Is Exotic Pet Ownership Legal In Your State?

Exotic pet ownership covers non-traditional animals like ferrets, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, monkeys, and large reptiles. Laws vary enormously by state.

States Legal

With Restrictions

States Illegal

Unverified

Exotic Pet Ownership Legality Map

Legal

Restrictions

Illegal

Unverified

Exotic Pet Ownership Legal Status by State

State ↕	Status ↕	Key Details	More Info
Alabama	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	In Alabama, ownership of certain exotic pets is restricted under the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division ...	View Details →
Alaska	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Alaska restricts ownership of many exotic animals under Alaska Statutes Title 16 and regulations by the Alaska Departmen...	View Details →
Arizona	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Arizona law restricts exotic pet ownership under Arizona Revised Statutes Title 17. Certain species such as large cats a...	View Details →
Arkansas	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Arkansas restricts exotic pet ownership under Arkansas Code Title 15, Chapter 44. Certain exotic animals require permits...	View Details →
California	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	California has some of the strictest exotic pet laws under the California Code of Regulations Title 14 and Fish and Game...	View Details →
Colorado	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Colorado regulates exotic pet ownership under Colorado Revised Statutes Title 33. Certain species require permits, and s...	View Details →
Connecticut	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Connecticut restricts exotic pet ownership under Connecticut General Statutes Title 26. Certain species require permits,...	View Details →
Delaware	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Delaware regulates exotic pet ownership under Delaware Code Title 7. Certain exotic animals require permits, and some sp...	View Details →
Florida	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Florida has detailed regulations on exotic pet ownership under Florida Statutes Chapter 379 and Florida Administrative C...	View Details →
Georgia	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Georgia regulates exotic pet ownership under Georgia Code Title 27, Chapter 3. Certain exotic animals require permits, a...	View Details →
Hawaii	ILLEGAL	Hawaii prohibits the possession, importation, and sale of most exotic pets to protect its unique ecosystem. Under Hawaii...	View Details →
Idaho	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Idaho allows ownership of some exotic pets but restricts dangerous species under Idaho Code Title 25, Chapter 35. Certai...	View Details →
Illinois	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Illinois restricts ownership of exotic pets under the Illinois Wildlife Code (520 ILCS 5/). Certain species like primate...	View Details →
Indiana	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Indiana regulates exotic pet ownership under Indiana Code Title 14, Article 22. Certain species such as large carnivores...	View Details →
Iowa	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Iowa restricts ownership of certain exotic animals under Iowa Code Chapter 481A. Dangerous species such as large cats, p...	View Details →
Kansas	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Kansas regulates exotic pet ownership under Kansas Statutes Annotated (K.S.A.) 32-1001 et seq. Certain species like prim...	View Details →
Kentucky	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Kentucky restricts exotic pet ownership under Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) Chapter 258. Certain species such as prima...	View Details →
Louisiana	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Louisiana regulates exotic pet ownership under Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 56, Chapter 6. Certain species including...	View Details →
Maine	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Maine restricts exotic pet ownership under Maine Revised Statutes Title 12, Chapter 905. Certain species such as primate...	View Details →
Maryland	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Maryland regulates exotic pet ownership under Maryland Code, Natural Resources Article § 10-101 et seq. Certain species ...	View Details →
Massachusetts	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Massachusetts regulates exotic pet ownership under M.G.L. c. 131, § 15A and related regulations. Certain exotic animals,...	View Details →
Michigan	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Michigan regulates exotic pet ownership under the Michigan Wildlife Conservation Order and the Exotic Animal Act (MCL 28...	View Details →
Minnesota	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Minnesota regulates exotic pet ownership under Minn. Stat. §§ 97A.401 and 97A.475. Certain species such as large carnivo...	View Details →
Mississippi	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Mississippi regulates exotic pet ownership under Miss. Code Ann. § 49-4-1 et seq. Certain exotic animals, including larg...	View Details →
