There is significant interest in the legality of Dubia roaches. We’re often asked what the story is—people want to know if it’s legal to buy Dubia roaches in their state. We created this resource page to answer these questions.
Dubia roaches are legal in the United States. While importing them from other countries is regulated, federal law exempts those bred in the U.S. from restriction, and they can be shipped and received without a permit. However, they are restricted in a few localities, including Florida and Hawaii, which we will explain below.
So the short answer is yes, you are free to buy Dubia roaches in the U.S., unless you live in one of the few places that restrict them.
The legal status of Dubia roaches is clear, but it’s often misunderstood. Here is the bottom line: As a naturalized species in the United States, they are unregulated by most states. Exceptions exist among the few states with tropical climates where Dubia roaches could potentially survive outside captivity.
NOTE: If any of the following information has changed, please let us know in the comments below
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Federal Regulation
Two federal agencies set rules for shipping Dubia roaches within the United States: The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Postal Service.
The USDA regulates the importation of plants and animals into the U.S. and the movement of plants and animals within its borders. The USPS has specific rules regarding the handling and shipping of live animals.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Domestic Dubia Roaches: The U.S. Department of Agriculture has exempted domestically-sourced Dubia roaches (external link) (Blaptica dubia) from restrictions in the continental United States. No permit is required to ship or receive them.
Importing Dubia Roaches: The USDA allows the import of Dubia roaches from other countries. A permit is required for this purpose, as it is for most (if not all) animals.
U.S. Postal Service
The U.S. Postal Service has its own regulations regarding shipping live animals. At the USPS, Dubia roaches fall under Section 526.6 Small, Harmless, Cold–Blooded Animals in USPS Publication 52 – Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service (external link)
The USPS does not have a specific rule about Dubia roaches. When there is no USPS guideline for a species, they follow the USDA policy. In this case, USDA policy permits the shipment of Dubia roaches freely within the continental United States.
An older version of USPS Publication 52 (external link) explains this relationship.
In summary, Dubia roaches have been an important part of the insect feeder industry for many years. They are common, widely available, and they are exempt by statute from federal restrictions within the continental U.S..
State Regulation
Of course, states can make their own rules, but the good news for pet owners and hobbyists is that Dubia roaches are legal in most states. State-level restrictions are rare. Those that exist stem from concerns about the survivability of Dubia roaches outside captivity in tropical climates. Because tropical climates are uncommon in the U.S., so are restrictions.
The state-by-state information below includes guidance about how each state handles transportation of one or more of the following into and within its borders: insects, feeder insects, Dubia roaches, and tropical cockroaches.
Broadly, states tend to follow USDA rules regarding all insects, including Dubia roaches. Occasionally, they create their own rule structure regarding specific insects based on their unique circumstances, but they do not regulate Dubia roaches. Rarely, they regulate Dubia roaches.
Please see the information below for state-specific details.
Alaska
Are Dubia roaches legal in Alaska? Yes, they are.
Alaska’s climate is naturally inhospitable to tropical insects, which probably explains why the state does not restrict the importation of Dubia roaches and other tropical roaches specifically, or feeder insects generally. They could never survive Alaska’s harsh weather if they were to escape. Alaska is within the USDA’s definition of the “continental U.S.,” and Dubia roaches are thus unrestricted by federal law.
While Dubia roaches are legal in Alaska, unfortunately, we do not ship them to the state. The combination of harsh climate and remote locations makes losses in transit common during the cold winter months, and this happens frequently enough that we have decided to stop shipping there.
Arizona
Are Dubia roaches legal in Arizona? Yes, Dubia roaches are legal in Arizona.
Arizona’s Department of Agriculture focuses primarily on its livestock and farming industries. The state follows USDA guidelines for plants and animals and does not impose additional restrictions on Dubia roaches, other feeder insects, or tropical roaches.
California
Can you legally buy Dubia roaches in California? Yes, you can.
California has taken similar action to the USDA by declaring Dubia roaches exempt from restriction. The state expressly permits Dubia roaches to be shipped into, out of, and within the state (external link), identifying them as “beneficial or useful insects of common occurrence in the state.”
In its declaration, the State of California cites the USDA exemption for the Dubia roach.
Canada
Are Dubia roaches legal in Canada? Yes, but they require a permit to import.
According to Canada’s Automated Import Reference System (AIRS), all animals imported into Canada are subject to regulation and inspection (external link). This includes Dubia roaches.
