Can You Own a Coyote in Maine? What State Wildlife Law Actually Allows
September 22, 2026
Maine’s winter woods and suburban edges hold an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 coyotes, according to Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. With that many coyotes living within a short walk of most Mainers’ backyards, it is not surprising that some people wonder whether they could legally keep one as a pet instead of just watching it from a distance.
Can you own a coyote in Maine? The honest answer is that the state’s wildlife possession laws make it extraordinarily difficult, and personal pet ownership almost never clears the bar. This guide breaks down how Maine classifies coyotes, what permits and enclosure standards apply, where local rules add another layer, and what happens if you skip the paperwork anyway.
Is It Legal to Own a Coyote in Maine
Maine operates on a default-deny system for wildlife. Rather than assuming residents can keep any animal unless it is specifically banned, the law flips that logic: a person may not import wildlife into or possess wildlife in the state unless a permit authorizes it, and the default rule in Maine is restriction, not permission. A coyote falls squarely into that framework because it is native wildlife, not a domesticated species.
This puts Maine in a different category than several other states. Some states, including Michigan, Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, California, and South Dakota, allow coyote ownership under certain circumstances, according to reporting from Cuteness. Maine is not typically listed among the more permissive states, and its wildlife statutes are described as some of the strictest in the country when it comes to captive wildlife.
It also does not matter where the animal came from. Taking a coyote from the wild is illegal in every state for the purpose of turning it into a pet, according to LegalClarity’s overview of pet coyote law. If you are curious about the species itself before diving into the legal weeds, our coyote species guide covers behavior and biology in more depth, and if you are comparing how Maine treats other native mammals, our breakdown of raccoon ownership law in Maine follows a similar permit structure.
Pro Tip: Before assuming coyote ownership is off the table entirely, contact the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife directly. Rules and fee schedules can change, and staff can tell you whether your specific situation, such as wildlife rehabilitation or educational display, might qualify for a different permit category than personal pet ownership.
How Maine Classifies Coyotes Under Wildlife Law
Maine’s framework for exotic and native wildlife ownership revolves around Title 12, Section 12152 of the Maine Revised Statutes, which sorts species into three tiers based on risk. Unrestricted species can be kept without any state permit, restricted species require a permit before you can possess, import, or exhibit them, and prohibited species cannot be privately owned at all because of the threat they pose to the state’s ecosystems or public safety. Restricted species are further split into Category 1, covering higher-risk animals or those threatening to humans, and Category 2, covering species that mainly need special housing or care. Coyotes do not appear on Maine’s unrestricted list, which means anyone hoping to keep one legally has to work through the restricted-species permit process rather than simply bringing one home.
The Eastern coyote (Canis latrans) is a relatively recent arrival to Maine. It expanded its range north and east into the state during the 1930s, slipping into the ecological niche once held by wolves as the region’s largest canine predator. That predator role matters for classification purposes, since the department’s risk-based tiers weigh both the animal’s behavior and its potential danger to the public, alongside factors like housing needs.
It helps to separate two different legal tracks that sometimes get confused. Coyote hunting is permitted year-round during daylight hours in Maine, and coyotes taken by hunting must be tagged and registered before being bought, sold, traded, or transported out of state. That hunting framework governs harvesting a wild coyote in the field, not keeping a live one in captivity. A hunting license lets you pursue coyotes seasonally; it does not authorize possessing a live coyote as a pet, which falls under an entirely separate captive-wildlife permit system. If you’re curious how other Maine predators fit into the food chain, our guide to what animals eat coyotes covers the species’ place in the ecosystem, and our overview of owls in Maine shows how other wild predators face their own layer of state permitting.
Key Insight: Being allowed to hunt coyotes in Maine has nothing to do with being allowed to keep one alive in your backyard. These are two separate statutes with separate permit systems, and confusing them is one of the most common misunderstandings people have about coyote law.
Permits and Licensing Requirements for Coyote Ownership in Maine
If you want to legally possess a coyote in Maine, you need a Wildlife Possession Permit from the Commissioner before you take, possess, or hold the animal in captivity, since it is not on the unrestricted list. If the coyote is coming from outside Maine, a separate Wildlife or Fish Importation Permit is also required before the animal is transported or brought into the state. These are two distinct approvals, and missing either one creates a violation even if you hold the other.
Fee structures vary by category. The table below summarizes the general permit tiers under the state’s captive-wildlife system:
| Permit Type | Application Fee | Permit Fee | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category 1 Restricted Species | $250 | $27 | Higher-risk or human-threatening species |
| Category 2 Restricted Species | $100 | $27 | Species needing special housing or care |
| Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit | Free | Free | Orphaned or injured wildlife |
| Research and Educational Permit | Free | Free | Scientific or educational use |
Even after paying the fee, approval is not guaranteed. A primary requirement is proof that the animal was obtained from a legal source, such as a USDA-licensed breeder, rather than taken from the wild, and applicants typically need documented experience handling wild canids. Permits are rarely granted for personal pets and are typically reserved for accredited educational facilities or wildlife sanctuaries, which is why most people researching coyote ownership in Maine end up disappointed by the actual approval odds.
A general application process usually looks like this:
- Contact MDIFW to confirm which permit category applies to your situation and whether personal ownership is even under consideration.
