Pekin allows backyard chickens — including roosters — without a permit under Title 6 of its Municipal Code (https://library.municode.com/il/pekin). The Code does not impose a specific numerical limit on hens, though Pekin Animal Control treats keeping of more than roughly 15 birds, or chicken-keeping in unsanitary conditions, as a nuisance. Coop construction is subject to general accessory-structure rules.
Pekin (pop. 31,731, Tazewell County) is unusual among Illinois cities for its permissive backyard-chicken policy. Title 6 (Animals) of the Pekin Municipal Code, hosted at https://library.municode.com/il/pekin, permits the keeping of chickens (hens and roosters) without a specific permit, license, or numerical cap. Multiple chicken-law databases confirm Pekin as a 'no permit required' Illinois city with no rooster prohibition. The Code does not specify maximum bird counts, but Pekin Animal Control treats flocks larger than roughly 15 chickens, or keeping in conditions that create odor, attract vermin, or generate noise complaints, as nuisance violations under the general Health and Sanitation chapter of Title 4. Coops are accessory structures and must comply with the Pekin Zoning Ordinance setbacks (typically at least 5-10 ft from rear and side property lines in residential zones), and any coop over 120 sq ft requires a building permit under the 2018 IRC adopted by reference. Best practice: keep coops clean, dispose of waste promptly, and observe neighbor-friendly setbacks regardless of the Code's permissive baseline.
Pekin's permissive baseline means most chicken-keeping is legal, but nuisance citations under Title 4 (Health and Sanitation) can issue for odor, vermin, unsanitary conditions, or chronic noise complaints. Fines under Pekin Code Section 1-4-1 typically run $50-$500 per occurrence with daily continuing-violation penalties.
See how Pekin's chickens & livestock rules stack up against other locations.
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