Can You Own a Monitor Lizard in the UK? Laws, Licences, Species & Costs (2026)

Yes, you can legally own a monitor lizard in the UK without a special licence. No monitor species is listed under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act, so there is no DWA licence to apply for — but that is only half the story.

If you have seen an Ackie monitor scampering across someone's setup, or a hefty savannah monitor going cheap at a reptile shop, you are right to ask what you are getting into. This guide gives you the honest answer: what the law actually requires, the CITES paperwork that trips buyers up, which species suit a UK home, and what it really costs.

What Is a Monitor Lizard?

Monitor lizards (genus Varanus) are a group of around 80 species of intelligent, active, predatory lizards from Africa, Asia and Australasia. They range from the 20 cm pygmy monitors of Australia to the 3-metre Komodo dragon, the largest lizard alive.

What sets monitors apart from a bearded dragon or a gecko is their intelligence and drive. They are curious, problem-solving animals that recognise their keeper, learn routines, and need genuine mental stimulation. That intelligence is a big part of the appeal — and a big part of why so many are kept badly.

A few things every prospective owner should know up front:

• They get big and strong. Even a "small" pet monitor is a powerful animal with sharp claws and a whip-like tail.
• They are long-lived. Most pet species live 15–20 years, so this is a commitment measured in decades.
• They are high-heat specialists. Many bask at surface temperatures of 45–55°C — hotter than almost any other reptile kept in UK homes.

Are Monitor Lizards Legal in the UK?

Yes. Keeping a monitor lizard in England, Scotland or Wales is legal and needs no DWA licence. This is the single most misunderstood point, so let's be precise about why.

The Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 requires a council licence for animals on its Schedule. Among lizards, the Schedule lists only the Helodermatidae — the Gila monster and the Mexican beaded lizard, both venomous. No monitor lizard, and not even the Komodo dragon, appears anywhere on that list.

So unlike a crocodile or a wild cat, a monitor lizard carries no licensing requirement based on the animal itself.

Monitor lizards sit firmly in the "legal without a licence" category alongside most kept reptiles. For the wider map of what needs a licence and what doesn't, see our guides to exotic pets you can own without a licence and the Dangerous Wild Animals Act explained.

CITES: The Paperwork That Catches Buyers Out

Here is the part the cheap-pet adverts rarely mention. Every monitor lizard is protected under CITES — the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species — because the whole genus Varanus is listed. In UK law this is enforced through the wildlife trade regulations administered by APHA.

What that means in plain terms:

• Most monitors are CITES Appendix II (UK Annex B). This covers species like the Ackie, savannah and water monitor. They are legal to own and sell, but importing or exporting one needs a permit, and you should always buy a captive-bred animal with clear provenance.
• Five species are CITES Appendix I (UK Annex A). These are the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), Bengal monitor (V. bengalensis), yellow monitor (V. flavescens), desert monitor (V. griseus) and clouded monitor (V. nebulosus). To sell or trade one of these commercially in the UK you need an Article 10 certificate from APHA.

In practice, the Komodo dragon is a zoo animal and never legitimately enters the UK pet trade. But the lesson for ordinary buyers is simpler: only buy from a reputable, captive-breeding source that can show the animal's paperwork. Buying an undocumented monitor risks an illegally imported, wild-caught animal — bad for the lizard and a legal problem for you.

Which Monitor Lizards Are Kept as Pets?

"Monitor lizard" covers everything from a tame, cat-sized burrower to a two-metre predator. Lumping them together is exactly how people end up overwhelmed. Here is how the commonly sold species really compare.

Which Monitor Actually Suits a UK Home

If you want a monitor you can realistically house and enjoy in a normal home, the honest answer is one species.

The Ackie monitor: the sensible choice

The Ackie monitor (also called the spiny-tailed monitor) is the monitor for ordinary keepers. At 60–70 cm including the tail, it stays manageable, tolerates gentle handling once settled, and shows all the intelligence and personality the family is famous for — in a body you can house in a large vivarium rather than a spare room.

Many first-time monitor owners get this wrong because shops push cheaper, bigger species. That is not your fault — the trade is set up that way. But starting with an Ackie is the difference between a rewarding 15-year companion and an animal you cannot cope with.

The savannah monitor: the impulse-buy trap

The Bosc or savannah monitor is sold cheaply and often, which is precisely the problem. It reaches 90–120 cm, needs a custom enclosure most people never build, and is prone to obesity and fatty liver disease when fed the rodents and dog food it is so often given. Many end up rehomed or in rescue within a couple of years.

