thumb|350px|alt=Colorful lizard on a rock, looking alertly to camera|The first state reptile: Oklahoma's common collared lizard
Twenty-eight U.S. states have named an official state reptile. As with other state symbols, states compare admirable aspects of the reptile and of the state, within designating statutes. Schoolchildren often start campaigns promoting their favorite reptile to encourage state legislators to enact it as a state symbol. Many secretaries of state maintain educational web pages that describe the state reptile.
Oklahoma was the first state to name an official reptile, the common collared lizard, in 1969. Only two states followed in the 1970s, but the ensuing decades saw nominations at a rate of almost one per year. State birds are more common, with all 50 states naming one, and they were adopted earlier, with the first one selected in 1927.
Before their formal designation as state reptiles, Florida's alligator, Maryland's terrapin, and Texas's horned lizard were all mascots of a major in-state university. West Virginia's timber rattlesnake was an early American flag element dating back to 1775.
Because of their cold-blooded nature, reptiles are more common in warmer climates, and 19 of the 28 state reptiles represent southern states. Six states chose a species named after the state. A turtle was chosen by more than half of the states. In all, the most frequently chosen species, with four states naming it, is the painted turtle. One state reptile, the bog turtle, is critically endangered. The Alabama red-bellied turtle is legally designated as an endangered species in the United States, and several others, also turtles, are threatened at some lesser level.
==State reptiles== <!-- Same picture is used when animal is repeated by a state to make list more scannable for common animal usage. Intentional for clarity. -->
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|-
! scope="col" | State
! scope="col" | State reptile
! scope="col" | Scientific name
! scope="col" | Year adopted
! scope="col" | Conservation status
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Photograph
! scope="col" class="unsortable" |
|-
! scope="row" | Alabama
| Alabama red-bellied turtle || Pseudemys alabamensis || 1990 || ||200px|alt=A red-bellied turtle with its limbs retracted and head mostly retracted face on, sand on shell. ||
|-
! scope="row" | Arizona
| Arizona ridge-nosed rattlesnake || Crotalus willardi<br />subspecies willardi || 1986 || || 200px|alt=An Arizona Ridge-Nosed Rattlesnake somewhat coiled up facing right. ||
|-
! rowspan="3" scope="row" | California
| Desert tortoise<br />(state reptile) || Gopherus agassizii || 1972 || || 200px|alt=A desert tortoise standing on dry and cracked sand. The shell is faded and abraded. ||
|-
| Leatherback sea turtle<br />(state marine reptile) || Dermochelys coriacea || 2012 || || 200px|alt=Female, digging in the sand. ||
|-
|Giant garter snake
(state snake)
|Thamnophis gigas
|2025
|Vulnerable
|alt=Giant garter snake on ground|200x200px
|
|-
! scope="row" | Colorado
| Western painted turtle || Chrysemys picta<br />subspecies bellii|| 2008 || || 200px|alt=A western painted turtle facing away from the viewer on top of a dirt-patch overlooking water. ||
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! scope="row" | Connecticut
| None || || || || || -->
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! scope="row" | Delaware
| None || || || || || -->
|-
! rowspan="3" scope="row" | Florida
| American alligator<br />(state reptile) || Alligator mississippiensis || 1987 || || 200px|alt=A large American alligator standing half on sand and half on grass. ||
|-
| Loggerhead sea turtle<br />(state saltwater reptile) || Caretta caretta || 2008 || || 200px|alt=A loggerhead sea turtle swimming in an aquarium. ||
|-
| Gopher tortoise<br />(state tortoise) || Gopherus polyphemus || 2008 || || 200px|alt=An abraded tortoise walking on sandy ground. ||
|-
! scope="row" | Georgia
| Gopher tortoise || Gopherus polyphemus || 1989 || || 200px|alt=An abraded tortoise walking on sandy ground. ||
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! scope="row" | Hawaii
| None || || ||— || || -->
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! scope="row" | Idaho
| None || || ||— || || -->
|-
! scope="row" | Illinois
| Painted turtle || Chrysemys picta || 2005 || || 200px|alt=A midland painted turtle standing on rocky ground and facing the viewer. ||
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! scope="row" | Indiana
| None || || ||— || || -->
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! scope="row" | Iowa
| None || || ||— || || -->
|-
! scope="row" | Kansas
| Ornate box turtle || Terrapene ornata <!--species, *not* subspecies is correct --> || 1986 || || 200px|alt=An ornate box turtle with a slightly dirty carapace raising its head. ||
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! scope="row" | Kentucky
| None || || ||— || || -->
|-
! scope="row" | Louisiana
| American alligator || Alligator mississippiensis|| 1983 || || 200px|alt=A large American alligator standing half on sand and half on grass. ||
|-
! scope="row" | Maine
| Wood turtle ||Glyptemys insculpta|| 2025 || ||200px|alt=A wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) being held in a riparian area in Massachusetts, USA. || ||
|-
! scope="row" | Maryland
| Diamondback terrapin || Malaclemys terrapin || 1994 || || 200px|alt=A diamondback terrapin standing on a log with its head raised and body facing left. ||
|-
! scope="row" | Massachusetts
| Garter snake || Thamnophis<br />(whole genus) || 2006 || || 200px|alt=A Garter snake ||
