Is it legal to own that pet where you live?
One question, answered state by state. We read the statute or the agency rule ourselves, write down what it says, and cite it — and when we cannot read the controlling text, we say that instead of guessing. A wrong “legal” here is a seized animal and a misdemeanour, so the four answers below include two that are not a yes or a no.
What the four answers mean
- Legal
- No state permit required
- Permit
- A licence or permit is required
- Banned
- No lawful route to keep one
- Unclear
- Sources conflict or the controlling text could not be read
- Not checked
- We have not read this jurisdiction for this animal
Look up an animal and a state
Pick the animal and the state. You get the status, the statute or rule behind it, and the page that argues it — or a plain statement that we have not read that combination.
Ferret in California
Banned No lawful route to keep one
- Governing law
- "Family Mustelidae — All species (D)" under the Carnivora heading that itself names ferrets; no pet permit exists
- Scope
- Statewide
- Notes
- 14 CCR § 671(c)(2)(K)5
The record
Every animal we have read, in every state
5 animals with a published row for all 51 jurisdictions — 275 entries in total, each tied to the statute or agency rule behind it. A cell is filled only because a published page argues it. Where we have not read a jurisdiction, we say so instead of leaving a gap you could mistake for permission.
Covered in one or two states only 16 animals
These come from the two state guides rather than from a 50-state table, so the record holds them for California or Texas and nowhere else. Everywhere else they are Not checked, which is a statement about this site and not about the law.
- Axolotl CA · TX
- Capybara CA · TX
- Fennec fox CA · TX
- Sugar glider CA · TX
- Bear TX
- Chinchilla CA
- Coyote TX
- Degu CA
- Domestic rabbit CA
- Exotic venomous snakes CA
- Gerbil CA
- Guinea pig CA
- Kinkajou TX
- Monk parakeet CA
- Prairie dog CA
- Snapping turtle CA
796 of 1071 animal-and-jurisdiction combinations have not been checked. That number goes down one published page at a time.
The write-ups
Where the answers come from
Each one works a single animal across every state, a single state across every animal, or one hard pair down to the section number. Newest and most recently re-verified first.
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Monkey Legal States: Can You Own a Pet Monkey? (50-State Table, 2026)
Which states allow pet monkeys? A statute-cited 50-state table: 11 states with no permit requirement, 11 permit states, 24 plus D.C. with no lawful route — and the federal rules every other list omits.
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Ferret Legal States: Where Are Ferrets Legal? (50-State Table, 2026)
Ferrets are legal in 46 states and Washington DC, banned only in California and Hawaii, permit-only in New Jersey and Rhode Island, and banned citywide in New York City. Every row cited to the statute or rule we read.
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Are Axolotls Legal in California? (Statute, Permits & the 2025 Federal Rule)
No. California restricts the entire genus Ambystoma as a detrimental species under 14 CCR 671, and no permit category allows keeping one as a pet. The exact clause, who can hold a permit, the penalties, and the 2025 federal salamander rule that also applies.
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Are Ferrets Legal in California? (Statute, Penalties & 2026 Petition Status)
No. Ferrets are illegal to own as pets in California under Cal. Code Regs. tit. 14 § 671 — and no pet permit exists. The statute, the penalties, the pending 2025 legalization petition, and where ferrets are legal. Verified July 2026.
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Exotic Pets Legal in California: The Full Banned & Legal List (2026)
California is the strictest US state for exotic pets: a statute-cited list of what is banned and what is legal under 14 CCR § 671 — ferrets, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, gerbils and axolotls out; guinea pigs, chinchillas, most snakes and parrots in.
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Are Ferrets Legal in New York? Legal Statewide, Banned in All Five NYC Boroughs (2026)
Ferrets are legal to own anywhere in New York State with no permit or license, and banned in all five New York City boroughs under Health Code 161.01(a)(4). Statute-cited, with the 1999 ban date and the 2015 Board of Health vote corrected.
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Are Hedgehogs Legal in California? (Statute, Penalties & the Detrimental Rule)
No, hedgehogs are illegal to own as pets anywhere in California. They are a restricted detrimental species under 14 CCR 671 (Order Insectivora), no pet permit exists, and penalties fall under Fish and Game Code 2125. Verified against the regulation text.
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Are Sugar Gliders Legal in California? (Statute, Penalties & the Welfare Rule)
No, sugar gliders are illegal to keep as pets in California. Every marsupial is a restricted species under 14 CCR 671, classified welfare (not detrimental), with no pet permit available. Statute, penalties, and where they are legal.
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Can You Own a Pet Raccoon? Legal States, Permits & the Rabies Rule (2026)
A pet raccoon is banned in 34 states plus D.C. and permit-only in 14 more; only Arkansas allows one with no permit. All 50 states, statute-cited, plus the rabies rule and captive-bred requirement.
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Skunk Legal States: Can You Have a Pet Skunk? (50-State Table)
Where is it legal to own a pet skunk? A statute-cited 50-state table of skunk legality, plus the permit rules, the rabies gap, and the skunk-legal lists that get it wrong.
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Exotic Pets Legal in Texas: The Full Permit, Registration & Ban List (2026)
Which exotic pets are legal in Texas, which need a permit, and which are effectively banned. Statute-cited: dangerous wild animals (HSC ch. 822), the rabies quarantine (25 TAC 169.34), and controlled snakes (PW Code 43.851).
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Hedgehog Legal States: Where Are Hedgehogs Legal? (50-State Table)
A pet hedgehog is legal with no permit in 45 states, banned in California, Georgia, Hawaii, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., and permit-only in New Jersey. Statute-cited 50-state + D.C. table.
New to this? Start with how the law is built
- Exotic pets legal by state Why an animal you can keep freely in one state is a criminal offence two borders away, and how to read your own state's rule.
- Permits and licences, explained What a class system actually is, which permits a private keeper can get, and which are only ever issued to institutions.
- How we source — and why we leave gaps Primary statutes and agency rules only, what we refuse to count as evidence, and why 796 combinations in the record have no answer yet.