Antique engraving of a sugar glider

Pet sugar glider laws by state

A palm-sized gliding marsupial, legal in most states but banned in a handful of cities and states. Below is the legal status of the sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) in every state we've verified so far — each entry links the actual statute.

Where sugar gliders are legal: state map

Alabama: Legal — Sugar gliders are legal in Alabama with no state permit.Alaska: Banned — Not on Alaska's 5 AAC 92.029 clean list — possession prohibitedArizona: Legal — Not restricted — legal with no permitArkansas: Legal — Listed as unrestricted (Addendum R1.01) — no permit neededCalifornia: Banned — Restricted — banned as pets along with all non-listed exotic mammalsColorado: Legal — On Colorado's unregulated wildlife list — legal, no licenseConnecticut: Legal — Not a potentially dangerous animal — legal at the state levelDelaware: Legal — Expressly exempt from Delaware's exotic-permit requirementFlorida: Legal — On FWC's no-permit-required list — legal statewideGeorgia: Legal — One of Georgia's few legal exotics — lawful with USDA-source documentationHawaii: Banned — Prohibited under HAR 4-71 — Hawaii's near-total exotic-mammal banIdaho: Legal — Not on the deleterious-exotic list - legal, no state permitIllinois: Legal — Legal statewide — no permitIndiana: Legal — Legal statewide — no permitIowa: Legal — Marsupials are not covered by the Dangerous Wild Animals lawKansas: Legal — Non-native exotic; no state permit requiredKentucky: Legal — Sugar gliders are not prohibited or inherently dangerous; no permit required.Louisiana: Legal — Sugar gliders aren't on any Louisiana prohibited list; no permit required.Maine: Legal — Listed on Maine's Unrestricted Species List — no permitMaryland: Legal — Not on the §10-621 list — legal statewideMassachusetts: Legal — On the 321 CMR 9.01 exemption list — legal, no licenseMichigan: Legal — Legal statewide — no permitMinnesota: Legal — Legal statewide — no permitMississippi: Legal — Not on the inherently-dangerous list — no state permit neededMissouri: Legal — Legal statewide — no permitMontana: Legal — Sugar glider expressly listed as a noncontrolled species - no permitNebraska: Legal — Not on the prohibited or permit-required lists; unregulated at the state levelNevada: Legal — Legal — not prohibited, no permitNew Hampshire: Legal — Listed as a non-controlled species in Fis 804.02New Jersey: Permit Required — Legal with New Jersey's Individual Hobby Permit — the classic NJ quirkNew Mexico: Permit Required — Sugar glider is Group II - importation permit required, not bannedNew York: Partly Legal — Legal statewide — but prohibited in New York CityNorth Carolina: Legal — Legal — no statewide restriction; standard local caveatsNorth Dakota: Legal — Sugar gliders are expressly exempt from nontraditional-livestock requirementsOhio: Legal — Legal statewide — no permitOklahoma: Legal — Sugar gliders are exotic and unregulated; no state permit required.Oregon: Legal — Outside the exotic animal definition — legal, no permitPennsylvania: Legal — Legal — outside the Game Code's exotic wildlife definitions; no PGC permitRhode Island: Legal — Expressly exempt in 250-RICR-40-05-3.17 Appendix A — no permitSouth Carolina: Legal — Sugar gliders are not on any SC prohibited or restricted list; no permit required.South Dakota: Legal — Marsupials are outside the possession-permit rule; no state permit neededTennessee: Legal — Class III — legal, no permitTexas: Legal — Legal statewide — no state permit requiredUtah: Legal — Listed among domestic mammals not covered by the rule - legal, no permitVermont: Legal — Listed on Vermont's Unrestricted Wild Animals List — no permitVirginia: Legal — Not listed — legal under the unlisted-exotics allowanceWashington: Legal — Not regulated by the dangerous wild animal law or WDFW rules — no state permit neededWest Virginia: Legal — Not listed as a dangerous wild animal; non-native marsupial, no permitWisconsin: Legal — Legal statewide — no licenseWyoming: Legal — Chapter 10 guide: possession allowed, no permit requiredDC: not yet verified
LegalPermit / partly legalBannedNot yet verified

