Exotic pet laws in Vermont

Act 47 (2025), Sec. 14(a)

A person shall not import, possess, or sell in the State a pond slider turtle (Trachemys scripta)

Act 47 of 2025 bans importing, possessing or selling any pond slider, so there is no route for a new pet. The Restricted Wild Animal List (July 2025) also names the red-eared slider, but Act 47's bar on possession leaves no room for the discretionary Regulation 881 permit a private keeper could otherwise apply for. Sec. 14 lapses when the Commissioner adopts a slider rule under 10 V.S.A. section 4085.

Existing owners: Act 47 (2025) Sec. 14(a)(1)(A): a person may continue to possess a pond slider legally acquired as a pet before July 1, 2025. There is nothing to file; the Fish and Wildlife Department tells those owners they do not need to do anything different, only never to release the turtle.

How this rule works: Signed June 5, 2025. Sec. 14 bars importing, possessing or selling a pond slider (Trachemys scripta) in Vermont, except a turtle legally acquired as a pet before July 1, 2025, and stock a pet dealer or commercial collection permittee can document holding before that date. Sec. 14(b) repeals the section once the Commissioner adopts a slider rule under 10 V.S.A. § 4085. Sec. 13 adds § 4085, which from January 1, 2027 bars intentionally taking any reptile or amphibian in Vermont unless a rule allows it. The Fish and Wildlife Department's notice (https://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/press-releases/sale-pond-slider-turtles-prohibited) tells an owner from before July 1, 2025 that nothing needs doing.

Checked against the published text on October 2, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The ackie monitor is on neither the Unrestricted nor the Restricted list, and Vermont treats that absence as a restriction rather than a gap. Only four monitors are unrestricted by name, the short-tailed pygmy, the savannah, the dwarf and the Timor. Varanus acanthurus is not one of them. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Vermont Domestic Species List, August 2010; Regulation 881 § 5.2; 10 V.S.A. § 4709

Birds Psittaciformes Psittacidae Agapornis personatus Masked lovebird Captive Bred Only ... Melopsittacus undulatus Budgerigar Captive Bred Only ... Psittacula eupatria Alexandrine parakeet-blue form Captive Bred Only

Vermont is an inverted-list state and the African grey falls through all three of its lists. 10 V.S.A. § 4709 bars bringing in, transporting or possessing any live wild bird or animal without authorization, and the Unrestricted Wild Animal List closes the loop by saying a species found on none of the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic lists is considered Restricted. the African grey is on none of them: the Unrestricted list's birds are the rock dove, the European buzzard, a run of estrildid finches and the canary, with no psittacine at all, and the Domestic Species List's psittacine section is a closed list of about thirty species that names the budgerigar, the cockatiel, the lovebirds, the rosellas, the conures and Psittacula, and stops. Restricted means a permit rather than a ban: Regulation 881 § 5.2 lets the Commissioner issue one for purposes other than research and education once it is determined that the bird "does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation", a discretionary call with no published standard. The Domestic list was published in August 2010, six years before the IUCN moved Psittacus erithacus to Endangered, so its absence is not a conservation judgment. It is one of the most commonly kept parrots in the country and Vermont has never listed it.

How this rule works: The third of Vermont's three lists. It is what makes the domestic cat, the dog, the ferret and the domestic rabbit lawful in a state where anything unlisted is Restricted. Its bird section is a closed list of about thirty psittacines, every one marked Captive Bred Only, and it decides the parrot cells: budgerigar, cockatiel, lovebirds, rosellas and Psittacula are on it, and Cacatua, Psittacus and Myiopsitta are not.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

No crocodilian is on any of Vermont's three lists, so an alligator is restricted by absence. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

No bear is on any list, so it is Restricted by default. It is also a Vermont native, and 10 V.S.A. § 4709 bars possessing a live wild animal without authorization. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

No canid appears on the Unrestricted list, so the arctic fox is Restricted by default. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

No otter is on any list; the only mustelid Vermont clears is the European ferret, on the Domestic list. CITES Appendix I since 2019 governs international trade separately. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Restricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Amphibians | Caudata | Ambystomatidae | Ambystoma | all species | Mole salamanders

