Pima County, AZ Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Zone
- GR-1 Rural Residential, unincorporated Pima County
- Livestock/ratite density
- 1 animal per 10,000 sq ft, § (A)(9)
- Poultry/small animal density
- 40 animals per acre, § (A)(12)
- Hog cap
- 1 hog over 6 months per acre
- Enclosure setback
- 100 ft from side/rear lot lines
- Max civil penalty
- $750/day individual, $10,000/day corporation
Summary
In Pima County's GR-1 Rural Residential zone, outside Tucson and the county's other cities, Code § 18.14.020(A)(9) caps livestock and ratites at one animal per ten thousand square feet of lot, while (A)(12) allows poultry and other small animals up to forty per acre, both by right with no conditional use permit required.
A. Uses permitted: ... 9. The raising and grazing of livestock and ratites, provided there is no more than one animal per ten thousand square feet; ... 12. The raising of poultry or other small animals, provided there are no more than forty animals per acre;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-64: Contains Supplement, with local legislation through Ordinance 2026-9, passed 7-28-2026, current through 7-28-2026).
Full Breakdown
020(A) lists the by-right uses of the GR-1 Rural Residential zone, one step down in minimum lot size from the RH Rural Homestead zone and applicable only in unincorporated parts of the county. Subsection (A)(9) permits 'the raising and grazing of livestock and ratites, provided there is no more than one animal per ten thousand square feet,' meaning a standard one-acre GR-1 lot (43,560 square feet) can support roughly four head. Subsection (A)(12) separately permits 'the raising of poultry or other small animals, provided there are no more than forty animals per acre,' covering backyard chickens, ducks and rabbits without a permit as long as the density stays under that cap.
020(A)(10) caps hogs at one animal over six months old per acre and cross-references the health department compliance and stable rules written for the Institutional Reserve zone. 050, which, mirroring the SR zone's rule, requires corrals and pens to sit at least one hundred feet from side and rear lot lines within a stock-tight fence, providing at least four hundred square feet per animal. The GR-1 permitted-use list was most recently amended by Ordinance 2025-8, which added duplex and triplex dwellings alongside the existing agricultural uses.
Violations & Fines
Keeping more livestock or poultry than § 18.14.020(A)(9) and (A)(12) allow is a zoning violation, investigated by the chief zoning inspector under § 18.95.030 and decided by a county hearing officer. Section 18.95.040 sets civil penalties of up to $750 per day for an individual owner or $10,000 per day for a business entity, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense; rulings can be appealed to the Board of Supervisors and then Pima County Superior Court.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many chickens can I keep on a GR-1 lot in Pima County?
What's the livestock limit on a rural residential lot?
Do I need a permit to keep a hog in Pima County's GR-1 zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pima County
How Pima County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Pima County to another location·View the Arizona animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.