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Pinellas County, FL Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Allowed districts
R-A, R-E, R-R only
Minimum lot size
one-half acre
Density cap
3 livestock + 10 fowl/acre
Residence setback
100 feet for boarding

Summary

Unincorporated Pinellas County limits farm animal keeping to R-A, R-E and R-R zoned lots of at least one-half acre, capping density at three livestock and ten fowl per acre of upland.

City-specific rules exist: St. Petersburg, Largo, Safety Harbor, and Clearwater have their own chickens & livestock rules that differ from Pinellas County's county-level regulations. If you live in one of those cities, check the city-specific page instead.

(c)Standards.(1)Farm animals shall not be maintained, raised or housed within any zoning district except R-A, R-E and R-R or per subsection (2) below.(2)The keeping and maintaining of farm animals is permitted as part of an approved commercial agricultural activity use or educational/instructional use pursuant to Table 138-355 — Table of Uses for Zoning Districts.(3)Farm animals shall not be boarded within 100 feet of any residence on an adjacent property.(4)A minimum property size of one-half acre is required to keep and maintain farm animals.(5)Up to three livestock and ten fowl are permitted per acre of upland area. For this purpose of calculating the allowable number of animals, any fraction below one-half shall be rounded down. Any fraction one-half or above shall be rounded up.(6)Waste containment and disposal is required, and shall be designed to minimize odor, vermin and insect infestation impacts on adjacent lots. The waste storage area shall be located and constructed in such a manner that minimizes exposure to rain or ponding water. Waste shall only be disposed in a manner allowed by law. Waste storage sites are not allowed within front yard setbacks and shall be subject to the following additional setback requirements:a.Twenty feet or greater from any property line.b.Fifty feet or greater from any well, lake, pond, wetland, stream or drainage ditch. (Ord. No. 18-36, § 3(Att. B), 10-23-18; Ord. No. 21-11, § 75, 4-27-21; Ord. No. 23-24, § 2, 10-31-23)

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 124).

Full Breakdown

County Code § 138-3350 confines cattle, goats, sheep, horses, pigs, ducks and geese to the R-A, R-E and R-R zoning districts in unincorporated Pinellas County, plus approved commercial agricultural or educational uses elsewhere. A parcel needs at least one-half acre before any farm animal can be kept, and the code caps density at three livestock and ten fowl per acre of upland area. Animals cannot be boarded within 100 feet of a neighboring residence, and waste storage must sit at least 20 feet from any property line and 50 feet from a well, lake, pond, wetland or drainage ditch.

Violations & Fines

Zoning violation handled by Pinellas County Code Enforcement; excess animals, wrong zoning district or missing setbacks can draw a citation and code enforcement board case.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I keep a horse on my unincorporated Pinellas County lot?
Only if it's zoned R-A, R-E or R-R and at least one-half acre, per County Code § 138-3350(c).
How many farm animals can I keep per acre?
Up to three livestock and ten fowl per acre of upland area under § 138-3350(c)(5).

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Pinellas County

All Pinellas County rules

How Pinellas County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Pinellas County to another location·View the Florida animal ordinances overview

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