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

Keeping / owning   Legal

Confidence: High · Last verified 2026-06-10

TCA §70-4-403(3) defines Class III as the residual class that ‘requires no permits except those required by the department of agriculture, and includes all species not listed in other classes.’ R. rattus is non-native (so not Class II/IV), is not inherently dangerous (not Class I), and is absent from the injurious Class V list, so it defaults to Class III. No TWRA possession permit, registration, facility inspection, or fee is required to keep one as a pet; ordinary proof of legal (non-wild) origin such as a bill of sale or breeder receipt suffices.

Sources: Tennessee General Assembly (via Justia), TWRA (via TN Secretary of State)

Breeding   Legal

Confidence: High · Last verified 2026-06-10

TWRA commercial propagation permits are required only for Class I or Class II wildlife, so no propagation permit applies to a Class III roof rat (TCA §70-4-403(3); Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1660-01-37-.06). Tennessee’s Commercial Breeder Act (TCA Title 44 ch. 17 pt. 7) covered only unsterilized dogs and cats and expired under its sunset clause on June 30, 2014, leaving no active state breeder license for rodents. Hobby and commercial rat breeding are unregulated by the state; large wholesale operations selling to labs or pet-store chains may still need federal USDA Animal Welfare Act licensing (see United States), and local zoning may apply to a home business.

Sources: Tennessee General Assembly (via Justia), TWRA (via Cornell LII), Tennessee General Assembly (via Animal Legal & Historical Center)

Selling or giving away   Legal

Confidence: High · Last verified 2026-06-10

No TWRA sale/transfer permit applies to a Class III rodent, the ‘Commercial Use of Wildlife’ rule (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1660-01-17-.01) restricts only endangered, threatened, or native species and contains no bar on buying/selling/bartering legally obtained non-native wildlife. The TDA Livestock Dealer License (TCA Title 44 ch. 10) applies only to traditional livestock (cattle, swine, sheep, goats, horses, poultry), so pet rodents are exempt. Selling or gifting roof rats is therefore unregulated by state agencies; only local municipal/county zoning for a home-based commercial business may apply.

Sources: TWRA (via Animal Legal & Historical Center), TN Dept of Agriculture, Tennessee General Assembly (via Justia)

Transport & import   Legal with a permit

Confidence: High · Last verified 2026-06-10

Intrastate transport needs no health certificate, CVI, or TWRA permit, and TWRA importation rules expressly exempt Class III wildlife (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1660-01-15-.01(h)). But the TDA asserts jurisdiction over all animals crossing the state line: under Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0080-02-01, an animal entering Tennessee must be free of communicable disease and accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (normally valid 30 days). The June 4, 2026 TDA ‘Order of the State Veterinarian’ for New World Screwworm applies to all warm-blooded mammals, explicitly including ‘Class III animals as classified by Tenn. Code Ann. §70-4-403(3)’, and, for animals from infested/high-risk states, requires a CVI issued within 7 days, the statement ‘All animals listed on the CVI have been inspected and are free from screwworm larvae infestation,’ freedom from open wounds, and a prior entry permit number from the State Veterinarian’s Office. A lawful pathway plainly exists; transporting without the required CVI risks civil penalties up to $500.

Sources: TWRA (via TN Secretary of State), TN Dept of Agriculture (via TN Secretary of State), TN Dept of Agriculture (State Veterinarian), TN Dept of Agriculture (State Veterinarian), Tennessee General Assembly (via Justia)

• Have an accredited veterinarian in the origin state examine the rat and issue a CVI before crossing the state line
• Prefer an electronic CVI (GlobalVetLink / VSPS / Vet Sentry), PDF CVIs not accepted after June 30, 2026
• Carry the CVI during transport into Tennessee

Forms: Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI / eCVI) · Where: Issued by an accredited veterinarian in the state of origin; TN Dept of Agriculture (Office of the State Veterinarian) oversees import compliance · Fees: Veterinary exam/CVI fee set by the issuing vet; no state filing fee

Source: TN Dept of Agriculture (State Veterinarian), TN Dept of Agriculture (via TN Secretary of State)

• Check whether the origin state is currently an infested/high-risk state (status is fluid, confirm with TDA on shipment day)
• If high-risk: obtain a CVI issued within 7 days of entry bearing the screwworm-free inspection statement; ensure the animal has no open wounds
• If from an infested zone: obtain a prior entry permit number from the State Veterinarian’s Office and a prophylactic-treatment declaration on the CVI

Forms: CVI (issued within 7 days) with screwworm inspection statement, Entry permit (infested-zone origins) · Where: Tennessee Dept of Agriculture, Office of the State Veterinarian (entry permits); accredited vet issues the CVI · Fees: No state fee for the order; veterinary CVI fee applies. Civil penalties up to $500 per violation for non-compliant transport.

Source: TN Dept of Agriculture (State Veterinarian), TN Dept of Agriculture (State Veterinarian)

• Verify with your county clerk / city whether a generic business license is needed for a home-based animal husbandry enterprise
• If selling wholesale or sight-unseen, check federal USDA AWA licensing

Where: Local county clerk / municipal licensing (business license); USDA APHIS (federal wholesale) · Fees: Set locally / federally

Source: Tennessee General Assembly (via Animal Legal & Historical Center), TN Dept of Agriculture

Source: Tennessee General Assembly (via Justia), Shelby County Health Department