Exotic pet laws in Massachusetts
Rules read from each state's law on 10 November 2026. Not legal advice.
The table lists every animal we cover and what Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts
| Animal | Status | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capybara | Banned | The capybara is not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep it. | 321 CMR 9.01(1); 9.02(2)(c); 2.12(9)(a); M.G.... |
| Fennec fox | Banned | The fennec fox is not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep it. | 321 CMR 9.01(1); 9.02(2)(c); 2.12(9)(a); M.G.... |
| Serval or savannah cat | Banned | The serval is not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and pet licences are denied. Savannah cats are wild felid hybrids, and M.G.L. c. 131 s. 77A bars possessing them.Savannah cat hybrids barred by s. 77A | 321 CMR 9.01(1); 2.12(9)(a); M.G.L. c. 131 s.... |
| Wallaby | Banned | The wallaby is not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep it. | 321 CMR 9.01(1); 9.02(2)(c); 2.12(9)(a); M.G.... |
| Raccoon | Banned | The raccoon is not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep it. | 321 CMR 9.01(1); 9.02(2)(c); 2.12(9)(a); M.G.... |
| Red fox | Banned | The red fox is not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep it. | 321 CMR 9.01(1); 9.02(2)(c); 2.12(9)(a); M.G.... |
| Skunk | Banned | The skunk is not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep it. | 321 CMR 9.01(1); 9.02(2)(c); 2.12(9)(a); M.G.... |
| Pet monkey | Banned | Non-human primates are not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep them. | 321 CMR 9.01(1); 9.02(2)(c); 2.12(9)(a); M.G.... |
| Kangaroo | Banned | The kangaroo is not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep it. | 321 CMR 9.01(1); 9.02(2)(c); 2.12(9)(a); M.G.... |
| Big cat | Banned | Big cats are not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep them. | 321 CMR 9.01(1); 9.02(2)(c); 2.12(9)(a); M.G.... |
| Bobcat | Banned | The bobcat is not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep it. | 321 CMR 9.01(1); 9.02(2)(c); 2.12(9)(a); M.G.... |
| Prairie dog | Banned | The prairie dog is not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep it. | 321 CMR 9.01(1); 9.02(2)(c); 2.12(9)(a); M.G.... |
| Kinkajou | Banned | The kinkajou is not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep it. | 321 CMR 9.01(1); 9.02(2)(c); 2.12(9)(a); M.G.... |
| Otter | Banned | Otters are not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep them. | 321 CMR 9.01(1); 9.02(2)(c); 2.12(9)(a); M.G.... |
| Lemur | Banned | Lemurs are not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep them. | 321 CMR 9.01(1); 9.02(2)(c); 2.12(9)(a); M.G.... |
| Alligator or other crocodilian | Banned | Crocodilians, including alligators, are not on the reptile exempt list, so a state licence is needed, and pet licence applications are denied. Pet owners cannot lawfully keep an alligator. | 321 CMR 9.01(1), 9.01(10); 2.12(9)(a), 2.12(1... |
| Venomous snake | Banned | All venomous snakes require a state permit, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied, so private pet owners cannot lawfully keep them. | 321 CMR 9.01(10)(b); 2.12(9)(a), 2.12(10)(i) |
| Bear | Banned | Bears are not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep them. | 321 CMR 9.01(1); 9.02(2)(c); 2.12(9)(a); M.G.... |
| Wolfdog | Banned | Wolf hybrids and other wild canid hybrids may not be possessed, sold or bred under M.G.L. c. 131 s. 77A unless MassWildlife rules allow it, and no such rule was found. Wolfdogs are effectively prohibited.Statute says barred except as provided by division rules | M.G.L. c. 131 s. 77A; 321 CMR 9.02(2)(e) |
| Ferret | Depends | Ferrets may be kept as household pets without a permit, but must be vaccinated against rabies and distemper and surgically neutered or spayed, with certificates kept by the owner.Neutered or spayed; rabies and canine distemper inoculations | 321 CMR 2.07(2)-(4), 9.02(2)(b) |
| Chinchilla | Depends | Chinchillas may be kept without a permit only if derived from captive stock.Derived from captive stock | 321 CMR 9.01(12)(a)2 |
| Giant constrictor | Depends | Reticulated pythons, African rock pythons and anacondas need a permit that pet owners cannot get. Other boas and pythons are exempt unless an IUCN Red Book listing excludes them, which may apply to Burmese pythons. Check MassWildlife.Reticulated, African rock and anaconda barred; Burmese python exemption uncertain | 321 CMR 9.01(10)(b)1, 9.01(3)(b); 2.12(9)(a) |
| African pygmy hedgehog | No state restriction found | The four-toed (African pygmy) hedgehog is on the state exempt list and may be kept without a permit. | 321 CMR 9.01(12)(a)1 |
| Sugar glider | No state restriction found | The sugar glider is on the state exempt list and may be kept without a permit. | 321 CMR 9.01(12)(a)12 |
| Tarantula | No state restriction found | Massachusetts wildlife licensing covers only vertebrates (fish, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians), so tarantulas are not regulated under the state wildlife law or its exempt list. Other laws may still apply.Invertebrates are outside M.G.L. c. 131 s. 23 | M.G.L. c. 131 s. 23; 321 CMR 9.01 |
| Tegu | No state restriction found | All teiids, including tegus (Tupinambis spp.), may be kept without a permit. | 321 CMR 9.01(10)(c)3 |
| Axolotl | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Massachusetts's rule for this animal yet. Ask MassWildlife (Division of Fisheries and Wildlife) before you buy. |
Who regulates exotic pets in Massachusetts
MassWildlife (Division of Fisheries and Wildlife) is the agency to ask. Species not on the exempt or domestic lists need a licence under M.G.L. c. 131 s. 23, and 321 CMR 2.12 denies licences to keep animals as pets (narrow exceptions for captive-bred birds, turtles and lizards). Exempt animals must be lawfully sourced and secured from escape.
The main texts:
- 321 CMR 9.01 Exemption List
- 321 CMR 9.02 List of Domestic Animals
- 321 CMR 2.12 Wild animal licensing
- 321 CMR 2.07 Ferrets
Before you buy in Massachusetts
- 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 Massachusetts.
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 Massachusetts?
- Banned. The raccoon is not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep it.
- Is it legal to own a monkey in Massachusetts?
- Banned. Non-human primates are not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep them.
- Is it legal to own a fox in Massachusetts?
- Banned. The red fox is not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep it.
- Is it legal to own a skunk in Massachusetts?
- Banned. The skunk is not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep it.
- Is it legal to own a ferret in Massachusetts?
- Depends. Ferrets may be kept as household pets without a permit, but must be vaccinated against rabies and distemper and surgically neutered or spayed, with certificates kept by the owner.
- Is it legal to own a capybara in Massachusetts?
- Banned. The capybara is not on the state exempt or domestic lists, so a state licence is needed, and licence applications to keep animals as pets are denied. Ordinary owners cannot keep it.
- Who do I ask about exotic pets in Massachusetts?
- Start with MassWildlife (Division of Fisheries and Wildlife). Then ask your county and city.