Is it legal to own a raccoon in North Carolina?
The short answer
No. Despite North Carolina's famously permissive exotic pet landscape, raccoons are native wildlife under NCWRC jurisdiction: captivity licenses aren't issued for pet purposes, and importing raccoons is restricted. The no-statewide-law rule helps exotic species, not natives.
What North Carolina law says
N.C.G.S. ch. 113 puts native wildlife under NCWRC control. Captivity permits go to rehabilitators and institutions, not pet owners, and rabies-vector import restrictions cover raccoons, foxes, and skunks.
Which agency regulates raccoons in North Carolina
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) / county and city governments is the authority for raccoon (Procyon lotor) possession in North Carolina.
Is there a permit for pet raccoons?
No. There is no permit pathway that allows private pet ownership. Research facilities, USDA exhibitors, and licensed rehabilitators under state permits.
Penalties for owning a raccoon illegally
State penalties apply to regulated native wildlife and unlawful imports; for non-native exotics, penalties come from county and city ordinances where they exist.
Local city and county rules
North Carolina has no statewide exotic pet statute — your county or city ordinance is effectively the law. An animal legal in one county can be criminal a few miles away.
Legal alternatives in North Carolina
- Sugar Glider in North Carolina — A palm-sized gliding marsupial, legal in most states but banned in a handful of cities and states.
Frequently asked questions
NC allows tigers in some counties — why not raccoons?
Because raccoons are native wildlife under NCWRC's authority, which predates and sits apart from the county-by-county exotic rules. Native species have never had a pet pathway.
Can I keep an orphaned raccoon in NC?
Only licensed rehabilitators may hold them, temporarily and for release.
Sources
More animals in North Carolina
- Is it legal to own a monkey in North Carolina?
- Is it legal to own a serval in North Carolina?
- Is it legal to own a fennec fox in North Carolina?
See all animals on the exotic pet laws in North Carolina page, or compare every state on the pet raccoon laws by state page.
Last verified 2026-07-02 against the cited primary sources. This is a research directory, not legal advice — confirm current rules with North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) / county and city governments and your local animal-control authority before acquiring any animal.