Big Cat Ownership Laws in New Hampshire: What the State and Federal Rules Allow
November 13, 2026
Big cat ownership laws in New Hampshire leave almost no room for private individuals. State wildlife rules put big cats in a “controlled” category that requires a permit from Fish and Game. A federal law signed in December 2022 then closed the remaining gap for pet owners nationwide.
This article tells you what is legal, what is not, who is exempt, and what happens if you break the rules. It also covers cubs, hybrids, smaller wild cats like bobcats and servals, local rules, transport, and enforcement.
Important Note: This article is general legal information, not legal advice. Statutes, rules, and permit fees change. Confirm current requirements with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department or a licensed attorney before you act.
Are Big Cats Legal to Own in New Hampshire?
For a private individual who wants a pet, no. New Hampshire law says no person may import, possess, sell, exhibit, or release live wildlife without first getting a permit from the Fish and Game executive director. That rule is in RSA 207:14.
The permit system exists, but it is not built for pet owners. Under the Fish and Game rules, no permit to possess shall be issued if there is any significant disease, genetic, ecological, environmental, health, safety, or welfare risk to the public or other wildlife species, according to the Animal Legal and Historical Center’s summary of Fis 804. A pet tiger or lion in a residential setting does not clear that bar.
Layer federal law on top, and new private ownership is off the table. The sections below break down each piece.
Which Big Cats Does New Hampshire Law Cover?
New Hampshire sorts wildlife into non-controlled, controlled, and prohibited lists. Table 800.2 of the state rules lists controlled species, which include cougars, bears, big cats, and large primates. Anyone who wants to hold a controlled species, or its hybrids, needs a permit.
According to Big Cat Rescue’s state law summary, all wild felines other than domestic hybrids at least three generations removed and registered with cat registries are treated as controlled. That is broader than just lions and tigers.
The federal law uses its own species list. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the Big Cat Public Safety Act covers lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, cougars, and hybrids of these species.
| Species Group | New Hampshire Status | Federal BCPSA Status |
|---|---|---|
| Lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar | Controlled; permit required | Covered |
| Cougar | Controlled; permit required | Covered |
| Cheetah | Controlled; permit required | Covered |
| Bobcat | Native species; permit required | Not covered |
| Registered domestic hybrids (3+ generations) | Exempt from wild feline controls | Not covered |
Is Private Ownership of Big Cats Banned in New Hampshire?
In practice, yes. New Hampshire does not write a flat statutory ban the way some states do. It uses a permit gate that Fish and Game controls, and that gate does not open for pet keeping.
Big Cat Rescue’s state chart lists New Hampshire among states where private owners are banned from owning big cats, and its summary says controlled felines may only be possessed and imported under a state exhibitor permit that is USDA licensed. A separate state-by-state comparison from Beastly Facts also places New Hampshire in its “banned, no window” group for tigers and lions.
The federal ban makes the question moot for new acquisitions. Even if a state allowed it, you could not lawfully buy or take in a prohibited big cat as a private person.
Federal Big Cat Law and How It Applies in New Hampshire
The Big Cat Public Safety Act was signed on December 20, 2022. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says it ended private ownership of big cats as pets and bars exhibitors from allowing public contact with big cats, including cubs.
The Act amends the Lacey Act. That means a violation is a federal wildlife crime, separate from anything New Hampshire does. The Service also notes that state law does not override the federal requirement: even if your state allows private ownership, you must have registered by the deadline unless another exception applies.
Federal and state law stack. You have to satisfy both, and the stricter one controls in practice.
- Federal law: bans private possession, breeding, and acquisition of covered big cats, with limited exceptions.
- New Hampshire law: requires a Fish and Game permit for controlled wildlife and refuses permits that create safety or ecological risk.
- Net result for you: no lawful path to buy or adopt a big cat as a pet.
Big Cat Permit and License Requirements in New Hampshire
The permit comes from the Fish and Game executive director under RSA 207:14. The statute says the chief of the wildlife division must act within 60 days of a request unless he or she finds in writing that the permit may pose a significant risk. If you are denied, you can appeal in writing to the executive director within 60 days, per the Justia copy of the statute.
