Animal Ordinances in San Bernardino, CA (2026)
10 verified animal ordinances for San Bernardino, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
Chickens and other domestic fowl must stay at least 50 feet from any occupied building, with a hard cap of 24 birds per lot. Roosters and peacocks need 200 feet of clearance and are limited to one per lot, and fowl can't roam loose.
San Bernardino Backyard Chicken and Fowl Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Bernardino Municipal Code §§ 6.05.020, 6.05.040
§ 6.05.020 DOMESTIC FOWL NOT PERMITTED WITHIN FIFTY FEET OF HUMAN DWELLING. It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to keep, or cause to be kept, or allow to roam any domestic fowl within 50 feet of any building or structure used or intended for human occupancy. ... § 6.05.040 ROOSTERS AND PEACOCKS NOT PERMITTED WITHIN 200 FEET OF HUMAN DWELLING. It is unlawful for any person, firm o...
Dog Leash Laws
Dogs and other animals must stay on a leash, secured by another suitable restraint, or confined by fence at all times outside authorized off-leash areas, so they can't run at large, bite or harass anyone. Tie-outs, kennels and cable runs must meet specific sizing rules.
San Bernardino Dog Leash and Restraint Law
Some RestrictionsSan Bernardino Municipal Code § 6.08.140
(A) Persons owning, having control or custody of any dog or other animal shall, at all times, keep the animal on a leash (except in an authorized off-leash dog park) or secured by the other suitable means of restraint or confined by a fence on their property or the private property of another, with the permission of the owner of that property, so as to prevent the animal from being at large, bi...
Breed Restrictions
California Food and Agricultural Code 31683 preempts breed-specific dog bans. San Bernardino can require spay and neuter for certain breeds but cannot outright ban them.
San Bernardino Dog Breed Restrictions
Heavy RestrictionsCA Food & Agricultural Code §31683 — Local programs for dangerous/vicious dogs; no breed-specific regulation
31683. 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 ...
Beekeeping
San Bernardino caps beekeeping at two stands or swarms of bees per location citywide; maintaining an apiary or more than two swarms at any one place is unlawful under Municipal Code § 8.03.020. The Mayor and City Council have declared larger-scale beekeeping a public nuisance dangerous to residents under § 8.03.010.
San Bernardino Beekeeping Restrictions
Heavy RestrictionsSan Bernardino Municipal Code § 8.03.020
It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to keep or maintain an apiary or keep or maintain more than two stands or swarms of bees at any one place within the corporate limits of the city.
Exotic Pets
No one may keep a dangerous or poisonous animal anywhere in San Bernardino, and any wild, exotic or non-domestic animal already banned by state or federal law is likewise prohibited citywide under Chapter 6.07.
San Bernardino Ban on Dangerous Wild Animals
Heavy RestrictionsSan Bernardino Municipal Code § 6.07.020
No person shall have, keep, maintain, breed, sell or trade any dangerous or poisonous animal within the city limits. No person shall have, keep, maintain, breed, sell or trade any wild, exotic or non-domestic animal that is prohibited by applicable state and/or federal law within the city limits.
Pet Limits
San Bernardino caps ownership at three dogs and five cats age four months or older per lot or premises, unless zoning under Title 19 allows more. Exceeding the cap without qualifying is unlawful and enforced by Animal Control.
San Bernardino Household Pet Limit Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Bernardino Municipal Code §§ 6.08.020, 6.10.020
§ 6.08.020 NUMBER OF DOGS PERMITTED. It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to own, harbor or keep on or at any lot, premises or place more than three dogs which are four or more months of age, except as may be permitted by the provisions of Title 19. ... § 6.10.020 NUMBER OF CATS PERMITTED. It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to own, harbor or keep on or at any lot, ...
Cat Rules
Beyond the base five-cat limit, San Bernardino lets owners keep more cats only under a tiered fancier permit tied to lot size, capped at 20 cats on any property, and bars anyone with recent cruelty or fighting convictions from holding one.
San Bernardino Cat Fancier Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Bernardino Municipal Code §§ 6.10.010, 6.10.030
§ 6.10.010 FINDINGS. The Mayor and City Council find that cat owners who allow their cat(s) to cause a public nuisance shall be responsible for maintaining their cat(s) in such a manner as to prevent their cat(s) from interfering with the comfortable enjoyment of life and property by the surrounding community. ... (3) The number of cats permitted per residence shall be based upon the following ...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
San Bernardino bars owning an unaltered dog over four months old unless it qualifies for a narrow exemption. New residents and new owners get 60 days to comply, and impounded unaltered dogs face a $100 refundable spay/neuter deposit.
San Bernardino Mandatory Dog Spay/Neuter Law
Significant RestrictionsSan Bernardino Municipal Code § 6.01.160
(A) No person may own, keep, harbor or maintain a dog over the age of four months which has not been spayed or neutered unless the dog is exempt as follows: (1) The dog is a registered purebred... (2) The animal is unable to be spayed or neutered without a high likelihood of suffering serious bodily harm or death due to age or infirmity... (3) Dogs used by law enforcement agencies. (B) After th...
Pet Groomer Rules
San Bernardino applies its baseline animal-care standards, adequate feed, water, cleaned shelter, exercise, care and veterinary treatment, directly to grooming businesses. Municipal Code § 6.01.060 names groomers alongside kennels, pet shops and boarding facilities as covered establishments.
San Bernardino Pet Groomer Care Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Bernardino Municipal Code § 6.01.060
(A) Each owner shall provide for each of his or her companion animals: (1) Adequate feed; (2) Adequate water; (3) Adequate shelter that is properly cleaned; (4) Adequate space in the primary enclosure for the particular type of animal depending upon its age, size, species and weight; (5) Adequate exercise; (6) Adequate care, treatment and transportation; and (7) Veterinary care ...
Bird Protection
Inside any San Bernardino public park or playground, it is unlawful to frighten, chase, snare, catch, injure or destroy wild birds, or to disturb their eggs or young. The rule sits in the city's park regulations, not a standalone wildlife code.
San Bernardino Wild Bird Protection Rule
Some RestrictionsSan Bernardino Municipal Code § 12.80.130(O)
Within the limits of any public park or playground in or upon any facility or building located therein and owned or controlled by the city, it is unlawful for any person to: ... (O) Frighten, chase, set snare for, catch, injure or destroy any wild quadrupeds or birds; or destroy, remove or disturb any of the young or eggs of the same; or to injure or maltreat any domestic or other animals;
Looking for San Bernardino County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement San Bernardino city rules.
Animal Ordinances in San Bernardino County →