Mobile, AL Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Min. space, 1 animal
- 12,000 sq ft
- Each extra animal
- +10,000 sq ft
- Setback from neighbor's home
- 150 feet minimum
- Fine
- $100 plus court costs
Summary
Mobile sets minimum corral space for livestock and keeps pens at least 150 feet from a neighbor's dwelling under City Code § 7-15.
Livestock may be maintained in any area of the city zoned for such use. Owners shall provide suitable protective shelter for livestock, as follows:
(1)Minimum area for livestock: The minimum space required for a corral or stable is twelve thousand (12,000) square feet for one (1) animal and an additional ten thousand (10,000) square feet for each additional animal. Animals must have free and unrestricted access to every portion of this space.(2)Distance of pens, corrals, stables, enclosure from dwellings. No pen, corral, stables, or enclosures for animals shall be located within one hundred fifty (150) feet of a dwelling owned or occupied by a person other than the animal's owner.(3)Every stable, corral, or lot where livestock are kept shall be thoroughly cleaned. All such structures shall have sufficient light, ventilation, and drainage.(4)Poultry are exempt from this section. See, instead section 7-14. (Ord. No. 07-058-2022, art. 1, 11-22-22)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 67).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 7-15 lets livestock be kept in any city zone allowing that use, but sets numeric standards: a corral or stable needs at least 12,000 square feet for one animal plus 10,000 additional square feet per extra animal, and no pen, corral, or stable may sit within 150 feet of a dwelling owned or occupied by someone other than the animal's owner. Poultry is exempted and instead governed by § 7-14.
Violations & Fines
Undersized corrals, pens sited within 150 feet of a neighbor's home, or unclean stabling violate chapter 7 and carry a $100 fine plus court costs, with animals subject to impoundment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much land does a horse or cow need in Mobile?
How close can a livestock pen be to my neighbor's house?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mobile
How Mobile compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Compare Mobile to another location·View the Alabama animal ordinances overview
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