Salamanders and newts are unrestricted as a group, and then the entire genus Ambystoma is clawed back, which catches the axolotl even though it is a laboratory and pet animal that has not existed in the wild in any meaningful way for decades. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The appendix the Unrestricted list keeps pointing at. Headed: species below are exceptions to Unrestricted Wild Animal List status and require an importation and possession permit. It matters because several families are unrestricted as a whole and then clawed back species by species here, which is how Vermont ends up allowing a ball python and not a Burmese, a California kingsnake and not an eastern milk snake.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The Unrestricted list's only marsupials are the feathertail glider and the sugar glider, so a wallaby is restricted by absence. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The only cats on the Unrestricted list are wild and domestic hybrids of the fourth generation or later, so a bobcat is Restricted by default. It is also a Vermont native, and 10 V.S.A. § 4709 bars possessing a live wild animal without authorization. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The box turtle is on neither the Unrestricted nor the Restricted list, and Vermont treats that absence as a restriction rather than a gap. Only three chelonians are unrestricted in Vermont, the southern painted turtle and two tortoises, all captive bred only. Terrapene is on neither list. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Restricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Squamata | Serpentes | Boidae | Python | molurus | Indian/Burmese python

Named on the Restricted list, which uses the older taxonomy: the Burmese python was Python molurus bivittatus before being raised to Python bivittatus, and the list's common name column says Indian/Burmese outright, so the species is covered. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused. Federally, the Burmese python has been injurious wildlife under the Lacey Act since 2012 (50 CFR 16.15(a)), which bars importing one into the country or shipping one to Hawaii or a territory; USARK v. Zinke (D.C. Cir. 2017) held it does not bar shipment between the continental states.

How this rule works: The appendix the Unrestricted list keeps pointing at. Headed: species below are exceptions to Unrestricted Wild Animal List status and require an importation and possession permit. It matters because several families are unrestricted as a whole and then clawed back species by species here, which is how Vermont ends up allowing a ball python and not a Burmese, a California kingsnake and not an eastern milk snake.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

A wild felid on no list, so Restricted by default. The Canada lynx is also a Vermont native and federally threatened. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

Vermont's Unrestricted list carries only late-generation cat hybrids, two gliders, a run of pet rodents and the African pygmy hedgehog among mammals, and the Domestic list's mammals are livestock, two deer, the dog, the cat, the ferret and the rabbit. A capuchin is on none of the three lists, and Vermont treats that absence as a restriction. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The capybara is on neither the Unrestricted nor the Restricted list, and Vermont treats absence as a restriction. The rodents it does allow are a specific set: guinea pigs, chinchillas, agoutis, degus, hamsters, gerbils, spiny mice, kangaroo rats and domesticated mice and rats. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused. Resolved from a previous unclear entry now that the list is in hand.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The Unrestricted list clears boas and pythons and colubrids, and no elapid, so a cobra is restricted by absence. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused. The king cobra and the Asian Naja species are on CITES Appendix II, which governs import and export, not keeping.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Vermont Domestic Species List, August 2010; Regulation 881 § 5.2; 10 V.S.A. § 4709

Birds Psittaciformes Psittacidae Nymphicus hollandicus Cockatiel Captive Bred Only

Vermont is an inverted-list state and the cockatoo falls through all three of its lists. 10 V.S.A. § 4709 bars bringing in, transporting or possessing any live wild bird or animal without authorization, and the Unrestricted Wild Animal List closes the loop by saying a species found on none of the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic lists is considered Restricted. the cockatoo is on none of them: the Unrestricted list's birds are the rock dove, the European buzzard, a run of estrildid finches and the canary, with no psittacine at all, and the Domestic Species List's psittacine section is a closed list of about thirty species that names the budgerigar, the cockatiel, the lovebirds, the rosellas, the conures and Psittacula, and stops. Restricted means a permit rather than a ban: Regulation 881 § 5.2 lets the Commissioner issue one for purposes other than research and education once it is determined that the bird "does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation", a discretionary call with no published standard. This entry read unclear because the Domestic Species List could not be read; it can be now. The list does carry one cacatuid, the cockatiel, Nymphicus hollandicus, which is in the same family as the cockatoos and is the bird people most often assume settles the question. No Cacatua appears anywhere. So Vermont allows the cockatiel without a permit and the cockatoo only with one, off a list that names each species individually.

