California’s statewide ban on trapping wild mammals for recreation or commerce in fur has been in force since January 1, 2020. The rule followed Assembly Bill 273, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 4, 2019.
The law is a significant animal-welfare measure, but its scope is often misstated online. It does not prohibit every instance in which an animal may be trapped. Instead, California Fish and Game Code section 4001 makes it unlawful to trap a furbearing or nongame mammal for recreational purposes or for commerce in fur.
What California’s 2020 law changed
AB 273 ended the state licensing system that had allowed recreational and commercial fur trappers to target species classified as furbearing or nongame mammals. California Department of Fish and Wildlife guidance now states plainly that recreational and commercial fur trapping is banned statewide.
The practical effect is that animals such as coyotes, foxes and other covered mammals cannot legally be trapped for sport or for the value of their pelts. The change also removed provisions governing fur-trapping licenses and certain reporting requirements that no longer served a lawful commercial trapping program.
That is different from saying all wildlife control is illegal. California law and regulations still provide limited pathways for government agencies, property owners, tenants and authorized professionals to address wildlife damage, public safety or other management needs. Those activities remain subject to species protections, approved methods and other legal restrictions.
The viral penalty claim needs context
Social-media graphics commonly pair the 2020 fur-trapping ban with a maximum punishment of a $2,000 fine and one year in county jail. That figure appears in California regulations governing specified prohibited trapping methods and violations connected to Fish and Game Code sections 3003.1 and 3003.2, including rules on body-gripping and steel-jawed leghold traps.
It should not be presented as an automatic penalty for every possible violation of AB 273. The applicable charge and punishment depend on the conduct, the equipment used and the specific code or regulation enforced. That distinction matters: a broad headline can turn a real legal reform into an inaccurate claim about universal criminal penalties.
A separate ban covers most new fur sales
California later implemented another fur policy that is sometimes confused with the trapping law. Assembly Bill 44, signed in October 2019 and operative from January 1, 2023, generally prohibits selling, offering for sale, displaying for sale, trading or otherwise distributing new fur products in the state.
That sales law has exceptions, including used fur products and certain items used for religious or tribal cultural purposes. Its enforcement structure is also different: AB 44 specifies civil penalties that can rise for repeat violations.
Together, the two laws restrict different parts of the fur trade. AB 273 addresses the taking of covered wild mammals in California for recreation or fur commerce. AB 44 addresses most new fur products offered in the California market. Keeping those laws separate produces a more accurate account than a single viral claim.
Sources
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Fur Dealer / Fur Agent License
- Office of Governor Gavin Newsom: AB 273 signed September 4, 2019
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Trapping Laws and Regulations
- California Legislative Information: AB 44
