Can I keep chickens in Asheville, NC?
Yes — Asheville allows backyard chickens with a required permit/registration. Roosters are prohibited, and coops must be at least 10 ft from neighboring lines/homes. (Asheville Code Ch. 3, Art. I, Secs. 3-9(a)(3), 3-9(a)(9) and 3-10, verified August 2026)
The full rules
| Chickens allowed | Yes |
|---|---|
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit required | Yes ($25) |
| Coop setback | 10 ft |
| Coop rules | Cages and pens may not be within 10 feet of the lot line, unless placing the pen inside that 10-foot strip still keeps it more than 50 feet from the nearest household occupied by someone other than the owner or keeper. |
| Code section | Asheville Code Ch. 3, Art. I, Secs. 3-9(a)(3), 3-9(a)(9) and 3-10 |
Asheville requires a city animal permit to keep fowl, currently $25 with a $25 annual renewal. There is no hen-specific cap in the code, but keeping seven or more animals per household or lot is a nuisance unless separately permitted. Roosters are prohibited. Coops and pens must be at least 10 feet from the lot line, with an alternative test of 50 feet from the nearest neighboring household.
Common questions
Can I keep chickens in Asheville?
Yes — chickens are allowed in Asheville (Asheville Code Ch. 3, Art. I, Secs. 3-9(a)(3), 3-9(a)(9) and 3-10).
How many chickens can I keep in Asheville?
It depends on your lot. Asheville sets no hen-specific numeric cap. Keeping seven or more animals per household or lot, regardless of lot size, is a public nuisance under Sec. 3-9(a)(9) and is allowed only with a written permit under Sec. 3-10. So six or fewer total animals need no count-based permit; seven or more do. A separate animal permit is required to keep fowl at all..
Do I need a permit to keep chickens in Asheville?
Yes — Asheville requires a permit or registration before keeping chickens (fee: $25).
Are roosters allowed in Asheville?
No — roosters are prohibited in Asheville.
How far must a chicken coop be from the property line in Asheville?
10 feet minimum. Cages and pens may not be within 10 feet of the lot line, unless placing the pen inside that 10-foot strip still keeps it more than 50 feet from the nearest household occupied by someone other than the owner or keeper.
What law covers backyard chickens in Asheville?
Asheville Code Ch. 3, Art. I, Secs. 3-9(a)(3), 3-9(a)(9) and 3-10. Read the official text at the source linked on this page.
The actual law
Asheville Code Ch. 3, Art. I, Secs. 3-9(a)(3), 3-9(a)(9) and 3-10 — read the official code
“A permit is also required by all residents wishing to keep bees, fowl (chickens) or livestock” source
“(9) Except as otherwise provided in section 3-10, the keeping of seven or more animals per household or lot, regardless of lot size and regardless of whether any of the provisions of this section are violated. [Sec. 3-10 Permits contains no chicken- or fowl-specific numeric cap; the prior stored value of 7 hens was a misreading of this seven-or-more-animals nuisance threshold.]” source
“A permit is also required by all residents wishing to keep bees, fowl (chickens) or livestock. There is a fee of $25 for each Permit. Permits must be renewed annually for a fee of $25.00 each. Roosters are prohibited.” source
“The keeping of a cage or pen constructed and used for the purpose of restraining animals within ten feet of the outer limits of the lot ... provided, however, this setback requirement shall not be applicable where the placing of the cage or pen within the ten-foot area does not result in locating the cage or pen within 50 feet of the nearest household occupied by persons other than the owner or keeper.” source
Last verified August 2, 2026. Always confirm with your municipality — HOA rules can be stricter than city code. How we verify →
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