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Chickens and Bees License

Northglenn residents may raise chickens and/or bees in their backyard.

Obtaining a Chickens and Bees License
Please fill out these licenses, depending on whether you are interested in chickens or bees.

Residents may go to the SAFEbuilt Building Division at City Hall to turn in their license application. City Hall is located at 11701 Community Center Drive and is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

Price
The cost is $25 for a bee or chicken license, which never needs to be renewed. The city accepts cash, check or credit card. (Sorry - no honey or eggs.)

Renewal
The license never needs to be renewed.

Rules and Regulations
Chickens Rules and Regulations
  • Number allowed - No more than six chickens are permitted per yard.
  • Gender restriction – Hens or females only; roosters or males are prohibited.
  • Slaughtering - Chickens may not be intentionally killed on the premises except for euthanasia by a licensed veterinarian, by order of state or county health officials, or otherwise expressly permitted by law.
  • Excrement - You must remove chicken excrement from your property. Any accumulation will be considered a public nuisance, and you may be subject to penalties.

Coop and Ranging Standards
  • Structure - A coop is a physical structure where chickens are kept and that provides such chickens with protection and shelter.
    • The coop must be predator resistant.
    • The coop size must not exceed one hundred and 20 square feet, and must provide at least four square feet of space per bird.
    • The coop height must not exceed six feet in height.
  • Location - The chicken coop must be placed at least five feet from the property fence line and at least 20 feet from any residence or primary structure on adjacent property. Coops must reside in the rear yard of the premises.
  • Ranging - Chickens must have space to range in the rear yard.
    • If a chicken run is used, chickens must be provided a minimum of 20 square feet of permeable surface per bird.
    • Chickens are allowed to range in the rear yard, up to the property line, but must be kept in the required chicken coop from dusk until dawn.
    • Chickens allowed to range in the rear yard must be contained by a fence adequate to contain animals. The fence must be at least four feet tall.
  • Selling of eggs - Selling eggs is permitted in accordance with the Colorado Cottage Foods Act.

Complete list of Chicken Rules and Regulations

Bees Rules and Regulations
  • Hives allowed - No more than two honey bee hives are permitted per parcel.
  • Hive placement – Hives must be placed in the backyard.
  • Flyway barrier required – You must have a permanent vertical structure that adjusts the flight path of honey bees to avoid human contact.
    • It can be made of building materials or natural vegetation. 
    • It must be at least six feet tall
    •  It must be within five feet of the hive's entrance/exit and must extend 10 feet beyond the hive in each direction
  • Water - You must make sure the bees have a convenient source of water available at all times so they don't travel to other sources of water where they may come into pet or human contact.
  • Aggressive bees and swarms - If a colony becomes aggressive or swarms, you must re-queen the colony with a queen selected from stock bred for gentleness and non swarming characteristics.
  • Prohibited bees – Africanized bees are prohibited.
  • Maintenance of hives - Any honey bee colony not residing in a structure intended for beekeeping or any swarm of bees or colony residing in a standard or homemade hive which, by virtue of its condition, has obviously been abandoned by the beekeeper, is unlawful and shall be deemed a public nuisance. The hive may be destroyed or removed from the city by an appropriate designee. The beekeeper will have 30 days from the time of the complaint to bring the hive/hives into compliance.
  • Selling of honey - Selling honey is permitted in accordance with the Colorado Cottage Foods Act.

complete list of beekeeping Rules and Regulations


Related Information
Contact

Planning Division
303.450.8739
development@northglenn.org