California Backyard Chicken Laws
Backyard chicken requirements vary by municipality and zoning. Find your researched California city or county below.
Quick legal answer
Are backyard chickens legal in California?
Conditional — rules vary by municipality or zoning
- Hen limit
- Varies by city
- Roosters
- Varies by city; nuisance rules may also apply
- Permit
- Varies by municipality
- Setback
- Varies by municipality and zoning district
- Zoning
- Your city or county ordinance controls
Last verified: May 2026
Official source varies by municipalityOrdinances and zoning rules change. Confirm the current requirements with your municipality before buying birds or building a coop.
4
Cities allow chickens
1
Cities ban chickens
0
Conditional rules
5
Cities covered
Important: Local zoning and animal ordinances determine whether a particular property qualifies. Confirm the city or county rule that applies to your address. HOA covenants can also be more restrictive.
Easiest cities
Strictest cities
Los Angeles
No fixed max. Commonly cited city guidance requires hens 20 ft from the owner's residence and 35 ft from neighboring residences; roosters have a larger 100 ft neighbor setback
Sacramento
Up to 3 hens. Coop/enclosure must be at least 20 ft from any dwelling unit on an adjacent parcel
San Diego
Up to 5 hens. Up to 5 hens when the coop is outside required setbacks; more hens require greater distance from property lines or residences
San Jose
No fixed max. No simple chicken-specific setback found in the reviewed animal-care sections; zoning and nuisance rules still apply
Fresno
Fresno Code Enforcement says farm animals, including chickens, are not permitted in residentially zoned districts.
About California Chicken Laws
Backyard chicken requirements in California vary across cities, counties, and zoning districts. Local rules address flock size, roosters, permits, coop setbacks, sanitation, and property qualifications.
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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