Is it legal to own a raccoon in New York?

Banned. Raccoons are on the dangerous animal list, including captive-bred ones. The only licences are for science, education, exhibition or propagation, so a pet owner cannot get one.

Is it legal to own a monkey in New York?

Banned. All non-human primates are banned, including captive-bred ones. One state exception covers a person paralyzed from the neck down with a trained new world monkey.

Is it legal to own a fox in New York?

Banned. Wild canids, including foxes, are banned even if captive-bred. Licences are not issued for pets.

Is it legal to own a skunk in New York?

Banned. Skunks are on the dangerous animal list, including captive-bred ones. Licences are not available for pets.

Is it legal to own a ferret in New York?

No state restriction found. The domestic ferret is not on New York's dangerous animal list or covered by the state wild-animal pet ban, so state law does not restrict it.

Is it legal to own a capybara in New York?

No state restriction found. The capybara is not on New York's dangerous animal list or covered by the state wild-animal pet ban, so state law does not restrict it.

Exotic pet laws in New York

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

The table lists every animal we cover and what New York 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 New York

Animal	Status	What it means	Source
Raccoon	Banned	Raccoons are on the dangerous animal list, including captive-bred ones. The only licences are for science, education, exhibition or propagation, so a pet owner cannot get one.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b)(5), (c)
Red fox	Banned	Wild canids, including foxes, are banned even if captive-bred. Licences are not issued for pets.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b)(1), (c); ECL 11-0511
Skunk	Banned	Skunks are on the dangerous animal list, including captive-bred ones. Licences are not available for pets.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b)(6), (c)
Pet monkey	Banned	All non-human primates are banned, including captive-bred ones. One state exception covers a person paralyzed from the neck down with a trained new world monkey.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b)(9); ECL 11-0512
Big cat	Banned	All cats in the family Felidae except domestic cats are banned, including captive-bred animals and hybrids. Licences are not issued for pets.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b)(8), (c)
Bobcat	Banned	Bobcats are wild cats in the banned family Felidae. Licences are not issued for pets.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b)(8), (c)
Lemur	Banned	Lemurs are prosimians, and all non-human primates and prosimians are banned, including captive-bred ones. No pet licence exists.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b)(9)
Alligator or other crocodilian	Banned	All crocodilians, including alligators and caimans, are banned, even if captive-bred. Licences are not issued for pets.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b)(13), (c)
Venomous snake	Banned	All reptiles venomous by nature are banned, including all elapids and vipers. Licences are not issued for pets.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b)(17), (c)
Giant constrictor	Banned	Burmese and reticulated pythons, African rock pythons and several anacondas are named and banned, even if captive-bred. Licences are not issued for pets.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b)(15)-(16), (c)
Bear	Banned	All bears in the family Ursidae are banned, including captive-bred ones. Licences are not issued for pets.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b)(7), (c)
Wolfdog	Banned	Wolves, wolfdogs and wild canids, including hybrids, may not be possessed without a licence, and licences are not issued for pets.	ECL 11-0511; 6 NYCRR 180.1(b)(1)
Fennec fox	Depends	Wild canids are banned, but the rule expressly excepts captive-bred fennec foxes. A fennec must be captive-bred. ECL 11-0511 separately lists foxes generally for licensing, so confirm with DEC before buying.captive-bred only	6 NYCRR 180.1(b)(1)
Serval or savannah cat	Depends	Servals and all other wild cats are banned. Savannah cats are banned too unless registered by ACFA or TICA with at least five generations free of wild felid parentage, which excludes early generations (F1 to F4).serval prohibited; savannah only if registered with 5+ generations from any wild cat	6 NYCRR 180.1(b)(8)
Axolotl	No state restriction found	The axolotl is not on New York's dangerous animal list or covered by the state wild-animal pet ban, so state law does not restrict it. Native salamanders are small game, but the axolotl is not native.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b); ECL 11-0103(6)(e)
Capybara	No state restriction found	The capybara is not on New York's dangerous animal list or covered by the state wild-animal pet ban, so state law does not restrict it.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b); ECL 11-0103(6)(e)
African pygmy hedgehog	No state restriction found	The African pygmy hedgehog is not on New York's dangerous animal list or covered by the state wild-animal pet ban, so state law does not restrict it.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b); ECL 11-0103(6)(e)
Ferret	No state restriction found	The domestic ferret is not on New York's dangerous animal list or covered by the state wild-animal pet ban, so state law does not restrict it.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b); ECL 11-0103(6)(e)
Sugar glider	No state restriction found	The sugar glider is not on New York's dangerous animal list or covered by the state wild-animal pet ban, so state law does not restrict it.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b); ECL 11-0103(6)(e)
Wallaby	No state restriction found	The wallaby is not on New York's dangerous animal list or covered by the state wild-animal pet ban, so state law does not restrict it.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b); ECL 11-0103(6)(e)
Chinchilla	No state restriction found	The chinchilla is not on New York's dangerous animal list or covered by the state wild-animal pet ban, so state law does not restrict it.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b); ECL 11-0103(6)(e)
Tarantula	No state restriction found	The tarantula is not on New York's dangerous animal list or covered by the state wild-animal pet ban, so state law does not restrict it.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b); ECL 11-0103(6)(e)
Kangaroo	No state restriction found	The kangaroo is not on New York's dangerous animal list or covered by the state wild-animal pet ban, so state law does not restrict it.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b); ECL 11-0103(6)(e)
Prairie dog	No state restriction found	The prairie dog is not on New York's dangerous animal list or covered by the state wild-animal pet ban, so state law does not restrict it.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b); ECL 11-0103(6)(e)
Kinkajou	No state restriction found	The kinkajou is not on New York's dangerous animal list or covered by the state wild-animal pet ban, so state law does not restrict it. The raccoon entry covers only the genus Procyon, not other procyonids.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b); ECL 11-0103(6)(e)
Tegu	No state restriction found	The Argentine tegu is not on New York's dangerous animal list or covered by the state wild-animal pet ban, so state law does not restrict it. The reptile list names only certain monitors, boas, pythons and venomous reptiles.	6 NYCRR 180.1(b); ECL 11-0103(6)(e)
Otter	Not verified yet	We could not confirm New York's rule for this animal yet. Ask New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Dangerous Animal Licenses before you buy.	Agency page

