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Clearwater backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock?

Clearwater, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

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.

Key facts

Hens allowedYes 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.Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 7.1; Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016, s. 7.2.2 and 7.3.2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
In a where domestic animal are explicitly permitted as accessory to residential use
Hens (including Bantams)
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;
Most hensPoultry 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.Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 7.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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
RoostersNo roosters except where agriculture is permitted as a primary use. Ticket $200 ($150 if paid in 30 days).Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 7.2; Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019, Schedule 7 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
A person must not keep roosters in any area except where agriculture is permitted as a
primary use.
Keeping rooster (prohibited area)
Coop rulesA 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.Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 7.3; Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019, Schedule 7 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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
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
Permit or registrationNot confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read.
BeesBeekeeping 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).Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 11.1; Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016, s. 5.28; Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019, Schedule 7 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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)
Beekeeping is permitted in all zones subject to compliance with Animal Control Bylaw No. 148,
Bee hive – non-compliant location
Other livestockHorses 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.Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 8.1 and 8.2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
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
BylawDistrict of Clearwater Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016; Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 1; Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016, cover · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as the “District of Clearwater Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016”.
ZONING BYLAW NO. 133, 2016

How it works

Keeping poultry depends on your zone in the Zoning Bylaw No. 133. 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

  • 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.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Barriere · Chase · 100 Mile House · Kamloops · Sicamous · Clinton

Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater (read 2026-11-08)
  2. Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater (read 2026-11-08)
  3. Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019 (PDF), District of Clearwater (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. How answers are checked.