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What states have copperheads?

Last checked November 3, 2026 against official sources.

On this page
  1. The short answer
  2. Map
  3. State by state
  4. Species guides
  5. How this is answered
  6. Sources

The short answer

Official sources confirm copperheads in 28 states, rare in 2 of them.

Official sources say they do not live in Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Wisconsin, or have no established population there. They are not on the official lists of Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming; a list is not a statement that they are absent. For Alaska we found no official statement either way. That does not mean they are absent.

Map

Texas: Copperheads here? YesCalifornia: Copperheads here? Not on the official listKentucky: Copperheads here? YesGeorgia: Copperheads here? YesWisconsin: Copperheads here? NoOregon: Copperheads here? Not on the official listMissouri: Copperheads here? YesVirginia: Copperheads here? YesTennessee: Copperheads here? YesLouisiana: Copperheads here? YesNew York: Copperheads here? YesIdaho: Copperheads here? Not on the official listFlorida: Copperheads here? Yes, Panhandle onlyIllinois: Copperheads here? YesMontana: Copperheads here? NoMinnesota: Copperheads here? NoMaryland: Copperheads here? YesIowa: Copperheads here? Yes, but rareOhio: Copperheads here? YesNebraska: Copperheads here? YesWashington: Copperheads here? Not on the official listSouth Dakota: Copperheads here? Not on the official listArkansas: Copperheads here? YesMississippi: Copperheads here? YesColorado: Copperheads here? Not on the official listNorth Carolina: Copperheads here? YesUtah: Copperheads here? Not on the official listOklahoma: Copperheads here? YesWyoming: Copperheads here? Not on the official listWest Virginia: Copperheads here? YesIndiana: Copperheads here? YesMassachusetts: Copperheads here? Yes, but rareNevada: Copperheads here? Not on the official listNorth Dakota: Copperheads here? Not on the official listPennsylvania: Copperheads here? YesSouth Carolina: Copperheads here? YesMaine: Copperheads here? Not on the official listHawaii: Copperheads here? Not on the official listRhode Island: Copperheads here? NoConnecticut: Copperheads here? YesMichigan: Copperheads here? Not on the official listAlaska: Copperheads here? No official statement foundDelaware: Copperheads here? YesNew Mexico: Copperheads here? Not on the official listAlabama: Copperheads here? YesKansas: Copperheads here? YesVermont: Copperheads here? Not on the official listNew Jersey: Copperheads here? YesNew Hampshire: Copperheads here? NoArizona: Copperheads here? Not on the official list
Each state is colored by what its official sources say. Gray means no official statement in our sources, not absence.
  • Yes, per official sources
  • Yes, but rare
  • No, per official sources
  • Not on the state's official list
  • No official statement found

