San Clemente, CA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum distance rule
- 100 feet from neighbor's residence
- Covers
- Any animal, including fowl
- Override mechanism
- Express Zoning Code allowance
- Other-animal cap
- 6 max without kennel permit
- First-offense fine
- Up to $100
Summary
Chickens and other fowl kept at a San Clemente residence must stay at least 100 feet from any neighboring residential structure occupied by someone else, unless the Zoning Code expressly allows a closer distance for that use.
It shall be unlawful for any person in a residential structure to keep or maintain any animal within 100 feet of any other residential structure occupied by a person other than the animal's owner and/or keeper unless: 1.It is expressly allowed by the Zoning Code;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Traffic: Supplement 30 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 66 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
010 definition of a bird raised for eggs or meat, within 100 feet of any other residential structure occupied by someone other than the animal's owner or keeper. The 100-foot rule is overridden only where the Zoning Code expressly allows the arrangement, meaning the zoning district's own standards for keeping fowl or livestock control when they set a different distance or condition. The same section separately caps household pet numbers: keeping four or more dogs or cats over four months old requires a private kennel permit, and keeping more than six other animals of any combination on residential property is prohibited unless the title expressly allows it elsewhere.
Because Title 6 folds fowl into its general 'animal' definition rather than giving chickens their own chapter, a resident planning a coop should check both the 100-foot setback here and the applicable Title 17 zoning district standards for keeping fowl, since the zoning code is the mechanism by which the setback can be varied.
Violations & Fines
Keeping fowl within 100 feet of a neighboring residence without a Zoning Code exception is an infraction under Section 6.04.070, fined up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second violation within a year, and $500 for each further violation in that year, with repeat offenders within a year facing misdemeanor prosecution.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a chicken coop be from a neighbor's house in San Clemente?
Does San Clemente treat chickens as livestock under this rule?
Can zoning override the 100-foot rule?
How many chickens or other animals can I keep besides dogs and cats?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Clemente
How San Clemente compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·California rules heatmap·Compare San Clemente to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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