Is it legal to own a raccoon in California?

Banned. Raccoons are Procyonidae, and all species in that family are restricted, including native raccoons. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.

Is it legal to own a monkey in California?

Banned. All nonhuman primates are restricted. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.

Is it legal to own a fox in California?

Banned. All species in the dog family are restricted, including red foxes. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.

Is it legal to own a skunk in California?

Banned. Skunks are named in the restricted carnivore order and are not exempt, so they fall under the catch-all for other families. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.

Is it legal to own a ferret in California?

Banned. Ferrets are named in the restricted carnivore order and all Mustelidae are restricted, with no ferret exception. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.

Is it legal to own a capybara in California?

Banned. Capybaras are rodents, and all rodent species except a few domesticated races are restricted. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.

Exotic pet laws in California

Rules read from each state's law on 10 November 2026. Not legal advice.

The table lists every animal we cover and what California law says about keeping it as a pet. Each row links to the rule it rests on; animals link to their own state-by-state guide.

Animal by animal in California

Animal	Status	What it means	Source
Capybara	Banned	Capybaras are rodents, and all rodent species except a few domesticated races are restricted. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(J)
African pygmy hedgehog	Banned	Hedgehogs fall under the restricted insectivore order, so private pet ownership is not allowed. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(D)
Ferret	Banned	Ferrets are named in the restricted carnivore order and all Mustelidae are restricted, with no ferret exception. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(K)5
Sugar glider	Banned	Sugar gliders are marsupials, and all marsupials are restricted. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(C)
Fennec fox	Banned	All wild canids are restricted, so a fennec fox cannot be kept as a pet. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(K)2
Wallaby	Banned	Wallabies are marsupials, and all marsupials are restricted. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(C)
Raccoon	Banned	Raccoons are Procyonidae, and all species in that family are restricted, including native raccoons. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(K)4
Red fox	Banned	All species in the dog family are restricted, including red foxes. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(K)2
Skunk	Banned	Skunks are named in the restricted carnivore order and are not exempt, so they fall under the catch-all for other families. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(K)6
Pet monkey	Banned	All nonhuman primates are restricted. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(A)
Kangaroo	Banned	Kangaroos are marsupials, and all marsupials are restricted. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(C)
Big cat	Banned	All wild cats are restricted, including lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cheetahs and cougars. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(K)1
Bobcat	Banned	Bobcats are wild cats and all Felidae except domestic cats are restricted. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(K)1
Prairie dog	Banned	Prairie dogs are named in the restricted rodent order, with exceptions only for domesticated hamsters, rats, mice, guinea pigs and chinchillas. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(J)
Kinkajou	Banned	Kinkajous are Procyonidae, and all species in that family are restricted. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(K)4
Otter	Banned	River otters and Asian small-clawed otters are both listed as restricted, and all other Mustelidae are restricted too. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(K)5
Lemur	Banned	Lemurs are primates, and all nonhuman primates are restricted. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(A)
Alligator or other crocodilian	Banned	All crocodilians, including alligators and caimans, are restricted. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(7)(A)
Bear	Banned	Bears are named in the restricted carnivore order, and every family not otherwise listed is restricted. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(K)6
Serval or savannah cat	Depends	Servals are restricted and cannot be kept as pets. Domestic cats and their hybrids are expressly not restricted, so savannah cats are outside the state restricted list. The rule sets no generation cutoff.Serval itself prohibited; savannah (hybrid of a domestic cat) not restricted	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(K)1
Venomous snake	Depends	Cobras, mambas, vipers and nonnative pitvipers are restricted, with no pet permit. Some native rattlesnake species may be taken in limited numbers under the sport take rules, which set limits. Ask the department.Elapidae and Viperidae all species; Crotalidae nonnative only; certain native rattlesnakes may be taken under 14 CCR 5.60 limits	14 CCR 671(c)(7)(C)-(E); 14 CCR 5.60
Wolfdog	Depends	Wolves are restricted. First generation wolf-dog hybrids are restricted, but no state permit is required for later generations. Ask the department about your case.F1 hybrids restricted; progeny of F1 hybrids need no state permit	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(K)2.a
Chinchilla	No state restriction found	Domesticated chinchillas are expressly not restricted by the state restricted species list, so no state permit is needed.Domesticated races only	14 CCR 671(c)(2)(J)1.e
Tarantula	No state restriction found	Tarantulas are arachnids, a class the state wild animal and restricted species rules do not cover, so no state permit is needed.	Cal. Fish & Game Code 2116; 14 CCR 671(c)
Giant constrictor	No state restriction found	Burmese pythons, reticulated pythons and anacondas are not on the state restricted species list, and no length rule applies. Check local rules.	14 CCR 671(c)(7)
Tegu	No state restriction found	Tegus are not on the state restricted species list, so no state permit is needed.	14 CCR 671(c)(7)
Axolotl	Not verified yet	We could not confirm California's rule for this animal yet. Ask California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Restricted Species Permits before you buy.	Agency page

Who regulates exotic pets in California

California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Restricted Species Permits is the agency to ask. Possession of any animal restricted in 14 CCR 671(c) is unlawful without a department permit (671(a), 671.1(a)). Only classes Aves, Mammalia, Amphibia, fishes, Reptilia, Crustacea and Gastropoda count as wild animals (Fish & Game Code 2116), so arachnids and unlisted reptiles are outside the list.

The main texts:

Before you buy in California

Ask the state agency above, in writing if you can, and keep the answer.
Ask your county and city: local ordinances can ban an animal the state allows.
Check your lease, homeowners or renters insurance and any homeowner association rules.
Buy only from a seller who can show the animal is captive-bred and legal to ship to California.

See every state in exotic pet laws by state, or test one animal in the legality checker.

How we checked. For each state we read the statutes, administrative code and agency lists that govern keeping wild or exotic animals, and every row above links to the text it rests on. A second, independent reviewer then re-read the same sources, and a row is shown only if it survived that check. "Not verified yet" means a state's rule could not be read or confirmed, which is a gap in our data and not a green light. County and city ordinances, landlord and insurance rules, and federal law sit on top of the state rule. Read how we check. See an error? Email hello@creaturesincrisis.org with the link.

Quick answers

Is it legal to own a raccoon in California?: Banned. Raccoons are Procyonidae, and all species in that family are restricted, including native raccoons. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.
Is it legal to own a monkey in California?: Banned. All nonhuman primates are restricted. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.
Is it legal to own a fox in California?: Banned. All species in the dog family are restricted, including red foxes. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.
Is it legal to own a skunk in California?: Banned. Skunks are named in the restricted carnivore order and are not exempt, so they fall under the catch-all for other families. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.
Is it legal to own a ferret in California?: Banned. Ferrets are named in the restricted carnivore order and all Mustelidae are restricted, with no ferret exception. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.
Is it legal to own a capybara in California?: Banned. Capybaras are rodents, and all rodent species except a few domesticated races are restricted. The only permits are for specified purposes such as exhibiting, breeding or research, so there is no pet permit.
Who do I ask about exotic pets in California?: Start with California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Restricted Species Permits. Then ask your county and city.