POSSESSION
1. An individual must not possess more than four (4) live turtles of any one (1) species native to Indiana without a turtle permit.
2. It is unlawful to Release any amphibian or reptile acquired outside of Indiana. It is unlawful to release any turtle collected from Indiana unless it has been held for less than 30 days, has not been housed (caged) with other animals and is released at original site of capture
3. It is unlawful to sell native turtles (including eggs, larvae, meat, shells and other parts)
4. Color morph specimens of Indiana’s native species may be sold if not collected from the wild.
5. It is unlawful to sell any turtle (regardless of species or origin) with a carapace less than 4 inches
6. A person may not take, possess, transport, export, process, sell or offer for sale, or ship any Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata), Eastern mud turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum), Spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata), River cooter (Pseudemys concinna), Alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) or Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii)
7. An individual may possess a live eastern box turtle only with a turtle possession permit
8. Possession limit for common snapping turtle, smooth softshell turtle, spiny softshell turtle is 50.
TAKING FROM THE WILD
1. Indiana residents over the age of 17 must have a valid hunting or fishing license to collect turtles from the wild. Collection of endangered species and box turtles is prohibited.
2. The common snapping turtle, smooth softshell turtle, spiny softshell turtle are regulated as game animals and have a combined daily bag limit of 25 and a possession limit of 50. There is no closed season.
3. It is unlawful to collect nongame turtles on all DNR properties
4. An individual must not take more than two (2) non-game turtles per day and not more than four (4) from April 1 through March 31 of the following year of any one (1) species of reptile or amphibian native to Indiana.
5. An individual may take turtles by trap, a net, or another mechanical device that has no opening below the surface of the water, hook and line, hands or gaff.
6. It is unlawful to take turtle eggs from the wild
COMMERCIAL
1. The sale, transport for sale, or offer to sell or transport for sale of a reptile or amphibian native to Indiana is prohibited.
2. Except for box turtles, Unprotected non-native species of turtles can be captive-bred in Indiana
3. The sale or purchase of non-native turtles does not appear to be regulated with the exception that they may not be released into the wild