The state application form is the Application to Possess Live Wildlife. It asks for the exact location where the animal will be held, your purpose for keeping it, and the species and numbers involved. Fish and Game’s form listed a $25 initial application fee; confirm the amount before you apply, since fees change.
Under the rules, a permit is valid only for the facilities or locations in the application and cannot be transferred or assigned. For exhibitors, Big Cat Rescue reports the state exhibitor permit requires 2,000 hours of paid experience with a licensed exhibitor, and exhibitors may not allow direct contact between felines and the public.
Pro Tip: Call the Fish and Game Wildlife Division before you spend money on enclosures or animals. A permit is discretionary, and a denial after you have built a facility is an expensive lesson.
Who Is Exempt From New Hampshire Big Cat Laws? (Zoos, Sanctuaries, Exhibitors)
Exemptions exist, but none apply to private individuals who want a pet. At the federal level, the Fish and Wildlife Service says the law provides exceptions for some federal, state, and privately owned facilities such as zoos, universities, and sanctuaries, and that these exceptions do not apply to private individuals.
At the state level, Big Cat Rescue’s summary says the only exceptions to the controlled-feline permit are Department employees, rehabilitators working with native wildlife, and wildlife possessed under other licenses. Exhibitors and other qualified facilities work under a permit, not a blanket exemption.
- Accredited zoos and aquariums
- Qualified wildlife sanctuaries
- Universities and research institutions
- USDA-licensed exhibitors, with no direct public contact allowed
- Licensed wildlife rehabilitators, for native wildlife
Calling your backyard a sanctuary does not make it one. Federal sanctuary status carries specific standards, including no breeding and no public handling.
Grandfathered Big Cats and Registration in New Hampshire
The federal Act let people who owned big cats before December 20, 2022 keep them if they registered each animal with the Fish and Wildlife Service by June 18, 2023. That window is closed. The Service states plainly that the law does not provide for any extension.
Few owners registered. Big Cat Rescue reports that only 17 private owners nationwide did so, and that they may keep the cats they have but cannot acquire more. It also says owners who did not register face surrender and possible fines and jail time.
If you have a registered pre-Act cat in New Hampshire, you still need to meet state permit rules. The Service’s own announcement said current owners may keep their animals if they register and abide by other applicable state and federal regulations. New Hampshire’s rules also have their own grandfathering provision for wildlife legally held under a permit in 1992 and continuously since, per the state rule summary on the Animal Legal and Historical Center.
Can You Own a Big Cat Cub or Hybrid in New Hampshire?
No for cubs, and mostly no for hybrids. The federal Act covers cubs, and the Federal Register rule implementing the Act also treats cubs conceived before enactment but born afterward to a registered parent as eligible for registration. That narrow carve-out helps only people who already registered the parent.
The ban on public contact applies to cubs too. Cub petting and photo sessions ended when the Act became law, and exhibitors cannot offer them.
Hybrids are covered by both systems. New Hampshire’s controlled list applies to listed species “or their hybrids,” and the federal Act names hybrids of lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, and cougars. Domestic cat hybrids that are at least three generations removed from the wild parent and registered with a national or international cat registry fall outside the state’s wild feline controls, according to Big Cat Rescue.
Wolf hybrids are a different category with their own statute, RSA 466-A, and are not part of this discussion.
Can You Own a Bobcat, Lynx, Serval or Caracal in New Hampshire?
These smaller wild cats are not “big cats” under the federal Act, but New Hampshire still treats them as controlled wildlife. Big Cat Rescue’s summary says all wild felines fall under the controlled category and need an exhibitor permit, with the bobcat classed as a native species that requires a class II (native) permit.
Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are native to New Hampshire, and Fish and Game does not issue permits for casual pet ownership. As our bobcat ownership explainer notes, the narrow permit categories cover things like wildlife rehabilitation, educational exhibition, and scientific collection. None cover keeping a bobcat as a companion.
