---
title: Clearwater backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules
question: "Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock?"
place: Clearwater, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/clearwater
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Clearwater
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/backyard-chickens/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/backyard-chickens.json"
---

# Clearwater backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

**Question:** Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock?

**Short answer:** In Clearwater, chickens are allowed in some zones only: Small Holding (SH-1), Country Residential (CR-1) and Rural (RL-1). Poultry and rabbits combined are limited from 4 head on a lot under 1,012 m² to 50 over 2 ha. No roosters. Beekeeping is allowed in all zones.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Clearwater, https://www.districtofclearwater.com)  
**Cost:** No permit or fee found. Tickets: $100 to $500.  
**How long:** Not applicable.  
**Where:**
- Phone: District of Clearwater, 250-674-2257

## Key facts

- **Hens allowed:** Yes in some zones. SH-1 (Small Holding) and CR-1 (Country Residential) list 'keeping of a limited number of animals as set out in the Animal Control Bylaw' as an accessory use. RL-1 (Rural) permits agricultural use, which includes keeping poultry. No other zone was found to permit it.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 7.1](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/)
  - Official wording: "In a where domestic animal are explicitly permitted as accessory to residential use" … "Hens (including Bantams)"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016, s. 7.2.2 and 7.3.2](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/)
  - Official wording: "keeping of a limited number of animals as set out in the Animal Control Bylaw." … "h) keeping of a limited number of animals as set out in the Animal Control Bylaw." … "e) the keeping of cattle, goats, llamas, poultry, sheep or other livestock and bees; and" … "a) agricultural use;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Most hens:** Poultry and rabbits combined: under 1,012 m² (1/4 acre) 4 head; 1,012 to 4,047 m² 10 head; 4,047 m² to 2 ha 20 head; over 2 ha 50 head.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 7.1](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/)
  - Official wording: "Less than 1,012 m2 (1/4 acre)" … "1,012 m2 (1/4 acre) to 4,047 m2 (1 acre)" … "10 head" … "Over 2 ha (5 acres)" … "50 head"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Roosters:** No roosters except where agriculture is permitted as a primary use. Ticket $200 ($150 if paid in 30 days).
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 7.2](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/)
  - Official wording: "A person must not keep roosters in any area except where agriculture is permitted as a" … "primary use."
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019, Schedule 7](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/)
  - Official wording: "Keeping rooster (prohibited area)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Coop rules:** A coop is required. It must be at least 8 m from all property lines, secured from sunset to sunrise with the poultry kept inside, and meet the Zoning Bylaw accessory building rules. A vegetative barrier must be planted unless existing trees and vegetation hide the coop. Ticket $500 ($400 early) for inadequate shelter.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 7.3](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/)
  - Official wording: "sited and setback no less than 8 m from all property lines" … "secured from sunset to sunrise" … "a vegetative barrier must be planted for this purpose"
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019, Schedule 7](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/)
  - Official wording: "Keeping rooster (prohibited area) 7.2 200 150 Inadequate poultry shelter 7.3 (a) or (b) 500 400 Lot too small for equine or farm animal 8.1 500 400"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permit or registration:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read.
- **Bees:** Beekeeping is allowed in all zones. Under the Animal Control Bylaw consolidation, a hive must be at least 5 metres from any property line and oriented so there is a clear flight path into the lot (except hives used with a greenhouse). Bylaw 238, 2020 amends this bylaw for bees and could not be read. Ticket $100 ($75 if paid in 30 days).
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 11.1](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/)
  - Official wording: "at least 5 metres from any property line" … "clear flight path into the subject lot" … "at least 5 metres from any property line and oriented so there is a clear flight path into the subject lot" … "(Remove Section 16.2 in its entirety)"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016, s. 5.28](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/)
  - Official wording: "Beekeeping is permitted in all zones subject to compliance with Animal Control Bylaw No. 148,"
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019, Schedule 7](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/)
  - Official wording: "Bee hive – non-compliant location"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other livestock:** Horses and farm animals (cattle, sheep, goats, swine, llamas, alpacas and so on) need a lot of at least 4,000 m² (1 acre). Where domestic animals are permitted as an accessory use: over 1 acre, one farm animal per 4,000 m² up to six, plus two equines; over 2 acres, up to four equines. These are in addition to the poultry limits.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 8.1 and 8.2](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/)
  - Official wording: "unless said lot is" … "at least 4000 m2 (1 acre) in area" … "to a maximum of six farm animals" … "a maximum of four equines may be kept" … "A person must not keep or harbour any equine or farm animal on any lot unless said lot is" … "Where domestic animals are explicitly permitted as accessory to residential use:" … "in addition, given lot area is over 4000 m2 (1 acre) two equines may be kept; and, where"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** District of Clearwater Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016; Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 1](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as the “District of Clearwater Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016”."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016, cover](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/)
  - Official wording: "ZONING BYLAW NO. 133, 2016"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Keeping poultry depends on your zone in the [Zoning Bylaw No. 133](<https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/>). Small Holding (SH-1) and Country Residential (CR-1) list "keeping of a limited number of animals as set out in the Animal Control Bylaw" as an accessory use. Rural (RL-1) permits agricultural use, which includes poultry. No other zone was found to permit it. Ask the District to confirm your zone.

## Rules under [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148](<https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/>)

- **Numbers:** poultry and rabbits combined: under 1,012 m² 4 head; 1,012 m² to 4,047 m² 10 head; 4,047 m² to 2 ha 20 head; over 2 ha 50 head. Ducks and geese count as poultry.
- **Roosters:** none, except where agriculture is permitted as a primary use. Ticket $200 ($150 if paid in 30 days).
- **Coop:** required, at least 8 m from all property lines, closed with the poultry inside from sunset to sunrise, and meeting the accessory building rules. Plant a vegetative barrier unless existing trees or vegetation hide the coop. Ticket for inadequate shelter $500 ($400).
- **Bees:** allowed in all zones. The consolidated bylaw says a hive must be at least 5 metres from any property line and face so there is a clear flight path into the lot (except hives used with a greenhouse). Ticket $100 ($75).
- **Horses and farm animals** (cattle, sheep, goats, swine, llamas, alpacas): lot of at least 4,000 m² (1 acre). Where domestic animals are permitted as an accessory use, over 1 acre allows one farm animal per 4,000 m² up to six, plus two equines; over 2 acres, up to four equines.

## Good to know

- No permit or registration for poultry was found. The bylaw does not override covenants or private restrictions that prohibit poultry.
- Bylaw 238, 2020 amended the bylaw for bees but could not be read, so confirm the bee rules with the District.
- Tickets are under the [MTI Bylaw No. 221](<https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/>).

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019 (PDF), District of Clearwater](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/)

## Related questions

- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Clearwater](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/how-many-pets.md)
- [Clearwater noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/noise-rules.md)
- [Clearwater bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Clearwater zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/zoning-lookup.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Barriere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Chase](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chase/backyard-chickens.md)
- [100 Mile House](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Kamloops](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Sicamous](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Clinton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clinton/backyard-chickens.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/105297/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019 (PDF), District of Clearwater](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Clearwater. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/backyard-chickens/_