North Dakota Backyard Chicken Laws: Permits, Limits and Setbacks by City and County
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Overview of North Dakota Chicken Laws
North Dakota has no statewide backyard chicken limit. Cities set the cap. Fargo, West Fargo, and Grand Forks each allow up to 6 hens. Roosters are not allowed in those city ordinances. Minot has a total ban on poultry within city limits.
Official Sources & Data Integrity
We reference North Dakota municipal bylaws and ordinances from verified platforms like ecode360.com, municode.com, and local government websites at the time of publication. You can review state-level rules via North Dakota Department of Agriculture Animal Health Division
Note: Not specified means no specific requirement was identified in the applicable municipal sources reviewed. No published ordinance means no hen, rooster, permit, or setback rule was found in the city’s published code.
⚠️ Important: North Dakota ordinances may change without notice. Always verify the current rules with your local jurisdiction and any HOA before starting a flock.
North Dakota Ordinances by City & County
Adams County, ND
Hettinger, ND
No published ordinance
Barnes County, ND
Valley City, ND
No published ordinance
Bottineau County, ND
Bottineau, ND
No published ordinance
Bowman County, ND
Bowman, ND
No published ordinance
Burleigh County, ND
Bismarck, ND
Bismarck, ND has a total ban on poultry within city limits
Cass County, ND
Casselton, ND
No published ordinance
Fargo, ND
Hen Limit: Up to 6 hens | Roosters: Not allowed | Permit: Required, $10 annual | Setback: 3 ft from adjacent premises; no front yard
Harwood, ND
No published ordinance
Horace, ND
Hen Limit: Up to 6 hens | Roosters: Not allowed | Permit: Registration required | Setback: 3 ft from adjacent premises; no front yard
Kindred, ND
No published ordinance
Mapleton, ND
No published ordinance
West Fargo, ND
Hen Limit: Up to 6 hens | Roosters: Not allowed | Permit: Required, $25 annual | Setback: 3 ft from adjacent structures; 10 ft from property lines; no front yard
Cavalier County, ND
Langdon, ND
No published ordinance
Dickey County, ND
Ellendale, ND
No published ordinance
Oakes, ND
No published ordinance
Divide County, ND
Crosby, ND
No published ordinance
Dunn County, ND
Killdeer, ND
No published ordinance
Eddy County, ND
New Rockford, ND
No published ordinance
Emmons County, ND
Linton, ND
No published ordinance
Foster County, ND
Carrington, ND
No published ordinance
Golden Valley County, ND
Beach, ND
No published ordinance
Grand Forks County, ND
Grand Forks, ND
Hen Limit: Up to 6 hens | Roosters: Not allowed | Permit: Required | Setback: 75 ft from a dwelling without written consent
Grand Forks AFB, ND
No published ordinance
Larimore, ND
No published ordinance
Northwood, ND
No published ordinance
Thompson, ND
No published ordinance
Griggs County, ND
Cooperstown, ND
No published ordinance
LaMoure County, ND
Edgeley, ND
No published ordinance
Lamoure, ND
No published ordinance
McHenry County, ND
Velva, ND
No published ordinance
McKenzie County, ND
Watford City, ND
No published ordinance
McLean County, ND
Garrison, ND
No published ordinance
Washburn, ND
No published ordinance
Wilton, ND
No published ordinance
Mercer County, ND
Beulah, ND
No published ordinance
Hazen, ND
No published ordinance
Morton County, ND
Mandan, ND
Hen Limit: Up to 4 hens | Roosters: Not allowed | Permit: Required, $100 new / $50 renewal | Setback: 10 ft from property lines; 20 ft from an adjacent dwelling
New Salem, ND
No published ordinance
Mountrail County, ND
New Town, ND
No published ordinance
Parshall, ND
No published ordinance
Stanley, ND
No published ordinance
Oliver County, ND
Center, ND
No published ordinance
Pembina County, ND
Cavalier, ND
No published ordinance
Walhalla, ND
No published ordinance
Pierce County, ND
Rugby, ND
No published ordinance
Ramsey County, ND
Devils Lake, ND
No published ordinance
Ransom County, ND
Enderlin, ND
No published ordinance
Lisbon, ND
No published ordinance
Richland County, ND
Hankinson, ND
No published ordinance
Lidgerwood, ND
No published ordinance
Wahpeton, ND
No published ordinance
Rolette County, ND
Belcourt, ND
No published ordinance
Dunseith, ND
No published ordinance
Rolla, ND
No published ordinance
Sargent County, ND
Milnor, ND
No published ordinance
Sioux County, ND
Fort Yates, ND
No published ordinance
Stark County, ND
Belfield, ND
No published ordinance
Dickinson, ND
Dickinson, ND has a total ban on poultry within city limits
Stutsman County, ND
Jamestown, ND
Hen Limit: Up to 8 hens | Roosters: Not allowed | Permit: Required, $100 new / $50 renewal | Setback: 50 ft from another residence; 35 ft from the owner’s residence
Towner County, ND
Cando, ND
No published ordinance
Traill County, ND
Hatton, ND
No published ordinance
Hillsboro, ND
No published ordinance
Mayville, ND
No published ordinance
Walsh County, ND
Grafton, ND
No published ordinance
Park River, ND
No published ordinance
Ward County, ND
Berthold, ND
No published ordinance
Burlington, ND
No published ordinance
Kenmare, ND
No published ordinance
Minot, ND
Minot, ND has a total ban on poultry within city limits
Minot AFB, ND
No published ordinance
Surrey, ND
No published ordinance
Wells County, ND
Harvey, ND
No published ordinance
Williams County, ND
Ray, ND
No published ordinance
Tioga, ND
No published ordinance
Williston, ND
Hen Limit: Up to 4 hens | Roosters: Not allowed | Permit: Required | Setback: 10 ft from adjacent premises; no front or side yard
Selling Backyard Eggs in North Dakota
Home-flock eggs sold only to the person who will eat them need no state egg dealer license. Keep eggs clean and cold. Mark the carton with your name, address, and pack date. Add the standard keep-refrigerated handling line. Sales to stores or restaurants need a dealer license and are outside this page.
North Dakota Poultry Slaughter Rules
Birds you raise may be processed on your property for your household and unpaid guests. That meat cannot be sold. Several cities ban on-lot slaughter. Sanitation and nuisance rules still apply.
Essential Guides for Backyard Chicken Success
How do I raise backyard chickens successfully?
Ready to build a coop? Use our Step-by-Step DIY Chicken Coop Guide to construct a solid shelter that can handle Prairie wind and long freezes.
Already keeping a flock? Set your hens up for success. Learn how to choose cold-tolerant breeds, manage winter weather and protect against common local predators. Our practical guides help you maintain a healthy, productive, and neighbor-friendly flock year-round View Our Ultimate Backyard Chicken Management Guide