6 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Bay County, Florida.
Verified from official government sources
Keeping chickens or livestock in Bay County is a zoning question under the Land Development Regulations. Agricultural and rural zones allow farm animals by right; residential lots are far more limited, and roosters or unsanitary coops draw nuisance complaints. Florida's Right to Farm Act shields bona fide farms.
Bay County prohibits animals from running at large off the owner's property. Under Section 4-43, an owner must restrain any animal from being at-large, and dogs are barred from public beaches and parks. Rabies vaccination is required countywide under Florida law.
Bay County, FL, Code of Ordinances § 4-43
No owner or caretaker of any animal(s) shall permit the animal(s) or fail to restrain the animal(s) from being at-large, except a dog shall be considered exempt from these provisions if the dog is engaged in the performance of duties while under the supervision and control of law enforcement officials performing law enforcement work or is engaged in any legal hunt or training procedure.
Breed-specific dog bans are prohibited in Florida, so Bay County cannot outlaw any breed. Section 767.14 lets local governments regulate dangerous dogs but bars any rule specific to breed, weight, or size. A 2023 amendment ended the last grandfathered ban.
Fla. Stat. § 767.14
This act does not limit any local government or public housing authority from adopting an ordinance or a policy, respectively, to address the safety and welfare concerns caused by attacks on persons or domestic animals; placing further restrictions or additional requirements on owners of dogs that have bitten or attacked persons or domestic animals; or developing procedures and criteria for the...
Beekeeping is lawful throughout Bay County, and Florida preempts local hive bans. Section 586.10 gives the state exclusive authority to regulate and permit managed honeybee colonies and set placement rules. Every beekeeper must register colonies annually with FDACS and allow state inspection.
Fla. Stat. § 586.10
The authority to regulate, inspect, and permit managed honeybee colonies and to adopt rules on the placement and location of registered inspected managed honeybee colonies is preempted to the state through the department and supersedes any related ordinance adopted by a county, municipality, or political subdivision thereof.
Florida bars keeping captive wildlife without a state permit. Section 379.3762 makes it unlawful to possess any wildlife, native or not, until the owner holds a permit from the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. FWC sorts animals into Class I, II, and III, and Bay County cannot authorize them.
Fla. Stat. § 379.3762
It is unlawful for any person or persons to possess any wildlife as defined in this act, whether native to Florida or not, until she or he has obtained a permit as provided by this section from the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Feeding alligators and crocodiles is a crime in Florida. FWC rule 68A-25.001 makes it unlawful to intentionally feed or entice any crocodilian, and penalties escalate under Section 379.412. Around St. Andrew Bay and Bay County's Gulf beaches this is enforced by state wildlife officers.
Fla. Admin. Code R. 68A-25.001
No person shall intentionally feed, or entice with feed, any crocodilian unless held in captivity under a permit issued by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission or otherwise provided by this Title.
1 cities in Bay County have their own animal ordinances rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
See every category we cover for Bay County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Bay County Ordinance Hub →