---
title: Langford backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules
question: "Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock?"
place: Langford, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/langford
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Langford
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/backyard-chickens/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/backyard-chickens.json"
---

# Langford backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

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

**Short answer:** Yes. In the City of Langford, a residential lot of 550 m² or more may keep up to four chickens, ducks, pigeons and rabbits combined (more on lots of 4,000 m² or larger), in a secure fenced enclosure. Bees are allowed on lots of 550 m² or more. Horses, cattle, sheep and goats need 4,000 m².

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Langford, https://www.langford.ca)  
**Where:**
- Phone: City Bylaw Enforcement, 250-474-0604
- Phone: City Hall (Planning), 250-478-7882

## Key facts

- **Hens allowed:** Yes, as an accessory use to a one-family dwelling in a Residential Zone, on lots of 550 m² or more (4,000 m² or more has different limits). Birds must be kept in a secure, fenced enclosure.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 300, section 3.12, s. 3.12.02, 3.12.03](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Zoning-Bylaw-20260629.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The keeping of domestic poultry and rabbits is permitted as an accessory use to the residential use of a one-family dwelling on any lot greater than or equal to 4,000 m2 (1 ac) in lot area in any Residential" … "The keeping of chickens, ducks, pigeons and rabbits for domestic purposes is permitted as an accessory use to the residential use of a one-family dwelling on any lot with a lot area less than 4,000 m2 (1 ac) but not less than 550 m2 (5,920.2 ft2) in any Residential Zone" … "Chickens, ducks, pigeons and rabbits must be kept in a secure, fenced enclosure;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Most hens:** Lots of 550 m² to under 4,000 m²: 4 in total (chickens, ducks, pigeons and rabbits combined). Lots of 4,000 m² or more: one for each 166 m² of lot area, in total.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 300, section 3.12, s. 3.12.02(1), 3.12.03(1)](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Zoning-Bylaw-20260629.pdf)
  - Official wording: "that may be kept on any lot is limited to four)" … "limited to one for each 166 m2 (1,786.8 ft2) of lot area;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Roosters:** On lots of 4,000 m² (1 acre) or more, roosters are only permitted on land in the Agricultural Land Reserve. The rules for smaller lots do not mention roosters.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 300, section 3.12, s. 3.12.02(2)](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Zoning-Bylaw-20260629.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Roosters are only permitted on land that is in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR);"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Coop rules:** Lots under 4,000 m²: coops total at most 10 m² and 2.4 m high; at least 3 m from side and rear lot lines and no closer to the front lot line than the front of the house. Lots of 4,000 m² or more: same 3 m siting rule.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 300, section 3.12, s. 3.12.03(3), (5), (6); 3.12.02(4)](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Zoning-Bylaw-20260629.pdf)
  - Official wording: "may not exceed a cumulative gross floor area of 10 m2 (107.6 ft2) per lot;" … "may exceed a height of 2.4 m (7.9 ft);" … "of any rear lot line or side lot line, or closer to a front lot line than the front face of the principal dwelling;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Permit or registration:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read.
- **Bees:** Allowed in Residential Zones on lots of at least 550 m². Up to 2 hives on lots of 550 to 800 m²; one hive per 400 m² on lots over 800 m². Hives must be behind the front building line of the main building and at least 3 m from any lot line.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 300, section 3.12, s. 3.12.04](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Zoning-Bylaw-20260629.pdf)
  - Official wording: "is permitted as an accessory use to the residential use of a one-family dwelling on any lot in" … "The number of beehives shall not exceed two for any lot with a lot area greater than or equal to 550 m2" … "The number of beehives shall not exceed one per 400 m2 (4,305.6 ft2) of lot area on lots greater" … "All beehives must be sited to the rear of the front building line of any principal building and at least 3 m (9.8 ft) from any lot line."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other livestock:** Horses, cattle, sheep and goats are allowed on residential lots of at least 4,000 m² (1 acre) with a one-family dwelling: one animal per 4,000 m², in a secure fenced enclosure; buildings and feed or manure storage at least 30 m from the front lot line and 15 m from other lot lines.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 300, section 3.12, s. 3.12.01](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Zoning-Bylaw-20260629.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The keeping of horses, cattle, sheep, and goats for domestic purposes is permitted as an accessory use to the residential use of a one-family dwelling on any lot with an area of at least 4,000 m2 (1 ac) in any Residential Zone" … "Horses, cattle, sheep and goats must be kept in a secure, fenced enclosure;" … "within 30 m (98.4 ft) of any front lot line or within 15 m (49.2 ft) of any other lot line;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 300 (cited as the Langford Zoning Bylaw No. 300, 1999), section 3.12
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 300, section 3.12, s. 3.12; Citation](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Zoning-Bylaw-20260629.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Langford Zoning Bylaw No. 300, 1999" … "The keeping of bees and beehives for domestic purposes"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Langford's [Zoning Bylaw No. 300](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Zoning-Bylaw-20260629.pdf), section 3.12, allows domestic poultry and rabbits as an accessory use to a one-family dwelling in a Residential Zone (zones starting with R, RS or RH), on lots of 550 m² or more. Birds must be kept in a secure, fenced enclosure. The bylaw has no provision for lots under 550 m².

## Good to know

- **Lots of 550 m² to under 4,000 m²:** four animals in total (chickens, ducks, pigeons and rabbits combined). Coops total at most 10 m² and 2.4 m high, at least 3 m from side and rear lot lines, and no closer to the front lot line than the front of the house.
- **Lots of 4,000 m² or more:** one animal for each 166 m² of lot area, in total. The same 3 m siting rule applies; no size limit is stated for coops of chickens, ducks or pigeons.
- **Roosters:** on lots of 4,000 m² or more they are allowed only on land in the Agricultural Land Reserve. The rules for smaller lots do not mention roosters.
- **Bees:** up to 2 hives on lots of 550 to 800 m², and one hive per 400 m² on lots over 800 m². Hives must be behind the front building line of the main building and at least 3 m from any lot line.
- **Horses, cattle, sheep and goats:** allowed on residential lots of at least 4,000 m² with a one-family dwelling, one animal per 4,000 m², in a secure fenced enclosure. Buildings and feed or manure storage must be at least 30 m from the front lot line and 15 m from other lot lines.
- No permit, licence or registration for keeping hens was found in the bylaws. Ask City Hall (Planning) to confirm for your zone.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 300, section 3.12 (PDF)](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Zoning-Bylaw-20260629.pdf)
- [Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 2239, 2026 (PDF)](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Animal-Responsibility-Bylaw-No.-2239-2026-Online-1.pdf)

## Related questions

- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/how-many-pets.md)
- [Langford fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/fence-rules.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Highlands](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Colwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/backyard-chickens.md)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Esquimalt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Metchosin](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/metchosin/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Sooke](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/backyard-chickens.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 300, section 3.12 (PDF), City of Langford](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Zoning-Bylaw-20260629.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 2239, 2026 (PDF), City of Langford](https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Animal-Responsibility-Bylaw-No.-2239-2026-Online-1.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)

_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 City of Langford. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/backyard-chickens/_