Can You Own a Parrot in North Dakota? What the Law Actually Says
August 27, 2026
If you’re picturing a cockatiel on your shoulder or a macaw in the living room, North Dakota is one of the easier states in the country to make that happen. Unlike states that ban entire species outright, North Dakota’s pet laws focus mainly on wildlife that could pose a safety or environmental risk, and common parrots simply don’t fall into that group. That said, “easy” doesn’t mean “unregulated,” and a few federal and local rules can still catch new owners off guard.
This guide walks through what North Dakota law actually says about parrot ownership, which species might require extra paperwork, and where federal or city rules could apply even when the state itself stays quiet.
Is It Legal to Own a Parrot in North Dakota
Owning a parrot in North Dakota is legal, and for most common pet species you won’t need a state permit at all. North Dakota has very few restrictions on owning exotic pets at the state level, and according to the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, only raccoons and skunks are illegal to keep as pets statewide. Parrots aren’t mentioned in that short prohibited list, which puts budgies, cockatiels, African greys, and macaws in the same category as dogs and cats from a legal standpoint.
North Dakota does sort non-domestic animals into three tiers of Non-Traditional Livestock, and non-domestic animals are classified into three categories, with Category 1 covering species that are not inherently dangerous, don’t pose a health risk to humans or wildlife, and don’t threaten the environment. Typical pet parrot species aren’t named anywhere in that classification system, which is a strong signal the state treats them as ordinary companion animals rather than regulated wildlife. That’s different from how the state treats native game birds, which is worth keeping in mind if you also follow spring bird migration patterns in the region.
Pro Tip: Before bringing home any exotic bird, check with your veterinarian about routine health screening, since many of North Dakota’s general pet vaccination requirements apply to birds housed alongside other animals in a household.
Which Parrot Species Face Restrictions in North Dakota
Most parrot species sold through pet stores or breeders face no special restrictions in North Dakota. That includes budgerigars, cockatiels, conures, African greys, Amazon parrots, and the various macaw species commonly kept as companion birds.
The one species that draws attention in other states is the Quaker parrot, also called the monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus). Several states ban or heavily restrict this bird because it can form large feral colonies that damage crops. Roughly a dozen states ban or heavily restrict Quaker parrot ownership, treating the birds as invasive pests that threaten crops and native wildlife, with California, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Wyoming prohibiting them outright. North Dakota is not among those states. Quaker parrots are legal to own in most U.S. states with no permit requirement noted at the state level, including North Dakota, so you can keep one without the extra paperwork required in places like New Jersey or Nebraska.
Where things can get more complicated is with rarer or endangered parrot species. Species protected by the Endangered Species Act require a permit under that law for importation, and this applies regardless of which state you live in. A handful of macaw and cockatoo species fall into this category, so it’s worth checking a bird’s CITES status before purchase, especially if you’re buying from an international seller. If you want to see how North Dakota treats native species with similar protections, the state’s endangered animals list gives useful context, even though it doesn’t cover exotic parrots directly.
Federal Laws That May Apply to Parrot Ownership
State law isn’t the only layer that matters. Several federal statutes shape how parrots move through the pet trade, even when they don’t restrict ownership of a bird you already have at home.
The most significant is the Wild Bird Conservation Act. The WBCA was enacted on October 23, 1992, to promote the conservation of exotic birds listed under CITES by ensuring imports are biologically sustainable and not detrimental to wild populations. In practical terms, this law effectively banned the import of most wild-caught exotic birds into the United States, since hundreds of thousands of wild parrots had previously been captured and shipped to the U.S. each year, often with devastating mortality rates during transport. That’s why nearly every parrot sold in the U.S. pet trade today is captive-bred rather than wild-caught.
On top of the WBCA, owners should be aware of CITES itself. Owners must check if their bird is legal under CITES Appendices I, II, or III, since protection levels differ by species and affect whether a permit is needed for interstate or international movement. Bringing a bird into the U.S. from another country involves both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for CITES and WBCA compliance, and the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service for disease control. These federal layers apply the same way in North Dakota as they do anywhere else in the country.
| Law | What It Covers | Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| Wild Bird Conservation Act (1992) | Bans most wild-caught exotic bird imports | Anyone importing a parrot into the U.S. |
| CITES (Appendices I, II, III) | International trade protections by species | Buyers, sellers, and breeders moving birds across borders |
| Endangered Species Act | Permit requirement for listed species | Owners of rare or threatened parrot species |
Permits Required to Own a Restricted Parrot in North Dakota
For the vast majority of pet parrot owners in North Dakota, no state permit is required. Since common parrot species aren’t listed under any of the three Non-Traditional Livestock categories, they don’t trigger the licensing process that applies to animals like foxes, bears, or non-domestic cats.
