If you have ever wondered whether you could own a lion in Maine, the short answer is no — and the legal framework behind that answer runs deeper than most people expect. Maine is already one of the strictest states in the country when it comes to exotic animal ownership, and a landmark federal law passed in 2022 added a nationwide layer of prohibition on top of existing state rules.
Understanding exactly why lions are off-limits — and what could happen if you tried anyway — helps you stay on the right side of the law and make informed decisions about exotic pet ownership in general. This article walks through every layer of the legal picture, from federal statute to local ordinance.
Is It Legal to Own a Lion in Maine?
No, it is not legal to own a lion in Maine. Maine requires a permit to own most wild birds or animals, but several species are explicitly not allowed under any circumstances — and the lion is one of them, alongside bear, moose, cheetah, wolf, monkey, camel, alligator, and others.
Maine’s laws regarding the possession of wildlife are among the strictest in the country, and the goal of those laws is to protect the interests of wildlife, the public, and the state’s natural resources. Lions fall squarely into the category of animals that pose an unacceptable risk to public safety — and no permit pathway exists for private individuals to change that.
It is worth noting that this prohibition applies regardless of where you acquired the animal. Do not assume that animals for sale in other states, including those adjacent to Maine, are lawful in Maine. Animals advertised for sale on the internet or in newspapers may or may not be lawful at the point of origin but are illegal to bring into Maine.
Important Note: If you are interested in large cat species that are native to North America, you may find our overview of American states with mountain lions and information on how much a mountain lion weighs helpful for understanding these wild animals in their natural context.
What Federal Law Says About Lion Ownership
Even before Maine’s own rules apply, a federal law closes the door on private lion ownership across the entire United States. The Big Cat Public Safety Act was enacted on December 20, 2022, to end the private ownership of big cats as pets and prohibit exhibitors from allowing public contact with big cats, including cubs. It placed new restrictions on the commerce, breeding, possession, and use of certain big cat species.
The Big Cat Public Safety Act makes it unlawful to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce, or breed or possess prohibited wildlife species — which include lions, tigers, leopards, snow leopards, clouded leopards, jaguars, cheetahs, and cougars, or any hybrids thereof — with certain exceptions. The African lion (Panthera leo) is explicitly named among the prohibited species.
With some states banning private ownership of big cats and other states imposing partial restrictions or no restrictions whatsoever, this regulatory patchwork previously failed to protect public safety and animal welfare. The federal law was designed to eliminate that inconsistency once and for all.
Who Is Exempt Under Federal Law?
There are exceptions to the Big Cat Public Safety Act. The law does not apply to licensed facilities like zoos and sanctuaries that meet specific standards, as well as state universities and wildlife rehabilitation centers. Private individuals, however, have no viable exemption pathway if they did not already own a registered big cat before the law’s enactment.
The Act included a one-time exception for private individuals or entities who owned big cats before December 20, 2022. Those owners could keep their animals provided they registered each big cat with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service no later than June 18, 2023. That registration window was 180 days from the date of passage and is now permanently closed. If you did not register by that deadline, you are in violation of federal law.
You can read the full details of the law directly from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Maine’s Laws on Owning a Lion
Maine’s prohibition on lion ownership predates the federal law and is embedded in the state’s wildlife captivity statutes. Under Maine law, a person is prohibited from keeping wildlife in captivity, as well as importing, breeding, or releasing “wildlife,” except under a valid license (ME ST. T. 12 §§ 12151–12161).
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife commissioner may adopt rules classifying wildlife into categories. Those rules must, at a minimum, include a category of prohibited species for which a permit is not issued under any circumstances. Lions fall into this prohibited category — meaning no amount of paperwork or fee payment can result in a legal private lion ownership arrangement in Maine.
No permit shall be granted for prohibited species that the commissioner, in consultation with the captive wildlife technical committee, has determined pose a significant risk to Maine’s native flora and fauna, to the public welfare, or to domestic animals. The commissioner may make an exception and authorize limited possession of these species only by accredited research facilities in cases where there is a significant public benefit. That narrow research exception does not extend to private ownership.
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife maintains the full list of prohibited, restricted, and unrestricted species. The department has statutory responsibility for all freshwater fish, reptiles and amphibians, birds, and mammals, regardless of whether they are native to Maine or occur elsewhere in the world.
If you are curious about the wildlife that does live legally in Maine, our guides to hawks in Maine, owls in Maine, and snakes in Maine offer a closer look at the state’s native fauna.
Permits and Requirements for Lion Ownership in Maine
Because lions are a prohibited species under Maine law, there is no permit available for private ownership. This section is worth addressing directly because many people assume that exotic animal ownership simply requires “the right paperwork.” For lions, that is not the case.
