If you are researching Exotic Pets You Can Own Without a License, then understanding each state’s exotic pet laws is extremely important. In each and every state, there are laws that dictate the type of animals, which can be kept as pets. These laws may evolve any time and with time, numerous states have included to their list of the prohibited animals. These rules are determined by game and fish commissions, departments of fish and wildlife or conservation and other state divisions and are contained in state statutes and regulations. Some people may find such documents hard to find and understand since they are formulated in a complex legal language.
To locate these state Exotic Pets laws, visit the sites of these various state departments, divisions, and commissions or call the Department of Natural Resources of your state. To ensure that you are on the correct site and that you have the latest information whenever searching over the internet, the state websites will be in most cases terminated with either .gov or.state but that is not always true. The description of the laws about exotic animals in each state can be found in the summaries below; more details about the individual laws are available by the name of the state.
Alabama
Assuming that you are a Exotic Pets resident of Alabama and did not purchase a permit prior to January 13th, 2021, you are prohibited from owning a range of exotic animals such as Giant African Land Snails, most non-native wildlife including bobcats, black bears, foxes, and raccoons, and poisonous reptiles. Harmful species in the Lacey Act (18 U.S.C. 42) of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife are prohibited too. These are dangerous animals which could be invasive or destroy crops among other issues. Lastly, releasing any non-native animal into the wild is not also allowed unless one is licensed or permitted to do so.
Alaska
In the case of Alaska resident Exotic Pets, no one is permitted to possess, sell, import, or export any species of bird, mammal, or reptile including a feral domestic animal present or introduced into the state, except domestic birds and mammals. All these are classified as game animals under Alaska law and this prohibition extends to the wolf hybrids obtained since January 23, 2002 and chimpanzees obtained since January 31, 2010. Scientific, Educational and propagative and public safety permits may be obtained, but may be hard to get. Alaska law also has a long list of animals that do not need permits and can be possessed in order to tell you whether your dream pet is accepted.
Arizona
The Arizona administrative code lists a long list of animal species, which you can not have without a special permit. These animals may be retained by special permits to individual persons or a group upon a request that falls within one of the categories of education, public health, commercial photography, wildlife rehabilitation, or wildlife management. Animal species that are restricted are but not limited to animals of nonhuman primates, Gila monsters, opossums, skunks, foxes, squirrels, etc., which are often considered Exotic Pets.
Arkansas
Arkansas has many non-native wildlife which cannot be owned. Big carnivores, including lions, tigers, and bears are not allowed to be owned unless you had been issued with a permit to them by 2005. On the same note, you cannot own primates as pets unless you have received a permit by 2013 but in 2021, some of the venomous reptiles can be owned provided they are medically significant and have the appropriate permits. Funny enough however you can keep a maximum of six captive-bred bobcats, coyotes, gray foxes, red foxes, opossums, rabbits, raccoons, or squirrels without a permit for Exotic Pets .
California
The state of California has prohibited the keeping of most of the wild animals such as seals, bighorn sheep, otters, elephants and falcons as pets in California by the California Natural Resources Agency. You are also not allowed Exotic Pets to have ferrets, gerbils, owls, primates, hedgehogs, sloths, anteaters and numerous others. Although the list is long, you have the opportunity to own wolfdogs and Savannah cats, although not as the first generation of offspring.
Colorado
The Colorado Wildlife Act does not permit keeping as Exotic Pets most of the exotic animals. These are wildebeest, wild hogs, raccoons, skunks, opossum, porcupines, monk parakeets, prairie dogs and primates. African pygmy hedgehogs, sugar gliders, ferrets, hybrid dogs among many more pets can all be kept. These are what are termed as unregulated animals hence do not need special permits.
