Burbank, CA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Kennel Threshold
- 5 or more dogs/cats
- Code Section
- BMC 5-1-100 (definitions)
- Age Counted
- 4 months and older
Summary
Under the Burbank Municipal Code, any premises keeping five or more dogs, cats, or a combination of them aged four months or older is a 'kennel' and requires a kennel permit. Fewer than five pets needs no kennel license.
KENNEL: Shall mean any lot, building, enclosure or premises wherein five (5) or more dogs, cats, or combination thereof, four (4) months of age or over are kept, except for pet shops selling animals from a registered rescue organization, adoption agency or public animal shelter.
NONCOMMERCIAL KENNEL: Shall mean any kennel wherein dogs, cats, or both, are kept as pets.
OWNER: Shall mean any person owning, keeping or harboring one or more animals. An animal shall be deemed to be kept or harbored if it is fed or sheltered for three (3) or more consecutive days.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 26-4,038, passed February 24, 2026).
Full Breakdown
The Burbank Municipal Code does not set a household dog/cat cap in the form of an absolute prohibition; instead it regulates by the kennel threshold. BMC section 5-1-100 defines 'KENNEL' as 'any lot, building, enclosure or premises wherein five (5) or more dogs, cats, or combination thereof, four (4) months of age or over are kept' (with a narrow exception for pet shops selling rescue/adoption-agency/public-shelter animals). A 'NONCOMMERCIAL KENNEL' is any such kennel where dogs and/or cats are kept as pets. Consequently, a resident may keep up to four dogs/cats over four months of age without a kennel permit; keeping five or more triggers the kennel-permit requirements of Chapter 1. An 'OWNER' includes anyone who feeds or shelters an animal for three or more consecutive days.
Violations & Fines
Operating an unpermitted kennel (5+ dogs/cats) violates Title 5; under BMC 5-1 penalty provisions a violation is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $1,000 or up to six months in county jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dogs or cats can I keep in Burbank without a permit?
Do puppies and kittens count toward the limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Burbank
California rules heatmap·Compare Burbank to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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How other cities in Los Angeles County handle pet limits.