|-
! scope="row" | Michigan
| Painted turtle || Chrysemys picta || 1995 || || 200px|alt=A midland painted turtle standing on rocky ground and facing the viewer. ||
|-
! scope="row" | Minnesota
| Blanding's turtle || Emydoidea blandingii || 1998, proposed || || 200px
|-
! scope="row" | Mississippi
| American alligator || Alligator mississippiensis || 2005 || || 200px|alt=A large American alligator standing half on sand and half on grass. ||
|-
! scope="row" | Missouri
| Three-toed box turtle || Terrapene carolina<br />subspecies triunguis|| 2007 || || 200px|alt=A three-toed box turtle standing on a turtle facing left. ||
<!-- |-
! scope="row" | Montana
| None || || ||— || || -->
|-
! scope="row" | Nebraska
| Ornate box turtle || Terrapene ornata ornata || 1986 || || 200px|alt=An ornate box turtle with a slightly dirty carapace raising its head. ||
|-
! scope="row" | Nevada
| Desert tortoise || Gopherus agassizii || 1989 || || 200px|alt=A desert tortoise standing on dry and cracked sand. The shell is faded and abraded. ||
|-
! scope="row" | New Mexico
| New Mexico whiptail lizard || Cnemidophorus neomexicanus || 2003 || || 200px|alt=A small brown lizard with yellow stripes standing on a tan substrate. ||
|-
! scope="row" | New York
| Common snapping turtle || Chelydra serpentina|| 2006 || || 200px|A common snapping turtle standing on all fours with its head slightly retracted and facing left. ||
|-
! scope="row" | North Carolina
| Eastern box turtle || Terrapene carolina<br />subspecies carolina || 1979 || || 200px|A bright yellow and black eastern box turtle looking at the viewer and facing toward the right. ||
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! scope="row" | North Dakota
| None || || ||— || || -->
|-
! scope="row" | Ohio
| Northern black racer || Coluber constrictor<br />subspecies constrictor || 1995 || || 200px|An extreme close-up of a black racer's head: black eyes and a pointed snout are featured. ||
|-
! scope="row" | Oklahoma
| Common collared lizard || Crotaphytus collaris || 1969 || || 200px|A gray lizard with brown and yellow-orange markings standing on a rock in bright sunshine. ||
<!-- |-
! scope="row" | Oregon
| None || || ||— || || -->
<!-- |-
! scope="row" | Pennsylvania
| None || || ||— || || -->
<!-- |-
! scope="row" | Rhode Island
| None || || ||— || || -->
|-
! scope="row" | South Carolina
| Loggerhead sea turtle || Caretta caretta || 1988 || ||200px|alt=A loggerhead sea turtle swimming in an aquarium. ||
<!-- |-
| South Dakota
| None || || ||— || || -->
|-
! scope="row" | Tennessee
| Eastern box turtle || Terrapene carolina<br />subspecies carolina|| 1995 || ||200px|A bright yellow and black eastern box turtle looking at the viewer and facing toward the right. ||
|-
! rowspan="2" scope="row" | Texas
| Texas horned lizard<br />(state reptile) || Phrynosoma cornutum|| 1993 || || 200px|alt=A lizard with intimidating spikes on its head and back standing on a log. ||
|-
| Kemp's ridley sea turtle<br />(state sea turtle) || Lepidochelys kempii || 2013 || || 200px|alt=Lepidochelys kempii on beach. ||
|-
! scope="row" | Utah
| Gila monster || Heloderma suspectum || 2019 || || 200px|alt=A Gila monster curled up on the ground absorbing heat. ||
|-
! scope="row" | Vermont
| Painted turtle || Chrysemys picta || 1994 || || 200px|alt=A midland painted turtle standing on rocky ground and facing the viewer. ||
|-
! scope="row" | Virginia
| Eastern garter snake<br />(state snake) || Thamnophis sirtalis<br />subspecies sirtalis || 2016 || || 200px|alt=A Garter snake || -->
|-
! scope="row" | West Virginia
| Timber rattlesnake|| Crotalus horridus || 2008 || || 200px|alt=A black, gray, and brown snake somewhat coiled up and looking at the viewer. ||
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! scope="row" | Wisconsin
| None || || ||— || || -->
|-
! scope="row" | Wyoming
| Horned lizard || Phrynosoma<br />(whole genus)|| 1993 || || 200px|A fat looking horned lizard perched on a bright gray rock. ||
|}
Governmental aspects
Legislation
thumb|250px|alt=face-on view of a snapping turtle on gray background.|The common snapping turtle won a close election to become New York State's reptile icon.
A reptile becomes the official state symbol after it is voted in by the state legislature. Although many states require the bill to be signed by the governor, in some the enabling act is a resolution (legislature vote only). In 2004, Illinois held a popular vote to pick the painted turtle, but legislation was still required in 2005 to make the choice official. Three of the four states choosing the painted turtle credit school classes with initiating the process. In New York, students statewide voted to pick one of four turtles; the common snapping turtle edged the painted turtle 5,048 to 5,005. Assemblyman Joel Miller had sponsored the turtle election to interest students in politics and said of the results, "as with every election, every vote is important".
Candidate state reptiles are not assured of making it through the legislative process. In Minnesota, 1998 and 1999 bills proposing the Blanding's turtle were unsuccessful. In Pennsylvania in 2009, the House passed an eastern box turtle bill which died in the Senate without a vote. Virginia proponents of the eastern box turtle have seen 1999 and 2009 bids fail. For the most recent attempt, a legislative opponent of the turtle said it was too cowardly for the state because of its defensive shell, and suggested the rattlesnake would be a better representative. The turtle also drew scorn for often perishing on roads, but its most serious problem was a too-close association with bordering state, North Carolina.