This site will be continually under construction and changing as the states, counties and municipals continually change their regulations and laws. These are the current regulations for 1996 that we have received to date. If you have other information, please let us know the citations of those laws or regulations, the state and when the changes went or will go into effect by sending e-mail to lawschange@monkeymaddness.com.
The State Game and Inland Fisheries regulates pet primates. They estimate about five times as many owners of pet primates as primate owners with USDA licenses. The state has a list of "acceptable" and a list of "undesirable" species. Some primates are in one category, some in the other. One may not own animals of an "undesirable" species without a state permit, but no such permit will be issued unless one also has a USDA license. Thus, many pet primate owners also obtain a USDA license by becoming pseudo-exhibitors. It is also illegal to own an endangered species as a pet (meaning no USDA license) but this is not strongly enforced. Fairfax County has an ordinance against pet primate ownership; however, the County has made two exceptions for the life of specific individual animals due to long-term relationships. These owners must renew their special permit yearly, so officials can monitor and ensure that no new primates are acquired when these animals die.