Species Guide · Updated January 2025
Hedgehog Ownership Laws by State (2025)
Hedgehogs are legal in most US states but banned in five jurisdictions including California, Georgia, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. Many pet stores sell them in banned states, which does not make ownership legal.
Overview: Where Are Hedgehogs Banned?
Hedgehogs are among the most commonly banned exotic pets in the United States despite being widely sold at pet stores nationally. Five jurisdictions ban hedgehog ownership outright: California, Georgia, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. (the District of Columbia, not Washington state). Several additional states require permits or veterinary documentation.
State-by-State Status
| State | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| California | Banned | CA Code of Regulations Title 14 §671 lists hedgehogs as prohibited wildlife. The species (Atelerix albiventris) appears specifically on the prohibited list. |
| Georgia | Banned | Georgia law prohibits hedgehog ownership under wild animal regulations. Hedgehogs are classified as inherently wild animals that cannot be kept as pets. |
| Hawaii | Banned | All non-native mammals banned. Hawaii's ecosystem protections are among the strictest in the US. |
| Pennsylvania | Banned | Pennsylvania bans hedgehogs specifically under exotic wildlife regulations. This surprises many residents because PA allows capybaras — the rules are species-specific, not size-based. |
| Washington D.C. | Banned | DC Municipal Regulations prohibit hedgehogs as pets under the exotic animal provisions of the DC Health Code. |
| Arizona | Permit | Requires a special license from AZ Game & Fish for hedgehogs; contact the department for current application requirements. |
| Maine | Permit | Import permit required from Maine Department of Agriculture. |
| New Jersey | Permit | Permit required; hedgehogs are regulated as potentially invasive species. |
| Oregon | Permit | Wildlife Holding Permit from OR Department of Fish & Wildlife required. |
| Wyoming | Permit | Some documentation or permit may be required; verify with WY Game & Fish. |
| All other states (~40) | Legal | No state permit required. Hedgehogs are among the most freely legal exotic pets in most US states. |
Why Pennsylvania Bans Hedgehogs but Not Capybaras
This is one of the most frequent questions we receive on this site, and the answer illustrates how arbitrary exotic pet regulations can be. Pennsylvania's Game Commission regulates wildlife based on whether an animal is classified as "exotic wildlife" under the Game and Wildlife Code. The Pennsylvania hedgehog ban dates to a 1990s-era regulatory interpretation that classified African pygmy hedgehogs as exotic wildlife subject to the general ban on unlicensed exotic animal possession.
Capybaras, meanwhile, were not specifically classified under the same regulatory category and have fallen through a gap in the rules that leaves them effectively unregulated at the state level. This is a common phenomenon in exotic pet law: bans are often driven by specific petition campaigns, news events, or regulatory rulemaking processes rather than systematic review of all species.
Pennsylvania hedgehog owners have periodically organized to challenge the ban through the legislative process. As of 2025, the ban remains in effect. Anyone in Pennsylvania currently keeping a hedgehog is technically in violation of the Game and Wildlife Code.
Georgia's Hedgehog Ban: What the Law Says
Georgia's prohibition on hedgehogs is enforced under Georgia Code §27-5-5, which governs possession of wild animals. Georgia classifies hedgehogs as inherently wild animals rather than domesticated pets, and as such, private ownership requires a Wild Animal License from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
In practice, Wild Animal Licenses are issued to zoos, wildlife rehabilitators, educational facilities, and similar professional operations — not to individuals keeping hedgehogs as companions. The Georgia DNR's position has consistently been that hedgehog ownership as a personal pet does not qualify for a Wild Animal License.
Note that Georgia has one of the most active exotic pet owner advocacy communities in the southeast, and legislative efforts to legalize hedgehog ownership have appeared periodically in the Georgia General Assembly, so far without success.
What Happens to Pet Stores That Sell Hedgehogs in Banned States?
Pet stores operating in states where hedgehogs are banned can face significant liability. In California, retail sale of a prohibited species violates both the prohibition on possession and separate commercial wildlife trafficking statutes. Fines for commercial violations are substantially higher than for individual possession — California has levied fines exceeding $50,000 against repeat commercial violators.
Despite this, some national chain pet stores have been cited for selling hedgehogs in California and other banned states due to inadequate state-level compliance checks in their purchasing systems. Buying from a store does not protect the buyer — the purchaser is in violation of possession law from the moment they take the animal home.
Hedgehog Legal States: What You Still Need to Do
In the approximately 40 states where hedgehogs are legal with no permit, there are still practical steps worth taking:
- Source documentation: Keep a bill of sale from your breeder documenting captive-bred US origin.
- Local ordinances: Check your city or county for any broad exotic animal bans. While uncommon for hedgehogs specifically, some municipalities have them.
- Veterinary care: Hedgehogs require an exotic animal veterinarian. Verify you have an exotic vet within reasonable distance before purchasing — not all general practice vets will treat hedgehogs.
- HOA rules: If you live in an HOA-governed community, check the CC&Rs for exotic animal restrictions.