Antique engraving of a hedgehog

Pet hedgehog laws by state

The African pygmy hedgehog — a palm-sized insectivore, hugely popular and famously banned in a handful of states. Below is the legal status of the hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) in every state we've verified so far — each entry links the actual statute.

Where hedgehogs are legal: state map

Alabama: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not on Alabama's restricted import or possession listsAlaska: Legal — Legal — African pygmy hedgehogs are on Alaska's Clean List (5 AAC 92.029)Arizona: Legal — Legal — African pygmy hedgehogs are not restricted live wildlife in ArizonaArkansas: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not restricted by AGFC's captive wildlife rulesCalifornia: Banned — Banned — all hedgehogs are restricted species under 14 CCR §671Colorado: Legal — Legal — African pygmy hedgehogs are on CPW's unregulated wildlife listConnecticut: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not among Connecticut's prohibited wild animalsDelaware: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are exempt from Delaware's exotic animal permitFlorida: Legal — Legal — FWC requires no permit for pet hedgehogsGeorgia: Banned — Banned — insectivores including hedgehogs are regulated wild animals in GeorgiaHawaii: Banned — Banned — hedgehogs are prohibited from import or possession in HawaiiIdaho: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not a deleterious exotic animal in IdahoIllinois: Legal — Legal — not covered by the Illinois Dangerous Animals ActIndiana: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not a regulated wild animal in IndianaIowa: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not a 'dangerous wild animal' under Iowa Code ch. 717FKansas: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not a dangerous regulated animal in KansasKentucky: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not on Kentucky's prohibited or restricted wildlife listsLouisiana: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not on Louisiana's prohibited exotic species listsMaine: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are on Maine's Unrestricted Species List (no permit since 2017)Maryland: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not on Maryland's prohibited pet listMassachusetts: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are on the 321 CMR 9.01 exemption listMichigan: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not regulated by Michigan's exotic animal lawsMinnesota: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not a 'regulated animal' under Minn. Stat. §346.155Mississippi: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not an inherently dangerous wild animal in MississippiMissouri: Legal — Legal — non-native hedgehogs are outside Missouri's Wildlife Code restrictionsMontana: Legal — Legal — African pygmy hedgehogs are noncontrolled exotic wildlife in MontanaNebraska: Legal — Legal statewide — but the city of Omaha bans hedgehogsNevada: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not on Nevada's prohibited species listNew Hampshire: Legal — Legal — African pygmy hedgehogs are a non-controlled species under Fis 804.02New Jersey: Permit Required — Legal only with a $10 Individual Hobby permit from NJ Fish & WildlifeNew Mexico: Legal — Legal — no possession permit; standard import rules apply when bringing one inNew York: Partly Legal — Legal in New York State — but banned in New York City by Health Code §161.01North Carolina: Legal — Legal — no statewide exotic-pet ban; counties may regulateNorth Dakota: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are Category 1 nontraditional livestock (no license needed)Ohio: Legal — Legal — not a 'dangerous wild animal' under Ohio Rev. Code ch. 935Oklahoma: Legal — Legal — non-native hedgehogs fall outside ODWC's licensing schemeOregon: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not 'exotic animals' under ORS 609.305Pennsylvania: Banned — Banned as pets — the Game Commission issues no pet permits for hedgehogsRhode Island: Legal — Legal — African pygmy hedgehogs are on Rhode Island's exempt animal listSouth Carolina: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are outside South Carolina's exotic-animal restrictionsSouth Dakota: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not on South Dakota's captive wildlife permit listsTennessee: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs fall in Tennessee's least-restricted captive wildlife classTexas: Legal — Legal — not a 'dangerous wild animal' and not on TPWD's prohibited listsUtah: Legal — Legal — white-bellied (African pygmy) hedgehogs are noncontrolled in UtahVermont: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are on Vermont's Unrestricted Wild Animals ListVirginia: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not on Virginia's predatory/undesirable species listWashington: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not on Washington's dangerous wild animal listWest Virginia: Legal — Legal — hedgehogs are not on West Virginia's dangerous wild animal listWisconsin: Legal — Legal — no DNR license needed; import health paperwork may applyWyoming: Legal — Legal — WGFD lists domestic hedgehogs as possession-allowed with no Chapter 10 permitDC: not yet verified
LegalPermit / partly legalBannedNot yet verified

