Lakewood, CA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Dwelling setback
- 35 feet (§ 4191)
- School/hospital setback
- 100 feet (§ 4191)
- No-permit cap, R-1/R-A
- 5 rabbits or 5 female fowl
- Roosters on R-1/R-A
- never permitted
- Permit body
- Planning and Environment Commission
- Appeal window
- 10 days to City Council
- Residential bird cap
- 24 birds, 5 without health permit
Summary
Lakewood Municipal Code Part 9 sets a hard distance rule for keeping fowl, rabbits or other animals: 35 feet from any dwelling or restaurant, 100 feet from a school or hospital. On R-1 and R-A lots, up to five rabbits or five female fowl are exempt from licensing and permits, but roosters are never allowed there.
A person shall not keep and maintain any animal, fowl, or bird, wild or domestic within thirty-five (35) feet of any restaurant, food establishment, resident or dwelling, or other building used for human habitation, or within one hundred (100) feet of any school building, hospital building, or similar institutional building. The provisions of this section shall be inapplicable to the following: A. Cats, dogs, canaries, or birds of the psittacine family. B. Accredited laboratories regulated by the State Department of Public Health. C. Where a permit has been issued under this part.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4901715; v5 updated 2026-04-28; through 04-28-2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 4191 bars keeping any animal, fowl or bird, wild or domestic, within 35 feet of a dwelling, restaurant or other building used for human habitation, or within 100 feet of a school, hospital or similar institutional building; cats, dogs, canaries and psittacine birds are exempt from the distance rule entirely. 3. Section 4194 carves out exemptions from that permit and licensing scheme: tropical fish (excluding caribe), up to five mice, rats or rabbits kept as pets, and small numbers of animals like chinchillas, guinea pigs or hamsters (no more than three per 10,000 square feet of lot) need no permit at all.
On property zoned R-1 or R-A specifically, Section 4194(C) allows up to five rabbits or five female fowl without any license or permit, but a rooster is prohibited on R-1 or R-A property under any circumstance. Non-commercial bird-keeping on residential property is capped at 24 birds total, with anything over five birds requiring a health permit from the Health Officer under Section 4194(B). Section 4192 separately makes it unlawful to keep any coop, yard or building housing birds, fowl, reptiles, rabbits, fish or animals in a foul or unsanitary condition, regardless of whether a permit applies.
Violations & Fines
Keeping fowl or livestock inside the 35-foot or 100-foot setback, exceeding the five-rabbit/five-female-fowl cap on R-1 or R-A property, keeping a rooster on residentially zoned land, or maintaining an unsanitary coop under Section 4192 is a misdemeanor under the Code's general penalty, Section 1200, punishable by a fine up to the state misdemeanor maximum or up to six months in jail, with each day of violation a separate offense; a peace officer may instead cite it as an infraction under Section 1205.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep chickens in my Lakewood backyard without a permit?
Are roosters allowed in Lakewood?
What if I want more animals than the exemption allows?
Does the setback rule apply to my dog or pet parakeet?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lakewood
How Lakewood compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·California rules heatmap·Compare Lakewood to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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