Animal Ordinances in Gwinnett County, GA (2026)
11 rules for unincorporated Gwinnett County, Georgia.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
In non-agricultural residential zoning districts of unincorporated Gwinnett County, keeping chickens requires a 10,500-square-foot lot minimum, a secure pen with setbacks, and a flat ban on roosters.
Gwinnett County Backyard Chicken Rules
Some RestrictionsGwinnett County UDO § 210-140.2(B)(1)
In non-agricultural residential zoning districts, the keeping of chickens for personal pleasure or utility on a parcel which contains the dwelling of the owner is permitted, subject to the following requirements:a.The minimum lot size for the keeping of chickens shall be ten thousand five hundred (10,500) square feet.b.Chickens must be kept securely in an enclosed yard or 6-sided pen at all tim...
Dog Leash Laws
Unincorporated Gwinnett County requires every dog to be kept under restraint or control, fenced, on an approved containment system, or on a leash, and bans single-point tethering outright.
Gwinnett County Dog Restraint Law
Some RestrictionsGwinnett County Code § 10-71(a)-(c)
(a) It shall be unlawful for any owner or possessor of any dog to fail to keep the dog under restraint or control as provided for in this section. (b) Single point tethering is strictly prohibited as a means of restraint, and for any other purposes under any circumstances. (c) A dog is considered not under restraint or control when it is running at large, whether wearing a collar and tag or not.
Breed Restrictions
Georgia bars breed-specific bans, so Gwinnett County instead requires owners of dogs individually classified as dangerous or vicious to obtain a nontransferable certificate of registration before possessing the dog.
Gwinnett County Dangerous Dog Registration
Significant RestrictionsGwinnett County Code § 10-106(a)
It shall be unlawful for an owner to have or possess within the county a classified dog without a certificate of registration issued in accordance with the provisions of this section. Certificates of registration shall be nontransferable and shall only be issued to a person 18 years of age or older. No more than one certificate of registration shall be issued per domicile.
Beekeeping
Unincorporated Gwinnett County allows backyard beekeeping on lots of at least 10,000 square feet, capped at two hives per 10,000 square feet with strict setbacks.
Gwinnett County Beekeeping Standards
Some RestrictionsGwinnett County UDO § 210-140.4
A.Honeybees shall not be kept on lots containing less than 10,000 square feet. No more than two colonies or hives, with only two swarms, shall be allowed per 10,000 square feet of lot area...D.No hive shall be located closer than ten feet from any property line or 25 feet from any principal building on an adjoining parcel.E.No hive shall be located closer than 50 feet from a public right-of-way.
Exotic Pets
Keeping a wild or exotic animal in unincorporated Gwinnett County requires state permits and is confined to the RA-200 agricultural district, where it still needs a county Special Use Permit. UDO Section 210-140.33 also bars any animal enclosure within 200 feet of a property line, and the UDO defines 'wild animal' as any living member of the animal kingdom other than livestock or household pets.
Gwinnett County Wild Animal Permit Rule
Significant RestrictionsGwinnett County UDO § 210-140.33
Any resident who keeps a wild or exotic animal shall meet the following requirements: A.The owner or custodian of wild or exotic animals shall obtain any and all necessary permits and meet all requirements of the State of Georgia for such activity.B.No animal quarters may be located closer than 200 feet to any property line.
Pet Limits
Collecting animals without adequate care, or keeping them in filthy conditions that endanger the animals or neighboring residents, is a standalone hoarding violation under the county animal code.
Gwinnett County Animal Hoarding Ban
Significant RestrictionsGwinnett County Code § 10-174
It shall be unlawful for any person to collect animals and fail to provide them with humane/adequate care, collect dead animals that are not properly disposed of as required by this chapter, or collect, house, or harbor animals in filthy, unsanitary conditions that constitute a health hazard to the animals being kept, and/or to the animals or residents of adjacent property.
Cat Rules
Gwinnett County's community cat program exempts identified stray cats from registration, licensing and stray-animal rules, and bars animal welfare from impounding a healthy, ear-tipped cat returned to where it was found.
Gwinnett County Community Cat Program
Few RestrictionsGwinnett County Code § 10-73(b)-(c)
Cats brought into the community cat program are exempt from registration, licensing, and stray animal provisions of this chapter, and shall not be deemed abandoned when returned to the location where captured, and as necessary and appropriate, may be exempt from other provisions of this Code applicable to owned animals.(c)Any stray cat without any traceable form of identification that is impoun...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Gwinnett County requires an unaltered dog or cat to be spayed or neutered at the owner's expense before release, once it's been impounded twice in a year or four times total.
Gwinnett County Repeat-Impound Spay Rule
Some RestrictionsGwinnett County Code § 10-47(a)
Any unaltered animal that has been impounded two times within any 12-month period or a total of four times over any time period, shall be spayed or neutered at the owner's expense prior to release from the shelter.(b)If any animal seized or impounded by the animal welfare division evidences advanced symptoms of contagious, infectious or fatal diseases, is seriously ill or severely injured, the ...
Microchipping
Gwinnett County will not issue the mandatory certificate of registration for a dog classified dangerous or vicious until it has been microchipped between the shoulder blades and the chip number is on file with the animal welfare division. Owners must keep that registration current and prove it at every inspection or annual recertification under Code § 10-106(b)(3).
Gwinnett County Dangerous Dog Microchip Rule
Significant RestrictionsGwinnett County Code § 10-106(a), (b)(3)
(a)It shall be unlawful for an owner to have or possess within the county a classified dog without a certificate of registration issued in accordance with the provisions of this section... (b)Unless otherwise specified by this section, a certificate of registration for a dangerous dog shall be issued if the animal control officer determines that the following requirements have been met:...(3)A ...
Pet Store Rules
Selling or giving away animals on public property or someone else's private property is banned in unincorporated Gwinnett County unless the seller is a licensed shelter, vet, dealer, rescue, or humane society with permission.
Gwinnett Rules On Public Animal Sales
Some RestrictionsGwinnett County Code § 10-177(a)
Selling, adopting, bartering, leasing, displaying for a commercial purpose or giving away animal(s) in front of or on private property or public property, other than the animal owner's property is prohibited. A licensed animal shelter, licensed veterinarian, licensed pet dealer, licensed rescue group or licensed humane society which has all required governmental licenses, registrations and has ...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
In unincorporated Gwinnett County, an Animal Hospital or Veterinary Clinic is allowed only in the RA-200 Agriculture-Residence District, and only as a Special Use requiring Board of Commissioners approval under UDO § 210-130.1 and § 270-30. Every other residential district, R-LL through HRR, has no column marked for the use at all, meaning it is not permitted there.
Gwinnett Veterinary Clinic Zoning Rule
Significant RestrictionsGwinnett County UDO §§ 210-130, 210-130.1
210.130.1 The uses set forth in the table below shall be permitted only as listed within each zoning district and only in the manner so listed. Any use not listed in said table shall be prohibited, except as contained herein. ... S: Special use requiring a Special Use Permit subject to approval following the application procedures and requirements in Section 270-30 of the UDO. ... Land Use RA-2...
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