Antique engraving of a ferret

Pet ferret laws by state

Fully domesticated for millennia, yet still outlawed in California and Hawaii — the most mainstream 'exotic' pet in America. Below is the legal status of the ferret (Mustela putorius furo) in every state we've verified so far — each entry links the actual statute.

Where ferrets are legal: state map

Alabama: Legal — Legal — not on Alabama's banned wildlife import listAlaska: Legal — Legal — on ADF&G's 'clean list' of animals that may be possessed without a permitArizona: Legal — Legal — domestic ferrets are not on Arizona's restricted live wildlife listArkansas: Legal — Legal — treated as a domestic pet, outside Game & Fish captive wildlife rulesCalifornia: Banned — Banned statewide — restricted species; no pet permits are issuedColorado: Legal — Legal — classified with domestic animals, outside CPW's wildlife rulesConnecticut: Legal — Legal — not among the wild animals prohibited by Conn. Gen. Stat. §26-40aDelaware: Legal — Legal — exempt from Delaware's exotic animal permit under 3 Del. Admin. C. 903Florida: Legal — Legal — domestic ferrets need no FWC captive wildlife permitGeorgia: Legal — Legal without a permit — if neutered by 7 months and rabies-vaccinated (O.C.G.A. §27-5-5)Hawaii: Banned — Banned — prohibited entry under Hawaii's quarantine law; steep fines applyIdaho: Legal — Legal — not a 'deleterious exotic animal' under Idaho's rulesIllinois: Legal — Legal to own with no permit — breeding or selling ferrets requires an IDNR game breeder permitIndiana: Legal — Legal — no DNR wild animal possession permit applies to domestic ferretsIowa: Legal — Legal — not a 'dangerous wild animal' under Iowa Code ch. 717FKansas: Legal — Legal — not a 'dangerous regulated animal' under K.S.A. 32-1301Kentucky: Legal — Legal — treated as a domestic animal outside KDFWR's wildlife rulesLouisiana: Legal — Legal — not on LDWF's prohibited or restricted species listsMaine: Legal — Legal — on MDIFW's unrestricted species list; no permit neededMaryland: Legal — Legal — not on Maryland's prohibited-pets list; rabies vaccination requiredMassachusetts: Legal — Legal since 1996 — on the MassWildlife exemption list; rabies vaccination requiredMichigan: Legal — Legal under Michigan's Ferret Act — rabies vaccination mandatory after 12 weeksMinnesota: Legal — Legal — not a 'regulated animal' under Minn. Stat. §346.155Mississippi: Legal — Legal — not an 'inherently dangerous' animal under Miss. Code §49-8-5Missouri: Legal — Legal — domestic ferrets are not 'wildlife' under the Missouri Wildlife CodeMontana: Legal — Legal — an uncontrolled species requiring no FWP permitNebraska: Legal — Legal — captive wildlife permits don't apply to domestic ferretsNevada: Legal — Legal — not on NAC 503.110's prohibited species listNew Hampshire: Legal — Legal — not a controlled species; rabies vaccination required (RSA 436:100)New Jersey: Permit Required — Legal only with an Individual Hobby Wildlife Species Possession Permit from NJDEP Fish & WildlifeNew Mexico: Legal — Legal — treated as a domestic animal, not regulated by Game & FishNew York: Partly Legal — Legal in New York State — but banned in New York City under Health Code §161.01North Carolina: Legal — Legal — no statewide exotic law; rabies vaccination required for ferrets (G.S. 130A-185)North Dakota: Legal — Legal — Category 1 nontraditional livestock; no license requiredOhio: Legal — Legal — not a 'dangerous wild animal' under ORC Chapter 935Oklahoma: Legal — Legal — exempt from ODWC's commercial wildlife licensing as a domestic petOregon: Legal — Legal — not an 'exotic animal' under ORS 609.305 and not ODFW-prohibitedPennsylvania: Legal — Legal — not 'exotic wildlife' under the Game Code; no Game Commission permitRhode Island: Permit Required — Legal only with a $10-per-ferret DEM permit under 250-RICR-60-00-6South Carolina: Legal — Legal — expressly exempt from the wild-carnivore sale ban; annual rabies vaccination requiredSouth Dakota: Legal — Legal — treated as a domestic pet, outside captive wildlife permittingTennessee: Legal — Legal — ferrets sit outside TWRA's regulated wildlife classesTexas: Legal — Legal statewide — not a dangerous wild animal; no TPWD permitUtah: Legal — Legal — not classified as controlled wildlife by Utah DWRVermont: Legal — Legal — a domestic pet outside Fish & Wildlife's importation rulesVirginia: Legal — Legal — expressly carved out of Virginia's predatory/undesirable animal ruleWashington: Legal — Legal statewide — treated as a domestic animal; rabies vaccination required by state health ruleWest Virginia: Legal — Legal — not on the Dangerous Wild Animals Act listWisconsin: Legal — Legal — no permit; imported ferrets need a certificate of veterinary inspectionWyoming: Legal — Legal — domestic ferrets fall outside 'living wildlife' under Game & Fish lawDC: not yet verified
LegalPermit / partly legalBannedNot yet verified

