Is it legal to own a monkey? A state-by-state guide
Rules read from each state's law on 10 November 2026. Not legal advice.
"Monkey" covers many species, and capuchins are among those commonly kept as pets. They are wild animals from the tropics, not small, furry people. A white-faced capuchin, for example, comes from Central America, weighs about 2 to 4 kg and lives in groups of 18 to 20. People ask whether they can own one because baby monkeys look irresistible online. Rules differ by state, so this guide lays out what each state says, but the animal itself deserves a hard look first.
Banned 26Banned for new owners 3Permit needed 3Depends 4No state restriction found 10Not verified yet 5
State by state
Tap a state name for every animal we cover there. The source link on each row goes to the rule itself.
| State | Status | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No state restriction found | No Alabama state wildlife rule read bans or requires a permit for pet primates. Check with the state wildlife agency and local rules before buying. | Ala. Admin. Code r. 220-2-.26(1) |
| Alaska | Banned | Monkeys and other nonhuman primates are not on Alaska's clean list, and the state issues no permit to keep game animals as pets. Private pet ownership is barred.Only clean list species may be kept; no permit is issued for pets | 5 AAC 92.029(a), (c) |
| Arizona | Banned | Pet monkeys and all other nonhuman primates are barred. No special license type is open to ordinary pet owners. | Ariz. Admin. Code R12-4-406(F)(8) |
| Arkansas | Depends | Apes, baboons and macaques are banned. Several other monkeys (capuchin, squirrel, spider, owl, marmoset and others) are on the permit list and must come from a permitted dealer. Public contact and tethering are restricted.Macaques, baboons and apes prohibited (Ark. Code 20-19-602). Listed monkeys: buy from permitted dealer, records, vet certificate (Code 09.02). Unlisted primates prohibited until evaluated. | Ark. Code 20-19-602(a); AGFC Code Addendum R1... |
| 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. | 14 CCR 671(c)(2)(A) |
| Colorado | Banned | Colorado bans all nonhuman primates as pets under both wildlife rules and the pet animal law. Only federally licensed research facilities and exhibitors are exempt. | C.R.S. 35-80-108(1)(j); 2 CCR 406-0 #008(B)(19) |
| Connecticut | Banned for new owners | Primates are Category Two and barred for private owners. Only a primate under 35 pounds at maturity that was legally held before October 1, 2003 may stay, with state registration. A registered primate may be transferred to another individual if the transfer is registered.Grandfathering only: under 35 lb at maturity, held before Oct 1 2003, registered with DEEP | Regs. Conn. State Agencies 26-55-6(a)(3)(B)(i... |
| Delaware | Permit needed | A nonhuman primate is a nonnative wild mammal, so it needs a Delaware Individual Exotic Animal Permit, one per animal, with a $25 fee. The Department may inspect the premises.Individual Permit (Dept. of Agriculture), $25 fee, valid 3 years, one per animal | 3 Del. C. 7201, 7202; 3 DE Admin. Code 903 se... |
| District of Columbia | Banned | DC bans possessing or giving as a household pet any living animal that is not on a short exception list, including captive-bred animals. This species is not on the list. | D.C. Code 8-1808(j)(1) |
| Florida | Permit needed | Most pet monkeys need an FWC permit: Class II for macaques, guenons and similar, Class III for capuchins, squirrel monkeys and marmosets. Apes, baboons, drills and mandrills are Class I and banned. Capuchin, spider and woolly monkeys need Class II experience.Class II ($140 a year, experience or exam) or Class III (no fee); Class I primates prohibited | Fla. Admin. Code 68A-6.002(1); 68A-6.003(6)-(... |
| 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.Disability-assistance capuchin permit only | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-8-.05; O.C.G.A. 27... |
| Hawaii | Banned | Hawaii bars all primates, including monkeys, for private and commercial use. Primates are only allowed for research, government zoos or approved primate sanctuaries.Primate sanctuary or research only | HAR 4-71-6.5(b)(3) |
| 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.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 |
| Illinois | Banned | Illinois bans keeping any nonhuman primate except at zoos, licensed exhibits, research and similar sites. Only primates held before 2011 and registered, and one trained capuchin for a severely mobility-impaired person, are exempt.Grandfathered registered primates (pre-2011) and one service capuchin only | 720 ILCS 5/48-10(b), (c) |
| Indiana | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Indiana's rule for this animal yet. Ask Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife before you buy. | Agency page |
