Exotic pet laws in Georgia
Rules read from each state's law on 10 November 2026. Not legal advice.
The table lists every animal we cover and what Georgia 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 Georgia
| Animal | Status | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capybara | Banned | Capybaras are rodents, and all rodents except a short exempt list need a wild animal licence. Georgia wild animal licences go only to wild animal businesses and public exhibitors, so a pet owner cannot get one.Wild animal licence required; not issued to pet owners | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.05; O.C.G.A. 27... |
| African pygmy hedgehog | Banned | All hedgehogs need a wild animal licence in Georgia. Georgia wild animal licences go only to wild animal businesses and public exhibitors, so a pet owner cannot get one.Wild animal licence required; not issued to pet owners | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.05; O.C.G.A. 27... |
| Fennec fox | Banned | Every species in the order Carnivora, including fennec foxes, needs a wild animal licence, except the domestic ferret. Georgia wild animal licences go only to wild animal businesses and public exhibitors, so a pet owner cannot get one.Wild animal licence required; not issued to pet owners | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.05; O.C.G.A. 27... |
| Serval or savannah cat | Banned | Servals are barred to pet owners as cats in the family Felidae, which need a licence pet owners cannot get. Savannah cats are serval hybrids, and every generation of a wild animal hybrid counts as a wild animal.All Felidae; hybrids of any generation are wild animals (savannah cats, F1 and later) | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.04(1)(a)2(ii);... |
| Wallaby | Banned | Georgia lists all kangaroos, wallabies and wallaroos as inherently dangerous wild animals needing a licence and insurance. Georgia wild animal licences go only to wild animal businesses and public exhibitors, so a pet owner cannot get one.Licence and liability insurance required; not issued to pet owners | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.04; O.C.G.A. 27... |
| Raccoon | Banned | Raccoons are native wildlife, and the state says licences are not issued to hold native wildlife as pets. Raccoons are named on its list of native species that may not be kept as pets.No pet licence exists | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.04/.05; O.C.G.A... |
| Red fox | Banned | Red foxes are native wildlife, and the state says licences are not issued to hold native wildlife as pets. Red fox is named on its list of species that may not be kept as pets.No pet licence exists | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.04/.05; O.C.G.A... |
| Skunk | Banned | Skunks are native wildlife, and the state says licences are not issued to hold native wildlife as pets. Skunk is named on its list of species that may not be kept as pets.No pet licence exists | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.04/.05; O.C.G.A... |
| Pet monkey | Banned | All monkeys and apes need a wild animal licence, which pet owners cannot get. The only pet-like permit is for one trained capuchin assisting a person with a permanent disability.Disability-assistance capuchin permit only | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.05; O.C.G.A. 27... |
| Kangaroo | Banned | Georgia lists all kangaroos, wallabies and wallaroos as inherently dangerous wild animals needing a licence and insurance. Georgia wild animal licences go only to wild animal businesses and public exhibitors, so a pet owner cannot get one.Licence and liability insurance required; not issued to pet owners | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.04; O.C.G.A. 27... |
| Big cat | Banned | All cats in the family Felidae, including tigers, lions, leopards, jaguars, cheetahs and cougars, are inherently dangerous wild animals needing a licence and insurance. Georgia wild animal licences go only to wild animal businesses and public exhibitors, so a pet owner cannot get one.Licence and liability insurance required; not issued to pet owners | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.04; O.C.G.A. 27... |
| Bobcat | Banned | Bobcats are native wildlife, and the state says licences are not issued to hold native wildlife as pets. Bobcat is named on its list of species that may not be kept as pets.No pet licence exists | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.04/.05; O.C.G.A... |
| Prairie dog | Banned | Prairie dogs are rodents, and all rodents except a short exempt list need a wild animal licence. Georgia wild animal licences go only to wild animal businesses and public exhibitors, so a pet owner cannot get one.Wild animal licence required; not issued to pet owners | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.05; O.C.G.A. 27... |
| Kinkajou | Banned | Kinkajous are in the order Carnivora, and every Carnivora species except the domestic ferret needs a wild animal licence. Georgia wild animal licences go only to wild animal businesses and public exhibitors, so a pet owner cannot get one.Wild animal licence required; not issued to pet owners | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.05; O.C.G.A. 27... |
| Otter | Banned | River otters are native wildlife that Georgia says may not be kept as pets, and other otters are Carnivora needing a licence that pet owners cannot get.No pet licence exists | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.04/.05; O.C.G.A... |
| Lemur | Banned | Georgia's primate rule covers every primate species, which includes lemurs, and the licence it requires is not available to pet owners.Wild animal licence required; not issued to pet owners | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.05; O.C.G.A. 27... |
| Alligator or other crocodilian | Banned | All alligators, caimans, crocodiles and gharials are inherently dangerous wild animals needing a licence and insurance. Georgia wild animal licences go only to wild animal businesses and public exhibitors, so a pet owner cannot get one.Licence and liability insurance required; not issued to pet owners | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.04; O.C.G.A. 27... |
