Highlands backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules
Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Highlands?
Highlands has no rule on backyard hens that we found: no number, rooster, coop or permit rule. Keeping livestock counts as "Agriculture", a permitted use in many rural zones. Beekeeping is allowed where Agriculture is permitted. Check your zone with the District.
Key facts
| Hens allowed | Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read. |
|---|---|
| Most hens | None set. Neither the Zoning Bylaw nor the animal bylaw sets rules on this for backyard hens. |
| Roosters | None set. Neither the Zoning Bylaw nor the animal bylaw sets rules on this for backyard hens. |
| Coop rules | None set. Neither the Zoning Bylaw nor the animal bylaw sets rules on this for backyard hens. |
| Permit or registration | None set. Neither the Zoning Bylaw nor the animal bylaw sets rules on this for backyard hens. |
| Bees | Beekeeping is allowed where Agriculture is a permitted use: the animal bylaw's list of banned wild or exotic animals excludes bees kept for beekeeping in those zones. No hive limits found.Animal Regulation and Impounding By-law No. 1, 1986 (CRD Bylaw 1465), Schedule G, item 26 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingvenomous or poisonous spiders, insects, fish and scorpions; excludes bees for the purpose of beekeeping where agriculture is a permitted use; |
| Other livestock | Keeping livestock is part of 'Agriculture', which is a permitted use in the Rural Residential zones (RR1 to RR5, RR15, RR16) and Rural zones (R1 to R3D, R5 to R7), among others. Check your zone. In Rural 1, a building used for agriculture must be at least 30 m from the front lot line and 15 m from side and rear lot lines.Zoning Bylaw No. 100, 1998 (consolidated June 2026), s. 1 'Agriculture'; s. 6.1.1; s. 7.1.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingAGRICULTURE means a use providing for growing, harvesting and sales of agricultural products and the keeping and breeding of livestock c) Agriculture no building used for Agriculture shall be sited within 15 metres of a side lot line |
| Bylaw | Highlands Zoning Bylaw No. 100, 1998 (consolidated); Animal Regulation and Impounding By-law No. 1, 1986 (CRD Bylaw No. 1465).Zoning Bylaw No. 100, 1998 (consolidated June 2026), footer; Animal Regulation and Impounding By-law No. 1, 1986 (CRD Bylaw 1465), title page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingHighlands Zoning Bylaw No. 100, 1998 (consolidated) CRD Bylaw - 1465 Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw Page 15 CAPITAL REGIONAL DISTRICT ANIMAL REGULATION AND IMPOUNDING BY-LAW NO. 1465, 1986 SCHEDULE "E" 1. AYLARD FARM BEACH The sandy beach at the Capital Regional |
How it works
Neither the Zoning Bylaw No. 100 nor the animal bylaw sets rules for backyard hens. They do not say how many, whether roosters are allowed, what a coop must look like, or whether a permit is needed.
Keeping and breeding livestock is part of "Agriculture". Agriculture is a permitted use in the Rural Residential zones (RR1 to RR5, RR15, RR16) and Rural zones (R1 to R3D, R5 to R7), among others. Check your zone.
Good to know
- In Rural 1, a building used for agriculture must be at least 30 m from the front lot line and 15 m from side and rear lot lines.
- Beekeeping is allowed where Agriculture is a permitted use. The animal bylaw's list of banned wild or exotic animals excludes bees kept for beekeeping in those zones. No hive limits were found.
- The animal bylaw's ban on animals that disturb the neighbourhood does not apply in an agricultural zone.
- Intensive Agriculture (confining poultry, livestock or fur-bearing animals as a commercial enterprise) is prohibited except as a home-based business.
- Ask the District at 250-474-1773 before getting hens.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Langford · View Royal · Central Saanich · Colwood · Esquimalt · Saanich
Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Zoning Bylaw No. 100, 1998 (consolidated June 2026) (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
- Animal Regulation and Impounding By-law No. 1, 1986 (CRD Bylaw 1465) (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
- Find a Bylaw, District of Highlands (read 2026-11-08)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 3 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 4 are recorded as not set; 1 could not be confirmed. How answers are checked.