Big Cat Ownership Laws in Maryland: What Is Banned and Who Is Exempt
November 4, 2026
Big cat ownership laws in Maryland are among the strictest in the country, and the short answer for private individuals is no. You cannot legally keep a lion, tiger, leopard, cougar, or any other wild cat as a pet in the state. A state criminal statute bans it, and a federal law passed in 2022 closes the gaps.
This article lays out what the law covers, who is exempt, how hybrids and smaller wild cats are treated, and who enforces the rules. It is written for you if you are researching a purchase, inheriting an animal, or trying to stay on the right side of the law.
One point up front: Maryland’s ban is older than the federal one. According to Animal of Things, the state ban predates the federal Big Cat Public Safety Act by more than 15 years. Even without the federal law, private big cat ownership would still be a crime here.
Are Big Cats Legal to Own in Maryland?
No. Maryland’s dangerous animal statute, Criminal Law § 10-621, bars a person from importing, offering for sale, trading, bartering, possessing, breeding, or exchanging a list of animals that includes wild cats. The law covers more than keeping an animal. It also reaches anyone who buys, sells, or breeds one.
Some older summaries say Maryland offers permits for private big cat possession. Those summaries are out of step with the statute. One Big Cat Rescue state chart lists personal possession, breeding, and exhibiting permits, while the same chart notes that private owners are banned from owning big cats.
Important Note: Sources disagree on permit language. The statute text and the federal Big Cat Public Safety Act control. Treat any claim that you can get a private pet permit for a lion, tiger, or leopard in Maryland as unreliable.
Which Big Cats Does Maryland Law Cover?
The statute uses the term “wild cats” rather than naming each species. According to Animal of Things, the section prohibits private ownership of any member of the cat family other than the domestic cat. That explicitly pulls in lions and tigers.
Cougars are covered as well. The cougar (Puma concolor), also called the mountain lion, puma, or panther, is named directly in the dangerous animal statute, and the same source says Maryland banned private cougar ownership back in 2002.
The same list also bars other animals. LegalClarity lists bears, foxes, skunks, raccoons, alligators, crocodiles, caimans, wild dogs, wolf-dog hybrids, nonhuman primates, and certain venomous snakes alongside wild cats.
Is Private Ownership of Big Cats Banned in Maryland?
Yes, and the penalties are real. LegalClarity reports that violations of the dangerous animal statute are a misdemeanor carrying fines up to $1,000 for individuals. A separate summary from AllowedHere says charges can range from misdemeanors with fines up to $1,000 to felonies with fines up to $10,000, depending on the circumstances.
The statute is not the only exposure you face. Maryland is also described as a strict liability state for owners of dangerous animals, so you can be held responsible for injuries even if you took precautions. A civil judgment after an escape or attack can cost far more than any criminal fine.
| Layer | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Maryland Criminal Law § 10-621 | Bans possession, sale, trade, breeding, and import of wild cats |
| Federal Big Cat Public Safety Act | Bans private possession of prohibited big cat species nationwide |
| County and city ordinances | Can add stricter limits on top of the state rules |
Federal Big Cat Law and How It Applies in Maryland
The Big Cat Public Safety Act was enacted on December 20, 2022, according to Animal of Things. It was written to end private ownership of big cats as pets and to stop exhibitors from allowing public contact with big cats, including cubs. It applies in every state, Maryland included.
The act amends the Lacey Act framework. A Federal Register notice on the earlier Captive Wildlife Safety Act explains that Congress amended the Lacey Act to make it illegal to import, export, transport, and otherwise move big cats in certain ways. The 2022 law builds on that approach.
The practical effect is simple. Even if Maryland repealed its own ban, the NewsBreak summary of the BCPSA notes federal law would still make private cougar ownership illegal. The federal act covers lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, cougars, and hybrids of those species.
Big Cat Permit and License Requirements in Maryland
For a private person who wants a pet big cat, there is no permit path. The permits that exist are tied to specific institutional uses. LegalClarity says a person with a valid license or permit from the Department of Natural Resources may possess animals otherwise banned under the statute.
Federal licensing matters too. USDA-licensed exhibitors holding a Class C Exhibitor’s License under the Animal Welfare Act can possess certain prohibited species, but LegalClarity notes they cannot acquire new primates, bears, or big cats after June 30, 2014.
The Big Cat Rescue chart describes a stricter permit structure for qualifying facilities: $100,000 per animal in liability insurance, a health certificate, and a $300 yearly fee per animal, with housing and record keeping rules. That chart is not dated in the search snippet, so confirm current figures with the Department of Natural Resources before relying on them.
Pro Tip: Before you spend money on a cage, a transport, or a deposit, call the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and your county animal control office. Ask for the answer in writing.
Who Is Exempt From Maryland Big Cat Laws? (Zoos, Sanctuaries, Exhibitors)
The exemptions are narrow and tied to organizations, not individuals. LegalFix reports that exceptions exist for accredited zoos, research institutions, educational organizations, and rehabilitation or sanctuary facilities that hold the proper permits and meet standards of care.
Federal law sets its own exemption list. The BCPSA allows facilities such as licensed zoos, sanctuaries, and certain wildlife rehabilitators to keep big cats under specific conditions. Sanctuaries generally cannot breed animals or allow public contact.
Exhibitors face an extra state rule. Governor Wes Moore signed House Bill 379, and the Brooks Institute Animal Law Digest reports it bars the use of big cats, bears, nonhuman primates, and elephants in traveling entertainment acts, with civil penalties up to $2,000 per violation. The law took effect October 1, 2024.