How this rule works: The third of Vermont's three lists. It is what makes the domestic cat, the dog, the ferret and the domestic rabbit lawful in a state where anything unlisted is Restricted. Its bird section is a closed list of about thirty psittacines, every one marked Captive Bred Only, and it decides the parrot cells: budgerigar, cockatiel, lovebirds, rosellas and Psittacula are on it, and Cacatua, Psittacus and Myiopsitta are not.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

Vermont's Unrestricted list carries only late-generation cat hybrids, two gliders, a run of pet rodents and the African pygmy hedgehog among mammals, and the Domestic list's mammals are livestock, two deer, the dog, the cat and the ferret. A marmoset is on none of the three lists, and Vermont treats that absence as a restriction. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The only cats on the Unrestricted list are wild and domestic hybrids of the fourth generation or later, so a cougar is restricted by absence. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused. Federally, the Big Cat Public Safety Act of 2022 (16 U.S.C. § 3372(e)) bars any person outside a licensed exhibitor, sanctuary or state institution from breeding or possessing a cougar unless the animal was born before December 20, 2022, and registered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service within 180 days, so no new pet is lawful anywhere in the country whatever the state rule says. The Florida panther subspecies is also endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

No squirrel is on any of Vermont's three lists; the Unrestricted list's rodents are pet species. The gray squirrel is also a Vermont native, so taking one from the wild is a separate question under the Fish and Wildlife statutes. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The fennec fox is on neither the Unrestricted nor the Restricted list, and Vermont treats that absence as a restriction rather than a gap. No canid of any kind appears on the Unrestricted list. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

10 V.S.A. § 4709, Reg. 881 § 5.2

the Commissioner shall not issue a permit unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation

Vermont bars bringing in, transporting, or possessing any live wild bird or animal without authorization, and no flying squirrel is on the Unrestricted, Restricted or Domestic list, which makes it restricted by default. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: Closed list. § 4709 bars bringing in, transporting or possessing any live wild bird or animal without authorization. Reg 881 § 4.1 requires a permit unless the species is designated domestic, a domestic pet, or unrestricted. § 5.2 bars a permit 'except for bona fide scientific or educational purposes' and then opens one for any other purpose: 'the Commissioner shall not issue a permit unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation'. That second sentence is a discretionary personal permit, not a bar. The Unrestricted Wild Animals List is maintained separately on the department website and was not obtainable.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Restricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Squamata | Serpentes | Colubridae | Thamnophis | all species | Garter snakes, ribbon snakes

Resolved from a previous unclear entry now that the lists are in hand. Colubrids are unrestricted as a family and then the entire genus Thamnophis is clawed back on the Restricted list, so every garter snake and ribbon snake is restricted. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The appendix the Unrestricted list keeps pointing at. Headed: species below are exceptions to Unrestricted Wild Animal List status and require an importation and possession permit. It matters because several families are unrestricted as a whole and then clawed back species by species here, which is how Vermont ends up allowing a ball python and not a Burmese, a California kingsnake and not an eastern milk snake.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Restricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Reptiles | Squamata | Serpentes | Boidae | Eunectes | all species | Anacondas

The Unrestricted list clears all boas and pythons except those named on the Restricted list, and every anaconda is named there. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused. Federally, the green anaconda has been injurious wildlife under the Lacey Act since 2015 (50 CFR 16.15(a)), which bars importing one into the country or shipping one to Hawaii or a territory; USARK v. Zinke (D.C. Cir. 2017) held it does not bar shipment between the continental states.

