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

• FWC Captive Wildlife Office (written reply, 2026-06-08): FWC determines whether an animal is domestic or wild by the SPECIES, not by an individual’s tameness, so black/roof rats are treated as wild rats even when captive-bred. KEEPING one as a pet requires NO license (all rats, wild or domestic, are exempt from personal-possession licensing), and GIVING one away with no money changing hands requires NO license. SELLING one (any transfer for payment) requires a Class III ‘Exhibition or Public Sale’ (ESC) license.
• FDACS Division of Animal Industry (written guidance, 2020): importing animals into Florida requires a veterinary health certificate (OCVI) issued within 30 days; reportable diseases must be reported.

Keeping / owning   Legal

Confidence: High · Last verified 2026-06-08

FWC confirmed in writing (2026-06-08) that ALL rats, wild or domestic, are exempt from personal-possession licensing, so keeping a captive-bred roof rat as a pet needs no FWC license. (Consistent with F.A.C. 68A-6.003(14)(d), which exempts ‘Rats and mice’ for personal use, and with roof rats not being on FWC’s Prohibited Nonnative Species list.)

Sources: Florida Administrative Code, FL FWC

Breeding   Legal

Confidence: High · Last verified 2026-06-08

Breeding for personal use, keeping the offspring as your own pets or giving them away free, requires no FWC license (all rats are exempt from personal-possession licensing). There is no separate FWC ‘breeding permit.’ Note: the moment you SELL offspring (transfer for money), the selling rule below applies (a Class III ESC license).

Sources: Florida Administrative Code

Selling or giving away   Legal with a permit

Confidence: High · Last verified 2026-06-08

RESOLVED by FWC’s written reply (2026-06-08): because FWC treats roof rats as WILDLIFE by species (not by tameness), SELLING one, any transfer where money changes hands, requires a Class III ‘Exhibition or Public Sale’ (ESC) license. GIVING one away with no payment requires NO license (all rats are exempt from personal-possession licensing). This supersedes the brief 2020 verbal ‘no license to sell’ guidance, which didn’t account for the species-based doctrine.

Sources: FL FWC, Florida Administrative Code, Florida Administrative Code

Transport & import   Restricted

Confidence: High · Last verified 2026-06-06

Moving an exempt personal pet within Florida needs no permit. IMPORTING a roof rat into Florida (it is non-native wildlife) requires a FREE FWC Wildlife Importation Permit (CWL), valid 45 days (applicant must be 16+); and FDACS requires a veterinary health certificate (OCVI) for animals entering the state. It is illegal to release any nonnative species.

Sources: FL FWC, FDACS, FL FWC

• If you’ll sell for money: apply for the Class III Exhibition/Public Sale (ESC) license and file a disaster plan
• If only giving away free: nothing required

Forms: FWC, Sale of Wildlife · Where: FWC Captive Wildlife Office · Fees: $50/yr (Class III ESC) to sell; $0 to give away

Source: FL FWC, Florida Administrative Code

• Apply for the FWC Wildlife Importation Permit (CWL) before crossing into Florida
• Carry a veterinary health certificate (OCVI) issued within 30 days

Forms: FWC, Importation of Wildlife · Where: FWC Captive Wildlife Office · Fees: No cost (CWL); veterinary fee for the OCVI

Source: FL FWC, FDACS

Where: Your county animal services / municipal code enforcement

Source: FL FWC