Can You Own a Parrot in New Hampshire? State Laws, Permits, and Banned Species Explained
August 21, 2026
If you’re wondering whether you can own a parrot in New Hampshire, the short answer is yes for most species, but the state draws a firm line at one particular bird. New Hampshire treats the majority of pet parrots as ordinary companion animals that require no state paperwork at all, yet a single species has been the subject of an actual enforcement case that forced an owner to give up nearly 20 birds.
Before you bring home an African grey, macaw, or Amazon parrot, it helps to understand exactly where New Hampshire draws its regulatory lines, which species trigger extra scrutiny, and what federal rules layer on top of state law. This guide walks through legality, restricted species, permits, local rules, and penalties so you can make an informed decision.
Is It Legal to Own a Parrot in New Hampshire
New Hampshire’s wildlife possession framework sorts every animal into one of three buckets: non-controlled, controlled, or prohibited. A permit to possess wildlife is not required for any person to possess wildlife designated as non-controlled, which includes species such as aquarium fish, amphibians, most reptiles, many pet birds, and small pet mammals like gerbils and hamsters. Most parrots kept as household companions fall squarely into this non-controlled category.
That means owners of common species covered in our guide to the different types of parrots kept as pets generally don’t need to file anything with the state before bringing a bird home. The bigger question is who decides which species get flagged for extra oversight, and that authority rests with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.
Under NH state law, animals on the controlled list can be owned or sold only by individuals with a permit from the Fish and Game Department, and permits are issued at the discretion of the executive director. The executive director is supposed to consider whether the animal would pose a threat to other wildlife, the public, or to New Hampshire’s ecosystem if released. For nearly every pet parrot species, that threat assessment simply doesn’t apply, which is why ownership remains unrestricted.
Pro Tip: Before purchasing any parrot in New Hampshire, ask the breeder or seller whether the species has ever appeared on a state or federal restricted list. A quick check with NH Fish and Game can save you from a costly surprise later.
Which Parrot Species Face Restrictions in New Hampshire
Nearly every parrot species you’d find in a typical home aviary is unrestricted in New Hampshire, but one bird stands apart: the Quaker parrot, also called the monk parakeet. The state’s exotic animal law, RSA 207:14, makes the Quaker or Monk parrot, which originally came from Brazil, the only parrot species specifically targeted for restriction, largely because of its nesting habits rather than any danger it poses to people.
A New Hampshire woman lost her battle to keep her Quaker parrots in the state, which are banned because of their nesting habits. Fish and Game Department officials said they would help the owner relocate her nearly 20 birds, giving her a 30-day deadline. The case, which dates to a 2011 enforcement action in Nashua, remains the clearest real-world example of how the law works in practice. If you’re curious about the species itself, our breakdown of facts about Quaker parrots covers its temperament and why it became a target for wildlife regulators in the first place.
Important Note: Some general pet-directory websites list Quaker parrots as unrestricted in New Hampshire alongside most other states. However, the state’s actual statute has been enforced against private owners, and Fish and Game officials confirmed the ban applied even to birds kept for years without incident. When directory lists and state enforcement history conflict, the enforcement record and statutory text carry more weight.
The birds are legal in neighboring Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont, which explains some of the confusion among owners who move across state lines or research the species online. Beyond the Quaker parrot, species like the African grey (a favorite covered in our guide to caring for the African grey parrot), macaws detailed in our facts about macaw parrots article, the striking eclectus parrot, the blue-fronted Amazon parrot, and cockatoo species profiled in our piece on Australian parrots all remain legal to own in New Hampshire without a state permit.
Federal Laws That May Apply to Parrot Ownership
State law isn’t the only layer that matters. Several federal statutes intersect with parrot ownership, particularly for species that are imported, endangered, or considered a risk to native ecosystems.
The Lacey Act is one of the oldest tools federal regulators use to control wildlife movement across state and national borders. Any species of bird, mammal, reptile, or amphibian listed as injurious wildlife under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Lacey Act can be restricted from interstate transport, which matters if you’re relocating a bird from another state or purchasing one shipped across state lines. This is separate from the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which protects native wild birds like the species covered in our guide to woodpeckers of New Hampshire but generally does not apply to non-native parrots kept as pets.
Larger parrot species, including certain macaws and cockatoos, may also fall under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) if they were imported from abroad. This affects breeders and sellers far more than everyday pet owners, but it’s worth confirming a bird’s origin and paperwork before purchase, especially for rarer species.
