Tigers are among the most powerful animals on the planet, and it’s no surprise that many people are curious about what it would take to legally own one. If you live in Maine and have ever wondered whether a tiger could share your property, the short answer is no — and the legal framework behind that answer runs deeper than most people expect.
Maine sits at the intersection of two distinct sets of rules: its own state wildlife laws, which rank among the strictest in the country, and a federal law that effectively closed the door on new private tiger ownership nationwide. Understanding both layers matters whether you’re asking out of curiosity or researching what’s actually permitted for sanctuaries, research facilities, or exhibitors in the Pine Tree State.
Is It Legal to Own a Tiger in Maine?
No, it is not legal for a private individual to own a tiger in Maine. Maine’s laws regarding the possession of wildlife are among the strictest in the country, and the goal of these laws is to protect the interests of wildlife, the public, and the state’s natural resources. Tigers fall into the most restricted category under state rules, and no private possession permit is available for them.
Maine classifies wildlife into distinct categories — unrestricted species, restricted species, and prohibited species. No permit shall be granted for prohibited species, which the commissioner, in consultation with the captive wildlife technical committee, has determined pose a significant risk to Maine’s native flora and fauna, to the public welfare, or to domestic animals. Tigers, as large carnivores capable of inflicting lethal injury, fall squarely within that framework.
Even if you were somehow able to acquire a tiger from another state, bringing it into Maine would be a separate violation. You should not assume that animals for sale in other states, including those states adjacent to Maine, are lawful in Maine. Be wary of animals advertised for sale on the internet or in newspapers, as these animals may or may not be lawful at the point of origin but could be illegal to bring into Maine.
Important Note: Maine’s wildlife possession laws apply to all mammals regulated by the state, regardless of whether the animal is native to Maine or originates elsewhere in the world. Owning a tiger in another state and then moving to Maine does not create a legal right to keep the animal here.
What Federal Law Says About Tiger Ownership
Even before examining Maine’s own rules, federal law independently prohibits new private tiger ownership across the entire United States. The Big Cat Public Safety Act was enacted on December 20, 2022, to end the private ownership of big cats as pets and prohibit exhibitors from allowing public contact with big cats, including cubs. It placed new restrictions on the commerce, breeding, possession, and use of certain big cat species.
The tiger (Panthera tigris) is explicitly named in the law as a “prohibited wildlife species.” The Act makes it unlawful to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce, or in a manner substantially affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or breed or possess prohibited wildlife species — including lions, tigers, leopards, snow leopards, clouded leopards, jaguars, cheetahs, and cougars, or any hybrids thereof — with certain exceptions. You can learn more about the different types of tigers that fall under this federal protection.
A narrow grandfather clause existed for people who already owned big cats before December 20, 2022. In order to continue to legally possess privately owned big cats, the Act required individuals or entities to register any big cat(s) that were in their possession before the date of enactment with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), unless another exception applied. This registration had to occur no later than June 18, 2023, which was 180 days after the date of enactment. Registration is now closed. If you did not register a pre-existing tiger by that deadline, you are in violation of federal law regardless of your state’s rules.
The legislation requires federal permitting for all big cats, increasing oversight to reduce the risk of tiger parts from the US entering the illegal wildlife trade. The law makes it illegal to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire or purchase, breed or possess any big cat species unless the entity exhibits the big cats under a Class C license from the US Department of Agriculture and does not allow direct public contact or interactions. For context on how wide the tiger’s range once was before population pressures reduced wild numbers, see our overview of the tiger species as a whole.
Exemptions under the federal law are narrow and institutional in nature. The Lacey Act prohibits any person from importing, exporting, buying, selling, transporting, receiving, or acquiring big cats across state lines or the U.S. border; however, some exemptions are provided for certain entities, such as universities and wildlife sanctuaries.
Key Insight: The Big Cat Public Safety Act applies on top of — not instead of — state law. Even if a state had more permissive rules, the federal prohibition would still apply. In Maine’s case, both layers independently ban private tiger ownership.
Maine’s Laws on Owning a Tiger
Maine’s wildlife possession framework is built around Title 12 of the Maine Revised Statutes, specifically sections 12151 through 12161, along with the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s Chapter 7 regulations. Under the law, a person is prohibited from keeping wildlife in captivity, as well as importing, breeding, or releasing “wildlife,” except under a valid license. This prohibition applies primarily to private ownership.
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has statutory responsibility for all freshwater fish, reptiles and amphibians, birds, and mammals, regardless of whether they are native to Maine or occur elsewhere in the world. In some instances, such as species on the federal endangered or threatened species list, authority may be shared with the federal government or another Maine agency.
Maine’s captive wildlife rules divide species into four categories: unrestricted (no permit needed), Category 2 restricted (special housing required), Category 1 restricted (exhibitor or research permit only), and prohibited (no permit issued under any circumstances). Tigers belong to the most restrictive end of this spectrum. A species may be classified as prohibited if it is capable of inflicting serious bodily injury to humans, has unique requirements for housing or care that cannot be provided outside of professionally designed and operated facilities, or is included on the USFWS list of injurious species. Tigers meet multiple criteria on that list.
The only entities that can legally hold big cats in Maine at all are those operating under specific institutional permits — not private individuals. To possess a Category 1 Restricted Species, a person must acquire either an exhibitor’s or wildlife rehabilitator’s permit, or must be an accredited research facility or a laboratory registered with the United States Department of Agriculture. Private pet ownership does not qualify under any of these categories for a tiger. You can explore what the Bengal tiger looks like in detail, but owning one in Maine remains firmly off the table.