While Dubia roaches are allowed into Canada, and we could likely acquire the necessary permits, we don’t ship to Canada. Long customs-clearing wait times combined with extremely cold Canadian winter temperatures make shipping Dubia roaches to Canada impractical. In short, orders would take a long time to arrive, and in winter, the roaches would probably not survive.
Colorado
Are Dubia roaches legal in Colorado? Yes.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture does not regulate Dubia roaches (external link) or any other feeder insect species. Like many states, Colorado consults USDA data on pest insect species and focuses its regulatory efforts on those relevant to the region. They take no action against Dubia roaches because the USDA has exempted them from regulation, and because they are not an insect of concern to the state.
Connecticut
Are Dubia roaches legal in Connecticut? Yes, they are legal.
Connecticut does not regulate the movement or possession of Dubia roaches. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES), which is part of the CT Department of Agriculture, maintains a list of prohibited invasive insect species (external link), deferring to U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations for insect species not on this list. Neither the Dubia roach nor any feeder insect is on the state’s restricted list.
In fact, CAES provides an educational fact sheet (external link) about another feeder roach, the Madagascar hissing cockroach, which they describe as a non-pest due to its inability to adapt to temperate climates or urban environments. As tropical cockroaches, the Madagascar hissing cockroach and the Dubia roach share these features.
Delaware
Are Dubia roaches legal in Delaware? Yes.
The Delaware Department of Agriculture says (external link) it works “in cooperation with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services’ (APHIS) Plant Protection & Quarantine (PPQ) Unit regarding…the interstate movement of…animals.”
The state does not maintain a list of regulated insects, instead deferring to USDA regulations. The closest equivalent to “regulated insects” is a list of insect pests maintained by the Delaware Invasive Species Council, an advisory panel. Dubia roaches and other feeder insects are not on the list.
Florida
Are Dubia roaches legal in Florida? No, they are not.
Tropical regions are especially vulnerable to invasive species because non-native plants and animals can become established and displace native species. Perhaps the most famous examples of this are the iguanas and pythons that have become naturalized in Florida after escaping captivity.
The Florida department of Agriculture (external link) expressly prohibits “any organism demonstrated to be or potentially capable of causing significant agricultural or ecological harm, becoming nuisances, or known hazards.”
Escaped Dubia roaches could conceivably survive, breed, and establish themselves in the tropical climate of Southern Florida, so the state prohibits them (external link).
Georgia
Are Dubia roaches legal in Georgia? Yes.
The state of Georgia does not maintain a list of regulated or restricted insects. Instead, the Georgia Department of Agriculture – in conjunction with the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health at the University of Georgia – works with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which exempts naturalized Dubia roaches from restriction, to identify and address insect pests (external link). The image below shows all of the insects of concern in Georgia.
Hawaii
Are Dubia roaches legal to buy in Hawaii? No, they are not. Hawaii is among the few states that ban the importation of Dubia roaches.
Hawaii has the strictest importation regulations of all US states. The rules are so strict that if you bring your dog or cat into the state, they will quarantine it for 5 to 120 days. Hawaii has only two insects on its approved list of animal imports, while many hundreds are banned, including almost all of the most common feeder insects for pets. Mealworms are the only common feeder insect approved, but the approval is conditional: they must be manually inspected upon entry into the State.
Whereas most states allow people to import living things unless expressly banned, Hawaii takes the opposite approach; the state essentially bans everything, then conditionally approves specific species under certain situations.
Hawaii’s tropical climate makes it uniquely vulnerable to all kinds of invasive species, so the state heavily regulates the importation of all plants and animals, including dogs and cats. They even restrict importation of soil…and not just the kind of soil you buy in bags, but soil on the roots of plants people import. If you manage to import a plant into Hawaii, it must be soil-free.
Even the name of the agency that manages plant and animal importation is serious: the “Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity”, and the first paragraph on their website is a warning:
Needless to say, we do not ship Dubia roaches to Hawaii.
Idaho
Are Dubia roaches legal in Idaho? Yes, they are.
The state of Idaho does not restrict Dubia roaches. The Idaho Department of Agriculture regulates invasive insect pests (external link) in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The regulated insects are common to the region and are recognized as injurious to natural or economic resources. Dubia roaches do not cause plant or economic damage, are exempt from regulation by the USDA, and Idaho does not restrict them or any other feeder insect.
Illinois
Are Dubia roaches legal in Illinois? Yes.
Illinois does not restrict Dubia roaches or any other feeder insect. Perhaps because its climate is inhospitable to many non-native species, including tropical insects, Illinois restricts only a few insects (external link). The list below shows all the restricted insects in the state of Illinois.
