{"title":"Lillooet backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","question":"Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Lillooet?","slug":"backyard-chickens","place":{"path":"ca/bc/lillooet","name":"Lillooet","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"pets-and-wildlife","name":"Pets, animals and wildlife"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"District of Lillooet","url":"https://www.lillooet.ca"},"short_answer":"In Lillooet, hens are allowed where a house or duplex is the main use, but not on parcels under 625 m². The number depends on parcel size, from 6 hens on 626 to 2,499 m². Roosters are not permitted. No permit is needed.","aliases":["backyard chickens lillooet","keep hens lillooet","beehive lillooet","livestock lillooet"],"cost":"No permit or registration fee. Keeping hens, bees or livestock against the rules: $100 bylaw notice each ($50 if paid within 14 days; $200 if paid late).","how_long":"The rules apply all year. A hen is a female chicken four months or older.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Officer (questions)","value":"250-256-4289"},{"type":"email","label":"Bylaw Officer","value":"bylawofficer@lillooet.ca"},{"type":"in_person","label":"District Office, Municipal Hall","value":"615 Main Street, Lillooet, BC","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027 (PDF)","url":"https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/"},{"title":"Animal Control, District of Lillooet","url":"https://www.lillooet.ca/animal-control"},{"title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2021-002, consolidated to March 24, 2026 (PDF)","url":"https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/96235/"}],"related":[{"slug":"how-many-pets","title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Lillooet","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/how-many-pets/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Lillooet zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"bylaw-fines","title":"Lillooet bylaw fines and how tickets work","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/bylaw-fines/"},{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Lillooet dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/dog-licence/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/ashcroft","name":"Ashcroft","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/logan-lake","name":"Logan Lake","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/logan-lake/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/clinton","name":"Clinton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clinton/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/pemberton","name":"Pemberton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pemberton/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/whistler","name":"Whistler","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/whistler/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/merritt","name":"Merritt","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/backyard-chickens/"}],"topic":{"title":"Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens/"},"facts":{"hens_allowed":{"label":"Hens allowed","value":"Yes, where a single detached dwelling or duplex is the main use of the property. Parcels under 625 m² may not keep hens. The rules do not apply to agricultural uses.","short":"Yes, not on parcels under 625 m²","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027 (PDF)","section":"ss. 44-45","quotes":["Where single detached dwelling or duplex is the principal use of a property","does not apply to agricultural uses","Less than 625 m2 0"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"max_hens":{"label":"Most hens","value":"By parcel area: under 625 m², none; 626-2,499 m², 6; 2,500 m²-0.39 ha, 15; 0.4-0.99 ha, 30; 1.0-1.49 ha, 75; 1.5-1.99 ha, 100; 2.0 ha or more, unlimited.","short":"By lot size: none under 625 m² to unlimited","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027 (PDF)","section":"s. 45","quotes":["626 m2 to 2,499 m2 6","2,500 m2 to 0.39 ha 15","0.4 ha to 0.99 ha 30","1.0 ha to 1.49 ha 75","1.5 ha to 1.99 ha 100","2.0 ha + Unlimited"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"roosters":{"label":"Roosters","value":"No. Roosters are not permitted.","short":"No","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027 (PDF)","section":"ss. 46.11, 52","quotes":["Notwithstanding the definition of livestock, roosters are not permitted.","not keep a rooster"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"coop_rules":{"label":"Coop rules","value":"Coop floor at least 0.37 m² per hen and an outdoor enclosure of at least 0.92 m²; coop at least 1.0 m from the neighbouring property line; coop locked from sunset to sunrise; a perch (15 cm) per hen and one nest box; no more than 3 cubic feet of manure stored, in a closed structure.