Status by state

StateStatusDetailVerified
New YorkPartly LegalLegal statewide — but prohibited in New York City2026-07-02
WashingtonLegalNot regulated by the dangerous wild animal law or WDFW rules — no state permit needed2026-07-03
TexasLegalLegal statewide — no state permit required2026-07-02
FloridaLegalOn FWC's no-permit-required list — legal statewide2026-07-02
CaliforniaBannedRestricted — banned as pets along with all non-listed exotic mammals2026-07-02
PennsylvaniaLegalLegal — outside the Game Code's exotic wildlife definitions; no PGC permit2026-07-02
OhioLegalLegal statewide — no permit2026-07-02
GeorgiaLegalOne of Georgia's few legal exotics — lawful with USDA-source documentation2026-07-02
North CarolinaLegalLegal — no statewide restriction; standard local caveats2026-07-02
IllinoisLegalLegal statewide — no permit2026-07-02
MichiganLegalLegal statewide — no permit2026-07-03
ArizonaLegalNot restricted — legal with no permit2026-07-03
NevadaLegalLegal — not prohibited, no permit2026-07-03
TennesseeLegalClass III — legal, no permit2026-07-03
MissouriLegalLegal statewide — no permit2026-07-03
VirginiaLegalNot listed — legal under the unlisted-exotics allowance2026-07-03
IndianaLegalLegal statewide — no permit2026-07-03
WisconsinLegalLegal statewide — no license2026-07-03
MinnesotaLegalLegal statewide — no permit2026-07-03
ColoradoLegalOn Colorado's unregulated wildlife list — legal, no license2026-07-03
MarylandLegalNot on the §10-621 list — legal statewide2026-07-03
MassachusettsLegalOn the 321 CMR 9.01 exemption list — legal, no license2026-07-03
New JerseyPermit RequiredLegal with New Jersey's Individual Hobby Permit — the classic NJ quirk2026-07-03
ConnecticutLegalNot a potentially dangerous animal — legal at the state level2026-07-03
OregonLegalOutside the exotic animal definition — legal, no permit2026-07-03
AlabamaLegalSugar gliders are legal in Alabama with no state permit.2026-07-03
South CarolinaLegalSugar gliders are not on any SC prohibited or restricted list; no permit required.2026-07-03
KentuckyLegalSugar gliders are not prohibited or inherently dangerous; no permit required.2026-07-03
LouisianaLegalSugar gliders aren't on any Louisiana prohibited list; no permit required.2026-07-03
OklahomaLegalSugar gliders are exotic and unregulated; no state permit required.2026-07-03
UtahLegalListed among domestic mammals not covered by the rule - legal, no permit2026-07-03
IdahoLegalNot on the deleterious-exotic list - legal, no state permit2026-07-03
MontanaLegalSugar glider expressly listed as a noncontrolled species - no permit2026-07-03
WyomingLegalChapter 10 guide: possession allowed, no permit required2026-07-03
New MexicoPermit RequiredSugar glider is Group II - importation permit required, not banned2026-07-03
KansasLegalNon-native exotic; no state permit required2026-07-03
NebraskaLegalNot on the prohibited or permit-required lists; unregulated at the state level2026-07-03
IowaLegalMarsupials are not covered by the Dangerous Wild Animals law2026-07-03
North DakotaLegalSugar gliders are expressly exempt from nontraditional-livestock requirements2026-07-03
South DakotaLegalMarsupials are outside the possession-permit rule; no state permit needed2026-07-03
MaineLegalListed on Maine's Unrestricted Species List — no permit2026-07-03
New HampshireLegalListed as a non-controlled species in Fis 804.022026-07-03
VermontLegalListed on Vermont's Unrestricted Wild Animals List — no permit2026-07-03
Rhode IslandLegalExpressly exempt in 250-RICR-40-05-3.17 Appendix A — no permit2026-07-03
DelawareLegalExpressly exempt from Delaware's exotic-permit requirement2026-07-03
West VirginiaLegalNot listed as a dangerous wild animal; non-native marsupial, no permit2026-07-03
AlaskaBannedNot on Alaska's 5 AAC 92.029 clean list — possession prohibited2026-07-03
HawaiiBannedProhibited under HAR 4-71 — Hawaii's near-total exotic-mammal ban2026-07-03
ArkansasLegalListed as unrestricted (Addendum R1.01) — no permit needed2026-07-03
MississippiLegalNot on the inherently-dangerous list — no state permit needed2026-07-03

States where sugar gliders are legal

States where sugar gliders need a permit

States with partial or local restrictions

States where sugar gliders 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.