{"title":"Princeton backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","question":"Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock?","slug":"backyard-chickens","place":{"path":"ca/bc/princeton","name":"Princeton","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"pets-and-wildlife","name":"Pets, animals and wildlife"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"Town of Princeton","url":"https://www.princeton.ca"},"short_answer":"In Princeton, backyard hens are allowed in the RC (Country Residential) zone, up to four, with no roosters. They are not listed as a permitted use in the other residential zones. Schedule H lists a $15 annual poultry charge.","aliases":["backyard hens princeton","chickens princeton bc","keep bees princeton","livestock zoning princeton"],"cost":"Annual domestic poultry charge: $15 (rate as at September 1, 2026, Fees and Charges Bylaw Schedule H).","how_long":"Not applicable.","where":[{"type":"email","label":"Planning Department","value":"planning@princeton.ca"},{"type":"phone","label":"Town Hall","value":"250-295-3135"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Town Hall","value":"151 Vermilion Avenue, Princeton, BC","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 880, 2013 (PDF), Town of Princeton","url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/11311/"},{"title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1026, 2022, Schedule H (PDF), Town of Princeton","url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/53144/"},{"title":"Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 985, 2020 (PDF), Town of Princeton","url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/39583/"}],"related":[{"slug":"how-many-pets","title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Princeton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/how-many-pets/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Princeton zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Princeton dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/dog-licence/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/keremeos","name":"Keremeos","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/keremeos/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/summerland","name":"Summerland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/summerland/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/hope","name":"Hope","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hope/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/penticton","name":"Penticton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/penticton/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/peachland","name":"Peachland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/peachland/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/merritt","name":"Merritt","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/backyard-chickens/"}],"topic":{"title":"Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens/"},"facts":{"hens_allowed":{"label":"Hens allowed","value":"Backyard hens are a permitted principal use in the RC (Country Residential) zone. They are not listed as a permitted use in the other residential zones in the zoning bylaw consolidation.","short":"Only in RC zone","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/11311/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 880, 2013 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"s. 10.1 (RC zone)","quotes":["The following principal uses, and no others, will be permitted in the RC-Country Residential Zone.",".2 backyard hens;"]},{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/11311/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 880, 2013 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"s. 4 definitions","quotes":["“BACKYARD HENS” means female fowl kept for the purpose of laying eggs for food"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"max_hens":{"label":"Most hens","value":"No more than four backyard hens.","short":"Four hens","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/11311/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 880, 2013 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"s. 6.5.1","quotes":["No more than four backyard hens are permitted;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"roosters":{"label":"Roosters","value":"No. No roosters, cocks or cockerels may be kept on the property.","short":"No","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/11311/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 880, 2013 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"s. 6.5.2","quotes":["No roosters, cocks or cockerels are to be kept on the property;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"coop_rules":{"label":"Coop rules","value":"Only one structure for the hens. It must be in a fully fenced side or rear yard, at least 1.5 m from any property line and 3.0 m from any dwelling unit, no higher than 2.0 m. On a corner parcel the setback from the street side must be at least the greater of the principal building's existing setback and the required principal-building setback.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/11311/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 880, 2013 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"s. 6.5.3 to 6.5.6","quotes":["shall be located in a fully fenced side or rear yard, at least 1.5 m from any property line and at least 3.0 m from any dwelling unit","Only one structure containing backyard hens is permitted;","shall be no higher than 2.0 m at grade"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"registration":{"label":"Permit or registration","value":"Schedule H lists an annual Domestic Poultry charge of $15 (rate as at September 1, 2026) to keep domesticated chickens. Whether a separate permit or registration is required is not stated; Animal Control Bylaw No. 782 has no poultry section.","short":"$15 a year; permit not stated","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/53144/","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1026, 2022, Schedule H (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"Schedule H, H06","quotes":["H06 Domestic Poultry $ 10.00 $ 10.00 $ 10.00 $ 10.00 $ 15.00","to keep domesticated chickens. The fee charged shall be levied annually."