DC · verified 2026-10-26
Washington, DC
Short answerYes: the District of Columbia code allows backyard hens, but the cited section sets no number; the cited code does not mention roosters; a permit is required, but the code lists no fee; and the coop setback is 50 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the District of Columbia corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the District of Columbia 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: 24 DCMR § 902 Fowl (D.C. Municipal Regulations, Title 24, Chapter 9 Animal Control).
At a glance
- Hen cap
- No number set in the cited code section
- Roosters
- Not addressed in the cited code
- Permit & fee
- Permit required, fee not listed in the code
- Setback
- 50 ft
Code cite: 24 DCMR § 902 Fowl (D.C. Municipal Regulations, Title 24, Chapter 9 Animal Control).
The rule, quoted
Word for word from 24 DCMR § 902 Fowl (D.C. Municipal Regulations, Title 24, Chapter 9 Animal Control).
How many hens
“An accurate description of the kind and number of fowl, or the progeny of the fowl”
The regulation sets no number. Your permit application states how many birds you plan to keep, and the permit is approved case by case.
24 DCMR § 902 Fowl (D.C. Municipal Regulations, Title 24, Chapter 9 Animal Control).
Roosters
The cited code section does not mention roosters. Ask the city before you keep one.
§ 902 covers all live fowl and does not name roosters separately.
Permit and fee
“No person shall harbor, keep, or caused to be kept any live fowl within the District in a manner that is contrary to the provisions of this section, without a permit from the Mayor.”
Permits last one year and must be renewed. The application needs a plat from the District Surveyor showing where the enclosure will sit.
Setback / screening
“The proposed location is not within fifty feet (50 ft.) of any building used for human habitation;”
The enclosure must be at least 50 ft from any home, including your own, which rules out most DC rowhouse yards. It must also be 250 ft from property lines unless you get written consent from the owners and householders within 100 ft.
Also in this section
Neighbor consent
“The proposed location is not within two hundred and fifty feet (250 ft.) of any property line or, if this is not the case, the applicant has furnished to the Director with the written consents of all householders and owners of property located within one hundred feet (100 ft.) of the boundaries of the premises upon which fowl are to be kept, and within the same square;”
Annual permit
“Permits shall be dated and shall expire at the end of one (1) year.”
Surveyor plat
“Each application shall be accompanied by a plat prepared by the District Surveyor that shows accurately the location of the enclosure for the fowl as the enclosure will be placed on the applicant's property, and the respective distance of the enclosure to adjoining property lines.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Baltimore–Washington metro list: same stores for every city in this metro.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks via USPS Priority Mail. Cackle's FAQ lists Maryland and Virginia among the states it ships to, but its list does not name the District of Columbia, so DC residents should confirm with Cackle before ordering. Chicks go 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 — Glen Burnie (#1839)
Glen Burnie — 7994 Crain Hwy South, Glen Burnie, MD 21061. (410) 969-8900. Store page lists livestock feed and farm supplies, including chicken coops, waterers and feeders.
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 2026-10-26 against 24 DCMR § 902 Fowl (D.C. Municipal Regulations, Title 24, Chapter 9 Animal Control). at https://www.dcregs.dc.gov/Common/DCMR/SectionList.aspx?SectionNumber=24-902. Read the live code before you build or order birds.