Is it legal to own a sugar glider? A state-by-state guide
Rules read from each state's law on 10 November 2026. Not legal advice.
Sugar gliders are small marsupials from New Guinea, nearby islands and northern and eastern Australia. An adult averages about 110 grams, and a skin membrane between the front and back legs lets one glide up to 45 meters. In the wild they nest in related family groups and eat eucalyptus sap, insects, pollen and nectar. People ask about owning one because they're tiny, sold as pocket pets, and look easy to keep. They aren't. Rules differ by state, so check yours before you fall for the photos.
Banned 5Permit needed 2Depends 2No state restriction found 39Not verified yet 3
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 | Sugar gliders are not named in Alabama's prohibited lists and no state permit is required under the rules read. | Ala. Admin. Code r. 220-2-.26(1) |
| Alaska | Banned | Sugar gliders 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 | No state restriction found | Sugar gliders are not on Arizona's restricted mammal list. Only American opossums (Didelphis) are restricted among marsupials, so no state license is required. | Ariz. Admin. Code R12-4-406 |
| Arkansas | Not verified yet | We could not confirm Arkansas's rule for this animal yet. Ask Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Captive Wildlife before you buy. | Agency page |
| California | Banned | Sugar gliders are marsupials, and all marsupials 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)(C) |
| Colorado | No state restriction found | Sugar gliders are on Colorado's unregulated wildlife list, so no state licence is needed. They must be lawfully imported and may never be released. | 2 CCR 406-11 #1103(B) |
| Connecticut | No state restriction found | State law says sugar gliders are not wild mammals, so the wildlife possession permit rules do not apply to them. | Conn. Gen. Stat. 26-55(a) |
| Delaware | No state restriction found | Sugar gliders are named as exempt from the Delaware exotic animal permit requirement. No state permit is needed. | 3 DE Admin. Code 903 sec. 6.1.1 |
| 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 | No state restriction found | Sugar gliders are named as needing no state permit for personal use.No state permit needed for personal use | Fla. Admin. Code 68A-6.003(14)(c) |
| Georgia | 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.... |
| Hawaii | Banned | Sugar gliders are not on Hawaii's conditionally approved list, so they cannot be brought in or kept as pets.Not on the conditionally approved list; no private-use permit route | HAR 4-71-6(a), 4-71-6.5(a) |
| Idaho | 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) |
| Illinois | No state restriction found | Sugar gliders are not covered. The wildlife code names only the native southern flying squirrel, and the dangerous animal list does not include gliders. No state permit is needed. | 720 ILCS 5/48-10; 520 ILCS 5/2.2 |
| Indiana | No state restriction found | Indiana does not name the sugar glider. Mammals not named in the rules are exempted wild animals and no state permit is listed for it. | 312 IAC 9-3-20 |
| Iowa | No state restriction found | Sugar gliders and other marsupials are not on Iowa's dangerous wild animal list, and no state permit applies. Check local rules. | Iowa Code ch. 717F (not covered) |
| Kansas | No state restriction found | Kansas treats the sugar glider 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 | Depends | Kentucky does not ban sugar gliders by name. A transportation permit is required before receiving one shipped from outside Kentucky. Only a short list of animals is exempt from possession permits, so ask Kentucky Fish and Wildlife about in-state purchases.Transportation permit needed to receive from out of state; in-state purchase rules unclear | 301 KAR 2:082 Sections 1, 2, 4, 7, 10(5) |
| Louisiana | No state restriction found | Sugar gliders are not named on any Louisiana prohibited or permit list I read, so no state permit applies. | LAC 76:V.115(C); LAC 76:XV.101(K); LAC 76:V.701 |
| Maine | No state restriction found | Sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) are on Maine's Unrestricted Species list, so no state possession permit is needed. | 09-137 CMR ch. 7, sec. 7.06(1); Unrestricted... |
| Maryland | No state restriction found | Maryland's wildlife rabies rule expressly says it does not prohibit importing or possessing sugar gliders, and they are not on the state prohibited animal list. | COMAR 08.03.09.03C |
| Massachusetts | 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 |
| Michigan | No state restriction found | Sugar gliders are not on any Michigan prohibited or permit list that I read. Michigan game law names native squirrels, not marsupials. Local rules may differ. | MCL 324.41301(1)(k) and (o) (Part 413 lists);... |
