Is it legal to own a monkey in Missouri?
The short answer
Yes, with registration. Missouri's dangerous wild animal statute includes nonhuman primates: keeping one requires registering the animal with local law enforcement (county sheriff or police chief). It's a registration, not a discretionary permit — but some municipalities prohibit primates outright.
What Missouri law says
RSMo §578.023 makes it a misdemeanor to keep a dangerous wild animal — a list including nonhuman primates alongside big cats, bears, wolves, and venomous reptiles — without registering it with the law enforcement agency where the animal is kept.
Which agency regulates monkeys in Missouri
Local law enforcement (county sheriff/police); MDC for native wildlife is the authority for monkey (Nonhuman primates) possession in Missouri.
Is there a permit for pet monkeys?
Yes — the Dangerous Wild Animal Registration (local law enforcement), issued by Local law enforcement (county sheriff/police); MDC for native wildlife (Set locally; often nominal).
Penalties and enforcement
Keeping an unregistered listed animal is a class C misdemeanor, with seizure possible.
Local city and county rules
Kansas City, St. Louis, and many municipalities ban primates regardless of state registration.
Legal alternatives in Missouri
- Sugar Glider in Missouri — A palm-sized gliding marsupial, legal in most states but banned in a handful of cities and states.
Frequently asked questions
How does Missouri's registration work?
File written notice with the sheriff or police chief where the animal is kept. It's ministerial — but it doesn't override city bans, so check your municipal code first.
Does the rule cover small monkeys?
The statute covers nonhuman primates generally, so register regardless of species or size.
Sources
More animals in Missouri
- Is it legal to own a raccoon in Missouri?
- Is it legal to own a serval in Missouri?
- Is it legal to own a fennec fox in Missouri?
See all animals on the exotic pet laws in Missouri page, or compare every state on the pet monkey laws by state page.
Last verified 2026-07-03 against the cited primary sources. This is a research directory, not legal advice — confirm current rules with Local law enforcement (county sheriff/police); MDC for native wildlife and your local animal-control authority before acquiring any animal.