Connecticut
In this condition, they do not allow dangerous animals to be kept as pets. The list of restricted animals in Connecticut has bears, big cats, wolves and primates. In case you had a primate that weighed less than 35 pounds upon reaching maturity date prior to October 1, 2010, the primate can actually be kept as a pet but after a woman experienced a traumatic chimpanzee attack in 2009, the primates are no longer supposed to be kept as pets. Except TICA, CFA, or ACFA domestic cat hybrids, hybrid cats are also not permitted but ferrets, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, and degus. Some wild animals also have permits that are obtained under some conditions Exotic Pets .
Delaware
The state law of Delaware refers to an Exotic Pets as any live wild mammal, hybrid that involves one or both wild mammals and a live reptile which is not indigenous in or generally located in the state of Delaware. An exotic animal is not ecologically native to Delaware. Unless listed as being exempt, all exotic animals must have a single permit to be owned as a pet. It has no list of animals, which are prohibited to be a pet.
District of Columbia
According to the law of the District of Columbia, the only domestic dogs, cats, rodents, rabbits, ferrets, racing pigeons, captive-bred birds, and non-venomous snakes, fish, and turtles can be kept as a pet. The rest of the animal kingdom must not be held, introduced, sold or otherwise in the capital of the country. Also there are a limit of seven animals unless you get a hobby permit Exotic Pets .
Florida
Florida classifies the various Exotic Pets into three Classes. These Classes of animals vary in the permit requirements with Class I permit the hardest permit to acquire and Class III permit the easiest permit. Class I consists of large cats, bears, numerous primates, Komodo dragons, elephants, hippos and rhinos among other potentially dangerous species. Class II contains more primates, bobcats, servals, caimans and other wild animals whilst Class III contain all other wild animals that are not listed in Class I, II or are not expressly exempted in permitting. Animals that will not be permitted include non-poisonous reptiles, ferrets, chinchillas, sugar gliders, and squirrels among other animals that are not dangerous.
Georgia
To keep many wild animals, there is also a necessity of special permits which not every person could get in the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Wild animals that are subject to such permits are kangaroos, primates, non-domesticated canines, non-domesticated felines, crocodiles, alligators, elephants, bats, sloths, armadillos, Gila monsters, and venomous snakes among others. Although this is a very long list of banned animals, sugar gliders and ferrets do not require a Exotic Pets permit provided that the ferret is neutered before the age of seven months and vaccinated against rabies.
Hawaii
All Exotic Pets are for the most part illegal in Hawaii. Some of the banned animals list includes bears, big cats, wild dogs, wild cat and wild deer, birds of prey, alligators, geckos, and most lizards, hedge hogs, gerbils and hamsters as well as ferrets. Allowed pets include, however, guinea pigs, domesticated mice and rats, parakeets and doves.
Idaho
Any Exotic Pets or deleterious animal or a hybrid is prohibited as a pet in Idaho State Department of Agriculture which can cause harm to livestock, the environment, agriculture or wildlife. Large cats, non-native canines, primates, hedgehogs, opossum and wild boar are forbidden animals. No permission is needed to keep llamas, alpacas, chinchillas, guinea pigs, mink and hedgehogs and others.
Illinois
Illinois refers to the animals which are not allowed to be pets as dangerous animals. Dangerous animals come with special permits and are exclusively issued to institutions such as zoos and learning institutions. Large cats, coyotes, wolves, bears, and venomous reptiles just to mention a few are dangerous animals. Primates also cannot be kept in the household unless they were acquired prior to 2011 and had already become Exotic Pets with the state.
Indiana
The state of Indiana is somewhat liberal with regards to the keeping of exotic animals. The state of Indiana has not prohibited any livestock and yet most of them require permits. Wild animals are divided into three Classes in the state. Class I animals such as squirrels, non-domestic rabbits and Southern flying squirrels, Class II animals such as beavers, foxes, opossum, servals and other creatures, and Class III dangerous Exotic Pets animals such as large cats, bears, wolves, hyenas, venomous reptiles and large crocodiles are the animals that require permits.
