---
title: How many dogs or cats you can keep in District of North Vancouver
question: "How many dogs or cats can I keep 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/how-many-pets/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/how-many-pets.json"
---

# How many dogs or cats you can keep in District of North Vancouver

**Question:** How many dogs or cats can I keep in the District of North Vancouver?

**Short answer:** In the District of North Vancouver (not the City of North Vancouver), you may not keep more than three dogs on a property unless you hold a business licence as a veterinarian, pet care establishment or animal shelter. The bylaws we read set no limit on cats.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of North Vancouver, https://www.dnv.org)  
**Cost:** Not a service. Fine for too many dogs: bylaw notice $100, municipal ticket $100.  
**How long:** Rules apply year-round.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 604-990-3711
- In person: Municipal Hall, 355 West Queens Road, North Vancouver, BC V7N 4N5

## Key facts

- **Dogs allowed:** More than three dogs may not be kept on a property unless the owner or occupier has a business licence for a veterinarian, pet care establishment or animal shelter.
  - Source: [Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 5981, s. 8(f)](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%205981.pdf)
  - Official wording: "to permit, suffer or allow more than three dogs to be kept or harboured on such premises without first having applied for, and obtained, a" … "business licence for a veterinarian, pet care establishment or animal shelter"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cats allowed:** None set. The bylaws read for the District of North Vancouver set no limit on cats.
- **Other animal limits:** Zoning Bylaw: in all zones, keeping animals is prohibited unless specifically permitted, except that household pets (other than poultry) may be kept. Hens are allowed only under the Hens bylaw (2 to 6 hens, permit, RS zones). Bees: at most 2 colonies on a parcel under 1,100 m².
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 3210, s. 403A(1)(b)](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf)
  - Official wording: "the keeping of animals, except that household pets, other than" … "poultry, may be kept"
  - Source: [Bee Keeping Bylaw 6474, s. 3(a)](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"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Exceptions:** A property may have more than three dogs with a business licence for a veterinarian, pet care establishment or animal shelter. A home pet-services business may have no more than 3 dogs at a time.
  - Source: [Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 5981, s. 8(f)](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%205981.pdf)
  - Official wording: "business licence for a veterinarian, pet care establishment or animal shelter"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 3210, s. 405(4)](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Pet services are permitted as home occupations provided that there are no" … "more than 3 dogs on the property at any time"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $100 ($75 if paid within 14 days; $150 after 28 days). Municipal ticket (in the Dog bylaw): $100.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 7458, Schedule A, Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 5981](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%207458.pdf)
  - Official wording: "8(f) Keeping more than three dogs 100 75 150"
  - Source: [Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 5981, s. 14.4](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%205981.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Keeping more than three dogs 8(f) $100.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 5981 (s. 8(f)); Zoning Bylaw 3210 (s. 403A).
  - Source: [Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 5981, s. 8(f)](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%205981.pdf)
  - Official wording: "DOG TAX AND REGULATION BYLAW, 1988"
  - 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, the [Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 5981](<https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%205981.pdf>) says more than three dogs may not be kept on a property. The exception is an owner or occupier with a business licence for a veterinarian, pet care establishment or animal shelter. A home pet-services business may have no more than 3 dogs at a time under the [Zoning Bylaw 3210](<https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf>).

## Steps

1. Count the dogs kept at your property. Three is the limit for a household.
2. If you want to keep more for a business, get the matching business licence first. Call the District on 604-990-2311 to ask.
3. For other animals, see the chickens and bees answer.

## Good to know

- The bylaws we read do not set a limit on cats. Cats are mentioned only for surrender and adoption.
- The Zoning Bylaw bans keeping animals in all zones unless specifically permitted, but household pets (other than poultry) are allowed.
- Hens are allowed only under the Hens bylaw (2 to 6 hens, with a permit, in single family residential zones). Bees are limited to 2 colonies on a parcel under 1,100 m².
- Keeping too many dogs is a $100 fine. A bylaw notice is $100 ($75 if paid within 14 days, $150 after 28 days); a municipal ticket is $100.

## Official forms and pages

- [Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 5981 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%205981.pdf)
- [Zoning Bylaw 3210 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/bylaw-3210.pdf)

## Related questions

- [District of North Vancouver dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/dog-licence.md)
- [District of North Vancouver backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/backyard-chickens.md)
- [District of North Vancouver dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [District of North Vancouver bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog and cat limits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/how-many-pets.md)
- [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/how-many-pets.md)
- [Belcarra](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/how-many-pets.md)
- [West Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/how-many-pets.md)
- [Port Moody](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/how-many-pets.md)
- [Burnaby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/how-many-pets.md)
- [Richmond](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/how-many-pets.md)

## Sources

- [https://docs.dnv.org/documents/str-owner-authorization-form.pdf](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/str-owner-authorization-form.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Dog Tax and Regulation Bylaw 5981 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%205981.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)
- [Bee Keeping Bylaw 6474 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%206474.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 7458 (PDF), District of North Vancouver](https://docs.dnv.org/documents/Bylaw%207458.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set. 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/how-many-pets/_