State by state

StateCopperheads here?What the official sources saySource
Alabama Yes Copperhead on the official list. Outdoor Alabama
Arkansas Yes Copperhead on the official list. AGFC
Connecticut Yes Most abundant on the Central Connecticut Lowland trap rock ridges west of the Connecticut River (Hartford, Middlesex and New Haven Counties); mostly absent from the northeast and northwest. “Copperheads are mostly absent from the northeastern and northwestern portions of the state and less common east of the Connecticut River” Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Wildlife Division
Delaware Yes Eastern Copperhead on the official list. DNREC
Florida Yes, Panhandle only In Florida, copperheads occur only in the Panhandle. “In Florida, copperheads occur only in the Panhandle, primarily in the western tip and along the Apalachicola River and its tributaries.” Florida Museum of Natural History
Georgia Yes Copperhead on the official list. Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division
Illinois Yes Eastern Copperhead on the official list. IDNR
Indiana Yes DNR Snakes page: the copperhead is found only in the southern half of the state; the DNR FAQ says copperheads are the only somewhat common venomous snake, in the forested hills of southern and west-central Indiana. DNR State Parks calls it Indiana's most common venomous snake. “Copperhead - Only found in southern half of the state.” Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish & Wildlife
Kansas Yes Eastern Copperhead and Broad-banded Copperhead on the official list. Kansas Herpetofaunal Atlas (Travis W. Taggart), Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Fort Hays State University
Kentucky Yes Eastern Copperhead on the official list. KDFWR
Louisiana Yes LDWF: found throughout wooded and forested areas except permanent swamps and coastal cheniers. “Found throughout wooded and forested areas of Louisiana except for permanent swamps and coastal cheniers.” Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Maryland Yes Found throughout Maryland except several Eastern Shore counties. “Eastern Copperheads are found throughout Maryland with the exception of several counties on the Eastern Shore.” DNR
Mississippi Yes Southern Copperhead on the official list. MDWFP
Missouri Yes Eastern Copperhead on the official list. MDC
Nebraska Yes NGPC says they have only been found in Richardson and Gage counties. “These snakes have only been found in Richardson and Gage county.” Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
New Jersey Yes Northern Copperhead on the official list. NJDEP Division of Fish & Wildlife, Endangered and Nongame Species Program
New York Yes DEC lists the copperhead as one of three venomous snakes. ESF says it is mainly along the lower Hudson Valley south of Kingston and scattered through the Catskills. “The copperhead is mainly found along the lower Hudson Valley south of Kingston and scattered through the Catskills.” SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
North Carolina Yes Copperheads occur across North Carolina except the Outer Banks (Extension); NCWRC lists abundance as statewide. “They are the most common venomous snake in the state and occur across North Carolina, except for the Outer Banks.” NC State Extension
Ohio Yes ODNR: copperheads are widely scattered through most of unglaciated Ohio, especially the rocky, wooded hillsides of southeastern Ohio. ODNR status: uncommon. “Copperheads are widely scattered throughout most of unglaciated Ohio.” Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife
Oklahoma Yes Copperhead and Broad-banded Copperhead on the official list. Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (SNOMNH) Herpetology, hosted by the Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma
Pennsylvania Yes PFBC calls the Eastern Copperhead one of only three venomous snakes common to Pennsylvania. “One of only three venomous snakes common to Pennsylvania, the eastern copperhead is a close cousin of the cottonmouth or water moccasin found in more southerly aquatic environments.” Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
South Carolina Yes SCDNR calls the copperhead the most common venomous snake in the state, found throughout. “The copperhead is South Carolina’s most common venomous snake.” SCDNR and South Carolina Wildlife Magazine
Tennessee Yes Copperhead on the official list. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
Texas Yes Copperhead on the official list. Herps of Texas, Biodiversity Collections, Dept. of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin
Virginia Yes Eastern Copperhead on the official list. DWR
West Virginia Yes WVDNR says copperheads exist throughout the state in rocky, wooded areas and are the most common venomous snake. “Copperheads exist throughout the state in rocky, wooded areas” WVDNR
Iowa Yes, but rare Iowa DNR: the copperhead is even rarer than the massasauga and timber rattlesnake; it is state endangered. “The prairie rattlesnake and copperhead are even rarer in our state.” Iowa DNR
Massachusetts Yes, but rare Copperheads are limited to small, localized populations in Norfolk and Hampden counties and are state endangered. “Range in MA: Limited to small, localized populations in Norfolk and Hampden counties” MassWildlife Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program
Minnesota No The DNR booklet says water moccasins (cottonmouths) and copperheads do not occur in Minnesota. The harmless common watersnake is often mistaken for a venomous snake. “Water moccasins (cottonmouths) and copperheads do not occur in Minnesota” Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Nongame Wildlife Program
Montana No FWP says the rattlesnake is the only venomous snake of Montana's 10 species; neither appears on the Field Guide list. “Of the 10 species of snakes found in Montana only the western rattlesnake is poisonous.” Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
New Hampshire No NH Fish and Game labels the copperhead as not a NH species. New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
Rhode Island No DEM says copperheads occur in southern New England but have never been documented in Rhode Island. RINHS (2015) reports one bite in East Providence and attributes it to a non-wild snake. “Copperheads (Agkistrodon contortrix) are also found in southern New England, but have never been documented in Rhode Island.” Rhode Island DEM, Division of Fish & Wildlife
Wisconsin No Copperheads do not live in or near Wisconsin; the eastern foxsnake is often mistaken for one. “Copperheads do not live in or near Wisconsin.” Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Arizona Not on the official list Not among the 63 snakes on Arizona's official list. A list is not a statement that they are absent. Arizona Game and Fish Department
California Not on the official list Not among the 47 snakes on California's official list. A list is not a statement that they are absent. CWHR Program
Colorado Not on the official list Neither is in CPW's list of Colorado snakes; CPW names only rattlesnakes as venomous. USGS NAS has one non-native Cottonmouth record (collected 1965, Adams County). USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database
Hawaii Not on the official list Not among the 2 snakes on Hawaii's official list. A list is not a statement that they are absent. Hawaii DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife
Idaho Not on the official list Not among the 13 snakes on Idaho's official list. A list is not a statement that they are absent. Idaho Department of Fish and Game
Maine Not on the official list Neither appears on IFW's list of Maine snakes, and IFW says all Maine snakes are non-venomous. “Writhes, bites, and voids feces when handled, but like all Maine snakes is non-venomous” Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Michigan Not on the official list Not among the 18 snakes on Michigan's official list. A list is not a statement that they are absent. Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Nevada Not on the official list Not among the 27 snakes on Nevada's official list. A list is not a statement that they are absent. Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) / Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners
New Mexico Not on the official list Not among the 61 snakes on New Mexico's official list. A list is not a statement that they are absent. New Mexico Department of Wildlife
North Dakota Not on the official list Neither appears in the NDGF guide to all amphibians and reptiles known in the state, and NDGF says the prairie rattlesnake is the only venomous snake. “These are North Dakota’s only venomous snakes.” North Dakota Game and Fish Department
Oregon Not on the official list Not among the 16 snakes on Oregon's official list. A list is not a statement that they are absent. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
South Dakota Not on the official list Neither is on the SDGFP amphibian and reptile checklist, and NPS says the prairie rattlesnake is the only venomous snake in the state. “Prairie Rattlesnakes are the only venomous snakes in South Dakota.” National Park Service
Utah Not on the official list Not among the 28 snakes on Utah's official list. A list is not a statement that they are absent. DWR
Vermont Not on the official list Not among the 12 snakes on Vermont's official list. A list is not a statement that they are absent. Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department
Washington Not on the official list Not among the 12 snakes on Washington's official list. A list is not a statement that they are absent. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, BLM and U.S. Forest Service
Wyoming Not on the official list Not among the 16 snakes on Wyoming's official list. A list is not a statement that they are absent. Wyoming Game and Fish Department
Alaska No official statement found No official statement found in our sources; that does not mean they are absent. —

