Can I keep chickens in St. Louis, MO?
Yes — St. Louis allows backyard chickens, up to 8 hens with no permit required. Roosters are prohibited, and coops must be at least 10 ft from neighboring lines/homes. (Revised Code Sec. 10.20.015 (Ord. 70608), verified June 2026)
The full rules
| Chickens allowed | Yes |
|---|---|
| Maximum hens | 8 |
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit required | No |
| Coop setback | 10 ft |
| Coop rules | Covered, predator-proof, ventilated coop, max 50 sq ft, min 2 sq ft per bird inside. No coop in front yard, no closer than 1.5 ft to a property line without a solid separating fence, or 10 ft from a dwelling on another lot. Permit-free up to 8 hens; more requires a Small Farm Animal Permit ($60) and 20,000 sq ft of contiguous land. |
| Code section | Revised Code Sec. 10.20.015 (Ord. 70608) |
St. Louis City allows up to 8 fowl per residential parcel permit-free, at a ratio of one bird per 4 sq ft of indoor and 10 sq ft of outdoor enclosure. Roosters are prohibited and coops cannot exceed 50 sq ft, sit in a front yard, or be closer than 1.5 ft to a property line (10 ft from another lot's dwelling). Keeping more than 8 requires owning at least 20,000 sq ft of contiguous land and a Small Farm Animal Permit ($60 inspection fee, annual), allowing one additional bird per 1,000 sq ft up to 20.
Common questions
Can I keep chickens in St. Louis?
Yes — chickens are allowed in St. Louis (Revised Code Sec. 10.20.015 (Ord. 70608)).
How many chickens can I keep in St. Louis?
Up to 8 hens. 1 hen per 0.1 sq ft of lot area, max 8.
Do I need a permit to keep chickens in St. Louis?
No — no permit is required for the base allowance in St. Louis.
Are roosters allowed in St. Louis?
No — roosters are prohibited in St. Louis.
How far must a chicken coop be from the property line in St. Louis?
10 feet minimum. Covered, predator-proof, ventilated coop, max 50 sq ft, min 2 sq ft per bird inside. No coop in front yard, no closer than 1.5 ft to a property line without a solid separating fence, or 10 ft from a dwelling on another lot. Permit-free up to 8 hens; more requires a Small Farm Animal Permit ($60) and 20,000 sq ft of contiguous land.
What law covers backyard chickens in St. Louis?
Revised Code Sec. 10.20.015 (Ord. 70608). Read the official text at the source linked on this page.
The actual law
Revised Code Sec. 10.20.015 (Ord. 70608) — read the official code
“Ordinance 70608, effective 8/26/2017, allows for one fowl is permitted for every 4 square feet of indoor enclosure space and every 10 square feet of outdoor enclosure area provided to the animal, to a maximum of eight fowl per parcel.” source
“No roosters are to be kept.” source
“No coop may be located in a front yard, or closer than 1.5 feet to a property line without a solid fence to separate the lots, or 10 feet from a dwelling on another lot with a solid fence to separate the lots.” source
Last verified June 13, 2026. Always confirm with your municipality — HOA rules can be stricter than city code. How we verify →
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