How this rule works: The appendix the Unrestricted list keeps pointing at. Headed: species below are exceptions to Unrestricted Wild Animal List status and require an importation and possession permit. It matters because several families are unrestricted as a whole and then clawed back species by species here, which is how Vermont ends up allowing a ball python and not a Burmese, a California kingsnake and not an eastern milk snake.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The green iguana is on neither the Unrestricted nor the Restricted list, and Vermont treats that absence as a restriction rather than a gap. Vermont's Unrestricted list works through the lizard families one at a time, agamids, chameleons, geckos, skinks, teiids, anguids, lacertids, four named monitors and four iguanian families, and Iguanidae is not among them. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The kinkajou is on none of the three lists, so the Unrestricted list's closing line makes it Restricted. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The only cats on the Unrestricted list are wild and domestic hybrids of the fourth generation or later, and the Domestic list has only Felis catus, so a lion is restricted by absence. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused. Federally, the Big Cat Public Safety Act of 2022 (16 U.S.C. § 3372(e)) bars any person outside a licensed exhibitor, sanctuary or state institution from breeding or possessing a lion unless the animal was born before December 20, 2022, and registered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service within 180 days, so no new pet is lawful anywhere in the country whatever the state rule says.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The Nile monitor is on neither the Unrestricted nor the Restricted list, and Vermont treats that absence as a restriction rather than a gap. Only four small monitors are unrestricted by name and the Nile is not among them, which is unsurprising given it is the largest of the group. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The prairie dog is on neither the Unrestricted nor the Restricted list, and Vermont treats absence as a restriction. The rodents it does allow are a specific set: guinea pigs, chinchillas, agoutis, degus, hamsters, gerbils, spiny mice, kangaroo rats and domesticated mice and rats. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused. Resolved from a previous unclear entry now that the list is in hand.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Vermont Domestic Species List, August 2010; Regulation 881 § 5.2; 10 V.S.A. § 4709

Birds Psittaciformes Psittacidae Melopsittacus undulatus Budgerigar Captive Bred Only ... Nymphicus hollandicus Cockatiel Captive Bred Only ... Psittacula krameri manillensis Indian ringneck parakeet Captive Bred Only

Vermont is an inverted-list state and the quaker parakeet falls through all three of its lists. 10 V.S.A. § 4709 bars bringing in, transporting or possessing any live wild bird or animal without authorization, and the Unrestricted Wild Animal List closes the loop by saying a species found on none of the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic lists is considered Restricted. the quaker parakeet is on none of them: the Unrestricted list's birds are the rock dove, the European buzzard, a run of estrildid finches and the canary, with no psittacine at all, and the Domestic Species List's psittacine section is a closed list of about thirty species that names the budgerigar, the cockatiel, the lovebirds, the rosellas, the conures and Psittacula, and stops. Restricted means a permit rather than a ban: Regulation 881 § 5.2 lets the Commissioner issue one for purposes other than research and education once it is determined that the bird "does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation", a discretionary call with no published standard. Worth noting how differently Vermont arrives here from the states that ban this bird outright. California, Connecticut, Georgia and Kentucky name Myiopsitta because it is an agricultural pest that builds nests on power infrastructure. Vermont names nothing: the quaker needs a permit for the same reason a Nile monitor does, which is that nobody put it on a list.

How this rule works: The third of Vermont's three lists. It is what makes the domestic cat, the dog, the ferret and the domestic rabbit lawful in a state where anything unlisted is Restricted. Its bird section is a closed list of about thirty psittacines, every one marked Captive Bred Only, and it decides the parrot cells: budgerigar, cockatiel, lovebirds, rosellas and Psittacula are on it, and Cacatua, Psittacus and Myiopsitta are not.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The raccoon is on none of Vermont's three lists; the only carnivores on the Domestic list are the dog, the cat and the European ferret, and the Unrestricted list's only carnivores are late-generation cat hybrids. It is also a Vermont native, and 10 V.S.A. § 4709 bars possessing a live wild animal without authorization. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The Unrestricted list clears boas and pythons and colubrids, each except named species, and no viper family, so every rattlesnake, native or not, is restricted by absence. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

No canid of any kind appears on the Unrestricted list, so the red fox is Restricted by default, the fennec fox's position. It is also a Vermont native, and 10 V.S.A. § 4709 bars possessing a live wild animal without authorization. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Restricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Reptiles | Squamata | Serpentes | Boidae | Python | reticulatus | Reticulated python

The Unrestricted list clears all boas and pythons except those named on the Restricted list, and the reticulated python is named there, beside the Burmese and both African rock pythons. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused. Federally, the reticulated python has been injurious wildlife under the Lacey Act since 2015 (50 CFR 16.15(a)), which bars importing one into the country or shipping one to Hawaii or a territory; USARK v. Zinke (D.C. Cir. 2017) held it does not bar shipment between the continental states.

