Long Beach, CA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Goat cap per property
- Exactly 2 (offspring exempt up to 6 mo)
- Permit requirement
- Bureau permit + microchip
- Neutering mandate
- All male goats must be neutered
- Dwelling setback
- 10 feet minimum
- Enclosure size (2 miniature goats)
- 250 sq ft permeable land
- Product use restriction
- Personal household consumption only
Summary
Long Beach caps residential goat-keeping at exactly two goats per property under LBMC § 6.20.170, and every goat requires an Animal Care Services Bureau permit with a microchip. Section 6.20.180 mandates neutering all male goats, and goats must stay at least ten feet from any neighboring dwelling.
6.20.150.A.No person shall have, keep, maintain, or have in possession or under control, on residential property within the City, any live goat without first applying to and receiving from the Animal Care Services Bureau a permit to do so. / 6.20.170. Exactly (no more and no less than) two (2) live goats may be kept on residential property within the City, except that offspring may be kept on the property for up to six (6) months from birth. / 6.20.180. Male goats shall be neutered. / 6.20.190. No person shall keep or maintain any live goat in the City within ten feet (10') of any other person's dwelling.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 52 Update 1 | City Charter: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
20 or other Code provisions. Permits last up to a year and auto-renew on compliance and payment of the Council-set fee. 170 caps the household at exactly two live goats, "no more and no less", except that offspring may stay on the property up to six months from birth. 190 bars keeping any goat within ten feet of another person's dwelling. 200 sets enclosure minimums: two hundred fifty square feet of permeable land for two miniature (pygmy or dwarf) goats, or five hundred square feet for any other combination of miniature and non-miniature goats, plus shelter from weather and predators.
160 restricts any food the goats produce to personal consumption by the permittee's household, it cannot be sold, donated, or distributed. 220 bars goats from running at large or being kept in a front yard.
Violations & Fines
Violations of the goat-keeping rules in Chapter 6.20 draw administrative fines under § 6.16.210.H, escalating for a second and further violations of the same Code section within twelve months, in addition to criminal penalties under Chapter 1.32. The Director can also deny, suspend, or revoke a goat permit for noncompliance with the permit's conditions or any Chapter 6.20 requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many goats can I keep in my backyard in Long Beach?
Do backyard goats need to be neutered in Long Beach?
Can I sell milk or eggs from my Long Beach backyard goats?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Long Beach
How Long Beach compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·California rules heatmap·Compare Long Beach to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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