Indiana
Are Dubia roaches legal in Indiana? Yes, they are legal.
The Indiana State Department of Agriculture does not restrict Dubia roaches or any other feeder insect. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (external link) maintains a list of regulated species, but the Dubia roach is not among them. Neither are any tropical roach species or feeder insect species.
Kansas
Are Dubia roaches legal in Kansas? Yes.
The Kansas Department of Agriculture provides a list of common insect pests (external link) found in the state. It does not have its own list of regulated insects; instead, it follows the rules and guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The main goal of the KDA appears to be protecting Kansas agriculture from common crop pests. Mentions of regulated plants and animals on its website refer visitors to the USDA for more details. Dubia roaches are not considered crop pests, and Kansas does not regulate Dubia roaches or tropical cockroaches, nor any other feeder insect.
Maine
Are Dubia roaches legal in Maine? Yes.
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife categorizes the Dubia roach as an unrestricted species (external link).
Maryland
Are Dubia roaches legal in Maryland? Yes.
Maryland does not restrict Dubia roaches. They are legal and can move freely in the state. The Maryland Department of Agriculture regulates insects it identifies as invasive (external link), defined as causing or potential to cause ecological or economic harm or endanger human health. Dubia roaches do not meet these criteria.
Massachusetts
Are Dubia roaches legal in Massachusetts? Yes.
Massachusetts does not have a list of regulated or restricted insects. The Massachusetts Department of Agriculture works with the USDA to monitor common plant pests, but Dubia roaches are not among them.
Michigan
Are Dubia roaches legal in Michigan? Yes.
Michigan does not restrict Dubia roaches, tropical cockroaches, or any feeder insect species. According to the Michigan Invasive Species Program, it is legal to ship every feeder insect species (external link) into and out of Michigan.
Minnesota
Are Dubia roaches legal in Minnesota? Yes, they are legal.
Minnesota does not regulate Dubia roaches. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture maintains a list of regulated insects (external link), which includes common pest species. Neither Dubia roaches nor any feeder insect species are on this list.
Missouri
Are Dubia roaches legal in Missouri? Yes, they are legal.
Missouri does not restrict Dubia roaches, so they can be kept or moved freely within the state. The Missouri Department of Conservation maintains a list of invasive, non-native animal species (external link) that it regulates, but Dubia roaches are not among them.
Nevada
Are Dubia roaches legal in Nevada? Yes.
The Nevada Department of Agriculture lists a handful of invasive insects as species of concern for its agriculture and forestry resources. Dubia roaches are not on the list. And this makes sense, as Nevada’s climate is inhospitable to all tropical invertebrates. Nevada defers to the USDA for guidance on insects it does not specifically regulate.
New Hampshire
Are Dubia roaches legal to buy in New Hampshire? Yes, they are legal.
New Hampshire does not regulate Dubia roaches. The New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food prohibits certain insects (external link) known to cause harm to the state’s resources and economy, but Dubia roaches are not among them, nor are any feeder insects.
New Jersey
Are Dubia roaches legal to buy in New Jersey? Yes, they are legal.
You can buy Dubia roaches freely in New Jersey. The state does not restrict Dubia roaches, tropical cockroaches, or any feeder insect species. Below is the state’s complete list of restricted insects.
According to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, it is legal to ship Dubia roaches and other feeder insects (external link) into and out of New Jersey.
New Mexico
Are Dubia roaches legal in New Mexico? Yes.
The New Mexico Department of Agriculture takes action to protect crops during occasional insect infestations, but it does not maintain a list of insects restricted for import. It does not regulate any feeder insect species, which includes the Dubia roach.
New York
Are Dubia roaches legal to buy in New York state? Yes, they are legal.
Dubia roaches are not restricted in New York State. The New York Department of Agriculture bans certain insect species (external link), but the Dubia roach is not among them.
As tropical cockroaches, Dubia cannot survive New York’s climate and will not establish wild populations. For species not specifically restricted, the NYDA follows U.S. Department of Agriculture guidance.
North Dakota
Are Dubia roaches legal in North Dakota? Yes they are.
North Dakota Department of Agriculture exempts invertebrates (external link) not identified as posing any health or safety concerns from its livestock regulatory requirements. Neither Dubia roaches nor any other feeder insects are identified as problematic by the state.
If Dubia roaches are not regulated as livestock, they are certainly not regulated as retail feeders for pets.
Ohio
Are Dubia roaches legal in Ohio? Yes.