Missouri	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Missouri regulates exotic pet ownership under Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 578.010 and 578.020. Certain exotic animals, including l...	View Details →
Montana	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Montana regulates exotic pet ownership under Mont. Code Ann. §§ 87-5-101 et seq. Certain exotic animals require permits ...	View Details →
Nebraska	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Nebraska regulates exotic pet ownership under Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 37-101 to 37-107. Certain exotic animals, including lar...	View Details →
Nevada	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Nevada regulates exotic pet ownership under Nev. Rev. Stat. §§ 503.010 et seq. Certain exotic animals, including large c...	View Details →
New Hampshire	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	New Hampshire regulates exotic pet ownership under RSA 212:1 and related rules. Certain exotic animals, including large ...	View Details →
New Jersey	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	New Jersey regulates exotic pet ownership under N.J. Stat. Ann. §§ 23:4-1 et seq. Certain exotic animals, including larg...	View Details →
New Mexico	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	New Mexico regulates exotic pet ownership primarily through the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. Certain exotic a...	View Details →
New York	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	New York State restricts exotic pet ownership under the Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) Article 11 and 13, which pr...	View Details →
North Carolina	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	North Carolina regulates exotic pet ownership under the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission rules (15A NCAC 10B...	View Details →
North Dakota	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	North Dakota regulates exotic pet ownership under ND Century Code Chapter 20.1-01 and administrative rules. Certain exot...	View Details →
Ohio	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Ohio regulates exotic pet ownership under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1531 and Ohio Administrative Code 1501:31. Certain e...	View Details →
Oklahoma	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Oklahoma regulates exotic pet ownership under Title 29 of the Oklahoma Statutes and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife ...	View Details →
Oregon	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Oregon regulates exotic pet ownership under Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 498 and Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) 635-...	View Details →
Pennsylvania	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Pennsylvania regulates exotic pet ownership under Title 34 PA Code Chapter 13 and the Game and Wildlife Code (34 Pa.C.S....	View Details →
Rhode Island	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Rhode Island regulates exotic pet ownership under R.I. Gen. Laws § 20-1-1 et seq. and the Department of Environmental Ma...	View Details →
South Carolina	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	South Carolina regulates exotic pet ownership under South Carolina Code of Laws Title 50, Chapter 11 and regulations by ...	View Details →
South Dakota	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	South Dakota regulates exotic pet ownership primarily through the South Dakota Codified Laws § 41-6-1 to § 41-6-10, whic...	View Details →
Tennessee	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Tennessee regulates exotic pet ownership under Tenn. Code Ann. § 70-4-101 et seq., prohibiting possession of certain dan...	View Details →
Texas	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Texas regulates exotic pet ownership under Texas Parks and Wildlife Code § 43.001 et seq. Certain exotic animals, includ...	View Details →
Utah	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Utah law (Utah Code Ann. § 23-13-1 et seq.) restricts ownership of certain exotic animals and requires permits for other...	View Details →
Vermont	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Vermont regulates exotic pet ownership under 10 V.S.A. § 4711 et seq., prohibiting possession of certain wild animals wi...	View Details →
Virginia	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Virginia regulates exotic pet ownership under Va. Code Ann. § 29.1-509 et seq., prohibiting possession of certain wild a...	View Details →
Washington	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Washington State regulates exotic pet ownership under RCW 16.30 and WAC 220-400, prohibiting possession of certain dange...	View Details →
West Virginia	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	West Virginia regulates exotic pet ownership under W. Va. Code § 20-5-1 et seq., prohibiting possession of certain wild ...	View Details →
Wisconsin	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Wisconsin regulates exotic pet ownership under Wis. Stat. § 169.01 et seq., prohibiting possession of certain wild anima...	View Details →
Wyoming	LEGAL WITH RESTRICTIONS	Wyoming regulates exotic pet ownership under Wyo. Stat. § 11-6-101 et seq., prohibiting possession of certain wild anima...	View Details →

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