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bees":{"label":"Bees","value":"The Wildlife Attractant Bylaw says beehives must be kept reasonably inaccessible to wildlife, enclosed by fencing and situated according to the Zoning Bylaw. Whether hives are allowed in a given zone is not stated.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/39583/","title":"Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 985, 2020 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"s. 10(i), (j)","quotes":["Beehives must be enclosed by fencing and situated according to the Zoning Bylaw;","any bees and beehives are kept in such a manner so that they are reasonably inaccessible to wildlife."]},{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/53144/","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1026, 2022, Schedule H (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"Schedule H, H05","quotes":["H05 Domestic Bees $ 10.00 $ 10.00 $ 10.00 $ 10.00 $ 15.00"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"other_livestock":{"label":"Other livestock","value":"Agriculture, which includes rearing livestock, is a permitted use in the FG and RC zones. In the RC zone, buildings used for keeping livestock must be at least 7.5 m from any property line and 12 m from any dwelling unit. Agriculture does not include commercial kennels, feedlots, stables, piggeries, mink farms and poultry farms.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/11311/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 880, 2013 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"s. 4 definitions","quotes":["“AGRICULTURE” means growing, rearing, producing or harvesting agricultural crops and livestock"]},{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/11311/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 880, 2013 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"s. 10.1 and 10.2 (RC zone)","quotes":[".1 agriculture;","Minimum setbacks for buildings used","7.5 m (25 ft) minimum from any property","12 m (39 ft) from any dwelling unit"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Town of Princeton Zoning Bylaw No. 880, 2013 (hens, section 6.5); Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 985, 2020 (coops, bees); Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1026, 2022 (annual charge).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/11311/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 880, 2013 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"s. 1.1","quotes":["This Bylaw may be cited as the “Town of Princeton Zoning Bylaw Number 880, 2013”"]},{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/39583/","title":"Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 985, 2020 (PDF), Town of Princeton","section":"title","quotes":["WILDLIFE ATTRACTANT BYLAW NO.985, 2020"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":8,"stated":8,"matched":8,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe [Zoning Bylaw](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/11311/) makes backyard hens a permitted use in the RC (Country Residential) zone. They are not listed in the other residential zones in the copy read, and the Town's pages name no other zone. Check your zone with Planning first.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- No more than four hens, and no roosters, cocks or cockerels.\n- Only one structure for the hens. It must be in a fully fenced side or rear yard, at least 1.5 m from any property line and 3.0 m from any dwelling unit, and no higher than 2.0 m. On a corner parcel, the setback from the street side must be at least the greater of the principal building's existing setback and the required principal-building setback.\n- Schedule H of the [Fees and Charges Bylaw](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/53144/) lists an annual Domestic Poultry charge of $15. The bylaw copy read does not say whether a separate permit or registration is needed. Ask the Town.\n- Bees: the [Wildlife Attractant Bylaw](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/39583/) says beehives must be kept reasonably inaccessible to wildlife, enclosed by fencing and situated according to the Zoning Bylaw. Where hives are allowed is not stated.\n- Other livestock: agriculture, which includes rearing livestock, is permitted in the FG and RC zones. In the RC zone, buildings for livestock must be at least 7.5 m from any property line and 12 m from any dwelling unit. Livestock in other residential zones is not mentioned.\n- Contact Planning at planning@princeton.ca or 250-295-3135.","sources":[{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/11311/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 880, 2013 (PDF), Town of Princeton","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/53144/","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1026, 2022, Schedule H (PDF), Town of Princeton","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/39583/","title":"Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 985, 2020 (PDF), Town of Princeton","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.princeton.ca/p/contact-us-","title":"Contact Us, Town of Princeton","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 8 of 8 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/backyard-chickens/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/backyard-chickens.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/backyard-chickens.json"}}