Is it legal to own a monkey in Texas?
The short answer
Mostly yes, at the state level. Texas has no statewide ban on most monkeys: capuchins, marmosets, squirrel monkeys, and similar species can be owned without a state permit. Baboons, chimpanzees, orangutans, and gorillas are 'dangerous wild animals' under Health & Safety Code ch. 822, requiring county registration, insurance, and caging standards. The bigger obstacle is local law — many Texas cities prohibit primates outright.
What Texas law says
Health & Safety Code §822.101 lists the primates Texas treats as dangerous wild animals: baboons, chimpanzees, orangutans, and gorillas. Owners of those must obtain a certificate of registration from their county's animal registration agency, carry at least $100,000 in liability insurance, and meet state caging standards. Monkeys not on the list face no state-level permit — but counties may regulate or prohibit keeping wild animals, and city ordinances frequently ban all nonhuman primates.
Which agency regulates monkeys in Texas
County animal registration agency (per Texas DSHS rules) is the authority for monkey (Nonhuman primates) possession in Texas.
Is there a permit for pet monkeys?
No permit is required at the state level. AZA-accredited zoos, research facilities, and licensed exhibitors operate under separate rules.
Penalties and enforcement
Keeping an unregistered dangerous wild animal is a misdemeanor with per-day civil penalties, plus seizure. For non-listed monkeys, penalties come from local ordinances where they apply.
Local city and county rules
This is the controlling question in Texas: Houston, San Antonio, and many other cities ban primates as pets regardless of state law. Counties may also prohibit dangerous wild animals entirely. Always check both city and county code.
Legal alternatives in Texas
- Fennec Fox in Texas — The world's smallest fox — and one of the few foxes legal to own in several U.S. states.
- Sugar Glider in Texas — A palm-sized gliding marsupial, legal in most states but banned in a handful of cities and states.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Texas state permit to own a capuchin or marmoset?
No statewide permit exists for monkeys that aren't on the dangerous wild animal list. Your city or county ordinance is what will decide legality where you live.
What does Texas require for a baboon or chimpanzee?
A certificate of registration from your county's animal registration agency, at least $100,000 in liability insurance, state caging standards, and annual renewal — and your county may simply prohibit them.
Are pet monkeys legal in Houston or Dallas?
Most large Texas cities ban or heavily restrict primates by local ordinance even though state law allows many species. Check the municipal code before acquiring any primate.
Sources
- Tex. Health & Safety Code §822.101 (dangerous wild animals)
- Texas DSHS — Wild animal regulations
- Texas State Law Library — Wild animals guide
More animals in Texas
- Is it legal to own a raccoon in Texas?
- Is it legal to own a serval in Texas?
- Is it legal to own a fennec fox in Texas?
See all animals on the exotic pet laws in Texas page, or compare every state on the pet monkey 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 County animal registration agency (per Texas DSHS rules) and your local animal-control authority before acquiring any animal.