Animal Ordinances in Palmdale, CA (2026)
9 verified animal ordinances for Palmdale, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Palmdale allows poultry and fowl, minus roosters and peafowl, on any residential lot of at least 20,000 square feet under PMC § 17.89.030, capped at three birds per 10,000 square feet of lot area. Large hooved animals need the same 20,000-square-foot minimum, capped at three animals per 20,000 square feet, and coops or barns must sit at least 20 feet from any side or rear lot line.
Palmdale Backyard Chickens & Livestock Limits
Some RestrictionsPalmdale, CA, Municipal Code § 17.89.030(A)(5), Table 17.89.030-1 (Animal Keeping - General Provisions)
Poultry and fowl, excluding roosters and peafowl, on a lot or parcel of land, not having less than 20,000 square feet; provided, that said birds are kept or maintained for the private use of members of the family residing on the premises... Poultry and fowl, excluding roosters and peafowl: Max. 3 such birds in any combination for every 10,000 square feet of lot area.
Dog Leash Laws
Palmdale requires dogs and cats to be kept on a leash or chain no longer than six feet at all times on park property under PMC § 8.24.140(E), except in posted off-leash dog exercise areas, and citywide penalizes an owner whose dog runs at large and bites someone under § 6.04.050.
Palmdale Dog Leash Rules in City Parks
Some RestrictionsPalmdale, CA, Municipal Code § 8.24.140(E)-(F) (Dogs and Cats); see also § 6.04.050 (Penalty for Dog Bites)
Except as provided in PMC § 8.24.141, all dogs and cats must be kept on a leash or chain, not exceeding six feet in length, at all times while on park property. All dogs and cats must remain under the full control of its owner or custodian at all times while on park property. The owner or custodian is responsible for all actions of the dog or cat while on park property.
Breed Restrictions
California preempts all local breed-specific legislation (Food & Ag Code §31683). Palmdale cannot ban any dog breed. Dangerous dog designations are behavior-based.
Palmdale Dog Breed Restrictions
Heavy RestrictionsCal. Food & Agric. Code Sec. 31683 (Local Regulation of Vicious Dogs - Breed-Specific Limits)
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent a city or county from adopting or enforcing its own program for the control of potentially dangerous or vicious dogs that may incorporate all, part, or none of this chapter, or that may punish a violation of this chapter as a misdemeanor or may impose a more restrictive program to control potentially dangerous or vicious dogs. Except as prov...
Beekeeping
Palmdale allows backyard beehives but caps density at one hive per 4,000 square feet of lot area and forces every hive into the rear yard, 20 feet from any property line, behind a six-foot flyway barrier that redirects bee flight upward.
Palmdale Backyard Beekeeping Setback Rules
Some RestrictionsPalmdale, CA, Municipal Code § 17.89.030(A)(7), Table 17.89.030-1, § 17.89.030(D)
Location. Beehives shall only be located in rear yards and shall be placed a minimum of 20 feet from any property line, except that in the ER and LDR zones beehives also may be placed in the interior side yards. In all zones, the entrance to the beehive shall face away from the property line closest to the hive. ... A flyway barrier shall be established and maintained so that all bees are force...
Exotic Pets
Palmdale's animal-keeping chapter flatly prohibits keeping exotic animals on residential and agricultural property. The code lists the domestic species that are allowed and separately bars exotics outright, with no permit path around the ban.
Palmdale Bans Exotic Animals as Pets
Heavy RestrictionsPalmdale, CA, Municipal Code § 17.89.030(A), (B)(4)
Types of animals allowed: (1) Dogs. (2) Cats. (3) Large animals... (4) Other domestic creatures which are neither farm animals, exotic, nor wild animals... (5) Poultry and fowl, excluding roosters and peafowl... (6) Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs maintained as pets. (7) Bees. ... The keeping of exotic animals, as defined in PMC Chapter 17.16 (Definitions), shall be prohibited.
Pet Limits
Palmdale caps the number of dogs and cats a household may keep without a special license. PMC § 17.89.030 allows up to four dogs and five cats on standard residential lots, but only two of each in denser residential and mixed-use zones, unless the owner obtains an animal facility license.
Palmdale Limits on Dogs and Cats Per Home
Some RestrictionsPalmdale, CA, Municipal Code § 17.89.030(B)(1), Table 17.89.030-1 (Animal Keeping)
(1) The allowable number of animals shall be limited as outlined within the following table: Table 17.89.030-1. Allowed Number Animals ... Domesticated Animals2 [columns:] ER, LDR, SFR 1, SFR 2, and SFR 3 Zones1 / All Other Residential and Mixed-Use Zones. Cats: 5 / 2. Dogs: 4 / 2. ... Notes: 1. Properties within the RN 1 zone with a lot size of 7,000 sf or greater may have an allowable number ...
Cat Rules
Palmdale requires every cat kept in the city to be individually licensed and kept primarily indoors. PMC § 6.04.080(B), which rewrites the county's Section 10.20.038, also ties licensing to the numeric cat limit set in Chapter 17.89, and keeping unlicensed cats over that limit requires an animal facility license.
Palmdale Cat Licensing and Indoor Keeping Rule
Some RestrictionsPalmdale, CA, Municipal Code § 6.04.080(B) (Residential Dogs and Cats - Limitations)
§ 6.04.080. Section 10.20.038 amended – Residential dogs and cats – Limitations. Section 10.20.038 of the County animal control ordinance is deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following: 10.20.038 - Residential Dogs and Cats—Limitations. ... B. Cats. It is unlawful to keep more than the allowable number of cats, pursuant to PMC Chapter 17.89 (Animal Keeping), at any residence without...
Pet Groomer Rules
Pet grooming in Palmdale falls under the "Animal Sales and Services" use classification, covering bathing and clipping salons, grooming shops, and pet stores that groom on site. Table 17.47.020-1 permits it by right in Regional Commercial and Village Commercial zones, requires a Conditional Use Permit in Neighborhood Commercial, a Minor Use Permit in Office Flex, and bars it entirely from the Medical Flex and Educational Flex zones.
Palmdale Pet Grooming Shop Zoning
Some RestrictionsPalmdale, CA, Municipal Code § 17.16.010 (Definitions - "Animal Sales and Services"); Table 17.47.020-1 (Allowed Uses - Commercial/Office Zones)
"Animal sales and services" shall mean retail sales of animals and/or services, including grooming, for animals on a commercial basis. Typical uses include, but are not limited to, domestic animal bathing and clipping salons, pet grooming shops, and pet stores and shops. This classification excludes dog walking and similar pet care services not carried out at a fixed location and pet supply sto...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Palmdale Municipal Code § 17.92.190 sets zone-specific standards for veterinary hospitals. In the ER and LDR zones, a hospital needs at least five gross acres and must be accessory to the veterinarian's residence. Elsewhere, care is limited to small animals in a sound-controlled building.
Palmdale Veterinary Hospital Zoning Rules
Significant RestrictionsPalmdale, CA, Municipal Code § 17.92.190 (Veterinary Hospitals)
This Section establishes standards for the development and operation of veterinary hospitals, in order to protect the health and welfare of adjacent residents by preventing potential negative impacts related to odor, noise, traffic, visual appearance, disposal of wastes, or other aspects of such business. ... The following standards shall apply to veterinary hospitals established in the ER and ...
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