Billings allows a limited number of hens on residential lots subject to coop setbacks and prohibits roosters in most residential zones; larger livestock such as horses, cattle, and goats require agricultural zoning under BMC Title 27 zoning code.
Billings Municipal Code Chapter 4 and Title 27 zoning regulate keeping of fowl and livestock. Residential lots may keep a limited number of female chickens for personal egg use, with coops set back from property lines and neighboring dwellings. Roosters are generally prohibited in residential zones because of noise. Goats, swine, horses, and cattle are restricted to lots zoned agricultural or larger residential parcels meeting minimum acreage. Manure must be stored to prevent odor, fly breeding, and runoff into the Yellowstone River drainage. Animals causing repeated complaints can be declared nuisances under Chapter 17 Health and Sanitation.
Code-compliance citations begin around 100 dollars per violation. Continued nuisance keeping or rooster crowing may compound daily and trigger removal orders enforced by Billings Animal Control.
Billings, MT
Montana preempts local minimum wage ordinances under MCA section 39-3-409. The state minimum is CPI-adjusted to roughly $10.55 per hour. Billings cannot enac...
Billings, MT
Billings has no hotel worker retention ordinance requiring new owners to retain existing staff. Montana is a right-to-work and at-will employment state with ...
Billings, MT
Billings hotel guests pay roughly 11 percent in Montana lodging taxes: 7 percent lodging facility tax plus 4 percent sales-on-lodging tax. Montana has no gen...
Billings, MT
Public urination and defecation are misdemeanors in Billings under BMC Chapter 25 disorderly conduct and Montana state indecent exposure laws. Downtown bar d...
Billings, MT
Billings cites residents for hosting loud parties under disorderly conduct provisions in BMC Chapter 25 and quiet-hours noise rules in BMC Chapter 17. Repeat...
Billings, MT
Billings prohibits aggressive panhandling near ATMs, bus stops, and outdoor dining under BMC Chapter 25. Passive sign-holding remains protected speech, but c...
See how Billings's chickens & livestock rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.