent jurisdiction, either by statute, deputization, or by contract with the United States. (5) Having exported, imported, transported, sold, purchased, or received any bird, mammal, amphibian, reptile, or fish, or any endangered or threatened species, or any fully protected bird, mammal, or fish, unlawfully make or submit any false record, account, label, or identification thereof. (6) Attempt to commit any unlawful act, or unlawfully attempt to commit any act, described in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive. (b) The department may impose an administrative penalty upon any person pursuant to this chapter for unlawfully exporting, importing, possessing, receiving, or transporting in interstate commerce any container or package containing any bird, mammal, amphibian, reptile, or fish, or any endangered or threatened species, or any fully protected bird, mammal, or fish unless the container or package has previously been plainly marked, labeled, or tagged in accordance with this code and the regulations adopted pursuant to this code. (c) The department may impose an administrative penalty upon any person pursuant to this chapter for any unlawful failure or refusal to maintain any records or paperwork as required by this code. (Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 132, Sec. 53. (AB 1760) Effective January 1, 2024.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

acquisitionviolationpossessioncontractmaritimedangerpenaltyport

Related Statutes

  • § 1672 Restoration Project Permits
  • § 2120 Wild Animal Import Regulations
  • § 8460 Live Bait Fish License
  • § 10667 Dana Point Fishing Regulations
  • § 12002.4 Commercial Fishing Boat Registration Revocation

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Fish and Game Code. Section 2582.
View Official Source