Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), desert tortoises are listed as threatened, meaning it is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.
IUCN Red List: The desert tortoise is listed as vulnerable, meaning the probability of its extinction during the next 20 years is at least 10%.
The desert tortoise is listed under CITES Appendix II, meaning they can be traded commercially as long as it doesn't threaten their survival.