If a monitor's size and demands give you pause, that is a sign of good judgement. A bearded dragon, a blue tongue skink or another beginner-friendly reptile may be a far better fit — see our best first exotic pet guide.

What Does a Monitor Lizard Cost in the UK?

The purchase price is the cheapest part — and a low price tag is often a warning sign, not a bargain. Here is a realistic first-year breakdown for an Ackie monitor, the species most homes should consider.

For a large monitor, every figure climbs sharply: a custom-built or converted-room enclosure alone can run £1,000–£5,000+, and the higher feeding and heating bills push first-year costs to £2,000–£6,000. Add the electricity for those high basking temperatures across a British winter, and a big monitor is one of the more expensive reptiles to run. Our exotic vet cost guide covers the veterinary side.

Enclosure, Heat & UVB Requirements

Monitors fail in captivity for one reason above all: enclosures that are too small and too cool. Getting this right is the whole job.

Space

For an Ackie monitor, treat 120 cm × 60 cm × 60 cm as an absolute minimum, and aim bigger — a 150 cm floor with plenty of depth for digging is far better. Large species need custom enclosures measured in metres, which is why they are unsuitable for most homes. Our reptile terrarium setup guide walks through building a proper vivarium.

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Temperature and basking

Monitors are high-heat baskers. Provide a localised basking surface of 45–55°C, a warm ambient zone of 30–35°C, and a cool end around 26–28°C so the lizard can choose. Night-time can drop to 22–24°C. Always control heat sources through a thermostat and check both ends with a digital thermometer.

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UVB and humidity

Monitors are active, diurnal lizards that need strong UVB lighting for healthy bones — without it they develop metabolic bone disease. Ackies also need a deep, slightly damp substrate layer they can burrow into, holding humidity around 60–80% in the burrow while the surface stays dry.

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Diet & Feeding

All monitors are carnivores, but what that means varies by size. Feeding the wrong diet is the most common avoidable health problem in pet monitors.

• Ackie monitors are primarily insectivores. Feed a varied diet of locusts, dubia roaches, crickets and the occasional egg, dusted with a calcium supplement.
• Larger monitors take whole prey such as rodents, day-old chicks and insects — but should never be fed dog or cat food, which drives obesity and liver disease.

Dust feeders with a calcium and vitamin supplement to prevent deficiencies, especially in growing animals.

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Behaviour, Handling & Health

Monitors are intelligent and can become remarkably tame with daily, patient interaction — but they are not lap pets, and they keep their wild instincts.

Handling and temperament

A well-socialised Ackie may tolerate gentle handling and even seem to enjoy exploring. Larger and nervous monitors can bite, scratch with strong claws, and lash with the tail when stressed. Never force interaction; let the lizard come to you and build trust over weeks, not days.

Common health problems

The conditions UK monitor keepers see most often are nearly all husbandry-related:

• Metabolic bone disease from poor UVB or calcium.
• Obesity and fatty liver disease, especially in savannah monitors fed too much rich food.
• Mouth infections (stomatitis) and respiratory infections in cool, damp or dirty enclosures.
• Burns from unguarded heat sources without a thermostat.

Few general-practice vets are confident with monitors, so line up a specialist before you need one. Use our Find a Vet directory to locate reptile-experienced clinics in cities such as London, Manchester and Leeds, and keep our 24/7 emergency vet finder to hand. The RVC Exotics Service is a leading referral option.

Should You Get a Monitor Lizard?

A monitor lizard is legal in the UK and needs no licence — but legality is not the same as suitability. The deciding factors are space, commitment and honesty about which species you can actually keep.

• If you have room for a large vivarium and want a rewarding, intelligent reptile — an Ackie monitor is an excellent, realistic choice for an intermediate keeper.
• If you are drawn to a big savannah, Nile or water monitor — please think hard. These animals need room-sized enclosures, specialist care, and a 15–20 year commitment that very few homes can honestly meet.

Get those choices right and a monitor can be one of the most engaging reptiles you will ever keep. Get them wrong and it becomes the lizard nobody can rehome. When in doubt, talk to a specialist first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before bringing home any monitor, get the setup and the species right. Find an RCVS-registered exotic vet who can advise on housing and care, and keep our 24/7 emergency vet finder saved. For the full legal picture, see our pet regulations overview.

More guides: Exotic Pets Without a Licence · Dangerous Wild Animals Act Explained · Blue Tongue Skink Care Guide · Best First Exotic Pet UK