Iowa
Iowa is not extremely complex with its Exotic Pets animal laws. You cannot own, possess, or breed any dangerous wild animal unless you brought out a permit of the animal by 2007. The law deems non-domestic cats and dogs, bears, primates, elephants, rhinos, most reptiles and other creatures to be dangerous wild animals. The hybrids between wolves and cats are permitted but only since they are at least fourth generation descendants.
Kansas
The Kansas state law does not permit the keeping of dangerous regulated animals as pets unless the zoo, sanctuary or other authorized facility. Some of the dangerous regulated animals are large cats, bears, non-native venomous snakes, and hybrids of such species. Also not all the invasive species and certain native animals can be kept as Exotic Pets. With such regulations notwithstanding, you can be granted a permit to own a cougar, some bears, wolves, and falcons.
Kentucky
No one in Kentucky is allowed to own an intrinsically dangerous Exotic Pets animal or an endangered species. Primate, many large and poisonous reptiles, bear, large cat, elephant, rhino, hippo, and wolves among others are inherently dangerous animals. Some of the animals permitted include llamas, parrots, chinchillas and raccoons. They can purchase permits to own a wild ferret.
Louisiana
In Lousiana, Exotic Pets You Can Own Without a License: State-by-State Laws a permit will be required to possess a large or venomous snake and to take any animal that is found in the wild and keep it as a pet. The animals which are not allowed to serve the purpose of pets are bears, wolves, big cats, coyotes, foxes, and all the threatened and endangered animal species.
Maine
The list of restrictions is long in Maine in keeping of an Exotic Pets animal. Many birds, beavers, hippos, elephants, giraffes, kanagroos, kinkajous, primates, hybrids, most varieties of turtles and snakes, and others, are not allowed to be kept as pets. Maine has permits to raise certain amphibians, reptiles, but strangely, coati, genets and certain other exotic animals are permitted to be kept as pets without a permit.
Maryland
Maryland has laws restricting possession of a large range of exotic pets. Primates, feline and canine hybrides, foxes, racoons, bears, venomous snakes, large cats, alligators, and so forth can not be kept as Exotic Pets when you owned them before 2006 when you met the requirements at that time. Ferrets and most reptiles are even permitted to be kept as well as the animals that are trained to assist you in case you have a severe mobility disability.
Massachusetts
The state of Massachusetts is one where the endangered and threatened species are not allowed to keep the species as Exotic Pets and on the list of animals that need a permit to be kept as pets. Such types of fish, reptiles including venomous snakes, some birds, wild canine hybrids, and wild feline hybrids, are listed. Ferrets can only be kept as pets when they were neutered or spayed during purchase and also vaccinated against distemper and rabies.
Michigan
The state of Michigan has defined an Exotic Pets as any animal that has not been introduced into the U.S and has limited ownership of wolf-dog hybrids, large numbers of cats and bears. There are also numerous wild-caught reptiles and amphibians that are outlawed as pets but a number of types of captive bred wildlife species are allowed to be petted, such as foxes, raccoons, bobcats, coyotes, and others. They allow ferrets provided that they are vaccinated against rabies.
Minnesota
Minnesota Exotic Pets limits the so-called regulated animals. The state has no accommodations to bears, primates, and felines other than domesticated breeds listed on either national or international cat registries unless it was registered by 2005.
Mississippi
The list of what they call inherently dangerous animals is very long in Mississippi and they can only be kept as Exotic Pets with a permit. Primate, wolves, canine hybrids of wild dogs, large cats, and elephants, rhinos, and hippos all require a permit before they can be taken possession of the animal. To get a permit you have to show evidence of liability insurance of each animal and renew it after every one year.
Missouri
Large cats, wolves, coyotes, bears, venomous reptiles and any dangerous reptile longer than eight feet are what Missouri considers dangerous wild animals. These and some other animals are supposed to be registered by the county law enforcement agency where the animal is to keep Exotic Pets otherwise it is not supposed to be kept as a pets.
