Victoria backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules
Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock?
Short answer
In the City of Victoria you may keep chickens on the lot where you live, up to fifteen female chickens or other poultry combined. Roosters are not allowed. Bees are allowed under set rules. Farm animals and peafowl may not be kept, with limited exceptions.
Key facts
| Hens allowed | The bylaw allows chickens but only on the same lot where the keeper lives, and limits the number. It sets no zone rule.Animal Responsibility Bylaw 11-044 (consolidated to July 2022), ss. 18(3), 25(3) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingA person may keep chickens only on the same lot where he or she resides. more than fifteen female chickens or other poultry |
|---|---|
| Most hens | No more than fifteen female chickens or other poultry (combined) on a lot.Animal Responsibility Bylaw 11-044 (consolidated to July 2022), s. 25(3) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingNo person may keep, or allow to be kept, at any one time, on a lot more than fifteen female chickens or other poultry |
| Roosters | No. A person must not keep a rooster.Animal Responsibility Bylaw 11-044 (consolidated to July 2022), s. 27(1) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingA person must not keep a rooster, |
| Coop rules | No coop size or setback rule found. Poultry manure may be stored or composted only in one fully enclosed container no larger than 1 m by 1 m by 1 m, at least 3 m from the nearest property line.Animal Responsibility Bylaw 11-044 (consolidated to July 2022), s. 35(3), (4) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingstored in a single fully enclosed container that is not more than one metre by one metre by one metre in size; and located at least three metres from the nearest property line. |
| Permit or registration | None set. Victoria's Animal Responsibility Bylaw sets no permit, registration or zone rule for chickens. |
| Bees | Allowed. Beekeepers must provide water on their property, keep bees in a condition that reasonably prevents swarming, and keep hives at least 7.6 m from each property line unless a solid fence or hedge at least 1.8 m tall runs along the line.Animal Responsibility Bylaw 11-044 (consolidated to July 2022), s. 21(1) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingprovide adequate water for the bees on the person's property, keep hives at least 7.6 m away from each property line, unless there is a solid fence or hedge at least 1.8 m tall parallel to the property line. |
| Other livestock | Farm animals (cattle, horses, swine, sheep, goats, mules, donkeys and similar) and peafowl may not be kept, with limited exceptions. Rabbits and guinea pigs: four total per lot; outdoor rabbits must be securely enclosed. Ducks and other domesticated birds count as poultry (fifteen limit).Animal Responsibility Bylaw 11-044 (consolidated to July 2022), ss. 2, 22, 25(2), 27(1) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingmeans any domesticated animal normally raised for food, milk or as a beast of burden and includes cattle, horses, swine, sheep, goats, mules, donkeys, asses and oxen peafowl. A person must not keep rabbits in an outdoor pen, cage or run, unless the pen, cage or run is securely enclosed to prevent escape. means any domesticated bird that is normally kept for its eggs, meat, or feathers, |
| Bylaw | Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 11-044Animal Responsibility Bylaw 11-044 (consolidated to July 2022), Title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingANIMAL RESPONSIBILITY BYLAW BYLAW NO. 11-044 This consolidation is a copy of a bylaw consolidated under the authority of |
How it works
The Animal Responsibility Bylaw 11-044 allows chickens, but only on the same lot where the keeper lives, and limits the number to fifteen female chickens or other poultry combined. Poultry means any domesticated bird kept for its eggs, meat or feathers. The bylaw sets no permit, registration or zone rule for chickens.
Good to know
- Roosters are not allowed.
- The bylaw sets no coop size or setback. Poultry manure may be stored or composted only in one fully enclosed container no larger than 1 m by 1 m by 1 m, at least 3 m from the nearest property line.
- Bees are allowed. Beekeepers must provide water on their property, keep bees in a condition that reasonably prevents swarming, and keep hives at least 7.6 m from each property line unless a solid fence or hedge at least 1.8 m tall runs along the line. Improper husbandry of bees carries a municipal ticket of $150 ($125 if paid within 30 days).
- Farm animals (cattle, horses, swine, sheep, goats, mules, donkeys and similar) and peafowl may not be kept, with limited exceptions. Unlawfully keeping a farm animal or bird is a municipal ticket of $125 ($100 if paid within 30 days).
- Rabbits and guinea pigs: four in total per lot. Outdoor rabbits must be securely enclosed.
- Ducks and other domesticated birds count as poultry, under the fifteen limit.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Oak Bay · Esquimalt · View Royal · Saanich · Colwood · Langford
Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Animal Responsibility Bylaw 11-044 (consolidated to July 2022) (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
- Ticket Bylaw 10-071 (consolidated June 18, 2026), Schedule C (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set. How answers are checked.