How this rule works: The appendix the Unrestricted list keeps pointing at. Headed: species below are exceptions to Unrestricted Wild Animal List status and require an importation and possession permit. It matters because several families are unrestricted as a whole and then clawed back species by species here, which is how Vermont ends up allowing a ball python and not a Burmese, a California kingsnake and not an eastern milk snake.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

Vermont's Unrestricted list carries only late-generation cat hybrids, two gliders, a run of pet rodents and the African pygmy hedgehog among mammals, and the Domestic list's mammals are livestock, two deer, the dog, the cat and the ferret. A lemur is on none of the three lists, and Vermont treats that absence as a restriction. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused. Lemur catta is on CITES Appendix I, which bars commercial international trade, so a pet lemur here can only come from captive breeding inside the country, and the whole family Lemuridae is listed endangered under the Endangered Species Act (50 CFR 17.11).

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The serval is on neither the Unrestricted nor the Restricted list, and Vermont treats that absence as a restriction rather than a gap. The only cats on the Unrestricted list are wild-domestic hybrids of the fourth generation or later. A serval is not a hybrid. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The snapping turtle is on neither the Unrestricted nor the Restricted list, and Vermont treats that absence as a restriction rather than a gap. Chelydra is on neither list, so despite being native to Vermont it cannot be kept. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

No crocodilian is on any of Vermont's three lists, so a caiman is restricted by absence. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

Vermont's Unrestricted list carries only late-generation cat hybrids, two gliders, a run of pet rodents and the African pygmy hedgehog among mammals, and the Domestic list's mammals are livestock, two deer, the dog, the cat and the ferret. A squirrel monkey is on none of the three lists, and Vermont treats that absence as a restriction. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

No skunk is on the Unrestricted or Domestic list, so it is Restricted by default. It is also a Vermont native, and 10 V.S.A. § 4709 bars possessing a live wild animal without authorization. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The sulcata is on neither the Unrestricted nor the Restricted list, and Vermont treats that absence as a restriction rather than a gap. The two tortoises Vermont does allow are the Russian and the red-footed. The sulcata appears on neither list under Centrochelys or its older name Geochelone sulcata. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The only cats on the Unrestricted list are wild and domestic hybrids of the fourth generation or later, and the Domestic list has only Felis catus, so a tiger is restricted by absence. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused. Federally, the Big Cat Public Safety Act of 2022 (16 U.S.C. § 3372(e)) bars any person outside a licensed exhibitor, sanctuary or state institution from breeding or possessing a tiger unless the animal was born before December 20, 2022, and registered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service within 180 days, so no new pet is lawful anywhere in the country whatever the state rule says.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Restricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Amphibians | Caudata | Ambystomatidae | Ambystoma | all species | Mole salamanders

The whole genus is on the Restricted list, so both the eastern tiger salamander and the barred tiger salamander sold in the trade are caught. Unlike Pennsylvania and Michigan, the species being native or not makes no difference here. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The appendix the Unrestricted list keeps pointing at. Headed: species below are exceptions to Unrestricted Wild Animal List status and require an importation and possession permit. It matters because several families are unrestricted as a whole and then clawed back species by species here, which is how Vermont ends up allowing a ball python and not a Burmese, a California kingsnake and not an eastern milk snake.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

No sloth is on any of Vermont's three lists, so it is restricted by absence. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The Unrestricted list's only marsupials are the feathertail glider and the sugar glider, so the opossum is restricted by absence. It is also a Vermont native. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The coati is on none of the three lists, so it is Restricted by default. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025, and Regulation 881 § 5.2

Species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted.