Montana
In Montana, any animal which has not been domesticated is referred to as a wild animal and in the event that you possess at least one of the following bear, large cat and hybrid of a large cat, then you are deemed to have a wild animal menagery and to own them legally you need a permit. This permit will have to be renewed every year this time it will be accompanied with an inspection of the housing in which the animals are to be kept and only 10 wild animals can be kept. Also Exotic Pets, they do not permit keeping skunks, bats, raccoons, and foxes as pets because of their fear of rabies. Serval and jungles cats, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, two-toed sloths, wallabies, and a host of other exotic animals do not need a permit and are allowed to own though.
Nebraska
In order to possess any type of wildlife such as wild birds and wild mammals as well as an endangered or threatened species, a captive wildlife permit is necessary. This permit however does not permit anyone to own a wolf, skunk, bear or any wild feline. It is a Class IV misdemeanor in Nebraska to own a wild animal without a permit Exotic Pets.
Nevada
Nevada has in its state laws all the prohibited wild animals and hybrids but it is not as restricting as some other states Exotic Pets. A list of banned animals also covers alligators, crocodiles, foxes, coyotes, racoons, skunks, elk, moose, giant African snails, and others but does not apply to primates, captive bred wolves, and marine mammals; most of the large cats.
New Hampshire
Exotic Pets, In New Hampshire, a permit was obtained at least 30 days prior to getting what is regarded as a controlled species by the state. These species of animal species under control have such occupants as frogs, toads and salamanders, venomous reptiles, crocodiles and alligators, a range of turtles and snakes, some birds, armadillos, bears, cavies, coyotes, cougars, foxes, kangaroos, lions, kinkajou, leopards, primates and many others.
New Jersey
There are several kinds of snakes, such as pythons, llamas, coati, and hedgehogs of European breeds, as well as ferrets, kinkajous, coati, and birds that require a permit to keep. Nevertheless, there are no permits to carry some Exotic Pets such as flying squirrels, cockatiels, iguanas, hamsters and some other pets. There are also potentially dangerous species that must be permitted to house but the requirements are more strict than to own a ferret. Primate, bear, non-domesticated dogs and non-domesticated cats are all subject to this permit.
New Mexico
Exotic Pets According to New Mexico law, persons who own primates, skunks, raccoons, foxes, or wild carnivores which transmit zoonotic diseases can be controlled by the health and environment department. Similar to other states, it has some counties and cities with further restrictions and regulations about the type of animals one can keep as a pet.
New York
The New York law, you cannot own any wild animal and the state considers a wild animal to be non-domestic feline or canine or hybrid, bear, crocodile, venomous reptile, or primates Exotic Pets. Provided an individual is caught holding a forbidden animal, he/she will be fined to a maximum of up to 500 dollars per infraction.
North Carolina
According to the law of North Carolina, individual counties and cities have the right to draw ordinances on Exotic Pets. Regulations will or will not exist depending on the location of your state residence but there exist no statewide restrictions.
North Dakota
Under the law of North Dakota, dangerous or environmentally unfriendly animals should be licensed to keep them as Exotic Pets. These types of animals include zebras, otters, coyotes, beavers, bears, wolves, primates, large wild cats, and venomous reptiles among others as decided by the state. There is also the ban on skunks and raccoons and thus they are not permitted in the state regardless of the situation.
Ohio
The laws in Ohio have evolved since the animal massacre in Zanesville in the year 2011. Over 50 wild animals were released in a reserve that made authorities have to have lions, tigers, bears and wolves roaming around the streets put to death. Due to this, Lions, tigers, bears, elephants, alligators, monkeys, serval and others became subject of the Dangerous Wild Animal Act which prohibited the ownership of these Exotic Pets animals without a permit in Ohio.
