Blonde Roof Rat

Are Roof Rats Legal in Arizona? Keeping, Breeding & Selling

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Roof Rat Laws › United States › Arizona

Summary. Arizona lets you keep, breed, and rehome a captive-bred roof rat with NO Game & Fish permit, but the legal basis is ‘unrestricted wildlife,’ not ‘pet,’ and that brings one big string attached. Arizona Game & Fish (AZGFD) restricts live wildlife by family, and the rat family (Muridae) is NOT on the restricted list (A.A.C. R12-4-406), so R. rattus is ‘unrestricted wildlife.’ Under A.A.C. R12-4-405(D) you may possess, propagate (breed), and sell/give away unrestricted wildlife and its offspring with no AZGFD license, PROVIDED the animal was lawfully imported from out of state (or is the offspring of one). The catch: because R. rattus also lives wild in Arizona and AZGFD’s narrow definition of ‘domestic’ (R12-4-401) excludes it, you may NOT catch a feral Arizona roof rat and keep it, wild-caught local rats are illegal contraband (R12-4-402), and the burden is on you to prove your pet’s captive-bred/imported provenance. Bringing a rat into Arizona requires a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) from the Dept of Agriculture (A.A.C. R3-2-602); intrastate transport needs no permit. Commercial sellers may meet the ‘Pet Dealer’ definition (A.R.S. Title 44) and must follow its care standards (e.g., a resting board over wire flooring). Bites from a caged pet rodent are statutorily exempt from rabies quarantine/testing (A.R.S. 11-1014(C)). Never release a roof rat, it is a strict-liability violation (R12-4-402(A)) and an active eradication target. R. rattus and the fancy rat R. norvegicus are treated identically (both unrestricted Muridae), so there is no species-trap.

Not confirmed by the regulator. This page is based on our own desk research; the sources we used are listed below. Last reviewed 2026-06-12.
legal note This is a research aid, not legal advice; rules change and are interpreted by local officials. Verify with the official source before acting.
National law also applies. These are the Arizona-specific rules; United States’s national rules (for example, breeder/dealer licensing and import/export) apply on top of them. See United States.

Local city & county rules

Local rules in some areas. These areas have their own ordinance that differs from the Arizona rule above, usually stricter. If your city is not listed, the Arizona rule applies, but always check your local code.
Phoenix Legal

Status by activity

Keeping / owning   Legal

Confidence: High · Last verified 2026-06-12

R. rattus (family Muridae) is not among the rodent families designated ‘restricted live wildlife’ in A.A.C. R12-4-406; under R12-4-405(D) a person may possess unrestricted wildlife and its offspring with no AZGFD license if it was lawfully imported/possessed. So keeping a captive-bred, out-of-state-sourced roof rat needs no Game & Fish license. The one limit: because R. rattus also lives wild in Arizona and the narrow ‘domestic’ definition in R12-4-401 excludes it, capturing a FERAL Arizona roof rat and keeping it is unlawful (R12-4-402(A), no lawful take of a nongame mammal alive); the owner bears the burden of proving lawful (imported/captive-bred) provenance.

Sources: AZ Game & Fish Commission (via Cornell LII), AZ Game & Fish Commission (via Cornell LII), AZ Game & Fish Commission (via Cornell LII), AZ Game & Fish Commission (via Cornell LII), Arizona State Legislature

Breeding   Legal

Confidence: High · Last verified 2026-06-12

A.A.C. R12-4-405(D) expressly lets a person ‘propagate’ unrestricted wildlife and its offspring with no AZGFD license, provided the parent stock was lawfully imported/possessed. There is no Game & Fish hobby-breeder or small-mammal propagation license for an unrestricted species because no base license is required. The offspring of lawfully imported rats inherit the same unrestricted, lawful status.

Sources: AZ Game & Fish Commission (via Cornell LII), AZ Game & Fish Commission (via Cornell LII)

Selling or giving away   Legal

Confidence: High · Last verified 2026-06-12

A.A.C. R12-4-405(D) lets a person ‘trade, rent, lease, give away, sell, offer for sale, export’ unrestricted wildlife and its offspring with no AZGFD license if the animal was lawfully imported/possessed, so selling or rehoming captive-bred roof rats is not barred by wildlife law. A commercial seller meeting the ‘Pet Dealer’/’pet store’ definition in A.R.S. 44-1799 (‘selling at retail … other animals’) must follow Title 44 care standards (sanitation, food/water, space, and a resting board over any wire flooring, A.R.S. 44-1799.04) and sourcing rules (44-1799.10); violations are a class 1 misdemeanor. The state preempts local bans on lawful retail pet sales (44-1799.11).