Servals and caracals are non-native, but the controlled-wildlife rule for wild felines still reaches them. Expect the same outcome: a permit is only realistic for a qualified exhibitor or facility. The Beastly Facts comparison and the state rules point the same direction, so do not assume a smaller cat gets you around the law.
For a species-specific look at a covered cat, see our cougar ownership guide for New Hampshire.
| Cat | Likely Legal Route for Private Owner | Main Barrier |
|---|---|---|
| Tiger or lion | None | Federal ban plus state permit refusal |
| Cougar | None | Federal ban plus controlled species status |
| Bobcat or lynx | None for pets | State controlled/native permit rules |
| Serval or caracal | None for pets | State controlled wild feline rule |
City and County Big Cat Rules in New Hampshire
I found no source showing a New Hampshire town or county with its own big cat ordinance, so treat the state and federal rules as your baseline. Local governments in New Hampshire can still add zoning, nuisance, and animal control rules, and they cannot make a state-prohibited activity legal.
A local rule can only be stricter in practice. If you hold a valid state permit as an exhibitor or facility, your town may still require zoning approval, setbacks, or a certificate of occupancy for animal housing.
Call your town clerk and planning office before you site any enclosure. For context on how towns handle other animal questions, see our guide to roadkill laws in New Hampshire.
Moving or Transporting a Big Cat Into or Through New Hampshire
Transport is regulated separately. RSA 207:14 directs the executive director to adopt rules on transportation within or through the state of New Hampshire, and importing wildlife without a permit is itself prohibited.
Federal law adds a second layer. Because the Big Cat Public Safety Act amends the Lacey Act, moving prohibited big cats across state lines outside the exceptions is a federal violation. One third-party overview of exotic pet rules notes Lacey Act violations can bring fines up to $50,000 per offense, though you should verify penalty amounts against the statute itself.
- Confirm the animal is lawfully held under a federal exception or registration.
- Get written approval from New Hampshire Fish and Game before the animal enters the state.
- Check the destination state’s rules; many ban big cats outright.
- Carry proof of registration, permits, and USDA licensing in the vehicle.
Do not assume a drive-through is safe. A permit is required to import or possess wildlife, and transit through the state is covered by the transportation rules.
Who Enforces Big Cat Laws in New Hampshire?
Two agencies carry most of the load. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department administers RSA 207:14 and the Fis 800 rules, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service enforces the federal Act. Fish and Game works with federal agencies, so a local permit problem can become a federal case.
The same third-party overview says exotic animal violations can bring fines, confiscation, or criminal charges. Since the source is not an official government page, check exact penalty ranges in the statute and rules.
The Fish and Wildlife Service says it will use registration information to verify eligibility to possess big cats. Unregistered cats cannot be kept under the pre-Act exception, which leaves seizure or surrender as the practical outcome.
Common Mistake: Assuming a USDA exhibitor license alone lets you keep a big cat. In New Hampshire, you still need the Fish and Game permit, and the federal Act bars public contact.
Recent Changes to Big Cat Laws in New Hampshire
The major change is federal. The Big Cat Public Safety Act took effect on December 20, 2022, and the registration deadline passed on June 18, 2023. The Fish and Wildlife Service has since posted that registration is closed.
On the state side, the Fish and Game possession rules were last checked on the Animal Legal and Historical Center in March 2025. I did not find a New Hampshire statute passed in 2025 or 2026 that changes the controlled status of big cats, but rules can be amended, so check the Fish and Game site and the General Court’s RSA pages before relying on this summary.
If you came here wondering about other exotic or farm animals in the state, our guides to goat ownership laws in New Hampshire and hedgehog ownership laws in New Hampshire show how much lighter the rules are for those species.
The bottom line: you cannot lawfully acquire a big cat as a pet in New Hampshire. If you want to work with big cats, the legal routes run through accredited zoos, sanctuaries, and permitted exhibitors, and each comes with strict standards.