⚖️ Where Are Hedgehogs Legal? A State-by-State Guide

Hedgehogs are amazing pets — but they're not legal everywhere. Here's where hedgehogs are banned or restricted in the US, Canada, and around the world. Laws change and cities add their own rules, so always confirm with your state, province, and city before bringing one home.

US states with bans or restrictions

• California — Banned. California classifies hedgehogs as "detrimental" animals that could threaten native wildlife, agriculture, or public health (Cal. Code Regs. Title 14, §671), and no pet permit is available. See CA Fish & Wildlife.
• Georgia — Banned. Georgia lists all insectivores, including hedgehogs, as exotic animals that may not be kept as pets. Several bills to legalize them have failed. See Georgia DNR.
• Hawaii — Banned. Hawaii allows only animals on an approved list, and hedgehogs aren't on it — the islands' climate would let escaped hedgehogs establish wild populations and prey on native species. See the Hawaii Department of Agriculture.
• Pennsylvania — Banned to import or acquire. The Pennsylvania Game Commission regulates hedgehogs as exotic wildlife and doesn't permit bringing them into the state, so they can't be newly acquired here. A 2025–26 bill to legalize them has been proposed. See the PA Game Commission.
• Washington, D.C. — Banned. Washington, D.C. prohibits keeping hedgehogs. The USDA also lists D.C. among US jurisdictions that ban hedgehog imports (USDA APHIS).

Australian states & territories with bans or restrictions

• Every Australian state and territory — Banned nationwide as a biosecurity and invasive-species risk — hedgehogs can carry livestock diseases such as foot-and-mouth, and have already become a feral pest in New Zealand and parts of Scotland.

Other countries with bans or restrictions

• Singapore — Banned. Singapore allows only a short approved list of pets, and the hedgehog isn't on it — it's treated as a non-native species that could harm local ecosystems if released. See the AVS pet list.

States where a permit is required

• New Jersey — Legal with a permit. Hedgehogs aren't on New Jersey's exempt list, so you need an exotic/hobby possession permit from NJ Fish & Wildlife.

Good news: states that used to ban hedgehogs

A few states that once banned hedgehogs have since made them legal, so older "banned" lists online are out of date:

• Arizona — Legal since 2015, after the state wildlife agency decided the pet hedgehog wouldn't survive in the wild.
• Maine — Legal since 2017, no permit needed.
• Wyoming — Legal, no permit needed.

Because these rules change, always confirm with your own state wildlife or agriculture department before getting a hedgehog.

Everywhere else

In places not listed above, hedgehogs are generally legal to keep as pets — but counties and cities sometimes add their own restrictions, and a few places require permits. A quick call to local animal control (or a search for "hedgehog laws" plus your city) is always worth it before you fall in love with one.

How to check the rules where you live

1. Check your state or province first — that's the list above. Laws change, so confirm with the official wildlife or agriculture department.
2. Then check your city or county. Local governments often add their own pet rules on top of state law, even where hedgehogs are legal statewide.
3. Ask about permits. Some places allow hedgehogs only with a permit or license — a quick call to local animal control will tell you.
4. Renters and HOAs: your lease or homeowners' association can restrict pets that your state actually allows.

When in doubt, confirm before you bring one home — it's far easier than having to rehome a pet later.

❓ Common questions about hedgehog laws