The Domestic list names two deer, the European red deer and the fallow deer, and not the white-tailed deer, which is on neither of the other lists either. It is also Vermont's native game deer. Captive cervid and disease rules were not read here. Restricted means a permit, and Regulation 881 § 5.2 leaves one open to a private keeper: for purposes other than research and education, the Commissioner shall not issue a permit "unless it has been determined that the wild animal or wildlife proposed to be brought into or possessed in the state does not conflict with the purpose of this regulation". That purpose is protecting wild and domestic animals, agriculture and livestock, and human health and safety, and the determination is the Commissioner's, case by case, with no published standard, so an application can be refused.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025

Carnivora | Feliformia | Felidae | All wild-domestic hybrid cats of F4 generation or greater

Vermont draws the line by generation, which is unusually precise. An F4 or later Bengal is unrestricted. An earlier generation animal is on no list and therefore restricted, and the permit that would cover it issues to a private keeper only on the Commissioner's discretionary finding, under Regulation 881 § 5.2, that the animal does not conflict with the regulation's purpose. Ask the breeder for the filial generation before you buy, because it is the whole answer here.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025

Erinaceomorpha | Erinaceidae | Atelerix | albiventris | African pygmy hedgehog (U.S. Captive Bred Only)

Resolved. The previous entry was left unclear because the Unrestricted list could not be obtained; it is now in hand and the African pygmy hedgehog is on it by name. The condition is the U.S. Captive Bred Only marker, which requires a statement of origin or a certificate of veterinary inspection identifying the business of origin. A wild-caught or foreign-bred hedgehog does not qualify.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025

Squamata | Serpentes | Colubridae | Lampropeltis | triangulum traingulum | Eastern milk snake

The condition is which milk snake. Colubrids are unrestricted as a family, and then the Restricted list claws back the eastern milk snake specifically, Vermont's own native subspecies. The Honduran, Pueblan and Nelson's milk snakes that fill the pet trade are other subspecies of Lampropeltis triangulum and are not named, so they stay unrestricted. The official list misspells the subspecies as traingulum.

How this rule works: The appendix the Unrestricted list keeps pointing at. Headed: species below are exceptions to Unrestricted Wild Animal List status and require an importation and possession permit. It matters because several families are unrestricted as a whole and then clawed back species by species here, which is how Vermont ends up allowing a ball python and not a Burmese, a California kingsnake and not an eastern milk snake.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025

Testudines | Testudinidae | Geochelone | carbonaria | Red-footed tortoise (Captive Bred Only)

Unrestricted under its older name Geochelone carbonaria, now Chelonoidis carbonarius, and subject to the same Captive Bred Only condition, which requires a statement of origin or certificate of veterinary inspection on import. Only three chelonians are on the whole Unrestricted list, so this is a narrow permission.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025

Testudines | Testudinidae | Testudo/Agrionemys | horsfieldii | Russian tortoise (Captive Bred Only)

Named to the species and unrestricted, but the Captive Bred Only marker is a real condition rather than a footnote. The list requires captive bred animals to arrive with a statement of origin or a certificate of veterinary inspection identifying the business of origin and the number of animals imported.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.

Unrestricted Wild Animal List, July 2025

Carnivora | Feliformia | Felidae | All wild-domestic hybrid cats of F4 generation or greater

Vermont writes the generation line into the list itself, and it applies to every wild and domestic cat hybrid alike, so the Savannah gets exactly the Bengal's answer. An F4 or later Savannah is unrestricted. An F1 to F3 is on no list, which the list's closing line makes restricted, so an early-generation Savannah needs an Importation and Possession Permit, which Regulation 881 § 5.2 lets the Commissioner issue to a private keeper only on a discretionary finding that the animal does not conflict with the regulation's purpose. Ask the breeder for the filial generation in writing.

How this rule works: The list the whole Vermont answer turns on. Anything on it may be kept with no permit. Its closing line is the important part: species not found on the Restricted, Unrestricted or Domestic species lists are considered Restricted, which makes Vermont an inverted-list state like Hawaii. Several entries are marked Captive Bred Only, which is a real condition rather than a note.

Checked against the published text on October 1, 2026.