Renton, WA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

G, set the household pet ceiling at three animals per dwelling or commercial building under the table in subsection G2: dogs, cats, caged indoor birds, small rodents, and non-venomous reptiles or amphibians under ten pounds all count as household pets, and foster animals count toward the three-pet cap too. There's no minimum lot size tied to that three-pet allowance, unlike the code's small, medium, large, and extra-large lot domestic animal categories, which scale with lot size. Subsection G3 draws a hard line at four dogs and/or cats: regardless of how much land the property has, keeping four or more as an accessory use always requires an Additional Animals Permit under RMC 4-9-100, a separate process from ordinary pet ownership.

Every cat or dog in the City, even within the three-pet allowance, needs an individual license from the City Finance Department under RMC 5-4-1, applied for within thirty days of acquiring the animal. Subsection C carves out occasional breeders, who may temporarily exceed the pet limits for up to 120 days when the animals are less than 120 days old, without needing an Additional Animals Permit, though a Home Occupation Business License is still required. Enforcement of individual licensing and animal care falls to the Animal Control Officer, while the Community and Economic Development Department handles the land-use and zoning side of the pet count, including Additional Animals Permit applications.