Species Guide · Updated January 2025
Kinkajou Ownership Laws by State (2025)
Kinkajous are legal in most US states with no permit required — but California, Georgia, Alaska, and Hawaii ban them. Here is the complete legal picture.
Overview: Kinkajou Legality in the United States
Kinkajous (Potos flavus) are small rainforest mammals from Central and South America, related to raccoons and coatis. They are nocturnal, arboreal, and known for their prehensile tails and long tongues. Despite looking exotic, kinkajous are surprisingly legal in the majority of US states — they do not appear on most states' prohibited species lists and are not federally regulated for captive-bred animals.
Banned and Restricted States
| State | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Banned | All non-native exotic mammals require AK Dept. of Fish & Game permits not available for personal pets |
| California | Banned | Kinkajous prohibited under CA Code of Regulations Title 14 §671 restricted species list |
| Georgia | Banned | Prohibited under Georgia's wild animal regulations |
| Hawaii | Banned | All non-native mammals banned |
| Minnesota | Permit | Regulated exotic animal permit may be required; verify with MN DNR |
| Pennsylvania | Permit | Exotic Wildlife Possession Permit required from PA Game Commission |
| All other states (~42) | Legal | No state-level permit required for captive-bred kinkajous |
Are Kinkajous Good Pets? What the Law Requires
In legal states, no federal permit and typically no state permit is required to own a captive-bred kinkajou. However, because kinkajous are CITES Appendix III listed (for some range countries), importers must have documentation of legal origin. For animals born in the US from captive-bred parents, this is not an issue — but if you are purchasing a kinkajou, ask your breeder explicitly whether the animal and its parents were born in the United States.
A small number of states that are generally permissive about exotic animals have specific provisions about procyonids (the raccoon family, which includes kinkajous) related to rabies vector concerns. Even in states where kinkajous are legal, some counties in high-rabies-incidence areas have local ordinances about animals that are potential rabies vectors. Check with your county health department in addition to your state wildlife agency.
Documentation to Maintain
Even in fully legal states, maintain the following documentation for your kinkajou:
- Bill of sale from the breeder with their contact information and USDA license number if applicable
- Documentation of US captive-bred origin (breeder statement or import records)
- Health certificate from an exotic animal veterinarian
- Rabies vaccination records if your vet administers an off-label rabies vaccine (standard vaccines are not approved for kinkajous, but some exotic vets use them off-label)