Pet Legality

Pet Alligator Legal States 2025

Illegal
35
Legal
Permit required
7
State
Pet Alligator Legality
Florida Flag
FloridaPermit required
Indiana Flag
IndianaPermit required
Maine Flag
MainePermit required
New Hampshire Flag
New HampshirePermit required
North Dakota Flag
North DakotaPermit required
Rhode Island Flag
Rhode IslandPermit required
Texas Flag
TexasPermit required
Alaska Flag
AlaskaLegal
Kansas Flag
KansasLegal
Michigan Flag
MichiganLegal
Minnesota Flag
MinnesotaLegal
Pennsylvania Flag
PennsylvaniaLegal
Utah Flag
UtahLegal
Vermont Flag
VermontLegal
Wisconsin Flag
WisconsinLegal
Wyoming Flag
WyomingLegal
Alabama Flag
AlabamaIllegal
Arizona Flag
ArizonaIllegal
Arkansas Flag
ArkansasIllegal
California Flag
CaliforniaIllegal
Colorado Flag
ColoradoIllegal
Connecticut Flag
ConnecticutIllegal
Delaware Flag
DelawareIllegal
District of Columbia Flag
District of ColumbiaIllegal
Georgia Flag
GeorgiaIllegal
Hawaii Flag
HawaiiIllegal
Idaho Flag
IdahoIllegal
Illinois Flag
IllinoisIllegal
Iowa Flag
IowaIllegal
Kentucky Flag
KentuckyIllegal
Louisiana Flag
LouisianaIllegal
Maryland Flag
MarylandIllegal
Massachusetts Flag
MassachusettsIllegal
Mississippi Flag
MississippiIllegal
Missouri Flag
MissouriIllegal
Montana Flag
MontanaIllegal
Nebraska Flag
NebraskaIllegal
Nevada Flag
NevadaIllegal
New Jersey Flag
New JerseyIllegal
New Mexico Flag
New MexicoIllegal
New York Flag
New YorkIllegal
North Carolina Flag
North CarolinaIllegal
Ohio Flag
OhioIllegal
Oklahoma Flag
OklahomaIllegal
Oregon Flag
OregonIllegal
South Carolina Flag
South CarolinaIllegal
South Dakota Flag
South DakotaIllegal
Tennessee Flag
TennesseeIllegal
Virginia Flag
VirginiaIllegal
Washington Flag
WashingtonIllegal
West Virginia Flag
West VirginiaIllegal
  • Potential alligator owners should always confirm legality with local officials. Animal ownership guidelines may change at any time. Moreover, alligators may be legal in a given state but prohibited at the county or city level.
  • For example, alligators are legal to own as pets in Minnesota but prohibited in the Minneapolis area.
  • Some states prohibit the general public from owning alligators and other exotic animals but make exceptions for businesses.
  • For example, Georgia regulations state “Only persons engaged in the wholesale or retail wild animal business or persons exhibiting wild animals to the public will be issued a license to possess inherently dangerous animals.”

Sources

  1. You Can't Have These Animals As Pets In The State of Idaho - 104.3 Wow Country
  2. 96.02 Prohibited Animals - Code Library
  3. 10 Animals That Are Considered Illegal Pets in Connecticut and New York - Danbury Country
  4. Animal Control Laws - DC Health
  5. One Exotic Pet That Is Legal in Each State - HubPages
  6. Here’s what the law says about owning alligators in PA - Lancaster Online
  7. Chapter 7 - Animals and Fowl - Municode Library
  8. Why Alligators Don't Make Good Pets - WTTW News
  9. Central Falls man surrenders pet alligator after being bit - 10 WJAR
  10. State Laws - Uniting A Politically Proactive Exotic Animal League
  11. Uncovering Pets That Are Illegal To Have In North Dakota - US 103.3
  12. Don't Let it Loose - Wyoming Game & Fish Department
  13. Wisconsin one of five states where ‘dangerous’ exotic animals can be pets - Wisconsin Watch
  14. Pets banned in Alabama - AL
  15. Animals in Captivity - Born Free USA
  16. Can you own a pet alligator in Metro Detroit? Depends on which city you live in - Click On Detroit
  17. Exotic Animal Laws by State - Find Law
  18. A small alligator is at large in KC’s Northland. What to know about the ongoing search - Tha Kansas City Star
  19. Exotic Pets You Can Own Without a License: State-by-State Laws - The Spruce Pets
  20. ISP believe gator found on I-465 was a pet, ask people to think before taking in exotic pets - WRTV
  21. West's Wisconsin Statutes Annotated - Animal Law Info
  22. South Carolina Reptile & Amphibian Laws, Regulations and Permits - South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
  23. Rhode Island Reptile and Amphibian Rules and Regulations - RI
  24. Reptiles & Amphibians - Prohibited Actions and Protections - Delaware - LIbrary Municode
  25. Reptiles & Amphibians - Prohibited Actions and Protections - Delaware - Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies
  26. What pets are banned in West Virginia? - WowK-TV
  27. Reptile & Amphibian Regulations - Eregulations
  28. Pets That Are Illegal to Have in North Dakota - US 103.3
  29. Wildwood man finds alligator in backyard, it's legal to have a pet alligator in Missouri - Ozarks First
  30. Minnesota Gator - WXPR
  31. Is It Legal to Own a Pet Alligator in Michigan? - Mix 95.7 West Michigan
  32. Wild Animals as Pets - MSPCA-Angell
  33. Pet Laws in Louisiana: Wild or Exotic Animals - Law Library of Louisiana
  34. Are There Alligators in Kansas? - Travel Safe
  35. What Are the Rules for Owning an Exotic Pet in Indiana? - News Talk 1280 WGBF