You can keep a pet raccoon in Tennessee, but only if you get a Class II Wildlife Possession Permit from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) before you bring the animal home, and only if the raccoon comes from a licensed breeder. Taking one from the wild is illegal, and there’s a serious catch most guides skip: no rabies vaccine is approved for raccoons, so a single bite incident can end with your pet euthanized for testing.
The Permit You Need
Raccoons are native to Tennessee, which puts them in Class II under TWRA rules. Any native species not specifically placed in another class is automatically Class II.1Legal Information Institute. Tennessee Code 1660-01-18-.03 – Classes of Wildlife No one can legally possess a Class II animal without first obtaining a Wildlife Possession Permit for Class II Animals.2Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Wildlife Permits Available
The application is Form WR-0548, available on the TWRA website.3Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Wildlife Possession Permit Application Class II Animals It asks for your name, date of birth, mailing address, the species you want to keep, and the name and address of the source where you plan to obtain the animal. You must submit the completed application and receive approval before taking possession.
A note on things Class II owners often assume apply but don’t: the Class II form does not require a facility inspection report before issuance, and the 21-year-old age minimum in Tennessee Code 70-4-404 applies to Class I wildlife, not Class II.4Justia. Tennessee Code 70-4-404 – Permits – Fees TWRA officers can still inspect your setup, so meeting the housing standards from day one isn’t optional.
Renewal
Class II permits are generally valid for twelve months from the date of issuance.5Tennessee Secretary of State. Tennessee Rule 1660-01-28 – License and Permit Regulations Plan on renewing every year for the animal’s entire life, which in captivity can run 15 to 20 years.
Where the Raccoon Has to Come From
Taking a raccoon from the wild to keep as a pet is illegal in Tennessee. TWRA states this directly on its raccoon page.6Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Raccoon Your raccoon must come from a licensed breeder or commercial propagator, and you’ll want to keep the purchase receipt as proof. Because the permit application requires you to list your source, TWRA can verify the animal was captive-bred.3Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Wildlife Possession Permit Application Class II Animals
Licensed raccoon breeders in Tennessee are scarce, and buying from out of state brings in federal rules. Any business transporting animals interstate for sale as pets falls under the federal Animal Welfare Act and must register with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.7Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Transporting Animals in Commerce If you’re buying from an out-of-state breeder, confirm their USDA registration and that the import lines up with Tennessee’s permit rules.
Housing and Care Standards
Tennessee Code 70-4-405 sets the housing and care rules that apply to all captive wildlife, including raccoons.8Justia. Tennessee Code 70-4-405 – Housing and Transportation of Wildlife The core requirements:
- Enclosures must be strong enough to prevent escape and protect the animal from injury. An escape is automatically treated as maintaining wildlife in an unsafe manner, which is a violation on its own.
- Fecal and food waste must be removed from cages daily. Hard floors must be scrubbed and disinfected weekly. Dirt-floored pens must be raked every three days.
- Clean drinking water daily in clean containers, and food that’s unspoiled and uncontaminated.
- No nails or sharp protrusions inside the enclosure.
If TWRA finds housing that’s dangerously unsafe, the agency can seize the animal and place it in an approved facility at your expense.8Justia. Tennessee Code 70-4-405 – Housing and Transportation of Wildlife The heavier requirements you may see referenced online, like perimeter fencing and double safety doors, apply only to Class I wildlife under subsection (g) of the same statute.
The Rabies Problem
No rabies vaccine is licensed for use in raccoons. Even if a veterinarian vaccinates your raccoon off-label, Tennessee public health authorities will treat the animal as unvaccinated if it ever bites or scratches someone.9Tennessee Department of Health. Tennessee Rabies Manual
Under Tennessee’s rabies protocol, raccoons are classified as wild carnivores regardless of whether they were captive-bred. If your raccoon bites a person, the exposed person should start post-exposure prophylaxis immediately, and public health guidelines call for testing the animal. Rabies testing requires euthanizing the raccoon and examining its brain tissue.9Tennessee Department of Health. Tennessee Rabies Manual There is no quarantine-and-observe option for raccoons the way there is for dogs and cats.
Raccoons also become more territorial and aggressive at sexual maturity, which makes bite incidents a realistic concern rather than a remote one. TWRA itself warns that raccoons do not make good pets and can carry diseases and parasites.6Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Raccoon One bite, one visit to the emergency room, and you could be looking at a dead pet and a bite victim going through an expensive rabies injection series.
Local Rules Can Still Block You
A TWRA permit handles state law but doesn’t override local ordinances. Cities and counties in Tennessee can pass their own animal control rules, and some restrict the types of animals allowed in residential zones. A state wildlife permit will not exempt you from a local ban. Call your city or county animal control office before you start the permit process.
Penalties for Illegal Possession
Possessing a raccoon without a permit, or taking one from the wild, is a Class A misdemeanor under Tennessee Code 70-4-201.10Justia. Tennessee Code 70-4-201 – Possession of or Traffic in Protected Wildlife Illegal – Exception – Penalty A Class A misdemeanor in Tennessee carries up to 11 months and 29 days in jail, a fine of up to $2,500, or both.11Justia. Tennessee Code 40-35-111 – Authorized Terms of Imprisonment and Fines for Misdemeanors and Felonies
If the wildlife involved is valued at $500 or more, the offense becomes a Class E felony, punishable by one to six years in prison and a fine of up to $3,000.10Justia. Tennessee Code 70-4-201 – Possession of or Traffic in Protected Wildlife Illegal – Exception – Penalty11Justia. Tennessee Code 40-35-111 – Authorized Terms of Imprisonment and Fines for Misdemeanors and Felonies Captive-bred raccoons from licensed breeders often sell for several hundred dollars or more, so the felony threshold isn’t far off.