---
title: Richmond backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules
question: "Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock?"
place: Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/richmond
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Richmond
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/backyard-chickens/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/backyard-chickens.json"
---

# Richmond backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

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

**Short answer:** In the City of Richmond, poultry such as chickens are not allowed on a parcel under 2,000 square metres (21,529 square feet) or in any home, except where the provincial Right to Farm Act or Agricultural Land Commission Act permits. Bees are allowed with limits on hives.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Richmond, https://www.richmond.ca)  
**Cost:** No ticket amount for the poultry or beekeeping rules was found. A court fine on conviction is set in Part Ten of Bylaw 7932.  
**Where:**
- Phone: BC SPCA Richmond Animal Services, 604-709-4668

## Key facts

- **Hens allowed:** No on ordinary city lots. Poultry (chickens, roosters, turkeys, geese, ducks, other fowl) may not be kept on a parcel under 2,000 m² (21,529 sq. ft.), or in, upon or under any structure used for human habitation, 'except as otherwise permitted by' the Farm Practices Protection (Right to Farm) Act or the Agricultural Land Commission Act. Zoning also says only properties assessed as a 'farm' under the Assessment Act may raise livestock.
  - Source: [Animal Control Regulation Bylaw 7932, Parts Three, Five and Six, s. 3.1.1 and definition of Poultry](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Bylaw_No_7932_Consolidation_07272057004.pdf)
  - Official wording: "a person must not keep poultry:" … "on a parcel with an area of less than 2,000 square metres (21,529 square" … "in, upon, or under any structure used for human habitation." … "Except as otherwise permitted by the Farm Practices Protection (Right to Farm)" … "means a chicken, rooster, turkey, goose, duck, fowl, or other bird"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 8500, Specific Use Regulations, Zoning Bylaw 8500 s. 5.13.4(b)](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/SpecificUseRegs24224.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Only properties which are assessed as a “farm” under the Assessment Act are permitted" … "to raise livestock."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Most hens:** None set. Richmond's Animal Control Regulation Bylaw sets no hen limit, coop or run rules, or permit or registration for poultry.
- **Roosters:** Roosters are poultry under the bylaw, so the same ban applies: not allowed on a parcel under 2,000 m² or in a home.
  - Source: [Animal Control Regulation Bylaw 7932, Parts Three, Five and Six, definition of Poultry; s. 3.1.1](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Bylaw_No_7932_Consolidation_07272057004.pdf)
  - Official wording: "means a chicken, rooster, turkey, goose, duck, fowl, or other bird" … "a parcel with an area of less than 2,000 square metres (21,529 square"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Coop rules:** None set. Richmond's Animal Control Regulation Bylaw sets no hen limit, coop or run rules, or permit or registration for poultry.
- **Permit or registration:** None set. Richmond's Animal Control Regulation Bylaw sets no hen limit, coop or run rules, or permit or registration for poultry.
- **Bees:** Allowed. Hives go in the rear yard, entrances facing away from the closest neighbour; within 8 m of a neighbouring home's property line a hive must be at least 2.5 m up or behind a solid fence or hedge at least 2 m high. None on a parcel with a multiple-family dwelling. Maximum hives: 2 on parcels under 1,000 m²; 4 on 1,000 to 2,000 m²; 6 on 2,000 to 4,000 m².
  - Source: [Animal Control Regulation Bylaw 7932, Parts Three, Five and Six, s. 6.1, 6.2](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Bylaw_No_7932_Consolidation_07272057004.pdf)
  - Official wording: "each beehive is located in a rear yard away from the main street;" … "is positioned so that the entrance to the beehive faces away" … "a minimum of 2.5 metres above the ground; or" … "behind a solid fence or hedge a minimum of 2.0 metres in height" … "locate a beehive on any parcel containing a multiple family dwelling;" … "keep more than two (2) beehives on a parcel of less than 1,000 square" … "keep more than four (4) beehives on a parcel that is between 1,000 and" … "keep more than six (6) beehives on a parcel that is between 2,000 and 4,000"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other livestock:** Domestic farm animals (horse, mule, donkey, emu, hinny, llama, ostrich, pot belly pig, swine, sheep, goat, cow) may not be kept in any home, nor on a parcel under 2,000 m² (21,529 sq. ft.), and the ratio may not exceed one animal per 2,000 m². Furbearing animals (fox, beaver, marten, mink, raccoon, skunk, chinchilla, etc.) may not be kept in a home. Rabbits: maximum 2 per dwelling. Wild animals in captivity need adequate containment in the Animal Control Officer's opinion.
  - Source: [Animal Control Regulation Bylaw 7932, Parts Three, Five and Six, s. 5.2, 7.1, 2.4.1.2, 4.1.1 and definitions](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Bylaw_No_7932_Consolidation_07272057004.pdf)
  - Official wording: "A person must not keep a domestic farm animal in a one-family dwelling, two-" … "on a parcel where the ratio of domestic farm animals to parcel area" … "exceeds one (1) domestic farm animal for each 2,000 square metres" … "means a horse, mule, donkey, emu, hinny, llama, ostrich, pot" … "A person must not keep a furbearing animal in a one-family dwelling, two-family" … "A person may keep a maximum of two (2) rabbits in a one-family dwelling,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control Regulation Bylaw No. 7932 (Parts Three, Five, Six); Richmond Zoning Bylaw No. 8500 (s. 5.13.4, agriculture as a secondary use).
  - Source: [Animal Control Regulation Bylaw 7932, Parts Three, Five and Six, title](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Bylaw_No_7932_Consolidation_07272057004.pdf)
  - Official wording: "CITY OF RICHMOND ANIMAL CONTROL REGULATION BYLAW NO. 7932 EFFECTIVE DATE - JUNE 13, 2005 CONSOLIDATED FOR CONVENIENCE ONLY"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw 8500, Specific Use Regulations, Zoning s. 5.13.4](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/SpecificUseRegs24224.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Agriculture is permitted as a secondary use in all zones"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

