Can You Own a Chimpanzee in New Hampshire? What NH Law Actually Allows
September 19, 2026
New Hampshire’s wildlife code lists the chimpanzee right alongside gorillas, baboons, and rhesus monkeys as a “controlled species,” which means the animal is legal to discuss but almost impossible for an ordinary resident to legally keep. If you’re wondering whether you can own a chimpanzee in New Hampshire as a pet, the short answer involves state permit categories, federal quarantine rules, and a proposed law in Congress that could tighten things even further.
Since 1990, nearly 300 people have reported being injured by captive primates in the United States, with many more incidents likely going unreported. That safety record is a big reason why New Hampshire’s rules are structured the way they are. Below, you’ll find what state and federal law actually say, what a permit would require, and what happens if someone keeps a chimpanzee without following the rules.
Is It Legal to Own a Chimpanzee in New Hampshire
New Hampshire does not have a single sentence in its statutes that says “chimpanzees are banned.” The Animal Legal & Historical Center notes that in the state of New Hampshire, there is no specific law that contains an outright ban on private ownership of great apes, though there are laws that address the importation and possession of wildlife. In practice, though, that patchwork of rules functions as a near-total prohibition for private owners.
Under New Hampshire’s wildlife regulations, chimpanzees fall into a category of animals that requires a state permit before anyone can legally possess one. Table 800.2 lists the controlled species, which include many wild turtles and salamanders, alligators, crocodiles, badgers, bears, cougars, coyotes, elephants, kangaroos, big cats, and large primates such as chimpanzees and gorillas. The chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) shares this controlled-species status with animals most people already assume they can’t legally own, which is a useful way to think about where it sits on the state’s risk scale.
The catch is who actually qualifies for that permit. Section 802.01 of the New Hampshire code limits permittee category 5 to exhibitors, defined as any person engaged in the showing, displaying, or training of wildlife for the purpose of public viewing. A private resident who simply wants a chimpanzee as a companion animal doesn’t fit that definition, so there’s effectively no permit tier available to them.
Important Note: New Hampshire has no explicit statutory ban naming chimpanzees, but the permit system is built so that only USDA-licensed exhibitors, not private pet owners, can legally qualify to possess one.
What Federal Law Currently Says About Primate Ownership
Federal law handles primates differently than most people expect. According to Friends of Animals, federal quarantine regulations forbid importing non-human primates as pets, but there are no federal laws in the U.S. banning primate ownership or exotic animal ownership in general. That leaves each state to decide its own rules, and Connecticut and 30 other states prohibit private possession of some or all primate species as pets.
The push for a federal standard traces back to a well-known case. Senator Richard Blumenthal has said he first introduced the Captive Primate Safety Act in 2009 after the tragedy involving Charla Nash, who was attacked by a chimpanzee named Travis kept as a pet by her friend in his former hometown of Stamford, Connecticut. That bill, now reintroduced in the current Congress, would change federal law in a significant way if it passes.
Specifically, the Animal Legal Defense Fund explains that the Captive Primate Safety Act prohibits private possession of nonhuman primates and the sale or transportation of nonhuman primates for the wild “pet” trade. The bill amends the Lacey Act and is sponsored across party lines, including Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC-01), and Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA-26). According to the Animal Welfare Institute, this prohibition is narrowly focused on pet primates and exempts zoos, research labs, sanctuaries, and universities.
There’s already a model for this kind of federal action. Congressman Quigley previously led the Big Cat Public Safety Act, and signed into law in 2022, that act banned the private ownership and breeding of big cats including lions, tigers, and pumas. As of its most recent reintroduction, the Captive Primate Safety Act (H.R.3199/S.1594) was still working through Congress to prohibit the private ownership and interstate or foreign commerce of nonhuman primates for the “pet” trade.
Key Insight: Even if the Captive Primate Safety Act eventually passes, it wouldn’t change much for New Hampshire residents specifically, since the state’s exhibitor-only permit system already blocks private primate ownership in most cases.
New Hampshire’s Laws on Owning a Chimpanzee
New Hampshire’s rules on primates come from a mix of wildlife regulations, an endangered species statute, and the state’s animal cruelty law. Understanding how these three pieces fit together explains why chimpanzee ownership is so tightly restricted even without an outright ban on the books.
Start with the wildlife code itself. Primates fall under permittee category 5 and include the chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan, baboon, spider monkey, squirrel monkey, capuchin, marmoset, guenon, celebes macaque, and rhesus. That grouping matters because it lumps great apes in with smaller monkey species under the same permit tier, which the state’s own Fish and Game administrative rules confirm applies statewide.
Layered on top of the wildlife code is New Hampshire’s Endangered Species Conservation Act. According to the ESCA, it is unlawful for a person to take, transport, possess, or sell endangered wildlife under NH Rev. Stat. 212-A:7. Chimpanzees are listed as endangered, so this statute applies directly. The ban is subject to exceptions, however, which includes category 5 permittees with a USDA-issued license to transport or possess primates — again pointing back to the exhibitor-only pathway.
