Pets, chickens and bees in Commerce: the local rules

Each rule below links to the section of the Commerce Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Commerce's code says

Commerce code What Commerce's code adds
Bees	No beehives, except at schools and physicians' offices or labs for specified purposes, if bees cannot fly at large. Applies: Applies to premises owned or controlled in the city. § 8.04.560 · code text No person shall keep or maintain, or suffer or permit to be kept or maintained, upon premises owned or controlled by him or it in the city, a hive of bees.
Chickens	Allowed with limits: no more than 5 live fowls or rabbits in total per lot or parcel. Applies: Not within 50 feet of a street line, 25 feet of a property line, or 25 feet of listed dwellings and buildings. § 8.04.520 · code text No person shall keep or maintain more than a total of five live fowls or rabbits on any lot or parcel within the city.
Coop setback	At least 25 feet from any property line. Applies: Applies to fowls, rabbits and similar animals. § 8.04.520 · code text It is declared to be a nuisance, and it is unlawful for any person to keep, own and/or control hens, chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, pheasants, doves, pigeons, squabs or similar fowls or rabbits, within fifty feet of any street line or within twenty-five feet of any property line, or within twenty-five feet of any dwelling house or structure used as a dwelling, church, school, hospital or place where food products are kept, stored, manufactured or served to the public. At least 50 feet from any street line. Applies: Applies to fowls, rabbits and similar animals. § 8.04.520 · code text It is declared to be a nuisance, and it is unlawful for any person to keep, own and/or control hens, chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, pheasants, doves, pigeons, squabs or similar fowls or rabbits, within fifty feet of any street line or within twenty-five feet of any property line, or within twenty-five feet of any dwelling house or structure used as a dwelling, church, school, hospital or place where food products are kept, stored, manufactured or served to the public. At least 25 feet from any home, church, school, hospital or place where food is kept or served. Applies: Applies to fowls, rabbits and similar animals. § 8.04.520 · code text It is declared to be a nuisance, and it is unlawful for any person to keep, own and/or control hens, chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, pheasants, doves, pigeons, squabs or similar fowls or rabbits, within fifty feet of any street line or within twenty-five feet of any property line, or within twenty-five feet of any dwelling house or structure used as a dwelling, church, school, hospital or place where food products are kept, stored, manufactured or served to the public.

Who this affects

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Frequently asked questions

Can I keep chickens or bees at my home in Commerce?

No more than 5 live fowls or rabbits per lot, kept 50 feet from a street line and 25 feet from a property line.

Pets, chickens and bees in Commerce

Key points

What Commerce's code says

Who this affects

Frequently asked questions

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