Species guides

How this is answered

Each state's answer comes from that state's own official sources: its wildlife agency, Extension service or another public body. We use, in order, the state's sourced answer to this question, then the animal's place on the state's official species list, then an official source quoted in our species guide. Where none of these settles it, the state is shown as "No official statement found". We never mark a state as having none without an official statement. Sightings and photo records are not used here. How questions are answered.

Sources

  1. Copperhead. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Outdoor Alabama). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
  2. Online Field Guide to The Reptiles and Amphibians of Arizona - Snakes of Arizona. Arizona Game and Fish Department. 2023; checked November 3, 2026.
  3. Arkansas Snake Guide (pocket guide; Kelly J. Irwin, AGFC herpetologist). Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
  4. Complete List of Amphibian, Reptile, Bird and Mammal Species in California. California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CWHR Program). 2016-05 (document dated "May, 2016"; checked November 3, 2026.
  5. NAS Species List: Reptiles, Colorado. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
  6. Northern Copperhead (Wildlife Fact Sheet). Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Wildlife Division. Content last updated on; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “Copperheads are mostly absent from the northeastern and northwestern portions of the state and less common east of the Connecticut River”
  7. Amphibians and Reptiles (2025-2035 Delaware Wildlife Action Plan). Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC). datePublished 2025-09-09, dateModified 2025-12-16; checked November 3, 2026.
  8. Florida Snake ID Guide species account: Eastern Copperhead. Florida Museum of Natural History (University of Florida). updated September 23, 2022; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “In Florida, copperheads occur only in the Panhandle, primarily in the western tip and along the Apalachicola River and its tributaries.”
  9. Snake Information & Resources (Snakes of Georgia). Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
  10. Hawai'i State Wildlife Action Plan 2025 (as submitted to the Regional Review Team October 1, 2025). Hawaii DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife. October 1, 2025; checked November 3, 2026.
  11. Idaho Species Catalog: Reptilia Class (In Idaho? = Yes). Idaho Department of Fish and Game. archived copy, captured May 2, 2017; checked November 3, 2026.
  12. Wild About Illinois Snakes! (species gallery by family). Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
  13. Snakes. Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish & Wildlife. dateModified 2026-03-09; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “Copperhead - Only found in southern half of the state.”
  14. 6 Cool Things You Should Know About Snakes (news release). Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR). October 28, 2014; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “The prairie rattlesnake and copperhead are even rarer in our state.”
  15. SQUAMATA (PART-SNAKES) - Snakes (KHA species accounts list). Kansas Herpetofaunal Atlas (Travis W. Taggart), Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Fort Hays State University. page footer 2026; checked November 3, 2026.
  16. Snakes (Snakes of Kentucky). Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR). archived copy, captured August 27, 2025; checked November 3, 2026.
  17. Snake Species Field Guide: Eastern Copperhead. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “Found throughout wooded and forested areas of Louisiana except for permanent swamps and coastal cheniers.”
  18. Common Watersnake (species page). Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “Writhes, bites, and voids feces when handled, but like all Maine snakes is non-venomous”
  19. Eastern Copperhead (DNR field guide species page). Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR). archived copy, captured February 12, 2026; checked November 3, 2026. Archived copy.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “Eastern Copperheads are found throughout Maryland with the exception of several counties on the Eastern Shore.”
  20. Learn about copperheads. MassWildlife Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program. archived copy, captured May 20, 2026; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “Range in MA: Limited to small, localized populations in Norfolk and Hampden counties”
  21. Snakes (Michigan DNR species page). Michigan Department of Natural Resources. archived copy, captured March 12, 2026; checked November 3, 2026. Archived copy.
  22. Snakes and Lizards of Minnesota (EWR_448_18). Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Nongame Wildlife Program. ©2018; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “Water moccasins (cottonmouths) and copperheads do not occur in Minnesota”
  23. Mississippi Amphibians and Reptiles (Mississippi Herpetology Checklist), Revised 2012. Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (MDWFP). archived copy, captured April 5, 2024; checked November 3, 2026.
  24. A Guide to Missouri's Snakes (MDC publication E00448). Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). Copyright 2017; checked November 3, 2026.