Grandfathered Big Cats and Registration in Maryland
Maryland did allow a limited grandfather clause, but it is now closed. The statute text on Animal Law Info says a person who had lawful possession of a listed animal on or before May 31, 2006, could keep it if they gave written notice to local animal control by a set deadline.
FindLaw gives that deadline as August 1, 2006. If you did not file by then, you do not qualify. Anyone who acquired a big cat after May 31, 2006, falls outside the protection.
Federal law adds its own registration rule for existing owners. Under the BCPSA, people who already owned big cats when the act passed had to register them with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service within the window set by the law. A new acquisition is not covered by either grandfather provision.
Can You Own a Big Cat Cub or Hybrid in Maryland?
A cub is still a big cat in the eyes of the law. The statute does not carve out young animals, and the federal act specifically targets cub contact in exhibitions. A cub bought online will grow into an adult that no private owner can legally keep.
Hybrids are where people get tripped up. The state treats wild cat hybrids by weight and generation. LegalClarity says a 12-pound Bengal cat is legal under state law, while an early-generation Savannah cat that exceeds 30 pounds is not. Big Cat Rescue’s chart agrees that Savannah cats are allowed if they weigh under 30 pounds.
- Domestic Bengal cats under the 30-pound line are generally allowed at the state level.
- Early-generation Savannah cats over 30 pounds are not.
- Hybrids involving lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, or cougars fall under the federal act regardless of weight.
- Baltimore bans all cat-domestic hybrids regardless of weight, according to LegalClarity.
Can You Own a Bobcat, Lynx, Serval or Caracal in Maryland?
The statute bans “wild cats,” so servals, caracals, and lynx are covered by the state prohibition even though the federal act does not list them. The BCPSA targets lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, cougars, and hybrids. Maryland’s wider wording is what keeps the smaller exotic cats off the pet list.
Bobcats have their own protections. Big Cat Rescue reports there is no open season for bobcat trapping or hunting in Maryland, and the Department of Natural Resources has designated the bobcat a species of special concern. The chart also says a permit is required to possess the native bobcat, issued for zoological, breeding, scientific, and educational purposes, and a permit is needed before one can be imported.
The conclusion for a private buyer is the same as for lions: do not buy one. If you are looking for a cat that looks wild, a domestic breed under the weight line is the legal route.
City and County Big Cat Rules in Maryland
Local governments can go further than the state. LegalClarity says Maryland law explicitly allows counties and municipalities to adopt animal restrictions more stringent than the state’s. An animal that passes the state test can still be banned where you live.
Baltimore is the clearest example, with its ban on all cat-domestic hybrids regardless of weight. NewsBreak’s exotic pet summary also points to Anne Arundel County and Howard County as places where local rules may override the state baseline.
Check your own county code before you acquire any cat that is wild-looking or hybrid. If you live in a neighboring state, our Pennsylvania goat ownership laws article shows how much local rules can differ across state lines.
Moving or Transporting a Big Cat Into or Through Maryland
Transport is where state and federal law meet. Maryland’s statute bans importing listed animals into the state, so driving a big cat across the line is itself a violation. The federal Lacey Act amendments also make it illegal to move big cats in interstate commerce except under narrow exceptions.
Qualified facilities can move animals with the right paperwork. If you work for a licensed zoo, sanctuary, or research facility, confirm the permit, the USDA license, and the destination’s requirements before the animal leaves its current home. Drivers passing through Maryland on I-95 or I-70 with an animal in the vehicle are not exempt from the import ban.
- Confirm the receiving facility holds a valid state permit and federal license.
- Get written approval from the Department of Natural Resources before moving the animal.
- Carry copies of permits, health records, and USDA paperwork during transport.
- Notify local animal control at the destination if the county requires it.
Exhibitors have a separate restriction. Under the 2024 law, traveling acts cannot use big cats at all in Maryland, so a circus route that crosses the state cannot include them.
Who Enforces Big Cat Laws in Maryland?
Enforcement is shared. AllowedHere says local animal control agencies and the Department of Natural Resources Police handle violations. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources oversees wildlife and exotic species, and the Maryland Department of Agriculture may regulate some animals used in commerce, according to Bridge Legal.
Federal enforcement sits with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Lacey Act and the BCPSA. Local humane societies also see the practical side. A Carroll County humane society director told Fox News that animal control officers had dealt with big cats owned by private citizens in the county, including a lion in someone’s basement.
If you spot an illegal big cat, report it to your county animal control or the Department of Natural Resources Police. Do not approach the animal or the property.
Recent Changes to Big Cat Laws in Maryland
Two changes matter most. The first is federal: the Big Cat Public Safety Act, signed in December 2022. The second is the state’s traveling show ban under House Bill 379, which the Brooks Institute reports took effect on October 1, 2024.
The core private ownership ban has not changed. AllowedHere, in a page labeled 2026, states that no significant changes have been made to the state’s dangerous animal ban in recent years and lists no known pending legislation. That is a third-party summary, so check the Maryland General Assembly’s current statute text before you rely on it.
Important Note: Laws shift, and the sources used here carry different dates. As of the sources reviewed for this article, no repeal or loosening of Maryland’s big cat ban was reported. Verify the current statute with the Department of Natural Resources or an attorney before making any decision involving a wild cat.
The bottom line is firm. If you want to work with big cats in Maryland, the route runs through an accredited zoo, a licensed sanctuary, or a research or education program, not a private home.