Is it legal to own a raccoon in Texas?
The short answer
No. Raccoons are classified as fur-bearing animals under the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, and Texas does not issue permits to keep them as pets. Only licensed wildlife rehabilitators and certain commercial permit holders may possess them, and never as pets.
What Texas law says
Texas Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 71 (fur-bearing animals) and TPWD regulations prohibit taking a raccoon from the wild and keeping it, and there is no personal-pet pathway. It is also a Class C misdemeanor to transport or sell live raccoons within, into, or out of the state. Wildlife rehabilitators licensed by TPWD may hold raccoons temporarily for release.
Which agency regulates raccoons in Texas
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is the authority for raccoon (Procyon lotor) possession in Texas.
Is there a permit for pet raccoons?
No. There is no permit pathway that allows private pet ownership. TPWD-licensed wildlife rehabilitators (temporary, for release) and certain educational/commercial permit holders.
Penalties for owning a raccoon illegally
Unlawful possession is generally a Class C Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor — up to $500 per violation, and each animal can be charged separately. The animal is confiscated, and as a rabies-vector species a raccoon involved in a bite incident is euthanized for testing.
Local city and county rules
City and county ordinances add further restrictions but cannot legalize pet raccoons — the state prohibition controls.
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
Can I keep a raccoon I found in Texas?
No. Transfer it to a TPWD-licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Keeping it yourself is a Class C misdemeanor, and each day or animal can be a separate violation.
Does Texas sell any permit for pet raccoons?
No. TPWD's permits for fur-bearing animals cover trapping and commercial purposes, not pets. There is no personal-possession pathway.
Are raccoons legal in any state near Texas?
Oklahoma allows captive-bred raccoons with a noncommercial wildlife breeder's license; New Mexico and Louisiana are far more restrictive. See each state's page.
Sources
More animals in Texas
- Is it legal to own a monkey 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 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 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and your local animal-control authority before acquiring any animal.