Permits and Requirements for Tiger Ownership in Maine
There is no permit pathway that allows a private individual in Maine to own a tiger as a pet. The state’s permit system was not designed to accommodate large, dangerous carnivores in residential or private settings. A permit is generally required for importation, possession, propagation, rehabilitation, and exhibition of wildlife in the state. But for tigers specifically, the permit categories that exist are restricted to institutions, not individuals.
For entities that do qualify — such as accredited zoos, research institutions, or licensed exhibitors — the requirements are substantial. Wildlife held in captivity must be confined, contained, controlled, and sheltered in such a way as to protect it, and to protect property of others and the health and safety of the public. Facilities holding potentially dangerous animals face additional physical barriers requirements.
The rules specifically provide that if a facility possesses potentially dangerous wildlife, barriers such as walls, fences, moats, or retaining walls shall be present to prevent the public from approaching or making contact with the wildlife. Signs must be posted on cages or enclosures, requesting that the public refrain from annoying the animals.
Permit holders also carry financial responsibility for any problems that arise. The permittee is responsible for all costs incurred by the state resulting from the escape or release of wildlife, or for the necessary confiscation of wildlife from the premises of the permittee. Permit renewal must occur before the expiration date; the department may assess a late fee of $25, in addition to the required permit fee, to a person who does not renew a permit prior to its expiration date.
| Who Can Legally Hold a Tiger in Maine | Permit Type Required | Private Pet Ownership Allowed? |
|---|---|---|
| Accredited zoos and exhibitors | Exhibitor’s permit + USDA Class C license | No |
| Wildlife rehabilitators | Wildlife rehabilitator’s permit | No |
| USDA-registered research facilities | Research/scientific collection permit | No |
| Private individuals | No permit available | No |
Local Laws That May Apply in Maine
State law sets the floor for wildlife regulation in Maine, but individual municipalities can go further. Some towns may have municipal ordinances which prohibit certain animals or which further regulate the keeping of animals that the Department otherwise allows. You should check with your city or town to comply with both state and local laws.
While your state may allow you to keep certain animals as pets, local laws can restrict ownership. State laws are frequently changing in response to concerns for public safety and animal well-being. You should always double-check for any new or proposed state or local legislation. This applies even to animals that are technically permitted at the state level — for tigers, which aren’t permitted at all, local ordinances simply add another layer of prohibition.
Cities like Portland, Bangor, and Lewiston each have their own animal control frameworks. Even if you were somehow operating under a narrow institutional exemption at the state level, a local zoning ordinance or animal control regulation could independently bar you from keeping a large carnivore within city or town limits. Maine’s dog leash laws offer a useful example of how municipal animal regulations can differ from one jurisdiction to the next.
If you’re interested in wildlife that is actually legal to observe in Maine, the state has a rich natural environment worth exploring — from the hawks and owls that patrol Maine’s forests to the snakes found across the state’s varied habitats.
Penalties for Illegally Owning a Tiger in Maine
Possessing a tiger without authorization in Maine carries consequences at both the state and federal level, and they can stack on top of each other. At the state level, Maine treats unpermitted wildlife possession as a criminal matter. Each day a person violates the possession statute, that person commits a Class E crime for which a minimum fine of $50 and an amount equal to twice the applicable permit fee must be imposed. Because violations are counted per day, a prolonged illegal possession can accumulate significant fines quickly.
Escaped wildlife creates its own set of criminal charges. It is a Class E crime if the wildlife is permitted and the permit holder does not immediately notify a law enforcement officer that the wildlife has escaped; a Class E crime if the wildlife is not permitted and the person immediately notifies a law enforcement officer; or a Class D crime if the wildlife is not permitted and the person does not immediately notify a law enforcement officer that the wildlife has escaped.
The state can also recover its costs from you directly. The state can charge a responsible party for the cost incurred to remove or euthanize unpermitted regulated fish or wildlife species. If a tiger escapes and requires a dangerous capture operation involving multiple agencies, those costs fall on the person who held the animal illegally.
Federal penalties under the Big Cat Public Safety Act are significantly more severe. Anyone who violates the law could face up to $20,000 in fines and up to 5 years in prison. Beyond fines and imprisonment, violators are subject to civil or criminal penalties, or both, and big cats bred, possessed, imported, exported, transported, sold, received, acquired, or purchased contrary to the provisions of the Act are subject to seizure and forfeiture. That means the animal itself would be taken from you, in addition to any fines or criminal charges.
Important Note: State and federal penalties are independent of each other. A single illegal tiger possession in Maine could simultaneously trigger Maine criminal charges, daily state fines, federal criminal prosecution, and forfeiture of the animal. Consulting a qualified attorney is strongly advisable if you have any questions about a specific situation.
If your interest in tigers is more about appreciation than ownership, there are legal ways to engage with these animals — through accredited zoos, wildlife sanctuaries, and conservation organizations. You might also enjoy learning about universities with tiger mascots or browsing tiger names for a creative project. Maine’s own wildlife, including the many butterflies and finches found across the state, offers a rich and entirely legal way to connect with the animal world.
The bottom line: owning a tiger in Maine is not legal for private individuals under any current permit pathway, and federal law independently reinforces that prohibition. If you’re curious about what exotic animals Maine does allow under permit, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife maintains an unrestricted species list and detailed captive wildlife regulations that are worth reviewing before acquiring any non-domestic animal.