| Iowa | Banned for new owners | Iowa bans owning, breeding or importing nonhuman primates as a dangerous wild animal. Only people who already owned one on July 1, 2007 may keep it, so new buyers cannot. Trained assistive simians are exempt.Grandfathered only: a person who already owned it on July 1, 2007 and meets registration, microchip, insurance and enclosure rules. | Iowa Code 717F.1(5)(a)(7), 717F.3, 717F.4 |
| Kansas | No state restriction found | Kansas treats nonhuman primates as exotic wildlife, which may be possessed and bought without a state permit if legally obtained where it came from and kept confined.Legal origin required; must be confined at all times | K.A.R. 115-20-3(a), (d) |
| Kentucky | Banned | Kentucky bars importing, moving into the state or possessing nonhuman primates. Only people who legally held one before July 13, 2005 may keep it for life, with no breeding or replacement.Grandfathered holders before 2005-07-13 only | 301 KAR 2:082 Section 4(2) |
| Louisiana | Banned | Louisiana bans importing, possessing, buying or selling all non-human primates. Only people who legally owned one before the rule and hold an annual permit may keep it, with no new animals or breeding.Grandfathered owners with annual permit only | LAC 76:V.115(C)(1)(g), (G) |
| Maine | Banned | All primates are Category 1 Restricted Species, held only by exhibitors, rehabilitators, laboratories or research facilities. A narrow permit exists for capuchins used as trained aid animals for a person with a need.Capuchin aid-animal exception only | 09-137 CMR ch. 7, secs. 7.06(3)(A), 7.12(1),... |
| Maryland | Banned | Maryland bans possessing, selling or importing any nonhuman primate. A narrow exception covers trained service primates for people with severe mobility disabilities. Exemptions are narrow, such as DNR licence holders, and animals held before May 31, 2006 were grandfathered. | Md. Code, Criminal Law 10-621(b)(1)(vii) |
| 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. | 321 CMR 9.01(1); 9.02(2)(c); 2.12(9)(a); M.G.... |
| Michigan | No state restriction found | Michigan has no state ban or permit for pet monkeys that I found in the wildlife, large carnivore or exotic animal rules I read. Local rules may differ. | MCL 324.41301(1)(k) and (o) (Part 413 lists);... |
| Minnesota | Banned | Nonhuman primates are regulated animals. Possession is unlawful, except for animals held since 2005 by registered owners and by certain licensed holders. New private pet monkeys cannot be acquired.Grandfathered animals only (held and registered since 2005) | Minn. Stat. 346.155 subd. 1(e)(3), 2 |
| Mississippi | Depends | Apes, macaques, baboons, mandrills, drills and geladas need a state personal possession permit (age 21, experience or exam, insurance). Other monkeys such as capuchins, squirrel monkeys and marmosets are not on the state list.Permit for apes, macaques and baboons only; other monkeys not listed | 40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Rule 8.3(A)(5)(a)... |
| Missouri | Permit needed | Missouri lists nonhuman primates as dangerous wild animals. A pet monkey may be kept outside a zoo or similar facility only if registered with the county law enforcement agency.Registration with local law enforcement in the county | RSMo 578.023 |
| Montana | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Montana's rule for this animal yet. Ask Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks before you buy. | Agency page |
| Nebraska | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Nebraska's rule for this animal yet. Ask Nebraska Game and Parks Commission before you buy. | |
| Nevada | No state restriction found | Nevada lets people keep monkeys and other primates without an NDOW license. Primates are not on the prohibited list. State rules do not override federal law or local ordinances.No NDOW license needed; animals may not be released into the wild | NAC 503.140(1)(m) |
| New Hampshire | Banned | New Hampshire lists the primates (chimpanzee, baboon, capuchin, squirrel monkey, rhesus and others) as a controlled species, but only exhibitors can hold a permit for it. Private pet owners cannot legally keep one.Permit available only to exhibitors (permittee category 5) | N.H. Admin. Code Fis 804.05, Table 800.2; Fis... |
| New Jersey | Banned | Non-human primates such as New World and Old World monkeys are on New Jersey's potentially dangerous species list. A permit is possible only for experienced keepers, and the rule says these animals may not be kept as a pet or hobby animal.Potentially dangerous species; permit criteria bar pet or hobby keeping | N.J.A.C. 7:25-4.8(a); 7:25-4.9(a)3 |
| New Mexico | Banned | Non-human primates such as monkeys are in group IV of the Director's Species Importation List. Group IV is closed to the general public, and possessing a group IV animal needs a department permit that pet owners cannot get.Group IV; permits only for science, zoos, qualified experts | Director's Species Importation List, group IV... |
| 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. | 6 NYCRR 180.1(b)(9); ECL 11-0512 |
