Pets, chickens and bees in Mountain View: the local rules

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

What Mountain View's code says

Mountain View code What Mountain View's code adds
Bees	Written notice to the administrator within 5 days when an apiary is moved into or within the city. § 5.44 · code text No apiary shall be moved into the city or within the confines of the city without notice in writing being given to the administrator within five (5) days from the date movement is begun, stating:
Chickens	Chickens count toward the limit of 4 animals in all per premises; up to 25 with administrator approval. § 5.43 · code text Not more than four (4) animals, in all, including hares, rabbits, guinea pigs, feline, bovine, sheep, hogs, goats, chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, game birds, or other fowl or any combination thereof shall be kept on any premises within the city, unless the premises involved are operating on a commercial basis in conformance with existing zoning regulations and state statutes governing their operations.
Large animals	No livestock in any R district. § 5.38 · code text No person shall keep any livestock in any R district.
Permit	Administrator approval for more than 4 animals, up to 25 animals. Applies: A request to keep more than 4 animals. § 5.43 · code text The administrator may allow more than four (4) animals, but no more than twenty-five (25) animals, upon finding that the animals will be maintained in a healthy and sanitary condition, and will not be foreseeably injurious to the health, or indecent or offensive to the senses, so as to unreasonably interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of neighboring properties.
Pet limit	No more than 4 adult dogs and cats in total, in any combination, over 4 months old. § 5.51 · code text No person shall keep or maintain more than a total of four (4) adult dogs and/or cats (any combination) over four (4) months of age, at any street address. No more than 1 unspayed female dog or 1 unspayed female cat. § 5.51 · code text No person shall keep or maintain more than one (1) unspayed female dog or one (1) unspayed female cat, at any street address.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I keep chickens or bees at my home in Mountain View?

Mountain View's code: Chickens count toward the limit of 4 animals in all per premises; up to 25 with administrator approval. (§ 5.43); Written notice to the administrator within 5 days when an apiary is moved into or within the city. (§ 5.44).

Pets, chickens and bees in Mountain View

What Mountain View's code says

Who this affects

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