You can own a raccoon in Missouri, but only through a narrow legal path: the animal must be captive-born and purchased from a licensed Missouri breeder, you must hold a Wildlife Hobby Permit before taking possession, your enclosure has to meet state specifications, and your city or county must not ban exotic animals. The Missouri Department of Conservation has publicly described keeping native wildlife as pets as “generally illegal,” and in practice most people who try to do this hit a wall at one of those steps.
The Permit You Need
Raccoons are listed as Class I wildlife on Missouri’s Approved Confined Wildlife Species List.1Cornell Law Institute. Missouri Code of State Regulations 3 CSR 10-9.105 – General Provisions For personal ownership rather than a breeding operation, the relevant authorization is the Wildlife Hobby Permit.2Missouri Secretary of State. 3 CSR 10-9 – Department of Conservation Wildlife Code
The Wildlife Hobby Permit lets you keep one game mammal purchased from a Missouri wildlife breeder, along with limited numbers of certain birds. You have to obtain the permit before you take possession of the animal, and you must be able to show proof the raccoon was legally obtained from a licensed source. The permit excludes Class II wildlife, hoofed mammals, and skunks; raccoons sit outside those excluded groups.3Legal Information Institute. Missouri Code 3 CSR 10-9.420 – Wildlife Hobby Permit
The MDC lists the application on its confined wildlife permits page, and it has historically been submitted by mail to the department’s commercial permits office in Jefferson City.4Missouri Department of Conservation. Application for Wildlife Hobby Permit The hobby permit regulations were amended effective January 1, 2026, so contact the MDC directly to confirm the current fee and process before you apply.
Where the Raccoon Has to Come From
You cannot trap a raccoon in your backyard and keep it. Missouri’s general rule allowing residents to take up to five live specimens of certain native wildlife without a permit specifically excludes the categories in 3 CSR 10-4.110(4), which covers game mammals and furbearers.5Justia Law. Missouri 3 CSR 10-9.110 – General Prohibition; Applications Raccoons are classified as furbearers, so wild capture is off the table regardless of whether you hold a hobby permit.6Missouri Secretary of State. 3 CSR 10-4 – Department of Conservation
You also cannot bring one in from another state. The Wildlife Code prohibits importing live raccoons into Missouri, listing them alongside deer, foxes, and coyotes, and a separate provision bars nonresidents from shipping raccoons to Missouri breeders.2Missouri Secretary of State. 3 CSR 10-9 – Department of Conservation Wildlife Code Buying one online from an out-of-state breeder and having it shipped in violates the import ban.
That leaves one lawful source: a breeder operating in Missouri under a valid Class I Wildlife Breeder Permit. Keep the bill of sale. Without documentation showing the raccoon was captive-born and legally acquired, you have no way to demonstrate lawful possession when a conservation agent asks.
Enclosure Requirements
The Wildlife Code sets specific minimums for raccoon enclosures:2Missouri Secretary of State. 3 CSR 10-9 – Department of Conservation Wildlife Code
- 24 square feet of floor space per enclosure
- An additional 6 square feet for each raccoon beyond the first
- Minimum height of 5 feet
- A covered top
- Construction well-braced, securely fastened, and strong enough to prevent escape
Clean drinking water must be available at all times. The animal has to be fed daily with a diet appropriate to its species, age, and condition. Waste must be removed daily, and any bedding has to be cleaned and replaced every two weeks. You also have to provide shelter from bad weather and shade or overhead cover during warm months.2Missouri Secretary of State. 3 CSR 10-9 – Department of Conservation Wildlife Code
If the raccoon escapes, you must report it to a conservation agent immediately. Raccoons are intelligent and dexterous. They open latches and squeeze through gaps. Building something that actually holds one takes more than meeting the minimum dimensions on paper.
Your City or County May Ban It Anyway
A state permit does not override local law. Many Missouri cities and counties ban wild or exotic animal ownership in residential zones through zoning codes or animal control ordinances, and those local bans apply even when your state paperwork is in order. Call your city clerk or local animal control office before you spend money on an enclosure or contact a breeder. A violation can mean fines and forced removal of the animal.
The Health and Veterinary Problem
No Approved Rabies Vaccine
No rabies vaccine is federally approved for use in raccoons.7Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). National Rabies Management Program Overview The oral vaccines USDA Wildlife Services distributes in the wild are part of a population-level program, not something your vet can give your pet. Some exotic animal veterinarians will administer a dog or cat rabies vaccine off-label, but that vaccination carries no legal recognition, and the CDC states that an animal’s vaccination history “may not preclude euthanasia and testing” after a bite or scratch.8Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Information for Veterinarians
If your raccoon bites or scratches someone, your local health department will get involved, and the decision about euthanizing the animal for rabies testing depends on circumstances and local epidemiology. There is no vaccinated-pet quarantine pathway the way there is for dogs and cats.
Baylisascaris Roundworm
Raccoons are the primary host of Baylisascaris procyonis, a roundworm parasite that can cause severe and sometimes fatal disease in humans. Infected raccoons shed millions of eggs daily in their feces; the eggs become infectious within weeks and can persist in the environment for years. Larvae that migrate to the brain, eyes, or other organs can cause neurological damage, cognitive impairment, vision loss, and death. The CDC explicitly warns against keeping raccoons as pets for this reason.9Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Baylisascariasis (Raccoon Roundworm Infection) in Two Unrelated Cases
Finding Care
Most veterinary clinics will not treat raccoons. You need an exotic animal vet willing to see wildlife, and even among exotic vets, raccoons are not universally accepted patients. Expect to pay more and drive farther than you would for a dog or cat. Captive raccoons can live 10 to 15 years, so this is a long-term cost to budget for before you commit.
Penalties If You Get It Wrong
Possessing wildlife outside the manner permitted by the Wildlife Code is a misdemeanor. A conservation agent, sheriff, or deputy can confiscate the animal on the spot. Most wildlife regulation violations are Class B misdemeanors. Violations involving the sale of illegally taken wildlife escalate: a sale under $500 is a Class A misdemeanor on a first offense and a Class E felony on later offenses, and sales of $500 or more are a Class D felony on the first offense.
Federal law adds another layer. The Lacey Act prohibits importing, exporting, transporting, selling, or acquiring any wildlife taken or possessed in violation of state law, and federal courts have confirmed that captive-bred animals still count as “wildlife” under the Act. Bringing a raccoon into Missouri in violation of the state import ban, or moving an illegally possessed raccoon across any state line for any reason, can trigger federal charges on top of the state misdemeanor. The transport does not have to be commercial; moving a pet across state lines is enough.10Congress.gov. The Lacey Act Two-Step