Minneapolis, MN Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit tiers
- Tier I-III: 1 to 30 hens
- Roosters
- Banned without a special permit
- Coop setback
- At least 20 feet from neighbors
- Livestock
- Horses, cows, sheep, pigs citywide banned
- Slaughter
- Prohibited on residential property
Summary
Minneapolis requires a tiered MACC permit to keep chickens or other fowl, caps residential flocks, bans roosters without special permit, and prohibits hoofed livestock like horses, cows, sheep and pigs anywhere in the city.
No person shall keep, harbor, or maintain care, custody, or control over any fowl such as a chicken, turkey, duck, or pigeon, without obtaining a permit. ... Permits shall be classified into three (3) tiers, with Tier I consisting of one (1) to six (6) hens, Tier II of seven (7) to fifteen (15) hens, and Tier III of sixteen (16) to thirty (30) hens, with associated fees as established in the license fee schedule. ... Roosters shall be prohibited without special permit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72).
Full Breakdown
Keeping a chicken, turkey, duck or pigeon in Minneapolis requires a Minneapolis Animal Care and Control (MACC) permit under a three-tier system: Tier I covers one to six hens, Tier II seven to fifteen, and Tier III sixteen to thirty. Coops must sit at least 20 feet from a neighboring habitable building and to the rear of the principal structure, and applicants need 80 percent written consent from neighbors within 100 feet to keep more than six fowl or any rooster, roosters are otherwise banned outright. On-site slaughter is prohibited citywide. Separately, horses, cows, sheep, pigs and other hoofed animals may not be kept anywhere in the city, except horses stabled for a licensed carriage-livery service.
Violations & Fines
Keeping fowl without a MACC permit, exceeding tier limits, keeping a rooster without special permit, or keeping any hoofed livestock in the city is a violation subject to MACC citation, permit revocation and removal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to keep chickens in Minneapolis?
Can I keep a rooster in Minneapolis?
Can I keep a horse, cow or goat in Minneapolis?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Minneapolis
How Minneapolis compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Minneapolis to another location·View the Minnesota animal ordinances overview
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