North Vancouver backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock?

North Vancouver, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

Yes, in part. The City of North Vancouver allows up to eight hens (no roosters) as an accessory use at homes in zones that permit it, and up to two beehives in the one-unit RS-1 zone only. No permit or fee is stated for hens. Other livestock is prohibited by the Zoning Bylaw.

Key facts

Hens allowed	Yes, hens only, as an accessory use. The Zoning Bylaw permits Accessory Hen Keeping in the RS-1 and RS-2 zones and lists it as an accessory use in several other residential zones (RS-4B, RG-2, RG-2A, RG-3, RG-4, RM-2); the City page says only Single Unit Residential (OCP-R1) dwellings. Hens are for personal use only; no sale of eggs or products.Urban Chicken Keeping, Urban Chicken Keeping page; Zoning Bylaw 1995 No. 6700, Zoning Bylaw s. 501(1)(h); Small Creatures Limitation Bylaw 1970 No. 4213 (consolidated September 20, 2012), s. 2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Only residents living in Single Unit Residential (OCP-R1) zoned dwellings are permitted to keep chickens No sale of eggs or slaughter of chickens is permitted permitted in the RS-1 and RS-2 One-Unit Residential Zones: Accessory Hen Keeping, with customarily incidental Accessory (d) Accessory Hen Keeping subject to Sections 412 and 514 Hens shall be kept for personal use only, and eggs, manure, meat, and other products
Most hens	Up to eight hens in aggregate per permitted premises.Small Creatures Limitation Bylaw 1970 No. 4213 (consolidated September 20, 2012), s. 2; Urban Chicken Keeping, Urban Chicken Keeping page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording more than eight (8) hens in aggregate. Residents are permitted to keep up to eight hens
Roosters	No. The keeping of roosters is prohibited.Small Creatures Limitation Bylaw 1970 No. 4213 (consolidated September 20, 2012), s. 2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording The keeping of roosters is prohibited.
Coop rules	No hen-specific coop rules. A coop that is a building follows Zoning s. 514: behind the front of the house; in the rear 25% of the lot if over 10 m²; 1.22 m from the rear line, 0.61 m from an interior side line, 3.048 m from the house; height 3.658 m; all accessory buildings together limited to the lesser of 0.1 times lot area or 55.7 m². Build predator-proof; no slaughter on site.Zoning Bylaw 1995 No. 6700, Zoning Bylaw s. 501(1)(h); RS and RT Zone Accessory Structures handout (excerpt of Zoning Bylaw section 412), Zoning Bylaw s. 412(1); Urban Chicken Keeping, Urban Chicken Keeping page; Small Creatures Limitation Bylaw 1970 No. 4213 (consolidated September 20, 2012), s. 2; Accessory Building Handout, Zoning Bylaw s. 514(1), (4), (5) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Structures subject to Section 412, and customarily incidental Accessory Buildings subject to Section 514 of this bylaw. shall not exceed a Height of 3.658 metres (12 feet); Minimize the risk of predation and foraging by bears, coyotes, skunks, rats, and raccoons through proper and secure construction of pen and coop Hens shall not be slaughtered or euthanized on the property. shall be sited behind the front face of the Principal Building, and when (a) 1.22 metres (4 feet) from the Rear Lot Line; (e) 0.61 metres (2 feet) from the Interior Side Lot Line. The total floor area for all Accessory Buildings on the Lot shall not exceed
Permit or registration	No permit is required, and no fee is stated.Urban Chicken Keeping, Urban Chicken Keeping page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording No permits are required
Bees	Hobby beekeeping is allowed in the RS-1 One-Unit Residential zone only: at most 2 hives, behind the principal building, entrance facing away from neighbours' dwellings, 7.5 m from the neighbouring property line unless raised 2.5 m or behind a solid fence or hedge 1.83 m high. The apiary must be registered under the provincial Bee Act.Hobby Bee Keeping Bylaw 2009 No. 7985, s. 4, s. 5 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording A Hobby Bee Keeper shall only keep bees within the RS-1 One Unit A maximum of two (2) hives shall be permitted; Hives shall not be located within 7.5 meters of an adjacent property line be raised a minimum of 2.5 meters above grade Bee Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 29
Other livestock	The Zoning Bylaw prohibits in all zones an agricultural use involving the keeping of horses, livestock, swine, fur bearing animals, poultry, pigeons, doves, bees or other animals or birds. Goats and ducks are not named. Hens (Bylaw 4213) and hobby bees (Bylaw 7985, Zoning s. 401(5)) are the exceptions.Zoning Bylaw 1995 No. 6700, Zoning Bylaw s. 402(5) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Uses shall be prohibited in all zones: An agricultural Use involving mushroom growing or the keeping of horses, livestock, swine, fur bearing animals, poultry, pigeons, doves, bees, or (5) Hobby Bee Keeper and Educational Bee Keeper subject to the regulations
Bylaw	Small Creatures Limitation Bylaw, 1970, No. 4213 (hens); Hobby Bee Keeping Bylaw, 2009, No. 7985 (bees); Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700Small Creatures Limitation Bylaw 1970 No. 4213 (consolidated September 20, 2012), s. 4; Hobby Bee Keeping Bylaw 2009 No. 7985, s. 1; Zoning Bylaw 1995 No. 6700, Title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Small Creatures Limitation Bylaw, 1970, No. 4213 Hobby Bee Keeping Bylaw, 2009, No. 7985 Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700

How it works

Hens are allowed under the Small Creatures Limitation Bylaw and the Zoning Bylaw, which permits Accessory Hen Keeping in the RS-1 and RS-2 zones and lists it as an accessory use in several other residential zones (RS-4B, RG-2, RG-2A, RG-3, RG-4, RM-2). The City's chicken page is narrower: it says only Single Unit Residential (OCP-R1) dwellings, so confirm your zone with Planning. Hobby bees fall under the Hobby Bee Keeping Bylaw.

Good to know

Hens: up to eight in aggregate per permitted premises. No roosters. For personal use only, with no sale of eggs or products. No slaughter on site.
Coops: there are no hen-specific coop rules. A coop that is a building follows the Zoning Bylaw's accessory building rules (s. 514): behind the front of the house; in the rear 25% of the lot if over 10 m²; 1.22 m from the rear lot line, 0.61 m from an interior side line and 3.048 m from the house; height up to 3.658 m. Build it predator-proof.
Bees: RS-1 zone only, at most 2 hives, behind the principal building, entrance facing away from neighbours' dwellings. Keep hives 7.5 m from the neighbouring property line unless raised 2.5 m or behind a solid fence or hedge 1.83 m high. The apiary must be registered under the provincial Bee Act.
Other livestock: the Zoning Bylaw prohibits in all zones the keeping of horses, livestock, swine, fur bearing animals, poultry, pigeons, doves, bees or other animals or birds, apart from hens and hobby bees. Goats and ducks are not named; ask Bylaw Services at 604-982-8302.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

District of North Vancouver · Belcarra · Port Moody · West Vancouver · Vancouver · Burnaby

Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Urban Chicken Keeping, City of North Vancouver (read 2026-11-05)
Small Creatures Limitation Bylaw 1970 No. 4213 (consolidated September 20, 2012) (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Hobby Bee Keeping Bylaw 2009 No. 7985 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Zoning Bylaw 1995 No. 6700 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Accessory Building Handout, City of North Vancouver (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
RS and RT Zone Accessory Structures handout (excerpt of Zoning Bylaw section 412) (read 2026-11-05)

Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 8 of 8 facts was matched to the official text. How answers are checked.