Williams Lake backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock?

Williams Lake, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

Williams Lake allows backyard hens in the R-1, R-3 and RR-1 residential zones with a $15 yearly hen licence: 3 to 4 hens on parcels under 745 m2, 5 under 1,858 m2 and 6 over 1,858 m2. The bylaw does not mention roosters.

Key facts

Hens allowed	Yes. Backyard hen keeping is a permitted use in the R-1 Small-Scale Residential, R-3 South Lakeside Residential and RR-1 Rural Residential zones, with a hen keeping licence. The keeper must own and live at the property or have the owner's written permission.Zoning Bylaw 2430 (December 2025), s. 4A.1 (R-1); Zoning Bylaw 2430 (December 2025), s. 4C.1 (R-3); Zoning Bylaw 2430 (December 2025), s. 4F.1 (RR-1); Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), s. 29.1.2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Dwelling Unit, Multi-plex Home-Based Business (b) Dwelling Units, Accessory (a) Backyard Beekeeping Manufactured Home Backyard Hen Keeping Dwelling Units, Accessory (a) Backyard Beekeeping Manufactured Home Backyard Hen Keeping (a) Dwelling Units, Accessory shall be subject to the requirements of Section 3.4 of Dwelling Unit, Single Detached Childcare, Family Dwelling Unit, Accessory (a) Hobby Farm Manufactured Home Backyard Beekeeping Dwelling Units, Accessory (a) Backyard Beekeeping Manufactured Home Backyard Hen Keeping (a) Dwelling Units, Accessory shall be subject to the requirements of Section 3.4 of Dwelling Units, Accessory (a) Backyard Beekeeping Manufactured Home Backyard Hen Keeping (a) Dwelling Units, Accessory shall be subject to the requirements of Section 3.4 of possess a valid backyard hen keeping license be the registered owner of, and reside at, the property where the hens are kept
Most hens	At least 3 and no more than 4 hens on a parcel under 745 m², 5 on a parcel under 1,858 m², and 6 on a parcel over 1,858 m².Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), s. 29.1.2(c) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording keep at least three (3) and not more than four (4) hens per parcel that is less than 745 sq m (8,019 sq ft) five (5) hens per parcel that is less than 1,858 sq m (20,000 sq ft) six (6) hens per parcel that is greater than 1,858 sq m (20,000 sq ft)
Roosters	Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read.
Coop rules	Run: fully covered, 1.0 m² roofed space per hen, bear-proof electric fencing plus vermin-proof fencing, at least 3.0 m from any property line and from the house, behind the front face of the house. Coop: at least 1.5 m from the property line, 0.5 m² floor per hen, one perch and one nest box per hen, kept clean and checked daily.Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), s. 29.1.2(d); Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), s. 29.1.2(e) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording that is covered in a manner that provides at least 1.0 sq m (10.76 sq ft) of electronic fencing suitable to repel bears sited at least 3.0 m (9.84 ft) from any property line and located to the side at least 3.0 m (9.84 ft) from the principal building be kept clean and be monitored for suitable cleanliness daily be sited at least 1.5 m (4.94 ft) from the property line provide each hen with at least 0.5 sq m (5.3 sq ft) of coop floor area one (1) coop that will
Permit or registration	Yes. A backyard hen keeping licence is required. The fee is $15, issued annually.Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), s. 29.1.3; Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), Schedule A · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Hen Keeping Licenses will be issued annually Hen Keeping License Fee $15.00
Bees	Yes, with a backyard beekeeping licence ($15 a year) and a BC Beekeeper ID. Maximum 2 colonies and 2 nucleus colonies per parcel. Hives need bear-proof electric fencing, at least 3.0 m from side and rear lot lines and behind the front of the house, plus a flight-path barrier. Permitted in the R-1, R-3 and RR-1 zones.Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), s. 29.2.2; Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), s. 29.2.2(a)(v); Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), s. 29.2.3; Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), Schedule A; Zoning Bylaw 2430 (December 2025), s. 4A.1 (R-1) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording possess a valid backyard beekeeping license have a Beekeeper ID number, issued to them by the B.C. Ministry of setback at least 3.0 m (9.84 ft) from all side and rear parcel lines limited to a maximum of two (2) colonies and two (2) nucleus colonies per parcel Backyard Beekeeping License Fee $15.00 Dwelling Unit, Multi-plex Home-Based Business (b) Dwelling Units, Accessory (a) Backyard Beekeeping Manufactured Home Backyard Hen Keeping
Other livestock	Farm animals (horses, cattle, mules, swine, sheep, goats, poultry, rabbits, alpacas, llamas) are allowed only in areas the Zoning Bylaw designates. Hobby farms are permitted in the R-3 and RR-1 zones, with no more than two horses, cattle, sheep, goats or camelids in total per property.Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), definitions, "farm animal"; Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), s. 29; Zoning Bylaw 2430 (December 2025), definitions, "hobby farm"; Zoning Bylaw 2430 (December 2025), s. 4F.1 (RR-1) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording "FARM ANIMAL" includes horses, cattle, mules, swine, sheep, goats, poultry, rabbits, alpacas No person shall own, keep, possess or harbour any farm animals except in areas designated for that use no more than two (in total) shall be permitted on an individual property Dwelling Unit, Single Detached Childcare, Family Dwelling Unit, Multi-plex Hobby Farm Dwelling Unit, Accessory(a) Home-Based Business (b)
Bylaw	Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 2102, 2009 (hens and bees); Zoning Bylaw No. 2430, 2025 (where allowed).Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated), s. 1; Zoning Bylaw 2430 (December 2025), definitions · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording This Bylaw shall be cited as the Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 2102, 2009. BACKYARD HEN KEEPING means the keeping of hens accessory to primary

