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

# Lantzville backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

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

**Short answer:** Outside the Agricultural Land Reserve in Lantzville, the poultry limit is zero below 1,000 m² and 15 on parcels of at least 8,000 m². The bylaw’s two middle rows list six and ten birds but print inconsistent area ranges. Ask the District to confirm the limit for a parcel between those sizes. Roosters are prohibited.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Lantzville, https://www.lantzville.ca)  
**Cost:** No permit or registration found.  
**How long:** Not applicable.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Municipal Hall, 250-390-4006 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. by phone or email)

## Key facts

- **Hens allowed:** Poultry (which includes chickens) may be kept outside the Agricultural Land Reserve on parcels of 1,000 m² or more, subject to the limits and rules in s. 2.3. Parcels under 1,000 m² may keep none.
  - Source: [District of Lantzville Zoning Bylaw No. 180, 2020 (consolidated to Bylaw 433, July 8, 2026), s. 2.3 Farm Animals](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID478atID7360.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Parcel Area Poultry Other Farm Animals < 1,000 m2 0 0 1,000 ≥ 2,500 m2 6 0 2,500 > 8,000 m2 10 0" … "1,000 ≥ 2,500 m2 6 0 2,500 > 8,000 m2 10 0 ≥ 8,000 m2 15 2" … "2,500 > 8,000 m2 10 0 ≥ 8,000 m2 15 2 2. Farm animals are permitted only if all the following requirements are met and maintained:"
  - Source: [District of Lantzville Zoning Bylaw No. 180, 2020 (consolidated to Bylaw 433, July 8, 2026), Definitions ("Poultry")](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID478atID7360.pdf)
  - Official wording: "domesticated birds kept for eggs, meat, feathers, hide, or cosmetic or"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Most hens:** Outside the Agricultural Land Reserve, parcels under 1,000 m² may keep no poultry. The limit is 15 on parcels of at least 8,000 m². The two middle rows list six and ten birds, but their printed inequality signs are inconsistent. Confirm the limit for an intermediate parcel with the District.
  - Source: [District of Lantzville Zoning Bylaw No. 180, 2020 (consolidated to Bylaw 433, July 8, 2026), s. 2.3 Farm Animals](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID478atID7360.pdf)
  - Official wording: "2.3 FARM ANIMALS 1. Outside of the Agricultural Land Reserve, the keeping of farm animals is permitted only as follows: Maximum Number of Maximum Number of Parcel Area Poultry Other Farm Animals < 1,000 m2 0 0 1,000 ≥ 2,500 m2 6 0 2,500 > 8,000 m2 10 0 ≥ 8,000 m2 15 2"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Roosters:** Not allowed. Roosters, cocks, cockerels, peacocks and the like are prohibited.
  - Source: [District of Lantzville Zoning Bylaw No. 180, 2020 (consolidated to Bylaw 433, July 8, 2026), s. 2.3(2)(e)](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID478atID7360.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Roosters, cocks, cockerels, peacocks and the like are prohibited"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Coop rules:** At least 1 m² of enclosure space per bird. A poultry structure must be at least 4 m from any parcel line (or the zone setback, whichever is greater). Structures must be kept clean and free of odours and vermin; manure must be stored at least 15 m from any parcel line.
  - Source: [District of Lantzville Zoning Bylaw No. 180, 2020 (consolidated to Bylaw 433, July 8, 2026), s. 2.3(2)](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID478atID7360.pdf)
  - Official wording: "a minimum of 1 m2 of space is provided for each poultry animal in an enclosure" … "a structure that houses poultry must be at least 4 m from any parcel line, or in" … "structures housing farm animals are kept clean, free of odours and free of vermin" … "manure must be stored at least 15 m from any parcel line"
  - 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:** None set. The bylaws read set no rule on bees.
- **Other livestock:** Other farm animals are not allowed on parcels under 8,000 m²; on parcels of 8,000 m² or more, up to 2. Their structures must be at least 15 m from any parcel line. This applies outside the Agricultural Land Reserve only.
  - Source: [District of Lantzville Zoning Bylaw No. 180, 2020 (consolidated to Bylaw 433, July 8, 2026), s. 2.3 Farm Animals](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID478atID7360.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Parcel Area Poultry Other Farm Animals < 1,000 m2 0 0 1,000 ≥ 2,500 m2 6 0 2,500 > 8,000 m2 10 0" … "1,000 ≥ 2,500 m2 6 0 2,500 > 8,000 m2 10 0 ≥ 8,000 m2 15 2" … "2,500 > 8,000 m2 10 0 ≥ 8,000 m2 15 2 2. Farm animals are permitted only if all the following requirements are met and maintained:"
  - Source: [District of Lantzville Zoning Bylaw No. 180, 2020 (consolidated to Bylaw 433, July 8, 2026), s. 2.3(2)(i)](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID478atID7360.pdf)
  - Official wording: "a structure that houses a farm animal must be at least 15 m from any parcel line, or in"
  - Source: [District of Lantzville Zoning Bylaw No. 180, 2020 (consolidated to Bylaw 433, July 8, 2026), Definitions ("Farm Animal")](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID478atID7360.pdf)
  - Official wording: "means livestock, poultry, or exotic animals;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** District of Lantzville Zoning Bylaw No. 180, 2020, Schedule A, s. 2.3 Farm Animals
  - Source: [District of Lantzville Zoning Bylaw No. 180, 2020 (consolidated to Bylaw 433, July 8, 2026), s. 2.3](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID478atID7360.pdf)
  - Official wording: "2.1 SECONDARY SUITES AND CARRIAGE HOUSES ............................................................................ 49 2.2 HOME BUSINESSES .................................................................................................................... 50 2.3 FARM ANIMALS .......................................................................................................................... 52 2.4 FENCES ....................................................................................................................................... 53 Schedule 'A' to District of Lantzville Zoning Bylaw No. 180, 2020 1"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

[Zoning Bylaw No. 180](<https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID478atID7360.pdf>), section 2.3, covers farm animals outside the Agricultural Land Reserve in Lantzville. Chickens count as poultry. Lots under 1,000 m² may keep none. The limit is for all poultry together, not hens only.

## Good to know

- Enclosure space: at least 1 m² per bird.
- A poultry structure must be at least 4 m from any lot line, or the zone setback if that is greater. No maximum coop size is set.
- Keep structures clean and free of odours and vermin. Store manure at least 15 m from any lot line.
- No slaughtering poultry on the lot.
- Roosters, cocks, cockerels, peacocks and the like are prohibited.
- Other farm animals are not allowed on lots under 8,000 m²; on 8,000 m² or more, up to 2. Their structures must be at least 15 m from any lot line. "Farm animal" includes livestock, poultry and exotic animals, and "poultry" includes ducks and geese.
- No permit, licence or registration for poultry was found.
- The bylaws we read do not set any rule on bees. Ask Municipal Hall at 250-390-4006.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 180, 2020 (PDF)](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID478atID7360.pdf)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Nanaimo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Parksville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Sechelt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Ladysmith](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Gibsons](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/backyard-chickens.md)

## Sources

- [District of Lantzville Zoning Bylaw No. 180, 2020 (consolidated to Bylaw 433, July 8, 2026) (PDF)](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID478atID7360.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Lantzville. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/backyard-chickens/_