  25. Living with Snakes. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. archived copy, captured May 18, 2026; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “Of the 10 species of snakes found in Montana only the western rattlesnake is poisonous.”
  26. Snakes of Nebraska. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. archived copy, captured October 1, 2023; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “These snakes have only been found in Richardson and Gage county.”
  27. Commission Regulation 19-02, 2019 & 2020 Noncommercial Collection Seasons & Limits for Live, Unprotected Reptiles & Amphibians (NDOW memo and table). Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) / Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners. memo dated October 11, 2018; checked November 3, 2026.
  28. Eastern Milk Snake (Species Occurring in NH). New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. archived copy, captured June 3, 2025; checked November 3, 2026.
  29. Snakes of New Jersey (brochure). NJDEP Division of Fish & Wildlife, Endangered and Nongame Species Program. PDF Last-Modified 2021-06-23; checked November 3, 2026.
  30. BISON-M (Biota Information System of New Mexico) species search export: taxonomic name "Serpentes". New Mexico Department of Wildlife (BISON-M, with Natural Heritage New Mexico). database queried November 3, 2026; checked November 3, 2026.
  31. Snakes of New York (Environmental Information Series). SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “The copperhead is mainly found along the lower Hudson Valley south of Kingston and scattered through the Catskills.”
  32. Snakes: Family Viperidae (AG-472-02). NC State Extension (N.C. Cooperative Extension, NC State University). Publication date: Aug. 21, 2019; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “They are the most common venomous snake in the state and occur across North Carolina, except for the Outer Banks.”
  33. Reptiles and Amphibians of North Dakota (by Sandra Johnson). North Dakota Game and Fish Department. archived copy, captured July 14, 2024; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “These are North Dakota’s only venomous snakes.”
  34. Reptiles of Ohio Field Guide (Publication 5354). Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife. PUBLICATION 5354; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “Copperheads are widely scattered throughout most of unglaciated Ohio.”
  35. Checklist of Oklahoma Amphibians and Reptiles. Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (SNOMNH) Herpetology, hosted by the Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma. PDF created 2014-09-09, modified 2016-06-06; checked November 3, 2026.
  36. Living with Wildlife: Snakes. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
  37. Snakes (species accounts). Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “One of only three venomous snakes common to Pennsylvania, the eastern copperhead is a close cousin of the cottonmouth or water moccasin found in more southerly aquatic environments.”
  38. Snakes of Rhode Island (DEM Division of Fish & Wildlife factsheet). Rhode Island DEM, Division of Fish & Wildlife. archived copy, captured February 19, 2025; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “Copperheads (Agkistrodon contortrix) are also found in southern New England, but have never been documented in Rhode Island.”
  39. Venomous Snakes of South Carolina (poster). SCDNR and South Carolina Wildlife Magazine. SCDNR 03CE4028 3/03; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “The copperhead is South Carolina’s most common venomous snake.”
  40. Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus virdidis) - Jewel Cave National Monument. National Park Service. updated January 9, 2024; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “Prairie Rattlesnakes are the only venomous snakes in South Dakota.”
  41. Reptiles » Snakes (Tennessee Watchable Wildlife species accounts). Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (Tennessee Watchable Wildlife website). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
  42. Herps of Texas: Snakes of Texas. Herps of Texas, Biodiversity Collections, Dept. of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin. 2020-07-23 (archive capture date; checked November 3, 2026.
  43. Species tables for Utah's reptiles and amphibians. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR). page "Last updated: April 22, 2026"; checked November 3, 2026.
  44. Reptiles and Amphibians of Vermont. Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department (Vermont Natural Heritage Inventory). document dated 13 March 2022; checked November 3, 2026.
  45. List of Native and Naturalized Fauna of Virginia. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR). May, 2026; checked November 3, 2026.
  46. Washington State Herp Atlas: Checklist of Washington Amphibians and Reptiles (pp. 13-14). Washington Natural Heritage Program, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, BLM and U.S. Forest Service. Published 2009, revised 2017; checked November 3, 2026.
  47. Snakes of West Virginia. West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR). 02/06; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “Copperheads exist throughout the state in rocky, wooded areas”
  48. Eastern Foxsnake (Herps of Wisconsin species page). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (1)
    “Copperheads do not live in or near Wisconsin.”
  49. Reptiles in Wyoming (species list). Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Last modified on 01-22-2023; checked November 3, 2026.