Finally, New Hampshire’s animal cruelty and liability laws add a third layer of exposure. New Hampshire prohibits cruelty to animals under NH Rev. Stat. 644:8, and “animal” is defined broadly under the anti-cruelty statute to include any domestic animal, household pet, or wild animal in captivity. That means someone housing a chimpanzee improperly, even with a permit, could still face cruelty charges if the animal’s living conditions fall short of care standards. For comparison, the state’s goat ownership rules and other domestic-animal statutes operate under far lighter oversight than anything applied to primates.
| Legal Layer | What It Covers | Effect on Chimpanzee Ownership |
|---|---|---|
| Wildlife Permit Code (Fis 804.05) | Classifies chimpanzees as controlled species, permittee category 5 | Permits limited to licensed exhibitors, not private owners |
| Endangered Species Conservation Act (RSA 212-A) | Bans possession of endangered wildlife | Exception only for USDA-licensed category 5 permittees |
| Animal Cruelty Statute (RSA 644:8) | Requires humane care for captive wild animals | Applies even to permitted owners; poor conditions can trigger charges |
Permits and Requirements for Chimpanzee Ownership in New Hampshire
If you still wanted to pursue legal chimpanzee ownership in New Hampshire, the path runs entirely through the state’s exhibitor permit system, and it’s not a quick process. A 2024 Boston Globe report on a related exotic-pet bill confirmed that there already is a path under New Hampshire law for people to demonstrate their ability to care for such animals and secure an exhibitor’s permit. That’s the only real route available.
Here’s what the application process actually involves for anyone pursuing a category 5 permit:
- Advance filing: Applications for a permit to possess shall be submitted no less than 30 days in advance of the requested date of possession.
- Health documentation: Health certificates must meet standards set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture pursuant to 9 CFR, 2.78, and/or the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture.
- USDA licensing: Applicants generally need an existing USDA exhibitor’s license before the state will even consider the request.
- Discretionary review: Permits are issued at the discretion of the executive director, who is supposed to consider whether the animal would pose a threat to other wildlife, the public, or to New Hampshire’s ecosystem if released.
Broadly speaking, under NH state law, animals on the controlled list can be owned or sold only by individuals with a permit from the Fish and Game Department — the same office that oversees the state’s hunting license system and other wildlife permits. Venomous reptiles and other higher-risk species, similar to the concerns raised around whether coral snakes exist in New Hampshire, face comparable permit scrutiny under the same controlled-species framework.
Pro Tip: If you’re seriously exploring exotic animal permits in New Hampshire, contact the Fish and Game Department’s Division of Enforcement directly before making any purchase or transport arrangements. Applying after acquiring the animal puts you in violation from day one.
It’s also worth knowing that lawmakers have recently tested the waters on loosening exotic pet rules, and it didn’t go well for primates. In 2024, a bill that would also allow private ownership of monkeys, raccoons, foxes, otters, and skunks drew opposition from the Humane Society, the Animal Welfare Institute, the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance, and the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, among others. The measure failed, which signals that expanding private primate ownership isn’t gaining traction in Concord anytime soon.
Local Laws That May Apply in New Hampshire
State permits are only the first hurdle. Cities and towns in New Hampshire retain authority over local zoning, nuisance, and animal control ordinances, and many municipalities restrict or outright prohibit keeping wild or exotic animals within residential zones, regardless of whether the state has issued a permit.
Before assuming a state-level exhibitor permit settles the matter, check with your town or city clerk’s office about local zoning codes and any animal-specific ordinances. Some municipalities model their local rules on the same complaint and enforcement patterns used for other animal disputes, similar to how neighbor disputes over roaming pets get handled at the local level. Homeowners associations can add another layer of restriction on top of both state and municipal rules, particularly in planned developments.
It’s also worth reviewing the state’s broader list of dangerous animals in New Hampshire, since local officials often use that same risk framework when evaluating exotic animal complaints, licensing questions, or nuisance reports involving unusual pets.
Penalties for Illegally Owning a Chimpanzee in New Hampshire
Keeping a chimpanzee in New Hampshire without the proper permits carries real legal exposure. Violations of the state’s exotic animal possession law can result in fines and imprisonment. Because chimpanzees also fall under the Endangered Species Conservation Act, unauthorized possession can trigger charges under that statute in addition to any wildlife permit violations.
State wildlife officers also have authority to seize an illegally possessed animal, and a seized chimpanzee would typically be transferred to an accredited sanctuary or zoo rather than returned to its owner. If the animal injures someone during unauthorized possession, the owner could face additional civil liability, following a pattern similar to how New Hampshire handles cases when a dog bites someone — except the stakes climb considerably higher given a chimpanzee’s strength and unpredictability.
National cases underscore why enforcement agencies take this seriously. Following the events chronicled in the HBO series “Chimp Crazy,” exotic animal broker Tonia Haddix was sentenced in August 2025 to nearly four years in prison for her role in illegally keeping and hiding a chimpanzee from federal authorities. That case was prosecuted federally rather than under New Hampshire law, but it illustrates how seriously courts now treat illegal primate possession and concealment nationwide.
Common Mistake: Assuming that because New Hampshire lacks an explicit “chimpanzee ban” in its statute book, ownership is a legal gray area. In practice, the permit system, endangered species law, and animal cruelty statute combine to make unauthorized possession a genuine legal risk, not a loophole.
Between the state’s exhibitor-only permit structure, the endangered species overlay, and a federal bill that could tighten the rules nationwide, New Hampshire offers essentially no realistic path for private chimpanzee ownership. Anyone genuinely interested in working with primates is better served contacting an accredited sanctuary, zoo, or research institution rather than pursuing private possession, and anyone with questions about a specific situation should reach out to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department directly before taking any action.