White Rock backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules
Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock?
Short answer
No. White Rock's Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw bans livestock, poultry (including hens, roosters, ducks and geese) and aviaries on any property. Bees are allowed under a 1992 bylaw, but only on lots zoned RS1 or RS4, which the 2024 Zoning Bylaw no longer uses.
Key facts
| Hens allowed | No. The Animal Control bylaw bans keeping livestock, poultry, an aviary or an apiary on any real property, except as permitted by the Bee Keeping Bylaw (which covers bees only). "Poultry" is defined to include chickens.Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025), ss. 3, 45 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording"poultry" means any fowl including a chicken, turkey, duck, goose, swan or peafowl any livestock, poultry, aviary, or apiary except as permitted pursuant to City of White Rock Bee Keeping |
|---|---|
| Most hens | Not applicable: hens and other poultry are not allowed.Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025), ss. 3, 45 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording“poultry” means any fowl including a chicken, turkey, duck, goose, swan or peafowl |
| Roosters | Not allowed. A rooster is a chicken, so the same poultry ban applies.Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025), ss. 3, 45 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording"poultry" means any fowl including a chicken, turkey, duck, goose, swan or peafowl |
| Coop rules | Not applicable: hens and other poultry are not allowed.Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025), ss. 3, 45 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording“poultry” means any fowl including a chicken, turkey, duck, goose, swan or peafowl |
| Permit or registration | Not applicable: hens and other poultry are not allowed.Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025), ss. 3, 45 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording“poultry” means any fowl including a chicken, turkey, duck, goose, swan or peafowl |
| Bees | Beekeeping is allowed under the 1992 Bee Keeping Bylaw: no more than two colonies per lot, hives only on lots zoned RS1 or RS4 (zone names predate the 2024 Zoning Bylaw), at least 15 feet from any property line.Bee Keeping Bylaw 1992, No. 1313, ss. 3-5 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingNo person shall keep more that two (2) colonies of bees on any lot. locate a beehive within fifteen (15) feet of any property line; Beehives shall only be permitted on a property that is zoned No person shall locate a beehive on a property within twenty multi-family dwelling other than a duplex. No person shall keep more that two (2) colonies of bees on any Beehives shall only be permitted on a property that is zoned RSl |
| Other livestock | Not allowed. Livestock (cattle, horses, donkeys, mules, llamas, ostrich, swine, sheep, goats) and poultry (including ducks and geese) may not be kept on any real property.Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025), ss. 3, 45 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording"livestock" means cattle and other animals of the bovine species, horses, donkeys, mules, llamas, ostrich, swine, sheep or goats; any livestock, poultry, aviary, or apiary except as permitted pursuant to City of White Rock Bee Keeping |
| Bylaw | Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw, 2012, No. 1959; White Rock Bee Keeping Bylaw, 1992, No. 1313Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025), s. 1; Bee Keeping Bylaw 1992, No. 1313, s. 9 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingThis Bylaw may be cited as "Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw, 2012, No. 1959." White Rock Bee Keeping Bylaw, 1992, No. 1313 |
How it works
The City of White Rock bans keeping livestock, poultry, an aviary or an apiary (beehive) on any real property, except as the Bee Keeping Bylaw permits. The Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw defines poultry to include chickens, so hens and roosters are not allowed, and no coop, permit or hen limit exists. Livestock means cattle, horses, donkeys, mules, llamas, ostrich, swine, sheep and goats. Ducks and geese count as poultry.
Good to know
- Bees: the Bee Keeping Bylaw allows no more than two colonies per lot, hives only on lots zoned RS1 or RS4, and at least 15 feet from any property line.
- Those zone names predate the 2024 Zoning Bylaw, which now has RS-1, RS-2 and RS-3 zones. Ask Bylaw Enforcement whether your lot qualifies.
- Fines: keeping livestock or poultry is $150, then $250, then $500. A bee bylaw offence is $100 to $500 plus costs on conviction.
- The newer wording of the Animal Control Bylaw also bans feeding or enticing wildlife.
- Exotic animals are banned too. See the how many pets answer.
- Questions: Bylaw Enforcement, 604-541-2146.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Surrey · Langley City · Township of Langley · Delta · Burnaby · Port Coquitlam
Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025) (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
- Bee Keeping Bylaw 1992, No. 1313 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
- Animal Control, City of White Rock (read 2026-11-05)
- Ticketing for Bylaw Offences Bylaw 2011, No. 1929 (consolidated) (PDF) (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.