How it works

The Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw allows backyard hens, with a hen keeping licence, where the Zoning Bylaw permits them: the R-1 Small-Scale Residential, R-3 South Lakeside Residential and RR-1 Rural Residential zones. Hen keeping is not listed as a permitted use in the other zones (R-2, R-4, R-5, commercial, industrial and so on). The keeper must own and live at the property or have the owner's written permission. Hens may not be kept in a dwelling house.

Hens

Number: at least 3 and no more than 4 hens on a parcel under 745 m2, 5 on a parcel under 1,858 m2, and 6 on a parcel over 1,858 m2. The bylaw wording does not say what applies to a parcel of exactly 1,858 m2.
Licence: $15, issued annually. Terms may vary year to year.
Run: fully covered, 1.0 m2 of roofed space per hen, bear-proof electric fencing plus vermin-proof fencing, at least 3.0 m from any property line and from the house, and behind the front face of the house.
Coop: at least 1.5 m from the property line, 0.5 m2 of floor per hen, one perch and one nest box per hen, kept clean and checked daily.
Hens are for personal use only: no selling eggs or meat, and no slaughter in the City except at an authorized facility.
Roosters: the bylaw and zoning bylaw do not mention them, and the bylaw only authorizes hens. Ask Bylaw Services before keeping one.

Bees

A backyard beekeeping licence ($15 a year) and a BC Beekeeper ID are needed. Maximum 2 colonies and 2 nucleus colonies per parcel, in the R-1, R-3 and RR-1 zones. Hives need bear-proof electric fencing, at least 3.0 m from side and rear lot lines and behind the front of the house, plus a flight-path barrier.

Good to know

Other farm animals (horses, cattle, swine, sheep, goats, poultry, rabbits and so on) are allowed only where the Zoning Bylaw designates. A hobby farm is permitted in R-3 and RR-1, with no more than two horses, cattle, sheep, goats or camelids in total per property.
Not meeting the hen rules is a $100 bylaw notice ($75 if paid within 14 days; $125 if paid late).
The City's copy of the bylaw is dated 2019.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

100 Mile House · Quesnel · Wells · Clinton · Clearwater · Lillooet

Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2102, 2009 (consolidated) (read 2026-11-05)
Zoning Bylaw 2430 (December 2025) (read 2026-11-05)
Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2196, 2013 (consolidated), Schedule A-1 (read 2026-11-05)
Bylaw Services, City of Williams Lake (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 could not be confirmed. How answers are checked.