Coop Ready Arizona
Arizona backyard chicken laws
Usually yes, but it depends on the city or county. Of the 19 places in Arizona we have checked, 18 allow backyard hens on a typical home lot, 1 allow them only on bigger lots or in some zones.
In Arizona, chicken rules are set by each city, and by the county for land outside city limits. Find your place below for its hen limit, rooster rule, permit and coop distance, each linked to the code we read.
Places checked
19
Hens on a typical lot
18 of 19
Ban roosters
15 of 19
Need a permit or approval
4 of 19
State law in Arizona: Arizona cities and counties cannot ban up to 6 hens behind a single-family detached home on a lot of half an acre or less (A.R.S. 9-462.12 for cities, 11-820.04 for counties). They can still ban roosters, require the coop in the rear or side yard at least 20 ft from neighbors (up to 200 sq ft and 8 ft high), set cleaning rules and ban roaming birds. Rules passed after September 14, 2024 do not apply to coops built on or before that date.
Chicken laws by city in Arizona
| Place | Verdict | Hen limit | Roosters | Permit | Coop placement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avondale, AZ | Hens allowed | 6 | Banned | No | Enclosure in the rear or side yard, at least 20 ft from neighboring property |
| Buckeye, AZ | Hens allowed | 6 | Banned | No | Roofed enclosure in the rear or side yard, at least 20 ft from the neighboring property line |
| Casa Grande, AZ | Hens allowed | 6 | Banned | No | Enclosure in the rear or side yard, at least 20 ft from neighboring properties |
| Chandler, AZ | Hens allowed | 6 | Banned | No (building permit only for a coop over 120 sq ft or 7 ft tall) | Coop in the side or rear yard, at least 5 ft from any lot line |
| Flagstaff, AZ | Allowed with a permit | 6 on lots under 20,000 sq ft; up to 25 on larger lots | Banned (males over 4 months) | Yes: a backyard livestock keeping permit (not needed in the ER and RR zones) | Coop 10 ft from a side or rear line next to another home lot and 20 ft from the nearest neighbor's home |
| Gilbert, AZ | Hens allowed | 6 on lots of half an acre or less | 1 per 20,000 sq ft of lot | No | Enclosure in the side or rear yard, at least 20 ft from every lot line |
| Glendale, AZ | Hens allowed | 6 | Banned | No | Enclosure at least 20 ft from neighboring property and 10 ft from your house and other structures |
| Goodyear, AZ | Hens allowed | 6 | Banned | No | Enclosure in the rear or side yard, at least 20 ft from neighboring property |
| Lake Havasu City, AZ | Hens allowed | 6 | Banned | No | Roofed enclosure in the rear or side yard, at least 20 ft from the neighboring property line |
| Marana, AZ | Depends on your zoning | 1 per 1,000 sq ft (ER, NR zones); 6 (GR); 40 per acre (AG, RA) | Banned except AG and RA zones | No (a conditional use permit only in MR and RR zones) | ER and NR: coop 20 ft from any home on another lot; GR: 20 ft from the neighboring property line |
| Mesa, AZ | Hens allowed | 10 (first half acre) | Allowed unless noisy | No | Run 40 ft and coop 75 ft from neighbors' homes |
| Oro Valley, AZ | Hens allowed | 6 (10 on lots of 42,000 sq ft or more; 24 on 144,000 sq ft or more) | Banned | No | On lots of half an acre or less, 20 ft from neighboring property; larger lots use main building setbacks |
| Phoenix, AZ | Hens allowed | 6 (lots of half an acre or less) | Banned if noisy | No | 20 ft from the property line |
| Prescott Valley, AZ | Hens allowed | 10 | Banned | No | Coop at least 1 ft from property or easement lines |
| Scottsdale, AZ | Hens allowed | No city cap; state law protects 6 on lots up to 1/2 acre | Not banned; habitual crowing that disturbs neighbors is unlawful | Not stated | Rear-yard enclosure 20 ft from property lines |
| Sierra Vista, AZ | Hens allowed | 6 | Banned | No | Secure enclosure in the rear or side yard, at least 20 ft from neighboring property |
| Tempe, AZ | Hens allowed | 6 | Banned except AG zone | No (a use permit for more than 6) | No chicken setback stated |
| Tucson, AZ | Hens allowed | 2 per 1,000 sq ft of lot, up to 24 (lots under 16,000 sq ft) | Banned (male fowl) | No | 20 ft from a neighbor's home |
| Yuma, AZ | Hens allowed | 6 on lots of half an acre or less (more on bigger lots) | Banned (unless unable to crow) | No | Enclosure in the backyard or side yard, at least 20 ft from neighboring property (30 ft on lots over half an acre) |
Will your coop fit?
Draw your lot, your house and your neighbor's house on a satellite map, drop in a coop, and Coop Ready checks the distances against your Arizona city's rules. Then share the plan or print a free permit site plan.
Arizona backyard chicken questions
Can you have backyard chickens in Arizona?
Usually yes, but it depends on the city or county. Of the 19 places in Arizona we have checked, 18 allow backyard hens on a typical home lot, 1 allow them only on bigger lots or in some zones. Check your exact city or county, because the rules differ a lot from place to place.
Who sets chicken rules in Arizona?
Each Arizona city sets its own chicken rules within the state's 6-hen protection. In unincorporated areas the county regulates hens, under the same state limits (A.R.S. 11-820.04).
Is there a Arizona state law on backyard chickens?
Arizona cities and counties cannot ban up to 6 hens behind a single-family detached home on a lot of half an acre or less (A.R.S. 9-462.12 for cities, 11-820.04 for counties). They can still ban roosters, require the coop in the rear or side yard at least 20 ft from neighbors (up to 200 sq ft and 8 ft high), set cleaning rules and ban roaming birds. Rules passed after September 14, 2024 do not apply to coops built on or before that date.
Are roosters allowed in Arizona?
15 of the 19 places we checked in Arizona ban roosters on typical home lots. Check your city's page for its exact rule.
Can an HOA in Arizona ban chickens?
Arizona's hen law limits only cities and counties and does not mention HOAs. A 2026 bill (SB 1582) would have stopped HOAs from banning up to 6 hens, but that part was removed on May 5, 2026, so HOA covenants on chickens still apply.
Keeping a healthy Arizona flock
The Arizona Department of Agriculture says to report signs of illness in poultry to the USDA hotline at 1-866-536-7593, or to your local extension office, vet or the State Veterinarian. Visit the official page ↗
More from Coop Ready
- Rooster laws by city
- Cities that ban chickens
- HOA chicken rules
- Coop setback rules
- Permit site plan checklist
- California chicken laws
- Colorado chicken laws
- Florida chicken laws
- Georgia chicken laws
- Oregon chicken laws
- Texas chicken laws
- Washington chicken laws
See every city on Coop Ready →
Coop Ready is a free planning aid from Cooped Up Life, not legal advice. Codes change, and zoning, HOA rules and your exact parcel can change what is allowed. Confirm with your city or county before you build.
