Leon County, FL Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- 2 convictions within 2 years
- Under 1.5 acres
- 10 pets max, no permit
- 5+ acres
- 30+ pets, +10 per 1.5 acres
- Permit requires
- In-home animal control inspection
- Compliance window
- 30 days after 2nd conviction
Summary
Leon County sets no blanket pet cap, but after two convictions for at-large, tethering, or rabies violations, owners must get a multiple-pet permit once totals exceed acreage-tiered thresholds, from 10 pets under 1.5 acres up to 30-plus on five-plus acres.
there shall be no restrictions on the total number of pets allowed on a premises, unless the owner has two prior convictions of this chapter as described in this subsection (d)... An owner with two convictions for violations of sections 4-35, 4-36, 4-37 or 4-76 shall not harbor a greater number of pets than allowed in the following chart without obtaining a multiple pet permit.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 12).
Full Breakdown
Leon County Code Sec. 4-44 imposes no general limit on how many pets a household may keep, until an owner accumulates two convictions within a two-year period under Sections 4-35 (running at large), 4-36, 4-37, or 4-76 (rabies vaccination). After that second conviction, the owner has 30 days to come into compliance with an acreage-based chart: 10 pets allowed on under 1.5 acres, 20 on 1.5 to under 3 acres, 30 on 3 to under 5 acres, with an extra 10 pets per additional 1.5 acres beyond five. Exceeding the applicable tier requires a Division of Animal Control multiple-pet permit, issued only after an in-home inspection confirming no noise, odor, or sanitation problems.
Violations & Fines
Harboring more pets than the acreage tier or permit allows violates Sec. 4-44/4-45, subject to the chapter's graduated civil citation schedule ($50, then $100, then $250) and surrender of excess animals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Leon County limit how many pets I can own?
What happens if I keep more pets than my permit allows?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Leon County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Leon County to another location·View the Florida animal ordinances overview
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