Arizona Backyard Chicken Laws
Arizona has no statewide chicken law — every city sets its own rules. Find your city below.
5
Cities allow chickens
0
Cities ban chickens
5
Cities covered
Important: Arizona delegates all backyard chicken rules to local municipalities. Your city's ordinance is what matters — not state law. HOA covenants can also override city rules on your specific property.
Easiest cities
Strictest cities
Chandler
Up to 5 hens. Chicken coop outer edge must be at least 5 ft from any property line; larger or utility-served coops may require permits
Mesa
Up to 10 hens. Mesa directs residents to MCC 8-6-21 for containment area distance restrictions
Phoenix
Up to 6 hens. Poultry enclosures must be at least 20 ft from neighboring property lines unless written permission is obtained
Scottsdale
No fixed max. No simple citywide chicken-specific setback found in the reviewed Scottsdale guidance; zoning and nuisance rules still apply
Tucson
Up to 24 hens. Tucson Code Section 4-57 lists a 50 ft dwelling setback except as otherwise provided by the Unified Development Code or other law
About Arizona Chicken Laws
Like most US states, Arizona does not have a single statewide law governing backyard chickens. Each city, village, and county sets its own rules about flock size, roosters, permits, coop setbacks, and sanitation.
Always verify rules directly with your city clerk or planning department before purchasing birds or building a coop. Laws change — our pages include a last-verified date and link directly to the municipal code for each city.
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