Can You Own a Parrot in Montana? What the Law Actually Allows

If you’re wondering whether you can own a parrot in Montana, the short answer is yes, and the state’s rules are more relaxed than most new owners expect. Montana classifies true parrots as noncontrolled exotic wildlife, which means you generally don’t need a state permit to bring one home. But “legal” doesn’t mean “unregulated” — federal wildlife statutes, import health rules, and local ordinances can still shape what happens once your bird arrives.

This breakdown walks through Montana’s parrot laws in plain language, from the state statute that classifies your bird to the federal protections that kick in for certain species. You’ll also see what permits actually apply, which local rules might override state law, and what’s at stake if the paperwork gets skipped.

Is It Legal to Own a Parrot in Montana

Montana law places exotic animals into three buckets: noncontrolled, controlled, and prohibited. Controlled species can be legally owned with proper permits and compliance with regulations, while prohibited species cannot be legally possessed under any circumstances by private individuals. Parrots fall into the most permissive of the three.

Under Montana Code Annotated 87-5-706, the state specifically names the parrot family among the birds that can be kept without a permit. Tropical and subtropical birds in the order Passeriformes, including but not limited to birds in the families Sturnidae (mynahs), Ramphastidae (toucans, toucanettes), Fringillidae (siskins), Estrildidae (finches), Emberizidae (cardinals), Ploceidae (weavers), Timaliidae (mesias), Viduinae (wydahs), Thraupidae (tanagers), Zosteropidae (zosterops), Psittacidae (parrots), Loriidae (lories), and Cacatuidae (cockatoos), may be possessed or sold as pets in Montana without a permit.

Important Note: The statute groups parrots under the order “Passeriformes,” even though true parrots are scientifically classified under the order Psittaciformes. That’s a quirk of the legal text, not a scientific reclassification — but it’s the language Montana FWP actually enforces.

This noncontrolled classification is confirmed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, which defines the category broadly. “Noncontrolled species” are live, exotic wildlife species, subspecies, or hybrid of that species that may be possessed, sold, purchased or exchanged in the state without a permit, except as provided in this subchapter or in Montana statutes or federal statutes. That last clause matters: state permissiveness doesn’t cancel out federal law, which we’ll cover shortly.

It’s also worth understanding what the other two categories mean, since they explain why some exotic pets need paperwork and parrots typically don’t. “Controlled species” means live, exotic wildlife species, subspecies, or hybrid of species that may not be imported, possessed, sold, purchased or exchanged in Montana unless a person obtains written authorization from the department. Prohibited species sit at the opposite end and can’t be kept at all outside narrow exceptions.

Which Parrot Species Face Restrictions in Montana

Based on the current statute, no member of the parrot, lory, or cockatoo families is singled out for special restriction at the state level — the entire Psittacidae, Loriidae, and Cacatuidae groupings are covered under the noncontrolled list. That’s a notably broad exemption compared to how Montana treats other exotic birds. Cranes, for example, sit in a different tier entirely. Permits are required for some controlled exotic wildlife, including cranes: black-crowned, black-necked, common, demoiselle, blue, grey-crowned, hooded, red-crowned, Sarus, Siberian, wattled, and white-naped. Parrots simply don’t carry that burden under state law.

That said, “restriction-free at the state level” doesn’t mean every species is equally easy to source or keep responsibly. Popular pet parrots vary widely in size, noise, and care needs, which matters more for practical ownership than for legal compliance. The African grey parrot is prized for its talking ability but needs significant daily interaction, while the blue-fronted Amazon parrot is known for a bold personality and loud vocalizations that can matter more for local noise ordinances than for state law.

Larger birds bring their own considerations. Macaws are among the largest parrots kept as pets, and details on their size and temperament are covered in this macaw parrot guide. The eclectus parrot, easily identified by the striking difference in coloring between males and females, is another noncontrolled species that’s grown in popularity among Montana bird owners. Cockatoos, lorikeets, and other species native to the Southern Hemisphere are addressed in this Australian parrots overview, and if talking ability is a priority, this roundup of the best talking parrots breaks down which species tend to build the largest vocabularies.

Pro Tip: Even though Montana doesn’t restrict parrot species by law, check the specific care and lifespan requirements before choosing one. Large parrots can live 50 to 80 years and need daily mental stimulation, which is a bigger long-term commitment than the legal side of ownership suggests.

Federal Laws That May Apply to Parrot Ownership

Montana’s permissive state statute is only one layer of the law. Several federal frameworks can still apply to individual parrot species regardless of how relaxed state rules are.

• Endangered Species Act — species listed as threatened or endangered can require federal permits for interstate sale, breeding, or transport, even if Montana itself imposes no state permit requirement.
• CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) — many parrot species are listed on CITES appendices, which controls international import and export regardless of domestic state classification.
• Lacey Act — this federal law prohibits trafficking in wildlife that was taken, possessed, or sold in violation of state, federal, or foreign law, which becomes relevant if a bird was illegally captured or transported across state lines.
• Migratory Bird Treaty Act — this law protects native migratory species rather than non-native parrots. Montana’s native raptors, covered in this guide to hawks in Montana, fall under this federal protection in a way that imported parrots generally do not, since parrots aren’t native to North America.

