Species Guide · Updated January 2025
Wallaby Ownership Laws by State (2025)
Wallabies are legal in more US states than most people expect — partly because several states classify them as livestock rather than exotic wildlife. Here is the complete picture for 2025.
Overview: Wallaby Legality in the US
Wallabies — small-to-medium marsupials native to Australia and New Guinea — are legal in more US states than most people expect, partly because several states classify them as livestock rather than exotic wildlife. This matters enormously for permitting: livestock-classified animals are regulated by state departments of agriculture, which typically have simpler permit pathways than wildlife agencies.
The Livestock Classification Advantage
States including Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia have at various times classified wallabies as "non-traditional livestock" or "exotic livestock" — animals that can be farmed. This classification emerged because wallabies were briefly marketed as meat and hide animals in the 1990s and early 2000s. Even as the livestock market never materialized, the agricultural classification stuck, and in those states, wallabies can be owned with minimal regulatory friction compared to animals classified as exotic wildlife.
State-by-State Status
| State | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | Legal | Classified as exotic livestock; no state wildlife permit required |
| Michigan | Legal | Wallabies may be classified as exotic livestock; verify with MI Dept. of Agriculture |
| Ohio | Legal | Post-2012 exotic animal law exempts animals classified as livestock; wallabies may qualify |
| West Virginia | Legal | No state restrictions; wallabies are not listed as prohibited exotic wildlife |
| Texas | Legal | Legal as exotic non-native animals; no state permit required |
| Florida | Permit | Class III Wildlife License from FWC required; straightforward to obtain |
| Nevada | Legal | No state restrictions on wallabies |
| California | Banned | Wallabies prohibited as exotic wildlife |
| Hawaii | Banned | All non-native mammals banned. Hawaii already has a small feral wallaby population on Oahu from a 1916 zoo escape — strict import rules apply. |
| Most other states | Permit | Most states require some form of permit or registration for wallaby ownership. Contact your state wildlife or agriculture agency. |
Hawaii's Wallaby Situation: A Cautionary Tale
Hawaii already has a small feral population of Bennett's wallabies on the slopes of Haleakala on Maui, descended from animals that escaped from a private collection in the 1990s. This makes Hawaii's strict ban on wallaby imports particularly understandable — the state has already seen what happens when wallabies escape into an island ecosystem. The existing feral population in Hawaii is managed as an invasive species.
Housing Requirements for Wallabies
Wallabies are active animals requiring substantial outdoor space. A minimum of one-quarter acre of secure outdoor space is generally recommended for a pair of wallabies. Fencing should be at least 5 feet high — wallabies can jump — and should be buried at least 12 inches below ground to prevent digging out. In states that require permits, housing inspection is typically part of the permit approval process.