Federal health regulations also come into play when birds cross state lines. Health certificates must meet standards set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture pursuant to 9 CFR, 2.78, and/or the New Hampshire department of agriculture for imported wildlife. This is partly a response to psittacosis, a bacterial illness sometimes called parrot fever that can spread between birds and humans. Our detailed explainer on parrot fever covers symptoms and prevention if you want to understand why health documentation matters for interstate bird sales.
Permits Required to Own a Restricted Parrot in New Hampshire
Because nearly all common pet parrots are non-controlled in New Hampshire, most owners never need to apply for anything. But if you’re acquiring a species that has been designated controlled or restricted, the permit process runs through the state’s Fish and Game Department.
The permit shall be granted within 60 days of the request, unless the chief of the wildlife division determines in writing that issuing a permit may pose a significant disease, genetic, ecological, environmental, health, safety, or welfare risk to persons, marine species, or wildlife. If your application is denied, you’re not without recourse. Any person who is denied a permit may appeal the decision in writing to the executive director within 60 days of the denial, and the executive director shall respond to the appeal within 60 days.
The state maintains specific forms depending on what you’re trying to do with the animal. A Possession of Live Wildlife Permit Application is required for possessing allowed live wildlife, while a separate propagation permit applies if you plan to breed birds for sale. No mammal wildlife possession is permitted under this system, which underscores how differently birds and mammals are treated in New Hampshire’s regulatory scheme.
| Classification | Permit Needed | Typical Parrot Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Non-controlled | No | African grey, macaw, Amazon, cockatoo, conure, budgie, cockatiel |
| Controlled | Yes, executive director discretion | Rare for parrots; more common among reptiles and mammals |
| Restricted by name | Ownership banned outright | Quaker (monk) parakeet |
One important classification detail worth knowing: all species not specifically designated and listed under the categories of non-controlled, prohibited, or controlled shall be designated as prohibited. This default-to-prohibited rule is why it’s worth double-checking any unusual or rare parrot species before assuming it’s automatically legal simply because it isn’t a Quaker parrot.
Local Ordinances That May Apply in New Hampshire
State law sets the floor, but cities and towns in New Hampshire can add their own restrictions on top of it. Municipal noise ordinances are the most common issue parrot owners run into, since larger species like macaws and cockatoos can produce sounds loud enough to trigger complaints in dense residential neighborhoods.
Homeowners associations and rental agreements frequently impose their own pet restrictions independent of state or municipal law, and these private contracts are typically enforceable even when a species is otherwise legal under RSA 207:14. If you live in a condo or planned community, check your governing documents before assuming a parrot is welcome simply because New Hampshire allows it.
- Contact your town or city clerk’s office to ask about any local exotic animal or noise ordinances specific to your address.
- Review lease or HOA documents for pet clauses, weight limits, or species restrictions that go beyond state law.
- Check with your homeowner’s insurance provider, since some policies exclude coverage for certain exotic pets regardless of legality.
Local enforcement patterns can also vary depending on how a controlled or restricted species is classified elsewhere in the wildlife code. This is similar to how New Hampshire handles other regulated animals, such as the permit requirements covered in our guide to snakes of New Hampshire, where certain species require permits while others remain freely ownable.
Penalties for Illegally Owning a Restricted Parrot in New Hampshire
New Hampshire treats unauthorized wildlife possession as a seizure matter first and a criminal matter second, though both can apply depending on the species and circumstances. All fish or the fry thereof, living wild birds or the eggs thereof or wild animals imported or released in this state contrary to the provisions of this subdivision shall be seized and forfeited as provided in RSA 207:17.
The real-world consequence for Quaker parrot owners has historically been forced relocation rather than criminal prosecution. In the 2011 Nashua case, officials gave the owner a strict window to comply rather than pursuing charges, but she was not permitted to simply keep her birds once the law was enforced against her.
For species tied to endangered species protections rather than the general controlled-wildlife statute, penalties escalate further. Any person who fails to procure any permit required or violates the terms of any such permit shall be guilty of a misdemeanor under New Hampshire’s endangered species enforcement provisions. This mainly affects rare or CITES-listed birds rather than common companion parrots, but it illustrates how quickly penalties can shift from administrative to criminal depending on the species involved.
Important Note: This article summarizes New Hampshire wildlife statutes and administrative rules for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. Regulations and enforcement priorities can change, so confirm current requirements directly with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department before acquiring any parrot species with a history of restriction.
If you already own a legal, non-controlled parrot species, the bigger day-to-day questions usually involve care rather than compliance. Our guides on what parrots eat and the best talking parrots are good next steps once you’ve confirmed a species is legal to bring home. New Hampshire’s approach to parrot ownership is genuinely permissive for the vast majority of pet birds, but the Quaker parrot’s decades-long ban is a reminder that even bird-friendly states can carve out narrow, well-enforced exceptions.