Santa Monica Chickens & Livestock Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

SMMC Chapter 4.04 governs animal keeping in Santa Monica and reflects the city's dense urban character. Unlike some neighboring cities in LA County that have adopted urban agriculture ordinances permitting small flocks of backyard hens, Santa Monica maintains a strict prohibition on keeping chickens and other poultry in residential zones. The ordinance prohibits the keeping of any poultry (including chickens, roosters, ducks, geese, and turkeys), livestock (goats, pigs, sheep, cattle, horses, donkeys), and most farm animals within the city's residential zoning districts.

Rabbits may be kept as domesticated household pets in small numbers but may not be kept for breeding, sale, or commercial purposes. Small caged domesticated animals commonly kept as household pets — including hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, and birds in appropriate enclosures — are permitted. The prohibition on chickens is particularly significant because the urban backyard chicken movement has gained traction in many California cities; Santa Monica has not adopted a backyard poultry ordinance and shows no current indication of doing so. The city's average lot size, the prevalence of multifamily housing, and proximity of neighbors make backyard poultry a nuisance concern. Violations are enforced by Santa Monica Animal Control, which may respond to complaints and require the removal of prohibited animals.