Contra Costa County, CA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Code Section
- Contra Costa County Ord. Code Ch. 416-6
- Threshold without permit
- 3 dogs and 5 cats over 6 months
- Trigger period
- Over 30 days in a single dwelling/business unit
- Kennel license threshold
- More than 20 dogs or 20 cats, or any commercial operation
- Zoning scope
- Areas zoned for uses other than agriculture
- Nighttime confinement
- Required for licensed multiple-pet dogs
Summary
Under Chapter 416-6 of the Contra Costa County Animal Ordinance, no household in a non-agricultural zone may keep more than three dogs or more than five cats over six months old for more than 30 days without first obtaining a multiple pet license from the Animal Services Director; commercial-scale keeping requires a kennel license.
No more than three dogs and no more than five cats over six months of age may be kept, harbored, possessed or maintained for more than thirty days in a single dwelling or business unit without a multiple pet license in an area zoned for uses other than agriculture.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Ordinance Code: Supplement 103).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 416-6 (Individual Licenses) of Division 416 of the County Ordinance Code governs pet limits. In unincorporated areas zoned for uses other than agriculture, the ordinance limits a single dwelling or business unit to three dogs and five cats over six months of age before a multiple pet license is required. A separate kennel license is required for more than twenty dogs or twenty cats, or for any commercial dog or cat operation. Applications must list every dog included, include current rabies certificates from an authorized veterinarian, and must show the animals are not subjected to neglect, cruelty, or abuse and that the applicant has not had a license revoked or been convicted of an animal-law violation within one year.
All dogs maintained under a multiple pet license must be confined on the premises and enclosed in a secure shelter during hours of darkness, except when shown, exercised, hunted, worked, or trained under owner control. 002 for any dog over four months in unincorporated Contra Costa County.
Violations & Fines
Keeping more than the permitted number of dogs or cats without a multiple pet license is a violation of the Animal Ordinance enforced by Animal Services. Penalties include citations, license fees, animal impoundment under Chapter 416-8, and impound/boarding charges ($65 impound, $25/day boarding). The Animal Services Director may revoke a multiple pet license for noncompliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dogs can I have in my home in unincorporated Contra Costa County?
Do agricultural properties have the same limits?
What do I need to apply for a multiple pet license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Contra Costa County
California rules heatmap·Compare Contra Costa County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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