- Submit a written application with the required fee, species information, and intended purpose for possession.
- Provide documentation proving legal acquisition, such as breeder records or a certificate of origin, plus evidence of prior experience with wild canids.
- Pass any required facility inspection confirming your enclosure meets state caging and sanitation standards.
- Renew the permit before its expiration date; permit holders who miss the renewal deadline can be assessed a $25 late fee on top of the standard permit fee.
For context on how this compares to other regulated species, Maine also requires permits for many reptiles under the same subchapter, as covered in our guide to snakes in Maine. By contrast, some native amphibians and reptiles not listed as threatened or endangered can be kept without a permit up to species-level possession limits, a distinction we explore further in our piece on frogs in Maine. You can review the underlying statute yourself through Animal Legal & Historical Center’s summary of Subchapter 15 or the older USARK compilation of Maine’s exotic animal law.
Enclosure and Care Requirements in Maine
Permit approval comes with binding facility standards, not just paperwork. All cages and enclosures must be kept in a sanitary condition, with regular cleaning schedules, and trash, spilled food, and fecal material removed at least once a day. Cages also cannot be stacked in a way that lets waste drain into lower enclosures, which matters if you are housing a coyote alongside other captive animals.
Coyotes need a large and secure enclosure that mimics their natural habitat, with room to roam rather than a small backyard pen. That is a meaningfully different commitment than raising even a large, active dog breed; our guide to popular dog breeds in Maine covers exercise and space needs for domestic dogs, and coyote enclosure demands go well beyond what most of those breeds require. Diet is another gap between the two: roughly 90% of a coyote’s diet should consist of raw meat, raw bones, liver, and other organ meat, which is a far cry from a bag of kibble.
- Tall, dig-resistant fencing with buried or angled barriers to prevent escape underneath or over the top
- Weatherproof den or shelter structure separate from open exercise space
- Daily waste removal and a documented sanitation schedule
- Access to a veterinarian experienced with wild canids, which can be difficult to find in practice
Permit holders also carry financial responsibility if things go wrong. Under Maine’s rules, the permittee is responsible for all costs the state incurs from an escape or release of the animal, or from confiscating wildlife after a permit revocation, and the Commissioner can require a bond or other financial security to cover that risk. Keeping a coyote also poses real health and safety considerations for the owner and the surrounding community, since the species retains wild instincts even when raised in captivity from a young age.
Common Mistake: Assuming a standard residential fence is adequate. Coyotes are capable climbers and diggers, and a fence built for a dog is rarely built to the specifications a state inspector will expect for a wild canid.
Local Laws and HOA Restrictions That May Apply in Maine
A state permit is only the first hurdle. Maine keeps strict tabs on freshwater fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals regardless of where they originate, and individual towns and cities can layer additional restrictions on top of state law through local animal control ordinances. Some municipalities regulate exotic and wild animals more tightly than the state minimum, particularly in residential zones.
Homeowners associations add another layer entirely. Even in jurisdictions where ownership might technically be possible with proper licensing, local ordinances and homeowners associations often impose additional restrictions or outright bans on keeping non-domestic animals, regardless of what a state permit allows. If you live under an HOA, its covenants can override what the state would otherwise permit, and violations can trigger fines separate from any state penalty.
It is also worth understanding how Maine treats companion-animal control generally, since local leash and containment ordinances often apply to any animal on a private property, not just dogs. Our guide to dog leash laws in Maine explains how municipal containment rules typically work, and similar containment logic often extends to any captive wild animal a town chooses to regulate.
Important Note: Before applying for a state wildlife permit, check your town’s municipal code and, if applicable, your HOA’s governing documents. A state permit does not override a local ban, and finding out about a conflict after acquiring the animal creates a much harder situation than checking beforehand.
Penalties for Illegally Owning a Coyote in Maine
Possessing wildlife without the required permit carries real consequences in Maine, though sources describe the specific fine structure somewhat differently. Each day a person violates the wildlife possession statute is treated as a separate offense, with penalties beginning at a $50 minimum fine plus twice the applicable permit fee per day, according to reporting on Maine’s exotic pet framework. Other summaries of the same statute describe a $500 minimum civil fine for possessing wildlife without a permit. Either way, three or more violations within a five-year period escalate the matter to a Class E criminal offense.
Important Note: Sources differ on the exact minimum civil fine for a first-time unpermitted wildlife possession violation in Maine, with figures ranging from roughly $50 to $500 depending on the specific provision cited. Confirm current fee schedules directly with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife before assuming any specific dollar figure applies to your situation.
A Class E crime is not a minor label. It carries a maximum sentence of six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000, on top of whatever civil penalties already accrued. Beyond fines and potential jail time, the state can seize the animal outright once a violation is confirmed, meaning you could lose the coyote and still face the financial penalty. Additional resources on how these tiers apply in practice are available through LegalClarity’s breakdown of Maine exotic pet penalties and CityRuleLookup’s summary of Maine exotic pet rules.
Given how rarely personal possession permits are actually approved, most people who want a closer relationship with Maine wildlife are better served by supporting licensed wildlife rehabilitators or observing coyotes in their natural habitat rather than pursuing ownership. The paperwork, facility standards, and legal exposure involved make casual pet ownership a poor fit for a species that Maine’s own statutes treat as a serious commitment rather than a novelty pet.