Daly City, CA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Numeric city pet limit
- None in Daly City Municipal Code
- Fancier Permit
- Required to harbor more than 4 dogs/cats; $100 annual fee
- Breeding permit
- Required for unaltered dogs/cats over 6 months; $150 annual fee
- Licensing
- Every dog and cat over 3 months must be licensed
- Administering agency
- San Mateo County Animal Control & Licensing, (650) 573-3726
Summary
No Daly City ordinance sets a fixed numeric limit on the number of dogs or cats per household. Under the countywide San Mateo County animal control program that Daly City has adopted, keeping more than four dogs and cats requires an annual Fancier Permit, and unaltered dogs or cats over six months require a breeding permit.
Any person who owns or harbors a cat or dog over the age of six months which has not been spayed or neutered, shall procure a permit for breeding cats or dogs issued by San Mateo County Animal Control under Section 6.12.030 of the Municipal Code. This annual permit is required in addition to licensing the animals. Note: Not all cities in San Mateo County allow breeding and/or Breeder Permits. Please check your city's ordinance. Any person's property that is zoned to allow a person to harbor over four animals, dogs and cats, is also required to obtain a Fancier Permit from the Animal Control Program. This annual permit is required in addition to licensing the animals. Note: Not all cities in San Mateo County allow Fancier Permits. Please check your city's ordinance.
Full Breakdown
Daly City Municipal Code Title 6, rewritten by Ordinance No. 1470 (2024) to match the County of San Mateo's animal control ordinance, contains no per-household cap on the number of dogs or cats. Pet keeping is instead controlled through the countywide permit system administered by San Mateo County Animal Control and Licensing: the county requires an annual Fancier Permit for any property zoned to allow a person to harbor more than four animals (dogs and cats), and an annual breeding permit for any person who owns or harbors an unaltered cat or dog over the age of six months.
00 for a Fancier Permit and/or Exotic Pet fee, confirming both permits operate in Daly City. 040. 060 allows abatement on the written complaint of five or more neighbors.
Violations & Fines
Keeping more than four dogs and cats without the required county Fancier Permit, or an unaltered animal without a breeding permit, can draw administrative citations of $100, $200, then $500 under Sections 6.04.200 and 6.04.230, plus infraction fines under Section 6.10.010. Nuisance conditions can trigger abatement orders under Section 6.08.060.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dogs can I own in Daly City?
Do I need a permit to breed my dog or cat in Daly City?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Daly City
California rules heatmap·Compare Daly City to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Pet Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Mateo County handle pet limits.