Kootenai County, ID Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Household cap
- 5 dogs per parcel without a license
- Litter grace period
- Puppies count as 1 dog until age 6 months
- License term
- 1 year, non-transferable
- Application
- Needs Community Development and sheriff inspection sign-off
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor under Code 1-4-1
- Impound cap
- Sheriff may leave up to 5 licensed dogs
Summary
No more than five dogs may be kept on a single Kootenai County parcel without a county kennel license (Code 5.1.201(A)(1)). A nursing litter counts as one dog with its mother until it turns six months old, and keeping more than five without a license risks impoundment and a misdemeanor charge.
5.1.201: KENNEL LICENSES: A. Licenses Required: 1. No more than five (5) dogs may be kept, harbored or possessed on any parcel of real property, including any buildings erected thereon, if the owner of such property, or tenant in possession thereof, has not first obtained a county kennel license as provided herein. 2. For purposes of this article, the litter of a female dog may be kept with its mother until the litter reaches the age of six (6) months. Such litter, together with the mother, shall count as one dog until the litter reaches six (6) months of age. Animals counted in the litter must be sold, given away, or humanely disposed of in some other manner before the litter reaches six (6) months of age so as not to exceed the limits set out above.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-10: Code current through: Ord. 633, passed December 23, 2025).
Full Breakdown
201(A)(1) sets the baseline: "No more than five (5) dogs may be kept, harbored or possessed on any parcel of real property, including any buildings erected thereon," without a county kennel license. Subsection A2 gives litters a grace period: a female's litter counts as one dog together with its mother until the puppies turn six months old, but they must be "sold, given away, or humanely disposed of" before that birthday so the parcel doesn't exceed the five dog cap. 201(B)). A deputy sheriff or animal control officer must inspect and approve the site first, and the inspection sets the maximum number of animals the kennel may keep. 201(C)). 204(A)(3), keeping more animals than an approved license allows is itself grounds to revoke or deny a kennel license already issued.
Violations & Fines
Keeping more than five dogs on a parcel without a kennel license is a misdemeanor under 5.1.205(A), punishable per Code 1-4-1. On conviction, the court can order the sheriff to impound every dog on the property, though the sheriff may leave up to five licensed dogs unless the court orders otherwise (5.1.205(B)), and unpaid impoundment costs become a lien against the owner's property (5.1.205(C)).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dogs can I keep in unincorporated Kootenai County?
What do I need to get a kennel license for more than five dogs?
What happens if I keep more than five dogs without a license?
How long does a kennel license last?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kootenai County
Compare Kootenai County to another location·View the Idaho animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.