It is legal to own a monkey in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Additionally, it is legal in some other states if you obtain a state permit. For example, in California, it is not prohibited to own a monkey outright, but there are a few specific requirements that must be met.
Exotic pet owners in California must obtain a permit, and primate possession is limited to non-human primates like marmosets, tamarins, capuchins, and squirrel monkeys.