UT · verified 2026-10-30
Salt Lake City, UT
Short answerYes: the City of Salt Lake City code allows up to 15 birds; roosters are banned; a permit is required, but the code lists no fee; and the coop setback is 25 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Salt Lake City corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Salt Lake City corporate limits only. An HOA or neighborhood covenant can still ban hens. Those private rules are usually not public, so HenCheck does not look them up.
Primary source: Salt Lake City Code § 8.08.065 Keeping chickens (Ord. 72-09) and § 8.08.010 permit required.
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 15 hens
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- Permit required, fee not listed in the code
- Setback
- 25 ft
Code cite: Salt Lake City Code § 8.08.065 Keeping chickens (Ord. 72-09) and § 8.08.010 permit required.
The rule, quoted
Word for word from Salt Lake City Code § 8.08.065 Keeping chickens (Ord. 72-09) and § 8.08.010 permit required.
How many hens
“Subject to the requirements of this section and any other applicable provision of this chapter, fifteen (15) hen chickens (and no roosters) may be kept on a lot or parcel of land in a residential district for the sole purpose of producing eggs.”
Up to 15 hens on a lot with a one-, two- or multi-family home in a residential district, for eggs only.
Salt Lake City Code § 8.08.065 Keeping chickens (Ord. 72-09) and § 8.08.010 permit required.
Roosters
“fifteen (15) hen chickens (and no roosters) may be kept”
Permit and fee
“The fee for such permit shall be shown on the Salt Lake City consolidated fee schedule.”
One-year permit from Animal Services, renewable each year. The fee is on the city fee schedule, which was not checked.
Setback / screening
“The coop shall be located in a rear yard at least twenty five feet (25') from any dwelling located on an adjacent lot.”
Coop in the rear yard, at least 25 ft from any home on a neighboring lot.
Coop and run size
“The coop shall have a minimum floor area of at least two (2) square feet per chicken.”
Also in this section
Permit required
“Chickens shall not be kept on a residential lot or parcel unless the person keeping chickens first obtains a permit as provided in section 8.08.010 of this chapter.”
6 sq ft if no run
“If chickens are not allowed to roam within an enclosed area outside the coop, the coop shall have a minimum floor area of six (6) square feet per chicken.”
Rodent-proof feed
“Chicken feed shall be stored and dispensed in rodentproof and predatorproof containers.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Salt Lake City, UT metro list: same stores for every city in this metro.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks to Utah via USPS Priority Mail. Cackle's FAQ lists Utah among the states it ships to, with chicks going out Mondays and Wednesdays from February to August and Wednesdays only from August to late October. Order sexed pullets if your city bans roosters or does not address them.
Feed store
Tractor Supply — Saratoga Springs (#2115)
Saratoga Springs — 1303 North Exchange Dr, Saratoga Springs, UT 84045. (801) 766-5556. Store page lists a livestock department.
Coop
OverEZ Medium Chicken Coop with Wooden 8 ft Chicken Run
Dimensions: Coop 50¼ in L × 52½ in W × 62¼ in H (includes nesting box), sized by OverEZ for up to 10 chickens; Wooden 8 ft run 8 ft W × 8 ft L × 6 ft 3 in H
Price: Coop $1,699.00 (Classic, Farmhouse or Coastal finish); Wooden 8 ft run $1,899.00. Prices as shown on overezchickencoop.com on 2026-10-22.
The coop footprint is about 4.2 ft × 4.4 ft and the run is 8 ft × 8 ft, so with the coop at the end of the run plan on roughly 8 ft × 12.5 ft. Measure your setback from the cited code before you pick a spot, and check any height limit: the run is 6 ft 3 in tall. OverEZ ships coops and runs by tractor-trailer freight to the end of your driveway; homes on roads a truck cannot reach may need to pick up at a freight terminal.
Vet
No verified poultry vet yet
We have not confirmed a clinic here that says it treats chickens. Call local vets and ask before you need one.
Verified 2026-10-30 against Salt Lake City Code § 8.08.065 Keeping chickens (Ord. 72-09) and § 8.08.010 permit required. at https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/saltlakecityut/latest/saltlakecity_ut/0-0-0-49908. Read the live code before you build or order birds.