Jacksonville Beach, FL Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

Section 34-716(b) of the Jacksonville Beach Land Development Code treats household pets as a permitted accessory use to residential uses in all zoning districts. The code lists cats, dogs, hamsters and birds as examples, and it covers related doghouses and pens in the same sentence. The limit is a count of pets over six months in age: the number of such pets cannot exceed three.

Dogs get a second threshold. The keeping of four or more dogs, six months of age or older, is considered a kennel. Four adult dogs therefore trip both rules at once, because the count of pets over six months exceeds three and the dog threshold for a kennel is reached. The count in both rules turns on age, six months, not on breed or size.

The definitions section of the Land Development Code defines a pet kennel separately, as any structure or premises where four or more animals over six months of age, not owned by the occupants of the premises, are kept for sale or for the purpose of breeding or temporary boarding, except in an animal hospital, animal grooming parlor or pet shop. That definition describes the commercial boarding and breeding setting, while § 34-716(b) is the residential accessory-use rule.

Hens have their own limit. Section 34-716(b) caps hens as household pets at five where permitted, and Article IV of Chapter 5 sets the conditions. The maximum number of hens permitted on any property is five, and hens cannot be kept on any property without a properly issued permit. Ducks, geese, turkeys, peafowl, pheasants, quail, peacocks, male chickens and any other poultry or fowl other than hens are barred. An enclosed pen must provide at least ten square feet per hen, a coop at least three square feet per hen, and coops and pens cannot exceed six feet in height or one hundred square feet in total area. Hens are kept for personal use only, so selling hens, eggs or manure is prohibited, and Sec. 5-80 states the article does not supersede a recorded deed restriction that prohibits backyard hens.