| Bear | Banned | All bears are inherently dangerous wild animals needing a licence and insurance, and native black bears are on the state's no-pets list. Georgia wild animal licences go only to wild animal businesses and public exhibitors, so a pet owner cannot get one.Licence and liability insurance required; not issued to pet owners | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.04; O.C.G.A. 27... |
| Wolfdog | Banned | Wolf hybrids count as wild animals, as do all later generations. All Canis wolves are inherently dangerous and need a licence pet owners cannot get; the old 1994 grandfather window for wolf hybrids has closed.Hybrids of any generation are wild animals | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.04(1)(a)2(i); O... |
| Giant constrictor | Banned for new owners | Burmese pythons and Indian rock pythons are licensed only for science, education or exhibition, and the pet grandfather window has closed. Reticulated pythons and anacondas are not on Georgia's lists.Burmese and Indian rock python barred; reticulated python and anaconda not listed; pre-2022 pets had to be tagged and registered within 12 months | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.05(1)(c) |
| Ferret | Depends | Domestic ferrets may be kept as pets without a licence if the owner holds proof the ferret was neutered before seven months of age and is vaccinated against rabies.Neutered before 7 months; USDA-approved rabies vaccine; keep documentation | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.05(1)(a)3; O.C.... |
| Sugar glider | Depends | Sugar gliders may be kept as pets without a licence only if the owner has documentation that the animal came from a source inspected and regulated by the USDA.Documentation of USDA-inspected and regulated source | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.05(1)(a)7; O.C.... |
| Venomous snake | Depends | Cobras, mambas, vipers and other Elapidae and Viperidae are inherently dangerous and need a licence that pet owners cannot get. State wildlife law separately allows taking some native venomous snakes, so check with the state agency first.Non-native venomous snakes barred to pet owners; native venomous snakes treated as wildlife, rule for keeping them unclear | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.04; O.C.G.A. 27... |
| Tegu | Depends | Only the Argentine black and white tegu is on Georgia's list, and it is licensed only for science, education or exhibition, so new pet owners cannot get one. Red and gold tegus are not named in the rules.Argentine black-and-white tegu barred; pets held on or before Dec 4, 2022 had to be tagged and registered within 12 months; other tegus not listed | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.05(1)(c) |
| Axolotl | No state restriction found | Georgia does not list axolotls or other salamanders as prohibited or licensed wild animals, so no state licence is needed. Check with the state wildlife agency before buying. | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.03 to .05 |
| Chinchilla | No state restriction found | Chinchillas are expressly exempted from the rodent licence requirement, so they may be kept as pets without a state licence. | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.05(1)(a)16 |
| Tarantula | No state restriction found | Georgia lists only certain scorpions among its dangerous invertebrates, and no spiders or tarantulas, so no state licence is needed. Check with the state wildlife agency for unusual species. | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.03 to .05 |
Who regulates exotic pets in Georgia
Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division is the agency to ask. O.C.G.A. 27-5-4(b)(1): wild animal licences are issued only to persons in the wholesale or retail wild animal business or exhibiting wild animals to the public. Permits go only to science or education users, certain disabled persons (capuchin), and grass carp pond owners. O.C.G.A. 27-1-2(75): a wild animal is any animal that is not wildlife and not normally domestic in Georgia, and includes hybrids of any generation. Native animals are 'wildlife' and the DNR says licences are not issued to hold native wildlife as pets.
The main texts:
- O.C.G.A. 27-5-4 (licence and permit rules)
- O.C.G.A. 27-5-5 (statutory wild animal lists)
- O.C.G.A. 27-1-2 (definitions of wild animal and wildlife)
- Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.01 Purpose and Scope
- Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.02 Definitions
Before you buy in Georgia
- 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 Georgia.
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 Georgia?
- Banned. Raccoons are native wildlife, and the state says licences are not issued to hold native wildlife as pets. Raccoons are named on its list of native species that may not be kept as pets.
- Is it legal to own a monkey in Georgia?
- Banned. All monkeys and apes need a wild animal licence, which pet owners cannot get. The only pet-like permit is for one trained capuchin assisting a person with a permanent disability.
- Is it legal to own a fox in Georgia?
- Banned. Red foxes are native wildlife, and the state says licences are not issued to hold native wildlife as pets. Red fox is named on its list of species that may not be kept as pets.
- Is it legal to own a skunk in Georgia?
- Banned. Skunks are native wildlife, and the state says licences are not issued to hold native wildlife as pets. Skunk is named on its list of species that may not be kept as pets.
- Is it legal to own a ferret in Georgia?
- Depends. Domestic ferrets may be kept as pets without a licence if the owner holds proof the ferret was neutered before seven months of age and is vaccinated against rabies.
- Is it legal to own a capybara in Georgia?
- Banned. Capybaras are rodents, and all rodents except a short exempt list need a wild animal licence. Georgia wild animal licences go only to wild animal businesses and public exhibitors, so a pet owner cannot get one.
- Who do I ask about exotic pets in Georgia?
- Start with Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division. Then ask your county and city.