Animal Ordinances in James City County, VA (2026)
9 rules for unincorporated James City County, Virginia.
Verified from official government sources
Chickens & Livestock
James City County allows backyard chickens only on single-family lots of at least 15,000 square feet, capped at two hens per first 5,000 square feet of lot area and no more than twelve hens total. Roosters are banned countywide, chickens are for household egg production only, and every keeper must get a zoning permit before installing a coop under County Code Sec. 24-47.
James City County Backyard Chicken Rules
Some RestrictionsJames City County Code § 24-47
(b)The maximum number of chickens permitted on a residential lot shall be two (2) hens per the first 5,000 square feet of lot area, and one additional bird for each additional 5,000 square feet of total lot area thereof. The total number of birds is not to exceed a maximum of twelve (12) hens.(c)Chickens shall only be allowed on properties consisting of single family homes and which are on lots...
Dog Leash Laws
Dogs may not run at large anywhere in James City County except in A-1 General Agricultural zoning, and even there they're barred from platted subdivisions of five or more lots and a mapped area near Lightfoot under Sec. 3-20. From April 15 through July 15 each year, Sec. 3-21 tightens that further: every dog countywide must be leashed or under the owner's direct control, with no A-1 exception.
James City County Bars Dogs Running at Large
Some RestrictionsJames City County Code § 3-20(a); § 3-21(a)
(a)Dogs shall not run at large in the county except in those areas zoned A-l, General Agricultural; provided, however, even within A-l areas dogs shall not run at large in: (1)platted subdivisions consisting of five or more lots, of which at least three lots have occupied dwellings or in manufactured home parks, or (2) in that geographic area generally bound to the north by the Colonial Heritag...
Breed Restrictions
James City County's dangerous dog ordinance, Sec. 3-8(d), says no canine "shall be found to be a dangerous dog solely because it is a particular breed," and ownership of any breed is never itself prohibited. Instead the county evaluates each dog's own behavior: a general district court declares a dog dangerous only after a bite, attack or injury to a person, dog or cat, following a hearing on a summons from a law enforcement or animal control officer.
James City County Bars Breed-Based Dog Bans
Few RestrictionsJames City County Code § 3-8(d), (g)
(d)No canine or canine crossbreed shall be found to be a dangerous dog solely because it is a particular breed, nor is the ownership of a particular breed of canine or canine crossbreed prohibited. ... (g)The owner of any animal found to be a dangerous dog shall, within 30 days of such finding, obtain a dangerous dog registration certificate from the local animal control officer for a fee of $1...
Beekeeping
James City County regulates residential beekeeping under Sec. 24-47.1 with hive setbacks and colony limits rather than an outright ban. Hives must sit at least ten feet from rights-of-way and neighboring property lines, fifty feet from any neighbor's dwelling, and face away from adjoining lots, with colony counts capped on lots under one acre.
James City County Beekeeping Standards
Some RestrictionsJames City County Code § 24-47.1
(l)Hives shall be at least ten feet away from public rights-of-way and the boundary lines of properties not owned or controlled by the person maintaining the hive.(2)Hives shall be at least 50 feet away from any dwelling or structure located on property not under the same ownership or control as that of the person maintaining the hive. ... (6)If the property on which the hive is located is less...
Exotic Pets
James City County makes it unlawful to bring or keep a wild animal under Code § 3-4, and Chapter 3 defines that broadly: monkeys, raccoons, skunks, wolves, foxes, big cats, venomous snakes, tarantulas and crocodilians. The only carve-out is exhibit animals inside a permanent thematic park located in the county, which covers Busch Gardens. An exotic or poisonous animal caught running at large is impounded under Section 3-5 at the owner's expense.
James City County Bans Keeping Wild Animals
Heavy RestrictionsJames City County Code §§ 3-1, 3-4
Wild or exotic animal. A wild or exotic animal means any (i) live monkey (nonhuman primate), raccoon, skunk, wolf, squirrel, fox, leopard, panther, tiger, lion, lynx or any non-native warm-blooded mammal, (ii) poisonous snake, (iii) tarantula, (iv) other poisonous animal normally found in the wild, or (v) any member of the crocodilian family including, but not limited to, alligators, crocodiles...
Cat Rules
James City County does not license cats the way it licenses dogs, but Sec. 3-56 requires every cat four months or older to be currently vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian, and Sec. 3-58 bars any cat from running at large without that valid vaccination. A cat picked up unvaccinated and running loose is impounded and the owner billed for the actual holding costs.
James City County Cat Vaccination At-Large Rules
Some RestrictionsJames City County Code § 3-56(a); § 3-58(a), (d)
(a)Vaccination required; exception. The owner or custodian of all dogs and domesticated cats four months of age and older shall have them currently vaccinated for rabies by a licensed veterinarian or licensed veterinary technician who is under the immediate and direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian on the premises. The supervising veterinarian on the premises shall provide the owner of ...
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
James City County does not require every dog or cat to be sterilized, but Sec. 3-46(c) makes it mandatory before the county's public animal shelter can adopt an animal out to anyone who isn't a resident of the county or an adjacent locality. The shelter may also charge the sterilization to the adopter, and Sec. 3-8(h) separately requires proof of spay or neuter before any dog is issued a dangerous dog registration certificate.
James City County Shelter Adoption Spay Rule
Some RestrictionsJames City County Code § 3-46(c)(4)
(4)Adoption by any other person, provided that such person has read and signed a statement specifying that he has never been convicted of animal cruelty, neglect, or abandonment, and provided that no animal may be adopted by any person who is not a resident of the county or city for which the public animal shelter is operated, or of an adjacent political subdivision, unless the animal is first ...
Microchipping
James City County has no general microchipping ordinance for household pets, but Sec. 3-8(h) makes permanent electronic identification mandatory for any dog a court has declared dangerous: no registration certificate issues unless the owner proves the dog "has been permanently identified by means of electronic implantation." Sec. 3-8(j) then requires the owner to keep the dog's chip identification information on file with animal control.
James City County Requires Dangerous Dog Chipping
Some RestrictionsJames City County Code § 3-8(h), (j)
In addition, owners who apply for certificates or renewals thereof under this section shall not be issued a certificate or renewal thereof unless they present satisfactory evidence that (a) their residence is and will continue to be posted with clearly visible signs warning both minors and adults of the presence of a dangerous dog on the property and (b) the animal has been permanently identifi...
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
James City County treats veterinary offices and animal hospitals as a conditional, not automatic, land use in its most rural district. Sec. 24-212's use list for the General Agricultural District, A-1, lists 'Animal hospitals, veterinary offices and kennels' only in the Specially Permitted Uses column, meaning the board of supervisors must approve a special use permit before one can open there.
James City County Veterinary Hospital Zoning
Significant RestrictionsJames City County Code § 24-212
Use Category Use List Permitted Uses Specially Permitted Uses ... Animal hospitals, veterinary offices and kennels. SUP
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