Brunswick County, NC Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing category
- Agricultural Uses, UDO § 5.1.1.A
- Permitted by right
- RR, C-LD, C-I, I-G districts
- Private stable setback
- 100 ft from residential property line
- Bona fide farms
- Exempt from zoning, UDO § 5.3.2.C
- Civil penalty
- $100.00 per day violation continues
Summary
Brunswick County's UDO lists poultry and livestock keeping as an 'Agricultural' use, permitted by right only in the RR, C-LD, C-I and I-G districts and not permitted in the R-7500, R-6000, SBR-6000 or MR-3200 residential districts. Private stables for horses and livestock carry a 100-foot animal-area setback from adjacent residential lot lines.
Animal raising including horses, hogs, cows, sheep, goats, and swine, poultry, rabbits, and other small animals, apiculture, fish hatchery, aquaculture, dairying, personal or commercial animal breeding and development [...] Private stables shall be permitted in accordance with the use tables in Section 5.2, subject to the following:1.A 100-foot separation shall be maintained between the outdoor areas where animals are kept and any property line of any adjacent residential district.2.The facility shall be designed, located and constructed on the site to minimize noise, odor and other impacts on adjoining properties.3.Adequate waste disposal methods shall be provided to maintain sanitary conditions and control odor.
Full Breakdown
3 permits the Agricultural use category by right ('P') in the RR, C-LD, C-I and I-G districts, and does not permit it in the R-7500, R-6000, SBR-6000 or MR-3200 residential districts, meaning platted-subdivision homeowners in those zones cannot raise poultry or livestock as of right. D imposes three specific standards: a 100-foot separation between the outdoor animal-keeping area and any adjoining residential-district property line, site design that minimizes noise and odor impacts on neighbors, and adequate waste-disposal methods to maintain sanitary conditions. § 160D-903. As with beekeeping, none of this applies inside Leland, Southport, Oak Island, Shallotte, Holden Beach, Ocean Isle Beach, Sunset Beach, Calabash, Boiling Spring Lakes or the county's other municipalities, each of which regulates animal-keeping under its own code.
Violations & Fines
Raising poultry or livestock in a district where the Agricultural use is not permitted, or operating a private stable without meeting the 100-foot separation in § 5.3.2.D, is a UDO violation. The Zoning Administrator issues a correction order under § 9.11.3, and an uncorrected violation carries a $100.00 civil penalty per day under § 9.11.9.C, permit denial, and a misdemeanor charge of up to $500.00 under § 9.11.9.D.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I raise chickens on my Brunswick County property?
How far must a horse stable be from my neighbor's yard?
Is a small hobby farm exempt from these zoning rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brunswick County
How Brunswick County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Brunswick County to another location·View the North Carolina animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.