| Minnesota | No state restriction found | Minnesota does not list the sugar glider as a protected wild animal, a regulated animal or a prohibited invasive species, so no state permit or ban was found. | Minn. Stat. 97A.015 subd. 39 and 53; 97A.501... |
| Mississippi | No state restriction found | Sugar gliders are not on any Mississippi list I read. The state nongame rule names only the native southern flying squirrel. No ownership permit is required. Animals brought in from out-of-state need an entry permit and health certificate.Import: entry permit and veterinary health certificate | 40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Rules 8.3 and 8.4... |
| Missouri | No state restriction found | Missouri lets people keep a sugar glider without a state permit because it is not native to Missouri and is not on the prohibited species list. | 3 CSR 10-9.110(2) |
| 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 | No state restriction found | Sugar gliders are named on the Commission's list of wildlife that may be imported, and they are not a native wild mammal, so no captive wildlife permit applies under the rules read. | 163 NAC 4-008.08A |
| Nevada | No state restriction found | Nevada lets people keep marsupials, which includes sugar gliders, without an NDOW license. Marsupials are not on the prohibited list.No NDOW license needed; animals may not be released into the wild | NAC 503.140(1)(o) |
| New Hampshire | No state restriction found | Sugar gliders are named as non-controlled in New Hampshire, so no possession permit is required. | N.H. Admin. Code Fis 804.02(b) |
| New Jersey | Permit needed | The sugar glider is an exotic animal that is not on New Jersey's exempt list, so a state possession permit is required. The Individual Hobby permit is the pet route. The exempt list covers only native flying squirrels, not sugar gliders.Individual Hobby permit from the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife; $10 per year, expires December 31 | N.J.A.C. 7:25-4.5; 7:25-4.2(a); 7:25-4.6(a) |
| New Mexico | Permit needed | The sugar glider is in group II of the Director's Species Importation List. It is lawful to possess or import one only with a department-issued permit.Group II; department permit | Director's Species Importation List, group II... |
| New York | 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) |
| North Carolina | No state restriction found | North Carolina has no rule naming sugar gliders. The state captivity licence rule covers only native wild animals, and sugar gliders 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 | No state restriction found | The State Board of Animal Health lists sugar gliders as exempt from nontraditional livestock and importation requirements, unless the State Veterinarian decides otherwise for disease or safety reasons. No license is listed for them.Exempt unless State Veterinarian decides otherwise | Agency Non-Traditional Livestock page; N.D. A... |
| Ohio | No state restriction found | Sugar gliders are not named in Ohio's dangerous wild animal or restricted snake lists. Ohio's native flying squirrel rules do not cover this Australian marsupial. No state permit was found. | ORC 935.01(C) |
| Oklahoma | No state restriction found | Oklahoma names sugar gliders 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 | No state restriction found | The sugar glider is named on Oregon's noncontrolled list, so no state wildlife permit is needed to keep one. Native flying squirrels are treated differently. | OAR 635-056-0060(1)(h)(D) |
| Pennsylvania | Banned | Pennsylvania bars importing, possessing or selling any wild animal, meaning any mammal other than horses, cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, that is held in captivity or captive bred elsewhere. The rules name no pet permit for sugar gliders.Exotic wildlife permit definition does not name this animal; a permit would need 2 years hands-on experience at an approved facility | 58 Pa. Code 137.1(a)(11); 34 Pa.C.S. 102 (wil... |
| Rhode Island | No state restriction found | The sugar glider is on the exempt list, so no exotic animal possession permit is needed. | 250-RICR-40-05-3 3.17(A)(6)(a)(10) |
| South Carolina | No state restriction found | No state rule I found names sugar gliders or marsupials. They are not on any prohibited or permit list I read. Check with SC DNR before buying. | S.C. Code Title 50 ch. 16; 47-2-10; 47-5-50;... |
| 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 | No state restriction found | Marsupials are listed as Class III wildlife, which needs no TWRA permit. The state agriculture department may have its own import rules.Class III; no TWRA permit | Tenn. Code 70-4-403(3)(J) |
| Texas | No state restriction found | Sugar gliders are not named in Texas dangerous wild animal or other state possession rules, so no state permit applies. | Tex. Health & Safety Code 822.101(4); Tex. Pa... |