There’s also a public health dimension that intersects with federal and state oversight. Psittacine birds can carry Chlamydia psittaci, the bacteria responsible for psittacosis, sometimes called parrot fever. This guide to parrot fever explains the symptoms and precautions worth knowing before bringing a bird into your home, since outbreaks can trigger additional health department scrutiny even when ownership itself is fully legal.

Permits Required to Own a Restricted Parrot in Montana

Because true parrots sit on Montana’s noncontrolled list, you won’t need a state wildlife permit to simply own one as a pet. That said, there are two scenarios where paperwork can still enter the picture.

The first is importation. If you’re bringing a bird into Montana from another state, the Montana Department of Livestock’s import regulations still apply to noncontrolled exotic species. A health certificate issued within 30 days of entry is required, along with official identification, testing, and statements listed on the health certificate, and microchips are required for official identification. An import permit number may also apply depending on how the certificate is filed.

The second scenario involves species that don’t cleanly fit the noncontrolled bird families — for instance, a hybrid or an unusual psittacine variant that a classification review committee has placed under controlled status instead. In that case, a Controlled Species Permit is required, and Montana currently charges a modest fee for it. A permit is required for all controlled species except those identified in specific exemptions, and the department assesses a fee of $25 to obtain or renew a permit to possess a controlled species. The application process asks for details about where the animal will be housed and how it will be contained.

Classification	State Permit Needed	Typical Examples
Noncontrolled	No	Parrots, cockatoos, lories, finches, toucans
Controlled	Yes, written authorization	Certain cranes, select hybrid or rare species
Prohibited	Not permitted for private ownership	Species specifically listed as prohibited exotic wildlife

If your parrot’s species is also protected under CITES or the Endangered Species Act, a federal permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may be required for import, export, or interstate commercial transactions, separate from anything Montana requires at the state level.

Local Ordinances That May Apply in Montana

State law sets the floor, not the ceiling, on what’s allowed. Just because an animal is legal to own in the state, it doesn’t mean the city you live in allows it — many local cities and counties have their own restrictions on which animals are legal to keep, and which are not. Before you commit to a parrot, it’s worth checking your specific city or county code, not just the state statute.

Common local considerations include:

• Noise ordinances — larger parrots, especially macaws and cockatoos, can be extremely loud, which sometimes runs into city noise limits in denser neighborhoods.
• Rental and HOA restrictions — landlords and homeowners associations frequently set their own pet policies that can be stricter than state or city law.
• Business licensing — if you plan to breed or sell birds rather than simply keep one as a pet, additional local business permits may apply.
• Zoning limits — some municipalities cap the number of animals per household, which can matter if you’re considering more than one bird.

Pro Tip: Call your city clerk’s office or county planning department before bringing a parrot home. A quick phone call can save you from a legal state-level purchase that still violates a local noise or pet-limit ordinance.

Diet and daily care also shape how practical ownership is in your specific setting. If you’re weighing whether your household and schedule can support a parrot long-term, this overview of what parrots eat is a useful starting point before you finalize a purchase.

Penalties for Illegally Owning a Restricted Parrot in Montana

Because standard pet parrots are noncontrolled, most owners never face state penalties simply for having a bird. Risk enters the picture in a few specific situations instead: skipping required import documentation, possessing a species that’s actually classified as controlled or prohibited, or running afoul of federal wildlife trafficking law.

Montana’s exotic wildlife statutes carry criminal consequences for violations. Permit applicants must certify their understanding of this before receiving authorization. Applicants certify that they have read and are familiar with the laws contained in Montana Codes Annotated 87-5-701 through 87-5-721 and the Administrative Rules of Montana regarding the importation, possession, and sale of exotic wildlife, and understand that a false statement may subject them to the criminal penalties of MCA 87-5-721. Beyond criminal exposure, the state can also act administratively against permit holders. The department may suspend or cancel a permit if the permittee violates or fails to comply with a permit condition or is convicted of violating a federal or state law, and may amend, suspend, or cancel a permit if necessary to protect native wildlife, livestock, public health, public safety, or the environment.

Montana’s broader crackdown on prohibited exotic species gives a sense of how seriously the state treats unauthorized possession outside the noncontrolled category. Montana’s pet laws prohibit dozens of exotic species like alligators and chimpanzees, emphasizing safety and the protection of local ecosystems. While no parrot species currently appears on that prohibited list, the enforcement posture illustrates why it’s worth confirming a species’ exact classification rather than assuming.

Federal violations carry their own separate consequences. Trafficking a CITES-listed or endangered parrot species without proper documentation can trigger seizure of the animal along with federal civil or criminal proceedings under the Lacey Act or Endangered Species Act, independent of whatever Montana’s state statute allows.

Important Note: This article summarizes publicly available Montana statutes and general federal wildlife frameworks for informational purposes. It isn’t legal advice. Laws and administrative rules change, so confirm current requirements with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks or a licensed attorney before acquiring an exotic bird.

Taken together, Montana’s approach to parrot ownership is genuinely one of the more permissive frameworks in the country at the state level. But that permissiveness sits inside a larger legal picture that includes federal species protections, import health requirements, and whatever your specific city or county decides to layer on top. Confirming all three levels before you bring a bird home is the difference between a straightforward legal purchase and an unexpected compliance headache down the road.