Maine’s wildlife captivity framework does include a permit system for many other species, but it draws a firm line at animals that present significant public safety risks. A species lands on the prohibited list when it is capable of inflicting serious bodily injury to humans, harbors agents substantially harmful to humans or native wildlife, or has unique requirements for housing or care that cannot be provided outside of professionally designed and operated facilities. Lions meet all three of those criteria.
Key Insight: Even for animals that are not outright prohibited, Maine’s permit system is demanding. The commissioner may adopt rules to ensure that all wildlife possessed under permits receives humane treatment and proper husbandry and security, and to safeguard the interests of the wildlife and citizens of the state.
For context, to possess a Category 1 Restricted Species in Maine, a person must acquire either an exhibitor’s or wildlife rehabilitator’s permit, or must be an accredited research facility or a laboratory registered with the United States Department of Agriculture. Lions are not even in this “restricted but potentially permittable” category — they are flatly prohibited.
If you are interested in legal exotic cat ownership in a different direction, you might enjoy learning about the Maine Coon cat, a large domestic breed that is legal to own anywhere and has a fascinating history. You can also explore why Maine Coon cats are considered family-friendly and whether Maine Coons get along with dogs.
Local Laws That May Apply in Maine
Even if state law permitted lion ownership — which it does not — you would still need to contend with local ordinances. Maine gives municipalities the authority to impose additional restrictions beyond what the state requires.
Some towns may have municipal ordinances that further regulate the keeping of animals that the Department otherwise allows. You should check with your city or town to comply with both state and local laws. If towns can add restrictions to animals the state permits, they can certainly reinforce the ban on animals the state already prohibits.
Local restrictions can also exist in accordance with city or municipal ordinances — and in practice, most Maine municipalities have zoning codes, nuisance animal ordinances, and public safety regulations that would independently prohibit keeping a large predator on residential or commercial property.
Animal control officers at the local level also play a role in enforcement. Under Maine law, in addition to the Maine Warden Service, the Department of Agriculture Pet Shop Inspector may enforce Fish and Wildlife laws (Title 12 MRSA). This means enforcement authority is distributed across multiple agencies, making it harder to evade detection.
If you want to understand how animal-related laws work at the local level in Maine more broadly, our article on dog leash laws in Maine and our guide on whether it is legal to own a raccoon in Maine show how the state balances local authority with statewide standards.
Penalties for Illegally Owning a Lion in Maine
The consequences of illegally owning a lion in Maine come from multiple directions simultaneously — federal law, state law, and potentially local ordinances can all apply at once.
Federal Penalties
Under the Big Cat Public Safety Act, violators are subject to civil or criminal penalties, or both, including potential fines, imprisonment, or both. Big cats bred, possessed, imported, exported, transported, sold, received, acquired, or purchased contrary to the provisions of the Act are also subject to seizure and forfeiture.
Under the Big Cat Public Safety Act, illegal ownership can result in fines of up to $20,000 and imprisonment for up to five years. The animal is also subject to confiscation. State penalties can be added on top of federal ones, potentially leading to even steeper fines and longer jail time.
State Penalties
Maine’s own penalties for wildlife violations are separate from the federal consequences. Under Maine’s exotic pet law, penalties for violations incur fines of not less than $100 but not more than $500. Three or more such violations within a five-year period are considered a Class E criminal offense.
Each day a person violates the possession requirement constitutes a Class E crime, for which a minimum fine of $50 and an amount equal to twice the applicable permit fee must be imposed. Because lions are a prohibited species, the permit fee baseline used in calculating fines is significant.
Maine law also addresses what happens when wildlife escapes. Possessing wildlife not permitted in accordance with the statute, combined with failing to immediately notify a law enforcement officer that the wildlife has escaped, constitutes a Class D crime. A Class D crime in Maine can carry up to one year in jail and fines up to $2,000.
Important Note: The state can also charge you for the cost of removing or euthanizing an unpermitted animal. Maine law provides a process to charge a responsible party for the cost incurred to remove or euthanize unpermitted regulated fish or wildlife species. In the case of a large predator like a lion, those removal costs could be substantial.
A Summary of Potential Penalties
| Jurisdiction | Type of Penalty | Potential Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Federal (BCPSA) | Civil / Criminal | Fines up to $20,000; up to 5 years imprisonment; animal seizure |
| Maine State Law | Civil / Criminal | Fines $100–$500 per violation; Class E or Class D crime for repeat or escape violations |
| Maine State Law | Cost Recovery | Charged for removal or euthanasia of unpermitted animal |
| Local Ordinance | Civil | Additional fines and enforcement actions per municipal code |
The bottom line is clear: owning a lion in Maine is prohibited at every level of government, and the penalties reflect the seriousness with which both state and federal authorities treat large predator ownership. If you love big cats, supporting an accredited sanctuary is the legal and humane way to engage with these animals. For wildlife that is actually native to Maine, explore our guides on caterpillars in Maine, butterflies in Maine, and finches in Maine to connect with the remarkable wildlife that surrounds you legally every day.