You can own a raccoon in Pennsylvania, but only if the Pennsylvania Game Commission issues you an Exotic Wildlife Possession Permit first, and the bar for that permit is higher than most people expect. You need at least two years of documented hands-on experience with the species, a facility that meets state standards, and a lawful source for the animal. Each raccoon requires its own permit at $50 per year, and taking one from the wild is never allowed, no matter the circumstances.
What the Permit Requires
The Game Commission issues Exotic Wildlife Possession Permits under 34 Pa.C.S. § 2963. The permit lets the holder purchase, receive, or possess exotic wildlife from any lawful source inside or outside the state.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 34 Chapter 29 Section 2963 – Exotic Wildlife Possession Permits Raccoons fall inside the family Procyonidae, which state regulation lists among species that cannot be imported, possessed, sold, or released without authorization, whether wild-caught or captive-bred.2Legal Information Institute. 58 Pa Code 137.1 – Importation, Possession, Sale and Release of Certain Wildlife
To qualify, you must be at least 18 and a Pennsylvania resident.3Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Statutes Title 34 Game Section 2901 – Authority to Issue Permits New applicants also have to document at least two years of direct experience caring for, feeding, handling, and training the species they want to keep. That experience must come from a recognized facility, and the facility’s owner or manager has to provide a letter of reference.4Pennsylvania Bulletin. 58 Pa Code Chapter 147 – Special Permits The PGC won’t issue the permit until it is satisfied that your facility meets state standards for housing, animal care, and public safety, and your application must include a bill of sale identifying the supplier.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 34 Chapter 29 Section 2963 – Exotic Wildlife Possession Permits
The fee is $50 per animal, per year. Each raccoon needs its own permit.5Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 34 Chapter 29 Section 2904 – Permit Fees Applications go through the PGC. Allow several weeks, because the Commission reviews facility plans before approval.
The two-year experience requirement is where most inquiries end. Wanting a raccoon and applying next week is not a path that exists. The PGC expects verifiable work at a wildlife facility, zoo, or licensed operation before it will look at your paperwork.
Where the Raccoon Has to Come From
Even with the permit in hand, you cannot take a raccoon from the wild. Pennsylvania law makes it unlawful to possess live wildlife captured from a wild state within the Commonwealth.6Legal Information Institute. Pennsylvania Code 58 137.31 – Possession of Live Wildlife That prohibition holds regardless of circumstances. Picking up a seemingly orphaned kit, rescuing an injured adult, or trapping one on your own property are all illegal ways to acquire the animal.
Your raccoon has to come from a lawful source, which in practice means a breeder licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service requires anyone who breeds and sells regulated animals to hold an AWA dealer license.7APHIS. Apply for an Animal Welfare License or Registration Buying from an unlicensed source can trigger violations under state wildlife law and the federal Lacey Act, which makes it illegal to buy or transport wildlife taken or sold in violation of any state law.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 16 USC 3371 – Definitions
Housing Standards You Have to Meet
Pennsylvania’s enclosure rules for exotic wildlife under 58 Pa. Code § 147.244 are specific and enforceable. The enclosure must be covered at the top to prevent escape. Every cage needs a locking device and must be key-locked or padlocked. Bedding must be provided for the animal’s comfort and protection from weather, outside enclosures need a shield against direct sun, and if the local climate differs from the animal’s natural habitat, the holder must adjust conditions accordingly.9Pennsylvania Bulletin. 58 Pa Code 147.244 – Housing
Chaining, tethering, or otherwise restraining an animal from moving freely inside the enclosure is prohibited, facilities must remain sanitary, and failing to protect the public from an animal you possess is itself a regulatory violation.4Pennsylvania Bulletin. 58 Pa Code Chapter 147 – Special Permits The PGC can inspect at any time and can revoke your permit if conditions fall short. Raccoons are intelligent and dexterous, so an enclosure that works for a typical small animal often will not hold one. Plan on overbuilding.
The Rabies Problem
This is the piece most prospective owners skip. Raccoons are a primary rabies vector species in Pennsylvania, and raccoon rabies is established in the wild population.10Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Rabies – Game Commission
There is no USDA-approved injectable rabies vaccine for raccoons. The oral bait vaccine used by APHIS is meant for wild population management, not pets. Some exotic-animal veterinarians will give a canine or feline rabies vaccine off-label, but that vaccination carries no legal recognition. If your raccoon bites someone, health authorities will likely treat the animal as unvaccinated no matter what shots it has received.
In most rabies-exposure protocols, an unvaccinated animal that bites a person must be euthanized and tested. A dog or cat with current vaccination records can typically be quarantined and observed instead. A raccoon does not get that option. One bite could mean losing the animal, liability for the victim’s medical costs, and possible criminal exposure under the Game Code’s prohibition on failing to safeguard the public from exotic wildlife.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 34 Chapter 29 Section 2963 – Exotic Wildlife Possession Permits
What Happens if You Skip the Permit
Possessing a raccoon without a permit is a summary offense under the Game Code. Releasing one into the wild, failing to protect the public, or recklessly putting someone in danger of attack are also summary offenses, and each day of violation counts separately. Field citations are capped at $300, but a court can impose penalties with no cap.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 34 Chapter 29 Section 2963 – Exotic Wildlife Possession Permits
The PGC director can also revoke or suspend any permit and order you to dispose of the animal. “Disposal” means the agency decides what happens to the raccoon, and that is not a guarantee of placement at a sanctuary. In practice, a permit violation often means permanent loss of the animal and disqualification from future permits.
Insurance, Vet Care, and Daily Reality
Standard homeowners policies generally do not cover exotic animals. Many insurers exclude animal liability entirely, and those that cover pets often limit coverage to domesticated species. If your raccoon injures a visitor or escapes and damages a neighbor’s property, you could be personally liable for the full cost. Specialty exotic-animal liability coverage exists, but premiums reflect the risk. Get a written answer from your carrier before you commit.
Raccoons are not domesticated. Generations of captive breeding have not stripped the wild instincts that centuries of selective breeding shaped out of dogs and cats. Juveniles can be sociable, but most become increasingly aggressive and unpredictable around sexual maturity at roughly one year. They are destructive, strong for their size, and capable of opening latches, doors, and containers that stop most pets.
Veterinary care is its own barrier. Most small-animal vets do not treat raccoons, and the exotic-animal specialists who will see them charge significantly more. Identify a willing vet before you acquire the animal, not after an emergency. Between the permit fee, enclosure, specialized veterinary care, and diet, annual costs for a single raccoon can run well into four figures.