Kangaroo leather is not illegal in most places. It’s legal to import, sell, and own at the U.S. federal level and throughout the European Union. The main exception is California, which makes it a misdemeanor to import, sell, or possess kangaroo products for commercial purposes. A federal bill introduced in 2025 would extend a ban nationwide, but it has not passed.
Where Kangaroo Leather Is Legal
At the U.S. federal level, kangaroo leather can be imported and sold. The three commercially harvested species — red kangaroos, eastern grey kangaroos, and western grey kangaroos — are not listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, so CITES permits are not required to bring them in. Only a few rare relatives, such as certain tree kangaroo species, carry CITES protections. Standard wildlife import declarations still apply, but there is no federal prohibition on possessing or selling the leather itself.
The European Union also allows kangaroo leather. The European Commission has confirmed that kangaroo products must meet EU food safety rules where those apply, but no animal welfare rules specific to kangaroos exist, because EU law treats them as wild animals and no harmonized welfare standard covers that category.1European Parliament. Notice to Members – Petition No 0047/2023 A petition to the European Parliament seeking an EU-wide import ban was not advanced by the Committee on Petitions. The Netherlands parliament passed a non-binding motion urging its government to push for an EU-level ban, and the Brussels-Capital Region has examined a draft ordinance covering that region, but none of this has changed the law.
California Bans Commercial Sales
California is the one U.S. state where kangaroo leather is clearly illegal to trade. Penal Code Section 653o makes it a misdemeanor to import for commercial purposes, possess with intent to sell, or sell any kangaroo product in the state. Each violation carries a fine of $1,000 to $5,000, up to six months in county jail, or both.2California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 653o
Section 653o has faced litigation. A 2023 federal court decision found parts of the statute preempted by federal law as applied to certain exotic animal products, but the law includes a severability clause: invalidating one species prohibition does not affect the others. The kangaroo provision remains on the books.
The California statute targets commercial activity specifically. Its language reaches importing for commercial purposes, possessing with intent to sell, and selling. Purely personal possession without any intent to sell sits in a gray area the statute doesn’t clearly cover.
Other States That Have Considered Bans
Several states have introduced legislation to ban kangaroo leather, but none outside California has enacted one.
New York’s Assembly Bill A3150 would prohibit importing, possessing with intent to sell, or selling any kangaroo skin or body product for commercial purposes. Proposed civil penalties run up to $1,000 for a first offense and $5,000 for each later violation.3New York State Senate. New York State Assembly Bill 2025-A3150 The bill remains in committee, and no existing New York law bans kangaroo leather.
Oregon introduced Senate Bill 764 in 2023, which never received a hearing. Connecticut’s House Bill 5113 from the same year stalled in committee. Legislative interest is spreading, but the enacted-law map still stops at California.
The Proposed Federal Ban
A federal bill could rewrite this picture. The Kangaroo Protection Act, introduced in the 119th Congress as H.R. 1992 in the House and S. 2162 in the Senate, would ban the sale, import, and manufacture of kangaroo skin products across the country. Penalties would reach $10,000 in fines and up to one year in prison per violation.4Congress.gov. H.R.1992 – Kangaroo Protection Act of 2025 As of mid-2025, both versions had been referred to committee and had not advanced further.5Congress.gov. S.2162 – Kangaroo Protection Act of 2025
If enacted, the federal bill’s maximums would run higher than California’s: double the top fine and a full year of possible prison time, compared with California’s six-month misdemeanor ceiling.
What This Means If You’re Buying or Selling
For an online buyer, the legal risk depends on where you are, not where the seller ships from. Kangaroo leather cleats shipped into California are illegal for a seller to offer commercially and illegal for a buyer to possess with intent to resell, even if the goods were legally made in Australia and legally sold in most other states. Outside California, no state currently bans them.
For businesses, the trend is toward more restriction rather than less. Several major athletic brands have voluntarily stopped using kangaroo leather in recent years. Bills that stall in one legislative session often come back the next, so sellers with customers in New York, Oregon, Connecticut, or other states weighing bans should watch those files.
Travelers carrying kangaroo leather goods through jurisdictions where the trade is restricted can run into complications, particularly with commercial quantities. Check the destination’s law before you pack.