Yolo County, CA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Small Animals - Most Residential
- Up to 4 without permit (§ 8-2.506)
- Small Animals - RR-2/RR-5
- Up to 9 without kennel permit
- Poultry on Lots >10,000 sf
- Up to 7 fowl (§ 8-2.506)
- Large Livestock Min Lot
- 0.5 acre in A-R, RR-5, RR-2, R-L
- Animal Density Points (1 acre)
- 25 points + 5 per added 1/5 acre
- Roosters
- RR-5 only; RR-2/R-L only on 5+ acres
Summary
Yolo County Zoning Code § 8-2.506 lets all residential zones keep up to four small domestic animals (dogs, cats, rabbits, certain parrots) without a kennel permit; larger numbers and chickens/poultry are tied to parcel size, and large livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, horses, fowl) require half an acre or more in the A-R, RR-5, RR-2, and R-L zones with allocations under an Animal Density Point system.
The keeping of up to four (4) small domestic animals is allowed in all residential zones, except for the RR-2 and RR-5 zones, where up to nine (9) small domestic animals may be kept without need for a kennel permit. For parcels that exceed ten thousand (10,000) square feet, up to six (6) small domestic animals and up to seven (7) domestic fowl or poultry may be kept.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Supplement 2026 S-21 includes: Local legislation current through Ord. 1584, effective June 25, 2026).
Full Breakdown
507 (Definitions), small domestic animals are limited to four per parcel in standard residential zones without a kennel permit, but the RR-2 and RR-5 zones allow up to nine small domestic animals without a kennel permit. On any parcel exceeding 10,000 square feet, up to six small domestic animals plus up to seven domestic fowl or poultry may be kept. 'Small domestic animal' is defined to mean dogs, cats, domesticated rabbits, pot-bellied pigs under twenty-two inches at the shoulder, and the bird species macaws, eclectus, cockatoos, and amazons.
'Large domestic animals or fowl' includes horses, burros, mules, swine, cattle, sheep, goats, all fowl (chickens, ducks, turkeys), and American bison; these animals may be kept on lots of one-half acre or more in the A-R (Agricultural Residential), RR-5, RR-2, and R-L zones in numbers not exceeding the allotment of Animal Density Points (a parcel of one acre receives 25 points, plus five points for each additional one-fifth of an acre; a parcel between one-half and one acre receives seven points). Roosters are restricted to the RR-5 zone except that they are allowed on lots of five acres or more in the RR-2 and R-L zones; on parcels greater than five acres a rooster costs four Animal Density Points. Setback and screening requirements apply to animal enclosures; livestock kept commercially or in confinement at scale may also be subject to State CDFA regulation.
Violations & Fines
Violations of the zoning standards in Title 8 are enforced through the Planning Division Code Enforcement program and can result in administrative citations, abatement orders, and (for continuing or commercial violations) civil penalties up to those authorized by Government Code §§ 25132, 53069.4 and Yolo County's Administrative Penalty Ordinance. Unsanitary conditions or animal-cruelty violations may also be prosecuted as misdemeanors under California Penal Code § 597.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep backyard chickens in unincorporated Yolo County?
What zones allow horses, cattle, or goats?
Are roosters allowed in suburban-style residential lots?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yolo County
How Yolo County compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·California rules heatmap·Compare Yolo County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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