Fontana permits backyard chickens and small fowl in applicable residential and agricultural zones per Zoning Code Table 30-432. All animals must be housed at least 40 feet from any dwelling, and slaughter is prohibited in every zoning district.
Fontana is one of the more permissive Inland Empire cities on small-scale poultry because the General Plan retains some agricultural overlay areas, especially in the northern foothill districts and older large-lot neighborhoods. Zoning and Development Code Table 30-432 spells out which zones allow chickens, rabbits, and similar small fowl, and it caps numbers based on lot size. The most practical rule to know is the 40-foot setback: coops, cages, runs, and pens must be at least 40 feet from every dwelling on the same parcel and on adjoining parcels, which effectively excludes chickens on typical 6,000 square foot subdivision lots. Roosters are tightly restricted or prohibited in most residential zones because of noise. Slaughtering animals on-site is not allowed in any Fontana zoning district, and selling eggs or meat crosses into home-business rules. Horses, goats, and larger livestock need parcels zoned for them (often R-A Residential Agricultural or AG). HOAs in newer master-planned communities typically ban poultry entirely.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in San Bernardino County.
See how other cities in San Bernardino County handle chickens & livestock.
See how Fontana's chickens & livestock rules stack up against other locations.
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