Upland, CA Animal Ordinances: Chickens & Livestock (2026)
Key Facts
- Chicken limit
- 5 chickens per property
- Where allowed
- Single-family residential zones only
- Multifamily (RM) zones
- No chicken allowance under § 17.51.010
- Governing section
- Upland Municipal Code § 17.51.010
- Zoning violation penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine, 6 months jail
- Fowl noise
- Nuisance under § 6.04.140
Summary
Upland caps backyard chicken flocks at five birds and confines the allowance to the city's single-family residential zones. The limit sits in the Zoning Ordinance's own definitions section rather than a separate keeping ordinance, and other noncommercial animals raised for eggs, milk, honey, or meat for personal use are allowed without a stated numeric cap.
"Animal-Keeping, Non-Commercial" means any establishment that keeps animals only as pets, or for the production of eggs, milk, honey or meat for personal use only. Up to five chickens are permitted in single-family residential zones.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4480959; v4 updated 2025-09-22).
Full Breakdown
010 defines "Animal-Keeping, Non-Commercial" as any establishment that keeps animals only as pets, or for the production of eggs, milk, honey or meat for personal use only, and states plainly that up to five chickens are permitted in single-family residential zones. 020, cross-references "Animal Keeping for Non-Commercial Purposes" to Title 6 of the Upland Municipal Code across every residential zone column, from the large-lot RS-20 zone down through the RM-40 multifamily zone, so backyard chicken-keeping within the cap does not itself trigger a Conditional Use Permit or Administrative Use Permit.
5, RS-4, and RS-MH districts; it does not extend the chicken allowance into the RM-10 through RM-40 multifamily zones. which by habitual howling, yelping, barking or other noise disturbs or annoys the use and enjoyment of neighboring parcels," declaring the keeping a public nuisance with each day a separate offense. 04.
Violations & Fines
Keeping more than five chickens, or keeping chickens outside a single-family residential zone, is a Zoning Ordinance violation under Upland Municipal Code § 17.43.040: a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both, with each day a continuing violation persists charged as a separate offense. A rooster or other fowl whose habitual noise disturbs neighbors is separately actionable as a public nuisance under § 6.04.140, with each day of the nuisance also a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many chickens can I keep in Upland?
Can I keep chickens in an RM (multifamily) zone in Upland?
What happens if my rooster keeps neighbors awake?
Do I need a permit to keep five or fewer backyard chickens?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Upland
How Upland compares: Best Cities for Backyard Chickens·California rules heatmap·Compare Upland to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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