[Animal Control Regulation Bylaw 7932](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Bylaw_No_7932_Consolidation_07272057004.pdf) bans poultry (chickens, roosters, turkeys, geese, ducks and other fowl) on a parcel under 2,000 square metres, or in, upon or under any structure used for human habitation, "except as otherwise permitted by" the Farm Practices Protection (Right to Farm) Act or the Agricultural Land Commission Act. Roosters are poultry, so the same ban applies. The Zoning Bylaw also says only properties assessed as a "farm" under the Assessment Act may raise livestock, and that covenants on a title may prohibit raising chickens or other animals.

## Good to know

- The bylaw sets no maximum number of hens, no coop or run rules, and no permit or registration for poultry. Where poultry are allowed they must not create a nuisance, and the premises must be kept sanitary. Ask the City's zoning staff about your lot.
- Other farm animals (horse, donkey, llama, pot belly pig, swine, sheep, goat, cow and similar) may not be kept in a home or on a parcel under 2,000 square metres, and the limit is one animal per 2,000 square metres.
- Furbearing animals such as fox, mink, raccoon and skunk may not be kept in a home. Rabbits: at most 2 per dwelling.
- Bees are allowed. Hives go in the rear yard with entrances facing away from the closest neighbour. None are allowed on a parcel with a multiple-family dwelling.
- Hive limits: 2 on a parcel under 1,000 square metres, 4 on 1,000 to 2,000, and 6 on 2,000 to 4,000. No maximum is stated above 4,000.
- A hive within 8 metres of a neighbouring home's property line must be at least 2.5 metres up or behind a solid fence or hedge at least 2 metres high.
- No hive licence or registration was found.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Regulation Bylaw 7932 (PDF)](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Bylaw_No_7932_Consolidation_07272057004.pdf)
- [Zoning Bylaw 8500, section 5.13 Specific Use Regulations (PDF)](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/SpecificUseRegs24224.pdf)

## Related questions

- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Richmond](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/how-many-pets.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Burnaby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/backyard-chickens.md)
- [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Delta](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/delta/backyard-chickens.md)
- [District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Belcarra](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/backyard-chickens.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Regulation Bylaw 7932, Parts Three, Five and Six (PDF)](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Bylaw_No_7932_Consolidation_07272057004.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Zoning Bylaw 8500, Specific Use Regulations (PDF)](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/SpecificUseRegs24224.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal Regulations, City of Richmond](https://www.richmond.ca/services/animals/regulations.htm) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 3 are recorded as not set. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Richmond. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/backyard-chickens/_