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

# Nakusp backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

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

**Short answer:** Yes, in Nakusp you can keep up to five backyard hens per property in residential zones other than the RM-1 mobile home park zone, if the home is a single-family dwelling or duplex and the owner lives there. No permit, licence or fee is listed. Roosters are not allowed.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Nakusp, https://www.nakusp.com)  
**Cost:** No permit, licence or fee is listed for backyard hens.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office (Municipal Hall), 91 1st Street NW, Nakusp, BC (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
- Phone: Village Office, 250-265-3689 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **Hens allowed:** Yes, in all residential zones except the RM-1 Mobile Home Park zone, if the property has a single-family dwelling or duplex and the owner lives there. Hens are for personal use only.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 645, 2013 (consolidated January 15, 2020), Part II(a) s. 1(a), (b), (d)](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/5592/)
  - Official wording: "Backyard hens may be kept in all Residential Zones, except the RM-1 Mobile Home Park zone" … "the owner of the backyard hens resides at the property where the backyard hens are kept;" … "backyard hens are kept for personal use only; the sale of eggs, manure, meat or other products"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Most hens:** Five per property.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 645, 2013 (consolidated January 15, 2020), Part II(a) s. 1(c)](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/5592/)
  - Official wording: "no more than five backyard hens are kept per property;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Roosters:** Not allowed, except in a zone that permits agricultural uses.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 645, 2013 (consolidated January 15, 2020), Part II(a) s. 1(l)](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/5592/)
  - Official wording: "the keeping of roosters, except in a zone permitting agricultural uses in the Village of Nakusp"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Coop rules:** One coop, in the rear yard, fully enclosed. Not in the required rear or side yard setback. No more than 2 m high and 9 m² in area. At least 3 m from any window or door of a residential building.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 645, 2013 (consolidated January 15, 2020), Part II(a) s. 1(j)](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/5592/)
  - Official wording: "the coop must be located in the rear yard of a lot and must provide a fully enclosed area" … "the coop must not exceed 2 meters in height;" … "the coop must not exceed 9 square meters in total area;" … "the coop must not be located closer that 3 meters from any window or door of a residential building;" … "a single coop for the backyard hens"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permit or registration:** None set. Nakusp's bylaw lists no permit, licence or registration for hens.
- **Bees:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read.
- **Other livestock:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read.
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control Bylaw No. 645, 2013, Part II(a) (added by Bylaw 645-1); setbacks come from Zoning Bylaw No. 729, 2023
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 645, 2013 (consolidated January 15, 2020), s. 1](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/5592/)
  - Official wording: "the “Animal Control Bylaw No 645, 2013”" … "Consolidated January 15, 2020 to include Bylaws 645-1, 645-2 and 645-3, 2019"
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 645, 2013 (consolidated January 15, 2020), Part II(a)](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/5592/)
  - Official wording: "PART II(a) – CONTROL OF BACKYARD HENS"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Animal Control Bylaw No. 645](<https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/5592/>) allows backyard hens in all residential zones except the RM-1 Mobile Home Park zone, if the property has a single-family dwelling or duplex and the owner lives there. Hens are for personal use only. Hens are female chickens at least four months old. Setbacks come from the [Zoning Bylaw No. 729](<https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/15437/>).

## Good to know

- Limit: five hens per property. Roosters are not allowed, except in a zone that permits agricultural uses.
- Coop: one coop, in the rear yard, fully enclosed. Not in the required rear or side yard setback. No more than 2 m high and 9 m² in area. At least 3 m from any window or door of a residential building.
- No slaughter on the property. No burial of dead hens (dispose of them within 24 hours). No more than 1 cubic metre of composted manure. Store food securely.
- Registration: the bylaw lists no permit, licence or registration, and no fee.
- Bees: we found no beekeeping rule in the Animal Control or Zoning bylaws. Ask the Village Office at 250-265-3689.
- Other livestock: no rule on goats, horses or ducks in the R-1, R-2 and R-3 zones, and no livestock count rule. The RU-1 zone allows Agriculture and Kennel as principal uses. Ask the Village before buying animals.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 645, 2013 (consolidated January 15, 2020) (PDF), Village of Nakusp](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/5592/)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 729, 2023 (PDF), Village of Nakusp](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/15437/)

## Related questions

- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Nakusp](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/how-many-pets.md)
- [Nakusp noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/noise-rules.md)
- [Nakusp unsightly property rules and how to report](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/unsightly-property.md)
- [Nakusp bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Silverton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/silverton/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Kaslo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kaslo/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Revelstoke](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/revelstoke/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Lumby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Nelson](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Enderby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/backyard-chickens.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 645, 2013 (consolidated January 15, 2020) (PDF), Village of Nakusp](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/5592/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 729, 2023 (PDF), Village of Nakusp](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/15437/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact Us, Village of Nakusp](https://www.nakusp.com/contact-us) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set; 2 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Nakusp. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/backyard-chickens/_