Animal Ordinances in Rockville, MD (2026)
11 verified animal ordinances for Rockville, Maryland, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Rockville allows up to five hens per single-family home with a police-issued permit: no roosters, no multifamily coops, and coops must sit five feet from the property line and forty feet from neighboring houses.
Rockville Backyard Chicken Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsRockville City Code § 3-24(b)(1)e
e.Chickens may be maintained with a permit issued by the Chief of Police or the Chief's designee. The following regulations must be followed:1.No more than five (5) female chickens shall be allowed for each single-family dwelling. No roosters shall be permitted.2.Chickens shall not be permitted at multi-family dwelling units or townhouses.3.Chickens housed outdoors shall be provided with a cove...
Dog Leash Laws
A Rockville dog or other animal off its owner's property must be leashed or physically restrained. Sec. 3-21(1) makes being 'at large' an animal nuisance violation, with narrow exemptions for eartipped feral cats and supervised off-leash areas.
Rockville Dog At-Large and Leash Rule
Some RestrictionsRockville City Code § 3-21(1)
An owner of an animal is in violation of this chapter if such animal constitutes an animal nuisance or is a menace to public health or safety. The term "animal nuisance" shall mean and include, but is not limited to, any animal: (1)That is at large, unless said animal is an eartipped feral cat, a dog that is off-leash in a designated off-leash area in a public recreation area while under the...
Breed Restrictions
Rockville doesn't restrict dog breeds: it regulates individual dogs through a Level 1/Level 2 potentially-dangerous designation, each carrying escalating confinement, warning-sign, and leash rules.
Rockville Dangerous Dog Declaration Rules
Significant RestrictionsRockville City Code § 3-62
(1)Level 1:a.A potentially dangerous dog (level 1), along with its adult owner, shall be required to complete basic obedience training.b.A potentially dangerous dog (level 1) while on the owner's property shall, at all times, be kept indoors, or in a fenced enclosure. The owner shall also conspicuously display a sign designed with a warning symbol approved by the Division which indicates to bot...
Exotic Pets
Rockville flatly bans keeping foxes, bears, non-domestic cats or dogs, primates, and specified venomous snakes as pets, and requires advance Chief of Police permission for any other exotic or wild animal.
Rockville Prohibited Exotic and Wild Pets
Heavy RestrictionsRockville City Code § 3-24(a)(2)
Notwithstanding subsection (a)(1), the following types of exotic animals are prohibited to be kept as pets:a.Fox or bear;b.Caiman, alligator, or crocodile;c.Member of the cat family Felidae other than the domestic cat;d.Hybrid of (A) a member of the cat family Felidae other than a domestic cat; and (B) a domestic cat;e.Member of the dog family Canidae other than the domestic dog;f.Hybrid of (A)...
Cat Rules
Rockville lets residents run feral cat trap-neuter-return colonies without becoming the cats' legal 'owner'. Sec. 3-28 requires caregivers to vaccinate, eartip, feed, water and shelter the feral cats they care for at their own expense.
Rockville Feral Cat Caregiver Program
Light RestrictionsRockville City Code § 3-28
Feral cat caregivers shall be permitted to carry out trap-neuter-return at their own expense. A feral cat caregiver who chooses to carry out trap-neuter-return shall:(1)Vaccinate the feral cat(s) at the time of sterilization.(2)Eartip the left ear of the feral cat(s) at the time of sterilization.(3)Provide food and water to the feral cat(s) on a regular basis, year round, using best practices t...
Microchipping
Dogs, cats and ferrets over four months must wear a Rockville license tag and collar whenever off the owner's premises. Sec. 3-12(d) waives that physical tag requirement only if the animal is microchipped.
Rockville Pet Tag or Microchip Rule
Some RestrictionsRockville City Code § 3-12(d)
Dogs, cats and ferrets must wear license tags and collars at all times when off the premises of the owners, unless the animal is microchipped.(e)The Division shall maintain a record of the identifying numbers of all tags issued and shall make this record available to the public.(f)It shall be unlawful to transfer a license tag from one regulated animal to another or to obscure or deface the tag...
Coyote Management
Rockville authorizes a City-managed deer culling program in its parks, with narrow carve-outs from the wild-animal, structure, and hours rules: coyotes aren't separately addressed.
Rockville City Park Deer Culling Program
Few RestrictionsRockville City Code § 14-49(b)
This section does not apply to the installation and use of a portable deer stand by a person participating in a City-managed deer culling program in accordance with the terms of the program and all applicable laws and regulations. (Laws of Rockville, Ch. 7, § 7-3.01(b), (d); Ord. No. 14-20, § I, 6-22-20) Editor's note— Ord. No. 14-20, § I, adopted June 22, 2020, changed the title of section...
Pet Store Rules
Rockville doesn't ban pet-store sales of dogs and cats: pet shops may sell them if City-licensed, with dogs under eight weeks old barred from sale.
Rockville Pet Shop Sale Licensing
Some RestrictionsRockville City Code § 12-281
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate, establish or maintain a pet shop either independently or as part of another commercial enterprise without first obtaining an annual license therefor from the enforcement agency.
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Rockville requires veterinary clinics to operate indoors, with any outdoor runs fenced and set back 100 feet from lot lines.
Rockville Veterinary Clinic Zoning Rules
Some RestrictionsRockville City Code § 25.6.4.34(b)
(1) The facility must operate entirely indoors, except for outdoor runs. (2) Outdoor runs must be entirely enclosed by a fence at least six feet in height, and, except in the I-L zone, must be located at least 100 feet from any lot line. (c) Conditional use standards. (1) In the R-400 and R-200 zones, the following additional standards apply: A. Minimum lot area. The u...
Bird Protection
Rockville bans catching, injuring, killing, or otherwise interfering with birds in any city park, plus taking bird eggs or nestlings, under the park rules chapter.
Rockville City Park Bird Protection
Some RestrictionsRockville City Code § 14-37(a)-(b)
A person may not catch, injure, destroy or interfere in any way with birds, squirrels, or any wild animals, unless as part of a City-managed deer culling program and in accordance with the terms of the program and all applicable laws and regulations. A person may not remove or have in possession the young of any wild animal, or the eggs or young of any reptile or bird; provided, however, that s...
Wildlife Rescue Permits
Rockville lets wildlife rehabilitators secure one continuous police permit to temporarily care for injured, sick, or orphaned wild animals headed for release, instead of applying case by case.
Rockville Wildlife Rehabilitator Permits
Some RestrictionsRockville City Code § 3-24(c)(1)b
b.Wildlife rehabilitators who temporarily care for injured, sick, or orphaned wild animals with the goal of ultimately returning the animals to their natural habitat may secure a continuous permit to harbor and care for such animals. However, the Chief of Police must be advised of the animals in temporary care within five (5) business days of the animal arriving in the care of the rehabilitator...
Looking for Montgomery County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Rockville city rules.
Animal Ordinances in Montgomery County →