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027 (PDF)","section":"s. 46","quotes":["provide a coop with at least 0.37 m2 of coop floor area per backyard hen","provide a 1.0 metre setback distance from coop to neighboring property line","keep each coop locked from sunset to sunrise","store no more than three cubic feet of manure at a time"]},{"url":"https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/94551/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026 (PDF)","section":"s. 6.8.2","quotes":["Be located a minimum of 30.0 metres from any well, including wells on adjacent Parcels"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"registration":{"label":"Permit or registration","value":"No permit or registration is needed. The keeper must own the property or have the owner's written permission.","short":"Not required","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.lillooet.ca/animal-control","title":"Animal Control, District of Lillooet","section":"Backyard Hens","quotes":["Backyard hen registration is not required in any zone."]},{"url":"https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027 (PDF)","section":"s. 46.1","quotes":["be the property owner or have written permission from the property owner"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bees":{"label":"Bees","value":"Allowed on parcels of at least 625 m² where a house or duplex is the main use. Two hives on lots up to 2,500 m²; unlimited on larger parcels. Hives 6.0 m from property lines, or 2.0 m behind a solid fence at least 1.8 m high or a vegetated strip over 2.0 m high.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027 (PDF)","section":"ss. 48-49","quotes":["The minimum parcel size for keeping backyard bees is 625 m2","A maximum of two (2) honeybee hives are permitted on lots up to 2,500 m2","otherwise, the minimum setback shall be 6.0 metres from any property line"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"other_livestock":{"label":"Other livestock","value":"House or duplex as main use: livestock (horses, cattle, sheep, swine, goats, alpacas, llamas, ratites, poultry or fowl) none under 0.4 ha; 2 on 0.4-0.99 ha; 3 on 1.0-1.49 ha; 4 on 1.5-1.99 ha; 2.0 ha or more no upper limit. Quail and rabbits count as small livestock, with the hen limits.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027 (PDF)","section":"ss. 50-52, Definitions","quotes":["0.4 ha to 0.99 ha 2 30","1.0 ha to 1.49 ha 3 75","1.5 ha to 1.99 ha 4 100","Livestock means horses, cattle, sheep, swine, goats, alpacas, llamas"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027 (ss. 44-52), with the Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026 (s. 6.8).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027 (PDF)","section":"ss. 44-52, 75","quotes":["Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027","Back Yard Chickens Bylaw 2015, No. 411"]},{"url":"https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/94551/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026 (PDF)","section":"s. 6.8.1","quotes":["Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":8,"stated":8,"matched":8,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027](<https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/>) (sections 44 to 52) allows hens where a single detached dwelling or duplex is the main use of the property. Parcels under 625 m² may not keep hens. The rules do not apply to agricultural uses. The [Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026](<https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/94551/>) (section 6.8) also applies.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Hens by parcel area: under 625 m², none; 626 to 2,499 m², 6; 2,500 m² to 0.39 ha, 15; 0.4 to 0.99 ha, 30; 1.0 to 1.49 ha, 75; 1.5 to 1.99 ha, 100; 2.0 ha or more, unlimited. The table does not state 625 to 626 m², so ask the District if your parcel is that size.\n- Roosters are not permitted.\n- Coop: floor at least 0.37 m² per hen and an outdoor enclosure of at least 0.92 m²; at least 1.0 m from the neighbouring property line; locked from sunset to sunrise; a perch (15 cm) per hen and one nest box; no more than 3 cubic feet of manure stored, in a closed structure.\n- No permit or registration is needed. The keeper must own the property or have the owner's written permission.\n- Bees: allowed on parcels of at least 625 m² where a house or duplex is the main use. Two hives on lots up to 2,500 m²; unlimited on larger parcels. Hives must be 6.0 m from property lines, or 2.0 m behind a solid fence at least 1.8 m high or a vegetated strip over 2.0 m high.\n- Livestock (horses, cattle, sheep, swine, goats, alpacas, llamas, ratites, poultry or fowl): none under 0.4 ha; 2 on 0.4 to 0.99 ha; 3 on 1.0 to 1.49 ha; 4 on 1.5 to 1.99 ha; no upper limit at 2.0 ha or more. Quail and rabbits count as small livestock, with the hen limits.\n- Breaking these rules is a $100 bylaw notice for each ($50 if paid within 14 days; $200 if paid late).","sources":[{"url":"https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.lillooet.ca/animal-control","title":"Animal Control, District of Lillooet","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/96235/","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2021-002, consolidated to March 24, 2026 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/94551/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 8 of 8 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/backyard-chickens/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/backyard-chickens.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/backyard-chickens.json"}}