Exotic pet laws in Idaho
Rules read from each state's law on 10 November 2026. Not legal advice.
The table lists every animal we cover and what Idaho 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 Idaho
| Animal | Status | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fennec fox | Banned | Idaho bars possession, sale, trade and import of any fox, with narrow exceptions for fur farms and permitted public institutions. The Agriculture Department also lists all non-native canids as deleterious exotic animals. | Idaho Code 25-236(1); IDAPA 02.04.27.402 |
| Raccoon | Banned | Idaho bars possession, sale, trade and import of any raccoon. Exceptions are limited to fur farms (domestic fur-bearing animals) and permitted public parks, zoos, museums and educational institutions. | Idaho Code 25-236(1) |
| Red fox | Banned | Idaho bars possession, sale, trade and import of any fox. Exceptions are limited to fur farms (domestic fur-bearing animals) and permitted public parks, zoos, museums and educational institutions. | Idaho Code 25-236(1) |
| Skunk | Banned | Idaho bars possession, sale, trade and import of any skunk. Exceptions are limited to fur farms (domestic fur-bearing animals) and permitted public parks, zoos, museums and educational institutions. | Idaho Code 25-236(1) |
| Big cat | Banned | Idaho lists tigers, lions, leopards, jaguars and cheetahs as deleterious exotic animals that must be kept at an AZA accredited facility, which excludes pet owners. Cougars are native big game with a separate Fish and Game licence rule.AZA accredited facility required; cougar (mountain lion) falls under Idaho Code 36-701(a) licensing instead | IDAPA 02.04.27.403 |
| Lemur | Banned | Idaho requires non-human primates, and lemurs are not among the exempt species, to be kept at an AZA accredited facility. That excludes private pet owners.AZA accredited facility required | IDAPA 02.04.27.407 |
| Capybara | Permit needed | The capybara is a South American rodent, which Idaho lists as a deleterious exotic animal. A possession permit from the State Department of Agriculture is required, with a facility review and proof of sterilization.ISDA possession permit; proof of sterilization unless propagation approved; facility inspection | IDAPA 02.04.27.100(01), 02.04.27.101, 02.04.2... |
| Serval or savannah cat | Permit needed | The serval is a listed deleterious exotic small cat, so a possession permit from the State Department of Agriculture is required. The rules read do not say how serval hybrids such as savannah cats are treated.ISDA possession permit; proof of sterilization unless propagation approved; facility inspection; savannah (hybrid) status not addressed in the rules read | IDAPA 02.04.27.100(01), 02.04.27.404(04) |
| Prairie dog | Permit needed | Prairie dogs are a listed deleterious exotic animal in Idaho. A possession permit from the State Department of Agriculture is required, with a facility review and proof of sterilization.ISDA possession permit; proof of sterilization unless propagation approved; facility inspection | IDAPA 02.04.27.100(01), 02.04.27.410(07) |
| Kinkajou | Permit needed | The kinkajou is a listed deleterious exotic animal in Idaho. A possession permit from the State Department of Agriculture is required, with a facility review and proof of sterilization.ISDA possession permit; proof of sterilization unless propagation approved; facility inspection | IDAPA 02.04.27.100(01), 02.04.27.409(02) |
| Bear | Permit needed | Idaho requires a licence or permit from the Fish and Game director to hold black bear, a big game animal found wild in Idaho. A private park permit for personal use also exists.Fish and Game licence or private park permit | Idaho Code 36-701(a) |
| Wolfdog | Permit needed | Idaho requires an annual Fish and Game licence, plus microchip and tattoo, for any live wolf or canine showing primary wolf characteristics.Annual licence within three days of possession; microchip and tattoo at six months | IDAPA 13.01.10.251(01) |
| Pet monkey | Depends | Idaho requires most non-human primates to be kept at an AZA accredited facility, which rules out pet owners. Capuchins, marmosets, spider monkeys and squirrel monkeys are exempt from that rule, and whether they then need a permit is unclear.AZA facility for most primates; capuchin, marmoset, spider and squirrel monkeys exempt from the AZA requirement only; permit status of exempt species unclear | IDAPA 02.04.27.407 |
| Axolotl | No state restriction found | Amphibians that are not dangerous count as conventional pets in Idaho and need no state permit. The axolotl is not on the Idaho invasive species amphibian list.Not intended for release into the wild | IDAPA 13.01.10.010(06) and 13.01.10.200(06)(b) |
| African pygmy hedgehog | No state restriction found | Hedgehogs are named as conventional pets in Idaho and need no state permit. Only the European hedgehog is on the deleterious exotic animal list.Not intended for release into the wild; European hedgehog (Erinaceus) is listed separately | IDAPA 13.01.10.010(06) and 13.01.10.200(06)(b) |
| Ferret | No state restriction found | Domestic ferrets are named as conventional pets in Idaho and need no state permit.Not intended for release into the wild | IDAPA 13.01.10.010(06) and 13.01.10.200(06)(b) |
| Sugar glider | No state restriction found | Sugar gliders are named as conventional pets in Idaho and need no state permit.Not intended for release into the wild | IDAPA 13.01.10.010(06) and 13.01.10.200(06)(b) |
