Lyon County, NV Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)

Section 15.335.03(GGG) of the Land Use and Development Code, part of the county's zoning use standards, governs animal keeping outside Fernley and Yerington. On parcels zoned Rural Residential or Suburban Residential that are one gross acre or greater, barnyard animals may be kept without a numeric cap, subject to the general standard that the quantity cause no harm to the animals, the environment or ground water, or to neighboring lots, parcels or owners; those animals may not roam free beyond the property line. A narrow legacy exception covers half-acre-to-one-acre lots in the Mark Twain Estates Unit 10 Subdivision existing as of September 1, 1995, which may keep up to two horses per lot.

Smaller Suburban Residential lots, under one gross acre, are held to a hard limit: a maximum of two rabbits or four female chickens (roosters are not covered by this allowance). Those animals must be kept under good animal husbandry practices, and their coops, hutches and enclosures must be cleaned regularly enough to prevent offensive odors from becoming a nuisance and must sit at least ten feet from any property line. Community Development administers the zoning standard; a separate nuisance or odor complaint can also draw Lyon County Animal Services or code enforcement under the county's general nuisance provisions.