Mesa, AZ Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum lot size
- 35,000 sq ft, § 8-6-21(B)
- Base points (35k–43,560 sq ft)
- 2 animal points, Table 8.6-A
- Horse/cow value
- 1 animal point per head, Table 8.6-C
- Over-limit remedy
- Special Use Permit under Title 11, § 8-6-21(C)(3)
- Swine rule
- Banned except FFA/4-H or 2 pot-belly pigs, § 8-6-21(K)
Summary
Mesa bars livestock and similar large animals on any parcel smaller than 35,000 square feet under Mesa City Code § 8-6-21(B), and above that threshold caps the number of animals through an 'animal points' formula in § 8-6-21(C) that varies by parcel size and species.
(B)Except as specified in Sections 11-3-2, 11-3-3, and 11-4-3 of this Code, it shall be a violation of this article to keep livestock or any similar large animal regulated by this chapter within the City on any property less than thirty-five thousand (35,000) square feet. (4845, 4968)(C)The maximum number of livestock and similar large animals allowed on a property at any one time shall be based on a calculation of animal points as specified below: (4968)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 22).
Full Breakdown
8 acres. Above that threshold, § 8-6-21(C) replaces a flat head-count with an animal-points system. 6-B (four points for the first acre, plus one point per additional 5,445 square feet). 6-C then prices each species: a full-sized horse, ox, or cow counts as one full point; sheep, goats, and miniature equines/bovines count as a half point each; ostriches, emus, llamas, and alpacas count as three-quarters of a point. An owner may not keep animals whose combined point total exceeds the property's assessed points without a Special Use Permit issued under Title 11 (§ 8-6-21(C)(3)).
Exceptions exist for FFA/4-H student agricultural-education animals (§ 8-6-21(E), capped at 1 exception under an acre and 4 above it), for a nursing infant animal under one year staying with its mother (§ 8-6-21(F)), and separately for miniature equines, bovines, sheep, or goats kept as pets, up to two per parcel regardless of lot size (§ 8-6-21(L)). Swine are banned outright except for one FFA/4-H swine per student or up to two miniature 'pot-belly' pigs under 21 inches and 200 pounds (§ 8-6-21(K)).
Violations & Fines
Keeping livestock on an undersized lot or over the animal-points ceiling without a Special Use Permit is a civil violation of Chapter 6 under § 8-6-8, drawing a $250–$1,500 sanction for a first finding under § 8-6-9(A), rising to $350–$2,500 for a second and $500–$2,500 for a third within 36 months. Three findings in 36 months exposes the responsible party to habitual-offender prosecution under § 8-6-11: a class 1 misdemeanor with up to 6 months in jail and a fine of $500 to $2,500.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the smallest lot I can keep a horse on in Mesa?
How many horses can I keep on a 1-acre lot in Mesa?
Can I keep a pet pig in Mesa?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mesa
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