| North Carolina | No state restriction found | North Carolina has no rule naming primates or monkeys. The state captivity licence rule covers only native wild animals, and non-human primates are not native. A separate import permit rule for live wild animals may apply to out-of-state purchases; ask the Commission. | 15A NCAC 10H .1401(b), (d)(13), (d)(16) |
| North Dakota | Banned | Primates are Category 3. The state license also requires a USDA exhibitor's license, which ordinary pet owners generally cannot get, so a pet monkey is effectively barred. No service monkey exception was found.State license plus USDA exhibitor license required | N.D. Admin. Code 48.1-09-06-01(6)(f); 48.1-09... |
| Ohio | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Ohio's rule for this animal yet. Ask Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife (native wildlife); Ohio Department of Agriculture (dangerous wild animals and restricted snakes) before you buy. | Agency page |
| Oklahoma | No state restriction found | Oklahoma names primates in its list of animals exempt from wildlife import permits and breeder licences, so no state permit is needed to keep one. Check the Wildlife Department for any other rule. | OAC 800:25-25-3(a) |
| Oregon | Banned for new owners | Nonhuman primates are exotic animals in Oregon. Agriculture permits only people who held one before 2010, plus exempt facilities and certain disability service monkey users, so a new pet owner cannot get one.Existing animals only, no new acquisition: pre-2010 ODA permit holders, exempt facilities, and Cebus service monkeys for qualifying disabled persons; no new permits since the 2010 window (ORS 609.351) | ORS 609.305(2); ORS 609.341; ORS 609.345; ORS... |
| Pennsylvania | Banned | Pennsylvania bars importing or possessing nonhuman primates. No pet permit route was found, and no service monkey exception appears in this rule. | 58 Pa. Code 137.1(a)(7) |
| Rhode Island | Banned | Non-human primates need a Department permit, but possession is restricted to researchers, USDA licensed exhibitors and AZA certified facilities. Private pet owners are not eligible. | 250-RICR-40-05-3 3.7(B) |
| South Carolina | No state restriction found | The state ban covers great apes, not monkeys, and no rule names monkeys. State law does bar possessing species on the federal endangered foreign list, which includes some monkeys. Check the species with SC DNR.species on the federal endangered foreign list barred | S.C. Code 47-2-10(2)(c); 50-15-30(C)(3) |
| South Dakota | Not verified yet | We could not confirm South Dakota's rule for this animal yet. Ask South Dakota Animal Industry Board (captive nondomestic animals) before you buy. | Agency page |
| Tennessee | Depends | Most monkeys fall under primates not otherwise listed in Class III, with no TWRA permit. Gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, gibbons, siamangs, mandrills, drills and baboons are Class I, barred for private owners. Check agriculture import rules.Class III for monkeys; apes, baboons, mandrills, drills are Class I (not available to pet owners) | Tenn. Code 70-4-403(1)(A)(i), (3)(M) |
| Texas | No state restriction found | Texas state law names only baboons, chimpanzees, orangutans and gorillas among primates, so other monkeys have no state permit. Check local rules and any disability service rules. | Tex. Health & Safety Code 822.101(4); Tex. Pa... |
| Utah | Banned | Utah prohibits all non-human primates, and personal possession will not be authorized. | Utah Admin. Code R657-3b-7 and Table 3b-1 |
| Vermont | Banned | Nonhuman primates are not on Vermont's Domestic, Unrestricted or Restricted lists, so they are treated as Restricted. The wildlife rule says no permit is issued to keep a wild animal in captivity except for scientific or educational purposes.Permit only for bona fide scientific or educational purposes (10 V.S.A. 4152) | 10 App. V.S.A. 18 sections 4.1 and 5.1(a) |
| Virginia | No state restriction found | Virginia has no state ban or permit for pet monkeys or other nonhuman primates. Unlisted nonnative animals may be possessed, purchased and sold. Primates appear on no Virginia permit list. Check local rules and federal law. | 4VAC15-30-40(H) |
| Washington | Banned | Washington bans private possession of all nonhuman primates, including monkeys and apes. Grandfathered only: an animal lawfully held before July 22, 2007 may be kept for life.Grandfathered animals only (pre July 22, 2007) | RCW 16.30.010(2)(a)(iii); RCW 16.30.030 |
| West Virginia | Banned | Nonhuman primates are on the dangerous wild animal list, so new pet monkeys are barred. A few small species are excluded, such as some tamarins and night monkeys. Only owners who legally held one before the rules took effect can get a board permit.Excluded: lemurs, several tamarins, night, titi, spider, woolly and howler monkeys and others; grandfathered permit only | W. Va. Code R. 74-1-3; W. Va. Code 19-34-4 |