| Utah | No state restriction found | Sugar gliders are listed as domestic animals, so Utah's wildlife rule does not require a permit to keep one.Listed as a domestic animal, so not governed by the Division's certificate of registration rule | Utah Admin. Code R657-3b-7 and Table 3b-1 |
| Vermont | No state restriction found | The sugar glider is on Vermont's Unrestricted Wild Animal List, so no Importation and Possession Permit is needed. | Vermont F&W Unrestricted Wild Animal List (Ju... |
| Virginia | No state restriction found | Virginia has no state ban or permit for sugar gliders. Unlisted nonnative animals may be possessed, purchased and sold. | 4VAC15-30-40(H) |
| Washington | No state restriction found | Sugar gliders are not named in any Washington prohibited, dangerous or deleterious list, so state law does not restrict them. | RCW 16.30.010(2); WAC 220-640-050; WAC 220-64... |
| West Virginia | No state restriction found | Not on West Virginia's dangerous wild animal list, and not a native mammal under the wildlife possession law, so no state permit is required. | W. Va. Code R. 74-1-3; W. Va. Code 20-1-2 |
| Wisconsin | No state restriction found | The sugar glider is a nonnative wild animal that is not on Wisconsin's harmful list, so state law requires no licence to keep one as a pet. | Wis. Stat. 169.04(4)(b) |
| Wyoming | No state restriction found | Wyoming lists domesticated sugar gliders among animals that need no Game and Fish permit.Rule covers domesticated (tame, tractable) animals | Wyo. Game & Fish Comm'n Ch. 10, Sections 2(j)... |
Federal law
No federal law restricts keeping one as a pet; state law decides.
Why states regulate it
States that restrict sugar gliders usually cite a few general worries. Researchers note that wild-caught animals can be falsely classed as captive-bred in the pet trade, which feeds conservation concern. Gliders also have demanding needs: a diet that is hard to replicate in captivity, a large wire cage for climbing, and the company of their own kind. Animals fed badly commonly develop nutritional problems, which can lead to serious conditions such as metabolic bone disease. A pocket-sized animal turns out to be a hard one to care for well.
Before you buy
- Gliders are nocturnal and live in colonies in the wild, so a single glider kept alone needs a lot of daily attention and enrichment.
- Veterinary guidance says gliders fare better in captivity housed in pairs or small groups, which means you may be committing to more than one animal.
- Diet matters. Veterinary guidance puts nectar or sap substitute at about half the diet and keeps fruit under 10 percent, because deficiencies of calcium and protein are common in badly fed gliders.
- Ask any seller for proof the animal was captive-bred, and find an exotic vet who sees marsupials before you bring one home.
- Reported lifespans run from 4 to 15 years, so a glider is a long commitment, not a novelty.
Sources for the facts about the animal: animaldiversity.org, merckvetmanual.com, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
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: wallaby, kinkajou, African pygmy hedgehog.
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 sugar glider in California?
- Banned. Sugar gliders are marsupials, and all marsupials 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 sugar glider in Texas?
- No state restriction found. Sugar gliders are not named in Texas dangerous wild animal or other state possession rules, so no state permit applies.
- Is it legal to own a sugar glider in Florida?
- No state restriction found. Sugar gliders are named as needing no state permit for personal use.
- Is it legal to own a sugar glider in New York?
- 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.
- Is it legal to own a sugar glider in Pennsylvania?
- Banned. Pennsylvania bars importing, possessing or selling any wild animal, meaning any mammal other than horses, cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, that is held in captivity or captive bred elsewhere. The rules name no pet permit for sugar gliders.
- Is it legal to own a sugar glider in Illinois?
- No state restriction found. Sugar gliders are not covered. The wildlife code names only the native southern flying squirrel, and the dangerous animal list does not include gliders. No state permit is needed.
- Is it legal to own a sugar glider in Ohio?
- No state restriction found. Sugar gliders are not named in Ohio's dangerous wild animal or restricted snake lists. Ohio's native flying squirrel rules do not cover this Australian marsupial. No state permit was found.
- Is it legal to own a sugar glider in Georgia?
- 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.
- Is sugar glider legal in every state?
- No. In our data it is banned in 5 states and needs a permit in 2. 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.