Ohio is best known for its automotive industry and heavy manufacturing. It also has a significant agricultural sector, including the cultivation of corn and soybeans, as well as the production of livestock and dairy products. The Ohio Department of Agriculture focuses on protecting its agriculture industry and natural resources, and the insects it restricts (external link) are regulated for this reason. The state does not restrict Dubia roaches or other feeder insects, and there are no restrictions on their use or transportation into or within the state.
Oregon
Are Dubia roaches legal in Oregon? Yes, they are legal.
Oregon explicitly exempts Dubia roaches from any restrictions. Like other states, Oregon recognizes that Dubia roaches play an important role in the pet food industry.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture requires approval to import insects not on its approved species list, so the exemption for Dubia roaches (external link). is important. As a result of the exemption, Dubia roaches can be bought, sold, and transported freely within the state of Oregon.
Note that Oregon refers to the Dubia roach as the “Orange spotted cockroach”, which is one of its common names.
Pennsylvania
Are Dubia roaches legal in Pennsylvania? Yes.
Dubia roaches are not restricted in Pennsylvania, as the state defers to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s policy for plant and animal species it has not regulated. Pennsylvania itself directly regulates only one insect, the Spotted lanternfly (external link). The state does not regulate Dubia roaches.
Puerto Rico
Are Dubia roaches legal in Puerto Rico? They are likely not legal.
Puerto Rico has a tropical climate, similar to that of Hawaii and parts of Florida. As such, it regulates plant and animal importation more than the average U.S. State. As a U.S. territory, U.S. Department of Agriculture rules apply.
While Puerto Rico places no prohibition on importing Dubia roaches from the U.S., USDA rules state that Dubia roaches shipped within the continental U.S. do not require a permit. Because Puerto Rico is not part of the continental U.S., a permit is likely required.
Rhode Island
Are Dubia roaches legal in Rhode Island? Yes.
Rhode Island does not regulate Dubia roaches or any other feeder insect. The Rhode Island Department of Forest Management monitors invasive insects known to cause damage to forests and other natural habitats, such as the Spotted lanternfly, Emerald ash borer, and Spongy moth. However, tropical cockroaches are not known to cause habitat damage in temperate climates, and they are not regulated by the state.
Texas
Are Dubia roaches legal in Texas? Yes.
They say everything’s big in Texas, but the state is not big on environmental regulation. It does ban some animal and plant species, but the banned species tend to be organisms with very specific invasiveness concerns, particularly in lakes and rivers. Dubia roaches are not among the state’s regulated insects (external link).
Utah
Are Dubia roaches legal in Utah? Yes.
The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) Plant Industry Insect Program regulates a small number of native and non-native insect species (external link) for the express purpose of promoting agricultural industry growth, conserving natural resources, and protecting the food supply. Neither the Dubia roach nor any feeder insect species is on this list.
Vermont
Are Dubia roaches legal in Vermont? Yes, they are legal.
Vermont follows numerous other states in deferring to USDA guidelines regarding insect regulation. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets (VAAFM) addresses several common regional insect threats to Vermont agricultural and natural resources, including the Spotted lanternfly, Emerald ash borer, and a few others. Neither the Dubia roach nor any feeder insect species is on this list, and Vermont does not maintain a list of regulated or restricted insects beyond those few species of concern outlined by the state and the USDA.
Virginia
Are Dubia roaches legal in Virginia? Yes.
Virginia is for lovers, as they say, but it’s also for Dubia roaches. And it’s for all feeder insects and tropical roaches. In fact, it’s for most insects. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (external link) (VDACS) only regulates two insects – the Spotted Lanternfly and Emerald Ash Borer.
Washington
Are Dubia roaches legal in Washington? Yes, they are.
Washington state has a significant agricultural industry and is perhaps best known for its apples. While Washington regulates a handful of insects, the Dubia roach is not among them. The Washington State Department of Agriculture Insect Division (external link) does not regulate any species of feeder insect or tropical cockroach.
The follow is Washington state’s complete list of regulated insects.
Wisconsin
Are Dubia roaches legal in Wisconsin? Yes.
Wisconsin has a significant agricultural industry, and regulations are mostly intended to protect economic activity. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources prohibits or restricts a handful of insects (external link), but Dubia roaches are not among them.
Dubia roaches can move freely in Wisconsin.
Wyoming
Are Dubia roaches legal in Wyoming? Yes.
Wyoming does not restrict Dubia roaches. The Wyoming Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the University of Wyoming and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, maintains a list of regulated invasive species (external link). No feeder insects, including Dubia roaches, are on this list.
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