Who regulates exotic pets in New York

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Dangerous Animal Licenses is the agency to ask. ECL 11-0512 bans keeping any listed wild animal as a pet, with a lifetime grandfather clause for pets owned when it took effect. ECL 11-0511 requires a licence for wolves, wolfdogs, coyotes, foxes, skunks, raccoons and venomous reptiles. Dangerous animal licences cannot be used for pets.

The main texts:

Before you buy in New York

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 New York.

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 New York?: Banned. Raccoons are on the dangerous animal list, including captive-bred ones. The only licences are for science, education, exhibition or propagation, so a pet owner cannot get one.
Is it legal to own a monkey in New York?: Banned. All non-human primates are banned, including captive-bred ones. One state exception covers a person paralyzed from the neck down with a trained new world monkey.
Is it legal to own a fox in New York?: Banned. Wild canids, including foxes, are banned even if captive-bred. Licences are not issued for pets.
Is it legal to own a skunk in New York?: Banned. Skunks are on the dangerous animal list, including captive-bred ones. Licences are not available for pets.
Is it legal to own a ferret in New York?: No state restriction found. The domestic ferret is not on New York's dangerous animal list or covered by the state wild-animal pet ban, so state law does not restrict it.
Is it legal to own a capybara in New York?: No state restriction found. The capybara is not on New York's dangerous animal list or covered by the state wild-animal pet ban, so state law does not restrict it.
Who do I ask about exotic pets in New York?: Start with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Dangerous Animal Licenses. Then ask your county and city.