Status by state

StateStatusDetailVerified
WashingtonLegalLegal statewide — treated as a domestic animal; rabies vaccination required by state health rule2026-07-13
New YorkPartly LegalLegal in New York State — but banned in New York City under Health Code §161.012026-07-13
TexasLegalLegal statewide — not a dangerous wild animal; no TPWD permit2026-07-13
FloridaLegalLegal — domestic ferrets need no FWC captive wildlife permit2026-07-13
CaliforniaBannedBanned statewide — restricted species; no pet permits are issued2026-07-13
PennsylvaniaLegalLegal — not 'exotic wildlife' under the Game Code; no Game Commission permit2026-07-13
OhioLegalLegal — not a 'dangerous wild animal' under ORC Chapter 9352026-07-13
GeorgiaLegalLegal without a permit — if neutered by 7 months and rabies-vaccinated (O.C.G.A. §27-5-5)2026-07-13
North CarolinaLegalLegal — no statewide exotic law; rabies vaccination required for ferrets (G.S. 130A-185)2026-07-13
IllinoisLegalLegal to own with no permit — breeding or selling ferrets requires an IDNR game breeder permit2026-07-13
MichiganLegalLegal under Michigan's Ferret Act — rabies vaccination mandatory after 12 weeks2026-07-13
ArizonaLegalLegal — domestic ferrets are not on Arizona's restricted live wildlife list2026-07-13
NevadaLegalLegal — not on NAC 503.110's prohibited species list2026-07-13
TennesseeLegalLegal — ferrets sit outside TWRA's regulated wildlife classes2026-07-13
MissouriLegalLegal — domestic ferrets are not 'wildlife' under the Missouri Wildlife Code2026-07-13
VirginiaLegalLegal — expressly carved out of Virginia's predatory/undesirable animal rule2026-07-13
IndianaLegalLegal — no DNR wild animal possession permit applies to domestic ferrets2026-07-13
WisconsinLegalLegal — no permit; imported ferrets need a certificate of veterinary inspection2026-07-13
MinnesotaLegalLegal — not a 'regulated animal' under Minn. Stat. §346.1552026-07-13
ColoradoLegalLegal — classified with domestic animals, outside CPW's wildlife rules2026-07-13
MarylandLegalLegal — not on Maryland's prohibited-pets list; rabies vaccination required2026-07-13
MassachusettsLegalLegal since 1996 — on the MassWildlife exemption list; rabies vaccination required2026-07-13
New JerseyPermit RequiredLegal only with an Individual Hobby Wildlife Species Possession Permit from NJDEP Fish & Wildlife2026-07-13
ConnecticutLegalLegal — not among the wild animals prohibited by Conn. Gen. Stat. §26-40a2026-07-13
OregonLegalLegal — not an 'exotic animal' under ORS 609.305 and not ODFW-prohibited2026-07-13
AlabamaLegalLegal — not on Alabama's banned wildlife import list2026-07-13
South CarolinaLegalLegal — expressly exempt from the wild-carnivore sale ban; annual rabies vaccination required2026-07-13
KentuckyLegalLegal — treated as a domestic animal outside KDFWR's wildlife rules2026-07-13
LouisianaLegalLegal — not on LDWF's prohibited or restricted species lists2026-07-13
OklahomaLegalLegal — exempt from ODWC's commercial wildlife licensing as a domestic pet2026-07-13
UtahLegalLegal — not classified as controlled wildlife by Utah DWR2026-07-13
IdahoLegalLegal — not a 'deleterious exotic animal' under Idaho's rules2026-07-13
MontanaLegalLegal — an uncontrolled species requiring no FWP permit2026-07-13
WyomingLegalLegal — domestic ferrets fall outside 'living wildlife' under Game & Fish law2026-07-13
New MexicoLegalLegal — treated as a domestic animal, not regulated by Game & Fish2026-07-13
KansasLegalLegal — not a 'dangerous regulated animal' under K.S.A. 32-13012026-07-13
NebraskaLegalLegal — captive wildlife permits don't apply to domestic ferrets2026-07-13
IowaLegalLegal — not a 'dangerous wild animal' under Iowa Code ch. 717F2026-07-13
North DakotaLegalLegal — Category 1 nontraditional livestock; no license required2026-07-13
South DakotaLegalLegal — treated as a domestic pet, outside captive wildlife permitting2026-07-13
MaineLegalLegal — on MDIFW's unrestricted species list; no permit needed2026-07-13
New HampshireLegalLegal — not a controlled species; rabies vaccination required (RSA 436:100)2026-07-13
VermontLegalLegal — a domestic pet outside Fish & Wildlife's importation rules2026-07-13
Rhode IslandPermit RequiredLegal only with a $10-per-ferret DEM permit under 250-RICR-60-00-62026-07-13
DelawareLegalLegal — exempt from Delaware's exotic animal permit under 3 Del. Admin. C. 9032026-07-13
West VirginiaLegalLegal — not on the Dangerous Wild Animals Act list2026-07-13
AlaskaLegalLegal — on ADF&G's 'clean list' of animals that may be possessed without a permit2026-07-13
HawaiiBannedBanned — prohibited entry under Hawaii's quarantine law; steep fines apply2026-07-13
ArkansasLegalLegal — treated as a domestic pet, outside Game & Fish captive wildlife rules2026-07-13
MississippiLegalLegal — not an 'inherently dangerous' animal under Miss. Code §49-8-52026-07-13

States where ferrets are legal

States where ferrets need a permit

States with partial or local restrictions

States where ferrets are banned

Research directory, not legal advice. Status can change and local ordinances add restrictions — confirm with the agency listed on each state's entry.