Status by state

StateStatusDetailVerified
WashingtonLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not on Washington's dangerous wild animal list2026-07-13
New YorkPartly LegalLegal in New York State — but banned in New York City by Health Code §161.012026-07-13
TexasLegalLegal — not a 'dangerous wild animal' and not on TPWD's prohibited lists2026-07-13
FloridaLegalLegal — FWC requires no permit for pet hedgehogs2026-07-13
CaliforniaBannedBanned — all hedgehogs are restricted species under 14 CCR §6712026-07-13
PennsylvaniaBannedBanned as pets — the Game Commission issues no pet permits for hedgehogs2026-07-13
OhioLegalLegal — not a 'dangerous wild animal' under Ohio Rev. Code ch. 9352026-07-13
GeorgiaBannedBanned — insectivores including hedgehogs are regulated wild animals in Georgia2026-07-13
North CarolinaLegalLegal — no statewide exotic-pet ban; counties may regulate2026-07-13
IllinoisLegalLegal — not covered by the Illinois Dangerous Animals Act2026-07-13
MichiganLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not regulated by Michigan's exotic animal laws2026-07-13
ArizonaLegalLegal — African pygmy hedgehogs are not restricted live wildlife in Arizona2026-07-13
NevadaLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not on Nevada's prohibited species list2026-07-13
TennesseeLegalLegal — hedgehogs fall in Tennessee's least-restricted captive wildlife class2026-07-13
MissouriLegalLegal — non-native hedgehogs are outside Missouri's Wildlife Code restrictions2026-07-13
VirginiaLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not on Virginia's predatory/undesirable species list2026-07-13
IndianaLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not a regulated wild animal in Indiana2026-07-13
WisconsinLegalLegal — no DNR license needed; import health paperwork may apply2026-07-13
MinnesotaLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not a 'regulated animal' under Minn. Stat. §346.1552026-07-13
ColoradoLegalLegal — African pygmy hedgehogs are on CPW's unregulated wildlife list2026-07-13
MarylandLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not on Maryland's prohibited pet list2026-07-13
MassachusettsLegalLegal — hedgehogs are on the 321 CMR 9.01 exemption list2026-07-13
New JerseyPermit RequiredLegal only with a $10 Individual Hobby permit from NJ Fish & Wildlife2026-07-13
ConnecticutLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not among Connecticut's prohibited wild animals2026-07-13
OregonLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not 'exotic animals' under ORS 609.3052026-07-13
AlabamaLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not on Alabama's restricted import or possession lists2026-07-13
South CarolinaLegalLegal — hedgehogs are outside South Carolina's exotic-animal restrictions2026-07-13
KentuckyLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not on Kentucky's prohibited or restricted wildlife lists2026-07-13
LouisianaLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not on Louisiana's prohibited exotic species lists2026-07-13
OklahomaLegalLegal — non-native hedgehogs fall outside ODWC's licensing scheme2026-07-13
UtahLegalLegal — white-bellied (African pygmy) hedgehogs are noncontrolled in Utah2026-07-13
IdahoLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not a deleterious exotic animal in Idaho2026-07-13
MontanaLegalLegal — African pygmy hedgehogs are noncontrolled exotic wildlife in Montana2026-07-13
WyomingLegalLegal — WGFD lists domestic hedgehogs as possession-allowed with no Chapter 10 permit2026-07-13
New MexicoLegalLegal — no possession permit; standard import rules apply when bringing one in2026-07-13
KansasLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not a dangerous regulated animal in Kansas2026-07-13
NebraskaLegalLegal statewide — but the city of Omaha bans hedgehogs2026-07-13
IowaLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not a 'dangerous wild animal' under Iowa Code ch. 717F2026-07-13
North DakotaLegalLegal — hedgehogs are Category 1 nontraditional livestock (no license needed)2026-07-13
South DakotaLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not on South Dakota's captive wildlife permit lists2026-07-13
MaineLegalLegal — hedgehogs are on Maine's Unrestricted Species List (no permit since 2017)2026-07-13
New HampshireLegalLegal — African pygmy hedgehogs are a non-controlled species under Fis 804.022026-07-13
VermontLegalLegal — hedgehogs are on Vermont's Unrestricted Wild Animals List2026-07-13
Rhode IslandLegalLegal — African pygmy hedgehogs are on Rhode Island's exempt animal list2026-07-13
DelawareLegalLegal — hedgehogs are exempt from Delaware's exotic animal permit2026-07-13
West VirginiaLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not on West Virginia's dangerous wild animal list2026-07-13
AlaskaLegalLegal — African pygmy hedgehogs are on Alaska's Clean List (5 AAC 92.029)2026-07-13
HawaiiBannedBanned — hedgehogs are prohibited from import or possession in Hawaii2026-07-13
ArkansasLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not restricted by AGFC's captive wildlife rules2026-07-13
MississippiLegalLegal — hedgehogs are not an inherently dangerous wild animal in Mississippi2026-07-13

States where hedgehogs are legal

States where hedgehogs need a permit

States with partial or local restrictions

States where hedgehogs 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.