| Chinchilla | No state restriction found | Chinchillas are expressly excluded from Idaho deleterious exotic South American rodents, and rodents are conventional pets needing no state permit. | IDAPA 02.04.27.410(08); 13.01.10.010(06) |
| Tegu | No state restriction found | Non-venomous reptiles are conventional pets in Idaho and need no state permit. The tegu is not on the Idaho invasive species reptile list.Not intended for release into the wild | IDAPA 13.01.10.010(06), 13.01.10.200(06)(b) |
| Wallaby | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Idaho's rule for this animal yet. Ask Idaho State Department of Agriculture (deleterious exotic animals) and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (captive wildlife) before you buy. | |
| Tarantula | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Idaho's rule for this animal yet. Ask Idaho State Department of Agriculture (deleterious exotic animals) and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (captive wildlife) before you buy. | |
| Kangaroo | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Idaho's rule for this animal yet. Ask Idaho State Department of Agriculture (deleterious exotic animals) and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (captive wildlife) before you buy. | |
| Bobcat | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Idaho's rule for this animal yet. Ask Idaho State Department of Agriculture (deleterious exotic animals) and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (captive wildlife) before you buy. | |
| Otter | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Idaho's rule for this animal yet. Ask Idaho State Department of Agriculture (deleterious exotic animals) and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (captive wildlife) before you buy. | |
| Alligator or other crocodilian | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Idaho's rule for this animal yet. Ask Idaho State Department of Agriculture (deleterious exotic animals) and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (captive wildlife) before you buy. | |
| Venomous snake | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Idaho's rule for this animal yet. Ask Idaho State Department of Agriculture (deleterious exotic animals) and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (captive wildlife) before you buy. | |
| Giant constrictor | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Idaho's rule for this animal yet. Ask Idaho State Department of Agriculture (deleterious exotic animals) and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (captive wildlife) before you buy. |
Who regulates exotic pets in Idaho
Idaho State Department of Agriculture (deleterious exotic animals) and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (captive wildlife) is the agency to ask. IDAPA 13.01.10.200(01) requires a Fish and Game licence or permit to hold any live wildlife, except agricultural or domestic animals and conventional pets (dogs, cats, ferrets, rabbits, rodents, non-venomous or non-dangerous reptiles and amphibians, non-poultry birds, hedgehogs, tenrecs, sugar gliders). Deleterious exotic animals need an ISDA possession permit (IDAPA 02.04.27.100). Idaho Code 36-701(c)2 says the captive wildlife chapter does not apply to exotic wildlife apart from inspection and records, which conflicts with the rule wording and is left unresolved.
The main texts:
- IDAPA 02.04.27 Rules Governing Deleterious Exotic Animals (ISDA)
- IDAPA 13.01.10 Importation, Possession, Release, Sale, or Salvage of Wildlife (Fish and Game)
- Idaho Code 25-236 fox, skunk, raccoon (FindLaw copy)
- Idaho Code 36-701 holding wildlife in captivity (FindLaw copy)
- Idaho Code 36-202 definitions, wildlife (FindLaw copy)
Before you buy in Idaho
- 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 Idaho.
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 Idaho?
- Banned. Idaho bars possession, sale, trade and import of any raccoon. Exceptions are limited to fur farms (domestic fur-bearing animals) and permitted public parks, zoos, museums and educational institutions.
- Is it legal to own a monkey in Idaho?
- Depends. Idaho requires most non-human primates to be kept at an AZA accredited facility, which rules out pet owners. Capuchins, marmosets, spider monkeys and squirrel monkeys are exempt from that rule, and whether they then need a permit is unclear.
- Is it legal to own a fox in Idaho?
- Banned. Idaho bars possession, sale, trade and import of any fox. Exceptions are limited to fur farms (domestic fur-bearing animals) and permitted public parks, zoos, museums and educational institutions.
- Is it legal to own a skunk in Idaho?
- Banned. Idaho bars possession, sale, trade and import of any skunk. Exceptions are limited to fur farms (domestic fur-bearing animals) and permitted public parks, zoos, museums and educational institutions.
- Is it legal to own a ferret in Idaho?
- No state restriction found. Domestic ferrets are named as conventional pets in Idaho and need no state permit.
- Is it legal to own a capybara in Idaho?
- Permit needed. The capybara is a South American rodent, which Idaho lists as a deleterious exotic animal. A possession permit from the State Department of Agriculture is required, with a facility review and proof of sterilization.
- Who do I ask about exotic pets in Idaho?
- Start with Idaho State Department of Agriculture (deleterious exotic animals) and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (captive wildlife). Then ask your county and city.