Richmond Virginia Chicken Ordinance
| Are Chickens Allowed in this location | Yes |
| Max Chickens Allowed | 4 "female chickens" |
| Roosters Allowed | No |
| Permit Required | Yes, $60 annual fee |
| Coop Restrictions | Section 10-97 (d) Any person to whom a permit has been issued in accordance with section 10-95 of this Code shall provide at least three square feet of space for each female chicken within a structure designed for such purpose and consisting of four walls and a roof, provided that the number of such female chickens does not exceed a total of four for the affected parcel of real property. |
| City/Organization Contact name | Richmond City Council Richmond City Hall 900 E. Broad St., Suite 200 Richmond, VA 23219 USA Phone: (804)646-7955 Fax: (804)646-5468 |
| Additional Information | Ordinance 2013-17: To amend and reordain City Code 10-88, concerning the keeping and running at large of hogs, pigs and fowl, to amend and reordain ch. 10, art. Il of the City Code by adding therein a new div. 4 10-94 through 10-101) and to amend Appendix A of the City Code by adding therein a newfee for section 10-95, for the purpose of establishing regulations for the keeping, placement and maintenance of chickens in the city. Resolution 2013-R48: To declare a public necessity to amend City Code 114-402.2(8) and to initiate an amendment to the City’s zoning ordinance to include the raising or keeping of no more than four female chickens as a permitted accessory use. The law is written in a complex way, but can be boiled down to not more than 4 hens, provided with a coop that has at least 3 square feet of space per bird that is placed to comply with one's zoning requirements (ie. R5 has a 35' "front yard set back, a 5' side yard setback and a 5' backyard setback in which no buildings can be placed, it is different for each zone). Birds must be contained in an area in the backyard not within 15 feet of the neighbor's dwelling. A permit from Richmond Animal Care and Control is required and must have been obtained within 90 day of passage (4/8/13) or after the first year has passed (4/8/14). The current fee is $60 per year, and requires a visit to RACC, an animal cruelty background check, a sketch plan of the coop to be sent to zoning to make sure it complies with zoning requirements, and an RACC inspection of the coop and coop area. |
| Link for more Information | http://eservices.ci.richmond.va.us/applications/clerkstracking/index.asp (search chickens for law info) |
| Information Last Updated | 2013-06-30 00:00:00 |
NOTE: This information was submitted by a member of our chicken forum. Please make sure to double check that this information is accurate before you proceed with raising chickens. Learn more about local chicken laws and ordinances.