Oklahoma
Almost any Exotic Pets animal you desire to own can be owned in Oklahoma, however, with one exception of a native bear or large cat species. Venomous reptiles require permits but ferrets, primates, coati, hedgehogs and large cats as well as most other exotic animals not originally part of the state are not required to be permitted State exotic animal regulations.
Oregon
It is illegal to keep wild cat species not native to the exotic pet laws by state of Oregon, bears (except black bears), canines that are not natives of Oregon, primates, and crocodiles. A permit to a special monkey service can be obtained. Some of the Exotic Pets animals permissible without any permits are the alpaca, ferret, bison, camel, chinchilla, emu, ostrich, llamas, lemur, sugar glider, giraffes and sugar gliders.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is one of the states in which you have to obtain a permit to keep Exotic Pets animals that are categorized as exotic wildlife in the state. These are all bears, coyotes, lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cheetahs, cougars, wolves and any crosses of these creatures. Also, the possession of the venomous snakes is subjected to the issuance of a venomous snake permit.
Rhode Island
The Rhode Island does not allow the keeping of wild carnivores like lions, tigers, bears, and wolves as pets as well as primates and native wildlife. The permits to own such animals can only be acquired by zoos, researchers and other special organizations of Exotic Pets.
South Carolina
By January 1, 2018, the law of South Carolina prohibits the keeping of large wild cats, non-native bears, and great apes such as chimps, gorillas, and orangutans as Exotic Pets unless registered by January 1, 2018. These animals will be confiscated in case they are discovered and had not been registered by the year 2018.
South Dakota
Exotic Pets, You will require a permit to own a non-domestic cat or dog, bear, rhino, elephant, a primate, non-domestic ferret and some others. Raccoon dogs can only be permitted in case you have a zoo permit and certain types of deer, sheep, and goats were only allowed in the state east of the Missouri River.
Tennessee
There are five classes in which the Exotic Pets or animals are put in Tennessee. Zoos are only permitted to keep class I, IV and V animals, no permit is required in class III animals and native animals make class II. In case of keeping animals of class II as pets, this name and address of the person who acquired the animal must be provided.
Texas
In Texas, a certificate of registration is needed in case you wish to own a dangerous wild animal. Wild cats, bears, coyotes, gorillas, chimpanzees and a number of other non-domesticated species fall under this category of animals.
Utah
The list of animals that can be kept as pets is of a long list, which is controlled, noncontrolled, or prohibited to be kept in Utah. The forbidden list includes wild animals and large cats, bears, foxes, primates, and skunks among other exotic animals. The list of animals to be kept as pets which are controlled includes beavers, Northern flying squirrels, caribou, coyotes, bobcats among others and have to be registered by a certificate.
Vermont
The Vermont state contains a great list of free animals that may be established as pets however they do forbid wild hogs as well as pigs. Also to use an exotic animal that is not limited to a specific list as a pet, Vermont needs a permit in addition to the unrestricted list.
Virginia
In Virginia, a permit is not needed in domestic animals but it is necessary in non-native, exotic animals. Coyotes, foxes, skunks, hyenas, prairie dogs, alligators, crocodiles, wild cats, and a host of other animals must have a permit in order to be kept as pets.
Washington
The state of Washington legislations in 2007 evolved to limit the housing of dangerous animals as pets. The list of events that should not be kept in the house includes bears, wolves, large cats, alligators, elephants, primates, venomous snakes and other exotic animals.
West Virginia
West Virginia prohibits an individual to keep any wild animals or wildlife unless one is allowed by a permit. Getting a permit to keep wild animals every single year is not as easy as filling some papers and paying some money though. It has numerous stipulations such as obtaining a liability insurance and permanently identifying the animal with a mark.
Wyoming
The Wyoming state law states that all live wildlife (defined by the state law) must have a permit unless otherwise stated to be exempted or forbidden. Chinchillas, hamsters, llamas, and numerous other animals which are generally regarded as domesticated are not subject to permit limitations and wolves, big game and trophy game species such as bear, mountain lions, and moose tend to be illegal.
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