Sources: AZ Game & Fish Commission (via Cornell LII), Arizona State Legislature, Arizona State Legislature

Transport & import   Legal with a permit

Confidence: High · Last verified 2026-06-12

Intrastate transport of an unrestricted species needs no permit (R12-4-405(D) authorizes transporting unrestricted wildlife). IMPORTING into Arizona requires no AZGFD wildlife license for an unrestricted mammal, BUT the Dept of Agriculture mandates that all animals moved into Arizona be accompanied by a valid official Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) from the state of origin (A.A.C. R3-2-602(A)); R. rattus is an ‘exotic mammal not regulated as restricted live wildlife,’ so it is an ‘Animal’ under R3-2-101. The CVI (issued by an accredited vet, typically valid 30 days) is the operative permit. The entry-permit-number requirement applies only to livestock and is waived for electronic CVIs (AZDA SP24-02). Animals entering without a CVI face mandatory quarantine at owner expense (R3-2-605). Never release a roof rat, release of any live wildlife is unlawful under R12-4-402(A)(3).

Sources: AZ Game & Fish Commission (via Cornell LII), Arizona Department of Agriculture (official Arizona Secretary of State compilation), AZ Dept of Agriculture, AZ Game & Fish Commission (via Cornell LII)

Restrictions & responsibilities

Bringing a pet roof rat INTO Arizona requires a valid official Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) from the origin state (A.A.C. R3-2-602(A)), issued by an accredited veterinarian (typically valid 30 days). No AZGFD import license is needed for an unrestricted species; no entry-permit number is required for an exotic small mammal when the CVI is submitted electronically (AZDA SP24-02). Animals entering without a CVI are subject to mandatory quarantine at the owner’s expense (R3-2-605).
  • Before crossing into Arizona, have an accredited vet in the origin state issue a CVI for the rat (examination within ~30 days)
  • Carry the CVI during transport; e-CVI submission via USAHERDS removes any entry-permit-number requirement (SP24-02)
  • No AZGFD import permit is required (R. rattus is unrestricted wildlife)

Forms: Arizona Dept of Agriculture, Importing Animals into Arizona / CVI · Where: Issued by the origin-state accredited veterinarian; enforced by the Arizona Dept of Agriculture, State Veterinarian’s Office · Fees: Veterinary fee for the CVI (no state CVI filing fee)

Source: Arizona Department of Agriculture (official Arizona Secretary of State compilation), AZ Dept of Agriculture

Provenance burden: you may keep/breed/sell a roof rat only if it was lawfully imported (or is the offspring of one). Catching a feral Arizona roof rat and keeping it is unlawful (R12-4-402(A), no lawful live take of a nongame mammal), and the owner bears the burden of proving lawful captive-bred/imported origin if questioned. Keep import receipts, breeder contracts, and CVIs indefinitely.
  • Acquire only captive-bred roof rats from a lawful out-of-state source (never a wild-caught Arizona rat)
  • Retain proof of provenance (purchase receipt, breeder contract, CVI) in case of an AZGFD inquiry

Where: Arizona Game & Fish Department (enforcement)

Source: AZ Game & Fish Commission (via Cornell LII), AZ Game & Fish Commission (via Cornell LII)

Commercial sellers/breeders who meet the A.R.S. 44-1799 ‘pet dealer / pet store’ definition (‘selling at retail … other animals’) must meet Title 44 animal-care standards: sanitary facilities, continuous water and adequate food, adequate space, and, if rats are housed on wire flooring, a resting board/mat allowing the animal off the wire (A.R.S. 44-1799.04). They may not source from a USDA/AWA-noncompliant breeder (44-1799.10). Violations are a class 1 misdemeanor. Private (non-commercial) keepers/breeders are not ‘pet dealers.’
  • If operating commercially, meet A.R.S. 44-1799.04 care standards (sanitation, food/water, space, resting board over wire flooring)
  • Source only from USDA/AWA-compliant breeders (44-1799.10)

Where: Arizona Dept of Agriculture (Animal Services) / local enforcement

Source: Arizona State Legislature, Arizona State Legislature

Never release a roof rat into the wild, releasing any live wildlife is an expressly unlawful act in Arizona (A.A.C. R12-4-402(A)(3)) and a strict-liability violation, whether intentional or via escape from an insecure enclosure. R. rattus is an active eradication target (citrus pest; vector). AZGFD may seize/euthanize even a lawfully possessed rat held in a way that threatens public health or other wildlife (R12-4-402(B)).
  • Keep rats in secure indoor enclosures; never release or allow escape into the environment

Where: Arizona Game & Fish Department

Source: AZ Game & Fish Commission (via Cornell LII)

Thinking about keeping or breeding roof rats? Start with the care & husbandry guide, try the interactive games, or get in touch about joining as a colony keeper.

Official sources

Search terms: Rattus rattus, roof rat, black rat, ship rat.

About this page
Last reviewed 2026-06-12, which is when a person last read this page against its sources. Spotted an error, or know the law has changed? Email blonderoofrat@gmail.com. And if you write to the agency yourself and get an answer in writing, please forward it. Written agency replies are how 31 of these pages stopped being research and became confirmed.
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