Yes, you can own a possum in Illinois, but only if you first obtain a fur-bearing mammal breeder permit from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The permit costs $25 a year, and it is required of anyone who holds a live Virginia opossum, not just people running a breeding operation. Without it, keeping an opossum is a criminal violation of the Illinois Wildlife Code.
The Permit You Need
The Illinois Wildlife Code classifies the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) as a fur-bearing mammal.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 520 ILCS 5/2.2 – Wildlife Protected by This Act That classification controls everything else. The one legal route to possessing a live opossum runs through 520 ILCS 5/3.25, the fur-bearing mammal breeder permit.
Despite the name, the permit is not limited to commercial breeders. The statute requires it of anyone who “holds, possesses or engages in the breeding or raising” of live fur-bearing mammals. One opossum kept as a pet still needs it. Once issued, the permit lets you hold, breed, sell, and commercially exhibit fur-bearing mammals year-round, and import them from out of state if you meet the DNR’s health and disease-prevention requirements.2Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 520 ILCS 5/3.25 – Fur-Bearing Mammal Breeder Permit
How to Buy It and When It Expires
The permit costs $25 per year and expires on March 31 no matter when you buy it.2Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 520 ILCS 5/3.25 – Fur-Bearing Mammal Breeder Permit A permit bought in January has to be renewed just two months later, so timing your purchase around the April start of the permit year will save you a renewal fee.
You can buy the permit online through the DNR website or over the counter anywhere Illinois hunting and fishing licenses are sold.3Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Commercial Licenses
Where Your Opossum Has to Come From
You cannot catch a wild opossum and keep it, even with the permit. The statute spells out that no permit holder has authority to take fur-bearing mammals in their wild state.2Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 520 ILCS 5/3.25 – Fur-Bearing Mammal Breeder Permit Your opossum must come from a licensed breeder or another lawful source, and you need paperwork to prove it. If you cannot document where the animal came from, enforcement officers can treat it as contraband.
Records You Must Keep
The permit comes with recordkeeping obligations that catch many pet owners by surprise. You have to maintain records for at least two years from the date you acquire, sell, or transfer any live fur-bearing mammal or its hide. Each entry must show the date of the transaction and the name and address of everyone involved.2Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 520 ILCS 5/3.25 – Fur-Bearing Mammal Breeder Permit
On request, you also have to produce a certificate of purchase showing the number and type of animals, the breeder’s permit number, and anything else the DNR requires. Those records must be handed over immediately when a DNR officer, sheriff, or any peace officer asks. If you cannot produce them, the law presumes the animal is contraband.2Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 520 ILCS 5/3.25 – Fur-Bearing Mammal Breeder Permit Keep the breeder’s paperwork in a folder you can grab quickly.
What Happens If You Skip the Permit
Possessing an opossum without the required permit violates Section 3.25, a Class B misdemeanor under the Wildlife Code’s penalty section.4Illinois General Assembly. 520 ILCS 5/3.5 – Penalties; Probation A Class B misdemeanor in Illinois carries up to six months in jail and a fine between $75 and $1,500.5Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-60 – Class B Misdemeanor
On top of the criminal penalty, a conviction for unlawfully possessing a protected species triggers a separate civil penalty tied to species values set by the Wildlife Code, and the animal itself can be seized and forfeited.
Your City or County Can Still Say No
A state permit does not override local law. Illinois Home Rule municipalities have broad authority to regulate for public health, safety, and welfare, and that includes restricting animal ownership beyond what state law requires. Any municipality over 25,000 is automatically a Home Rule unit, and smaller ones can opt in by referendum. Many city and county ordinances categorize opossums as prohibited wildlife or nuisance animals, and a state fur-bearing mammal breeder permit will not protect you from a municipal citation, fine, or seizure.
Call your municipal clerk or local animal control before you buy the animal, and ask specifically whether your jurisdiction allows possession of fur-bearing mammals under a state breeder permit. Getting the answer in writing is worth the effort.
Found an Injured Opossum?
Finding a hurt opossum in your yard does not give you the right to keep it. Illinois issues separate wildlife rehabilitation permits to trained individuals and organizations authorized to care for injured native animals, and the DNR maintains a list of licensed rehabilitators by region. Your legal obligation is to contact a licensed rehabilitator or your local DNR office. Holding an injured wild opossum without a rehabilitation permit exposes you to the same Wildlife Code penalties as any other unauthorized possession.
Federal Rules
If you plan to exhibit your opossum to the public or sell animals, you may need a USDA Class C Exhibitor license or a Class A/B Dealer license under the Animal Welfare Act.6Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Apply for an Animal Welfare License or Registration The USDA exempts private collections that are not exhibited to the public, so a single opossum kept as a personal pet with no public display or sales generally does not require federal licensing.7USDA APHIS. Licensing and Registration Under the Animal Welfare Act
Practical Realities Before You Buy
Opossums carry a lower rabies risk than most people assume because their body temperature is poorly suited to the virus, though they can still carry other parasites and bacterial infections common to wildlife. Routine handling precautions and veterinary care still matter.
Finding a vet is harder than finding the animal. Most small-animal practices do not see exotic or wild patients, exotic emergency visits run well above standard pet care, and parts of Illinois have no exotic practitioner within easy driving distance. Sort out your vet before you commit to the animal.
Illinois extends strict liability for animal injuries beyond dogs, so you can be held financially responsible for any bite or injury your opossum causes regardless of whether you knew the animal had aggressive tendencies. Homeowner’s insurance policies frequently exclude exotic animals from liability coverage, which can leave you personally responsible for medical bills and damages if your opossum bites a guest.