| Wisconsin | No state restriction found | Nonhuman primates are nonnative wild animals that are not on Wisconsin's harmful list, so state law requires no licence for a pet monkey. Check with the DNR and local government. | Wis. Stat. 169.04(4)(b) |
| Wyoming | Banned | Wyoming will not issue a permit for any nonhuman primate, so private individuals cannot keep a monkey. | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Section 11(b)... |
Federal law
- CDC nonhuman primate import rule. The CDC bars accepting, selling or keeping imported primates as pets, and the bar covers their offspring. Ask the CDC about any primate offered for sale. 42 CFR 71.53(d)(3)
- Endangered Species Act. Several primates, including the chimpanzee, lion-tailed macaque and cotton-top marmoset, are listed as endangered. Selling a listed primate across state lines is unlawful without FWS authorization. Check each species. 50 CFR 17.11(h); 50 CFR 17.21(f)
- CITES. All primates are covered by CITES, in Appendix II unless a species is individually placed in Appendix I. This matters to importers and exporters, not to ordinary keepers. 50 CFR 23.13; CITES Appendices
- Animal Welfare Act. The Animal Welfare Act licenses dealers who sell animals for use as pets, research or exhibition, and exhibitors who show animals to the public. It does not license people who simply keep an animal at home. 7 U.S.C. 2131 ff.; 9 CFR 1.1
Why states regulate it
Governments that restrict pet primates usually point to a handful of problems. Primates can be territorial and unpredictable, and owners can expect more destructive behavior once they reach sexual maturity. They can carry diseases that pass to people, including herpes B from macaques, and people can pass infections to them. Most private owners lack access to specialized veterinary care, young animals are often taken from their mothers within hours or days of birth, and unwanted pets are hard to rehome because sanctuaries are mostly full. The Humane Society of the United States counted 275 human injuries from primates in private hands across 43 states from 1990 to 2013, as reported by Lincoln Park Zoo.
Before you buy
- Some monkeys live for decades. Captive white-faced capuchins typically reach about 45 years, so a baby bought today could be your responsibility for most of your life.
- Baby monkeys are cute, but small monkeys reach sexual maturity at about 18 to 24 months, and Born Free says primates tend to act unpredictably after age 2 and can grow larger and more aggressive.
- A single monkey alone in a house is usually a lonely monkey. Most primates live in complex social groups and need contact with their own kind, and isolation harms them as they age.
- Ask any seller where the animal came from, whether it has been tested for diseases such as herpes B, and which vet near you actually treats primates. Most private owners lack access to one.
- Ask what happens if it doesn't work out. Sanctuaries are mostly full, and unwanted pet monkeys often get sold and resold over and over again.
Sources for the facts about the animal: animaldiversity.org, lpzoo.org, nationalgeographic.com, bornfreeusa.org.
Check your own state
The legality checker shows one animal in one state with its source, and exotic pet laws by state lists every state we cover. Related guides: lemur, kinkajou, big cat.
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 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 monkey in Texas?
- No state restriction found. Texas state law names only baboons, chimpanzees, orangutans and gorillas among primates, so other monkeys have no state permit. Check local rules and any disability service rules.
- Is it legal to own a monkey in Florida?
- Permit needed. Most pet monkeys need an FWC permit: Class II for macaques, guenons and similar, Class III for capuchins, squirrel monkeys and marmosets. Apes, baboons, drills and mandrills are Class I and banned. Capuchin, spider and woolly monkeys need Class II experience.
- 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 monkey in Pennsylvania?
- Banned. Pennsylvania bars importing or possessing nonhuman primates. No pet permit route was found, and no service monkey exception appears in this rule.
- Is it legal to own a monkey in Illinois?
- Banned. Illinois bans keeping any nonhuman primate except at zoos, licensed exhibits, research and similar sites. Only primates held before 2011 and registered, and one trained capuchin for a severely mobility-impaired person, are exempt.
- Is it legal to own a monkey in Ohio?
- We could not confirm Ohio's rule yet. Ask the state wildlife agency before you buy.
- 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 pet monkey legal in every state?
- No. In our data it is banned in 26 states and needs a permit in 3. The table above shows each state.
- Does 'no state restriction found' mean I can buy one?
- No. It means the state rule we read does not ban it or require a state permit. County and city rules, federal law, sale and import rules and your landlord can still stop you.