San Rafael, CA Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)

020 sets performance standards for noncommercial animal keeping citywide, covering mammals, birds, reptiles and bees. Subsection B requires an administrative use permit for keeping animals in San Rafael, then lists the animals exempt from that permit: fish in any number; three or fewer domestic dogs (not counting wolf-hybrids) over four months old per dwelling unit; ten or fewer domestic cats over four months old per dwelling unit; any number of dogs, cats or potbellied pigs under four months old; three or fewer potbellied pigs under seventy pounds; four or fewer hens; ten or fewer of a defined list of smaller birds, small mammals and non-poisonous reptiles; and beekeeping.

A household that stays at or below those thresholds needs no permit at all. Anyone keeping animals above the exempt numbers, or a species the exemption list does not cover, falls under subsection C's individual case review, which can impose conditions such as microchipping, spay/neuter requirements, fencing, secure food storage, and quiet hours to limit noise. To grant that permit, the community development director must make the eight findings in subsection D, covering compliance with other laws, humane treatment, and no adverse effect from odor, flies, noise, other nuisances, or uncontrolled procreation of the animals. 020 to be a public nuisance, which opens the door to nuisance abatement in addition to a permit denial.