Tampa, FL Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Density limit
- 1 hen per 1,000 sq ft, rounded down
- Roosters
- Prohibited
- Enclosure
- Fenced/walled at all times, required
- Coop
- Required on property to keep chickens
- Coop max height
- 6 feet
- Coop max area
- 125 sq ft
- Family animal count
- Chickens excluded from that total
Summary
Tampa allows backyard chickens as an accessory residential use, hens only, no roosters, capped at one bird per 1,000 square feet of lot area, rounded down. Sec. 27-282.28 requires a fenced or walled enclosure at all times and a coop on-site, with the coop itself limited to six feet tall and 125 square feet.
Chickens as an accessory use shall adhere to the following requirements: Chickens • Hens only (no roosters allowed) • 1 chicken/1,000 SF land (rounded down) • Shall not count as part of total number of animals permitted for a "family" (as defined in section 27-43) • Must be kept in an enclosed area (fenced or walled) at all times • Coop must be present on property in order to keep chickens. Coops • Setbacks must adhere to section 27-290 Accessory Structures standards • Maximum height: 6′ • Max area/size/coverage of land: 125 SF
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 148).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 28, "Chickens as an accessory use," sets five conditions: hens only, with roosters banned outright; a density cap of one chicken per 1,000 square feet of land, rounded down, so a typical 5,000-square-foot lot supports five hens; the chickens do not count toward the total number of animals otherwise permitted for a "family" as defined in Sec. 27-43, meaning a household can keep both the standard mix of pets and its chicken allotment; the birds must be kept in an enclosed, fenced or walled area at all times; and a coop must be present on the property in order to keep chickens at all, you cannot keep hens without a qualifying structure.
The coop itself is separately capped at a maximum height of six feet and a maximum footprint of 125 square feet, and its placement must satisfy the setback standards that Sec. 27-290 sets for accessory structures generally. 26's separate egg-laying-chicken tier of zero to ten birds with a 15-foot coop setback from any residential use.
Violations & Fines
Keeping roosters, exceeding the one-per-1,000-square-foot density, keeping chickens outside a fenced/walled enclosure, keeping chickens without an on-site coop, or building a coop taller than six feet or larger than 125 square feet violates Sec. 27-282.28; code enforcement cites it as a zoning violation subject to the code enforcement board's escalating fine schedule under Chapter 27, Article X until the coop or flock is brought into compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many chickens can I keep in Tampa?
Do I need a coop?
Is there a separate rule for a licensed kennel keeping chickens?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tampa
How Tampa compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Tampa to another location·View the Florida animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.