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

# Lillooet backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

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

**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.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Lillooet, https://www.lillooet.ca)  
**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:**
- Phone: Bylaw Officer (questions), 250-256-4289
- Email: Bylaw Officer, bylawofficer@lillooet.ca
- In person: District Office, Municipal Hall, 615 Main Street, Lillooet, BC (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Hens allowed:** 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.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027, ss. 44-45](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Most hens:** 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.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027, s. 45](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Roosters:** No. Roosters are not permitted.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027, ss. 46.11, 52](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/)
  - Official wording: "Notwithstanding the definition of livestock, roosters are not permitted." … "not keep a rooster"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Coop rules:** 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.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027, s. 46](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/)
  - Official wording: "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"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026, s. 6.8.2](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/94551/)
  - Official wording: "Be located a minimum of 30.0 metres from any well, including wells on adjacent Parcels"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permit or registration:** No permit or registration is needed. The keeper must own the property or have the owner's written permission.
  - Source: [Animal Control, Backyard Hens](https://www.lillooet.ca/animal-control)
  - Official wording: "Backyard hen registration is not required in any zone."
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027, s. 46.1](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/)
  - Official wording: "be the property owner or have written permission from the property owner"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **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 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.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027, ss. 48-49](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other livestock:** 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.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027, ss. 50-52, Definitions](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027 (ss. 44-52), with the Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026 (s. 6.8).
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027, ss. 44-52, 75](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/)
  - Official wording: "Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027" … "Back Yard Chickens Bylaw 2015, No. 411"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026, s. 6.8.1](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/94551/)
  - Official wording: "Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [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.

## Good to know

- 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.
- Roosters are not permitted.
- 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.
- No permit or registration is needed. The keeper must own the property or have the owner's written permission.
- 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.
- 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.
- Breaking these rules is a $100 bylaw notice for each ($50 if paid within 14 days; $200 if paid late).

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027 (PDF)](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/)
- [Animal Control, District of Lillooet](https://www.lillooet.ca/animal-control)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2021-002, consolidated to March 24, 2026 (PDF)](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/96235/)

## Related questions

- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Lillooet](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/how-many-pets.md)
- [Lillooet zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Lillooet bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Lillooet dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/dog-licence.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Ashcroft](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Logan Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/logan-lake/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Clinton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clinton/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Pemberton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pemberton/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Whistler](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/whistler/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Merritt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/backyard-chickens.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2025-027 (PDF)](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/99000/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Animal Control, District of Lillooet](https://www.lillooet.ca/animal-control) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2021-002, consolidated to March 24, 2026 (PDF)](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/96235/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 2025-026 (PDF)](https://lillooet.civicweb.net/document/94551/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 8 of 8 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Lillooet. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/backyard-chickens/_