Satellite Beach, FL Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code §§ 14-2 (livestock ban), 14-3 (chickens)
- Chicken limit
- 4 hens per single-family lot, no roosters
- Coop height cap
- 5.5 feet, 4 sq. ft. per chicken minimum
- Screening required
- 6-foot opaque fence around coop
- Permit required
- Building and zoning dept. approval, with inspections
- First-offense fine
- $50.00 civil penalty
Summary
Livestock is banned citywide in Satellite Beach, but single-family lots may keep up to four hens with a city permit. Roosters, breeding, and sales are prohibited, and coops must be enclosed, screened by a 6-foot opaque fence, and sit outside ocean bluff and conservation buffer zones.
Except as allowed by section 14-3, Satellite Beach City Code, the presence of livestock in the city is prohibited. ... (b)Up to four backyard chickens may be kept on any single-family lot in the city, subject to the following:(1)Only hens may be kept; all roosters are prohibited.(2)Backyard chickens are allowed for personal use only. The sale or bartering of backyard chickens, eggs, or manure is prohibited.(3)Breeding of backyard chickens for any reason is prohibited. ... (5)All backyard chickens shall be maintained and contained in a coop located in the enclosed back yard of the lot. ... The henhouse shall have a maximum height of 5.5 feet and provide at least four-square-feet per chicken.
Full Breakdown
Section 14-2 prohibits livestock in the city except as allowed under Section 14-3, which carves out backyard chickens, defined as gallus gallus domesticus. A single-family lot may keep up to four hens; roosters are banned outright, and the chickens may be kept for personal use only, with the sale or bartering of birds, eggs, or manure prohibited, along with breeding and slaughter except in a narrow exception. 5 feet in height and must provide at least four square feet per chicken. m. Chickens are barred entirely within the ocean bluff buffer zone and within 100 feet of conservation areas shown in the ordinance's Exhibit A.
A city permit from the building and zoning department is required before keeping chickens, conditioned on an initial inspection 30 days after approval and random inspections afterward, and any regulatory health advisory requiring extermination overrides the permit until the advisory is lifted.
Violations & Fines
Under Section 14-5, a person cited for violating Chapter 14, including the backyard-chicken rules, is charged with a non-criminal infraction and assessed a civil penalty of $50.00 for a first violation, $100.00 for a second, and fines capped at $250.00 for a third or subsequent violation, enforceable by citation from any law enforcement officer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many chickens can I keep in Satellite Beach?
Do I need a permit to keep backyard chickens?
What are the coop requirements for backyard chickens?
Are chickens allowed near the beach or conservation areas?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Satellite Beach
How Satellite Beach compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Satellite Beach to another location·View the Florida animal ordinances overview
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