Where permits do come into play is with native or otherwise protected birds under North Dakota’s wildlife statutes. Permits to propagate, domesticate, or possess live protected birds may be issued by the director to any North Dakota resident, and no person may possess any live protected animal or bird without first obtaining one. This provision is aimed at native species covered by the state’s game and fish rules, not imported pet parrots, but it explains why the same office that issues wildlife permits also oversees related paperwork for other captive birds. For comparison, owners of pheasants, quail, and chukar are required to obtain a Permit to Possess, Propagate, or Domesticate, which follows a similar review process to what you’d encounter if you were housing a state-protected bird species alongside your parrot. Anyone raising game birds under a similar framework should review North Dakota’s broader hunting laws and the specific pheasant permit requirements for reference, since the permitting office and application process overlap.
Important Note: If you plan to breed parrots commercially or import a species with CITES protections, contact the North Dakota Game and Fish Department directly before acquiring the bird. State-level guidance on exotic companion birds is limited, and confirming permit status in advance avoids costly surprises.
Local Ordinances That May Apply in North Dakota
State law sets the floor, but cities and counties in North Dakota can add their own rules on top of it. Just because an animal is legal to own in the state doesn’t mean the city you live in allows it — for example, it’s legal to have chickens in Mandan, but not in Bismarck. The same logic applies to parrots: a bird that’s perfectly legal under state statute could still run into a municipal noise ordinance or a limit on the number of animals per household.
Noise is the most common issue for parrot owners specifically. City and county ordinances can add restrictions that the state doesn’t impose, particularly in urban areas where noise ordinances effectively limit ownership of loud parrot species like macaws and cockatoos. If you live in an apartment or a densely populated neighborhood, it’s worth checking your city’s municipal code before bringing home a species known for volume. Some of these local rules mirror how North Dakota communities handle other companion-animal concerns, from general leash requirements to nuisance animal ordinances and even breed-specific restrictions that some cities apply to dogs. Checking with your local authorities before purchase is standard advice across every category of exotic pet ownership in the state.
- Contact your city clerk’s office or animal control department for pet ownership ordinances
- Ask specifically about noise limits, since this is the rule most likely to affect parrot owners
- Check homeowners’ association rules if you live in a covenant-controlled neighborhood
- Confirm any per-household pet limits that might count birds alongside dogs and cats
Penalties for Illegally Owning a Restricted Parrot in North Dakota
Because most pet parrots don’t require a state permit in North Dakota, penalties in this area typically involve either a federal violation (importing a bird improperly) or a possession violation tied to a protected native species. Under state wildlife statutes, any person violating a provision of the chapter governing protected birds and animals, for which a penalty is not specifically provided, is guilty of a class B misdemeanor. That penalty structure applies to native protected species held without a permit rather than to common companion parrots, but it illustrates how seriously the state treats unpermitted possession of any bird that does fall under its wildlife rules.
Federal penalties carry more weight for anyone who imports a bird in violation of the Wild Bird Conservation Act. The law authorizes civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation for knowingly breaking its import and trade provisions, along with criminal penalties of up to two years in prison. These consequences apply nationwide, so a North Dakota resident who imports a wild-caught or improperly documented parrot faces the same federal exposure as someone in any other state. Pet owners dealing with animal-related liability questions more generally may also find it useful to review how North Dakota handles related issues, such as owner liability when an animal causes harm, since the underlying legal principles around responsible ownership tend to carry over between species.
The bottom line for most North Dakota residents is straightforward: buy from a reputable, documented breeder, keep any purchase paperwork that confirms the bird was captive-bred, and check your city’s noise and pet ordinances before you bring a parrot home. For the overwhelming majority of pet parrot species, that’s really all it takes to stay on the right side of the law.