--- title: District of North Vancouver backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules question: "Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in the District of North Vancouver?" place: District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/north-vancouver-district category: Pets, animals and wildlife owner: municipal owner_body: District of North Vancouver sources_read: 2026-11-06 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/backyard-chickens/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/backyard-chickens.json" --- # District of North Vancouver backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules **Question:** Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in the District of North Vancouver? **Short answer:** In the District of North Vancouver (not the City of North Vancouver), you can keep 2 to 6 hens, but only in single family residential (RS) zones, with a District hen permit and an inspected enclosure. Roosters are banned. Bees are allowed under a separate bylaw. **Who handles it:** Municipal (District of North Vancouver, https://www.dnv.org) **Cost:** Hen permit: $66 application fee and $66 annual permit fee. The enclosure is inspected before the permit is issued and every year after. **How long:** The permit is annual. The processing time is not stated in the bylaw. **Where:** - Phone: District general customer service, 604-990-2311 - In person: Municipal Hall, 355 West Queens Road, North Vancouver, BC V7N 4N5 ## Key facts - **Hens allowed:** Yes, but only on properties in the single family residential (RS) zones, with a District hen permit and an inspected enclosure. - Source: [Keeping of Domestic Hens Bylaw 8211, ss. 3, 4(a)](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208211.pdf) - Official wording: "The keeping of hens is permitted on properties located in any of the single family" … "residential (RS) zones" … "No person shall keep hens unless they" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Most hens:** No more than 6 hens on a lot, and if you keep hens you must keep at least 2. Only one enclosure per lot. - Source: [Keeping of Domestic Hens Bylaw 8211, s. 6(c)-(e)](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208211.pdf) - Official wording: "keep or permit to be kept more than 6 hens on any single family residential lot" … "keep fewer than 2 hens, if hens are kept" … "have or permit more than one enclosure per single family residential lot" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Roosters:** No. Roosters are prohibited, and so are chickens younger than 4 months. - Source: [Keeping of Domestic Hens Bylaw 8211, s. 6(a)-(b)](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208211.pdf) - Official wording: "keep or permit to be kept any rooster on property that they own or occupy" … "keep or permit to be kept any chicken younger than 4 months on property that" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Coop rules:** Enclosure (coop plus run) in the rear yard only, never front or side yard. Setbacks: 1.2 m from rear lot line, 1.5 m from side lot line, 1.2 m from a dwelling. Fully enclosed by electric fencing at least 2 m high; coop at least 0.4 m² per hen (max 5 m²); run at least 1 m² per hen. - Source: [Keeping of Domestic Hens Bylaw 8211, s. 4(c)](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208211.pdf) - Official wording: "be constructed only in a rear yard" … "From a rear lot line 1.2 metres (3.9 feet) minimum" … "From an interior side 1.5 metres (4.9 feet) minimum" … "From a dwelling unit 1.2 metres (3.9 feet) minimum" … "be at least two metres in height" … "a floor area of at least 0.4 square metres per hen, provided that no coop" … "at least 1 square metre of floor area per hen" - Source: [Keeping of Domestic Hens Bylaw 8211, s. 6(k)](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208211.pdf) - Official wording: "construct or permit to be constructed an enclosure in the front yard or side yard" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Permit or registration:** Yes. A permit is needed: application fee $66 and annual permit fee $66, and the enclosure must be inspected before the permit is issued and every year after. - Source: [Keeping of Domestic Hens Bylaw 8211, ss. 4(a)-(b), 5](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208211.pdf) - Official wording: "obtain a permit for the hens from the District by filling out all fields of the hen" … "must be inspected annually thereafter" - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw 6481, Schedule A, Domestic Hens](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%206481.pdf) - Official wording: "Permit application fee $66.00" … "Annual permit fee $66.00" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Bees:** Allowed under the Bee Keeping Bylaw. Not more than 2 colonies on a parcel under 1,100 m². A hive may not be within 7.5 m of a parcel line unless it is 2.5 m or more above the ground, or under 2 m above the ground behind a solid fence or hedge over 2 m high that extends 6 m past the hive. Provide water; prevent swarming. - Source: [Bee Keeping Bylaw 6474, ss. 2, 3](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%206474.pdf) - Official wording: "Not more than 2 colonies of bees are permitted on a parcel having an area less than 1100 square" … "A beehive is not permitted within 7.5 metres of any parcel line except" … "provide adequate water to prevent the bees from seeking water from other sources" … "when the hive is situated less than 2 metres above adjacent ground level and behind a solid" … "fence or hedge more than 2 metres in height running parallel to any parcel line and" … "extending at least 6 metres beyond the hive in both directions." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Other livestock:** Zoning Bylaw 403A bans animal husbandry (poultry, boarding, animals other than household pets) unless specifically permitted. Hens are allowed under the Hens bylaw. Horses are allowed with a permit for each horse under the Regulation of Horses Bylaw 4298, on a lot of at least 1,100 m² for the first horse and 370 m² for each more. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 3210, s. 403A(1)(b)](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf) - Official wording: "animal husbandry including:" … "the keeping of poultry;" … "the keeping of animals, except that household pets, other than" - Source: [Regulation of Horses Bylaw 4298, ss. 3, 4, 6](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%204298.pdf) - Official wording: "The keeping of horses is permitted subject only to the provisions of this Bylaw." … "An occupier of property on which it is proposed to keep a horse or horses shall hold a valid permit for" … "shall have a minimum of 1,100 square metres of lot" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Bylaw:** Keeping of Domestic Hens Bylaw 8211, 2016; Bee Keeping Bylaw 6474; Zoning Bylaw 3210 (s. 403A). - Source: [Keeping of Domestic Hens Bylaw 8211, s. 1](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208211.pdf) - Official wording: "Keeping of Domestic Hens Bylaw 8211, 2016" - Source: [Bee Keeping Bylaw 6474, s. 1](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%206474.pdf) - Official wording: "THE DISTRICT OF NORTH VANCOUVER BEE KEEPING BYLAW BYLAW 6474 Effective Date - October 27, 1992" - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 3210, s. 403A](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf) - Official wording: "Uses Prohibited in All Zones" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 ## How it works In the District of North Vancouver, hens are allowed under the [Keeping of Domestic Hens Bylaw 8211](), only on properties in the single family residential (RS) zones. You need a District permit and an enclosure inspected before the permit is issued and every year after. ## Steps 1. Check that your lot is in an RS zone. Ask the Planning Department on 604-990-2387 if unsure. 2. Apply for the permit. Fees are $66 to apply and $66 a year, from the [Fees and Charges Bylaw 6481](). How to apply is not on the bylaw; check dnv.org or call 604-990-2311. 3. Build the enclosure and have it inspected. ## Good to know - 2 to 6 hens on a lot (at least 2 if you keep any), one enclosure per lot. No roosters. No chickens younger than 4 months. - The coop and run go in the rear yard only: at least 1.2 m from the rear lot line, 1.5 m from the side lot line and 1.2 m from a dwelling. - Fully enclosed by electric fencing at least 2 m high; coop at least 0.4 m² per hen (up to 5 m²); run at least 1 m² per hen. - Hens must be locked in the coop from dusk to dawn. No selling eggs or meat, and no burying dead hens. - Bees are allowed under the [Bee Keeping Bylaw 6474](): no more than 2 colonies on a parcel under 1,100 m². The bylaw states no limit for larger parcels. Keep a hive 7.5 m from a parcel line unless it is 2.5 m or more above ground, or under 2 m above ground behind a solid fence or hedge over 2 m high that extends 6 m past the hive. Provide water and prevent swarming. - The [Zoning Bylaw 3210]() (s. 403A) bans other animal husbandry unless specifically permitted. Horses need a permit each under the [Regulation of Horses Bylaw 4298](), on a lot of at least 1,100 m² for the first horse and 370 m² for each more. ## Official forms and pages - [Keeping of Domestic Hens Bylaw 8211 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208211.pdf) - [Bee Keeping Bylaw 6474 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%206474.pdf) - [Regulation of Horses Bylaw 4298 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%204298.pdf) - [Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf) - [Fees and Charges Bylaw 6481 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%206481.pdf) ## Related questions - [How many dogs or cats you can keep in District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/how-many-pets.md) - [District of North Vancouver building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/building-permit.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens.md) - [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/backyard-chickens.md) - [Belcarra](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/backyard-chickens.md) - [West Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/backyard-chickens.md) - [Port Moody](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/backyard-chickens.md) - [Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/backyard-chickens.md) - [Burnaby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/backyard-chickens.md) ## Sources - [https://docs.dnv.org/documents/zoning-guide-single-family-residential-edgemont-zone.pdf](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/zoning-guide-single-family-residential-edgemont-zone.pdf) (read 2026-11-06) - [https://docs.dnv.org/documents/str-owner-authorization-form.pdf](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/str-owner-authorization-form.pdf) (read 2026-11-06) - [Keeping of Domestic Hens Bylaw 8211 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%208211.pdf) (read 2026-11-06) - [Bee Keeping Bylaw 6474 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%206474.pdf) (read 2026-11-06) - [Regulation of Horses Bylaw 4298 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%204298.pdf) (read 2026-11-06) - [Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf) (read 2026-11-06) - [Fees and Charges Bylaw 6481 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%206481.pdf) (read 2026-11-06) _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 North Vancouver. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/backyard-chickens/_