WA · verified 2026-10-30
Tacoma, WA
Short answerYes: the City of Tacoma code allows up to 6 birds; roosters are banned; the cited code does not mention a permit; and the coop setback is 12 ft.
Buying notes for backyard hens inside the City of Tacoma corporate limits. HOA covenants and county rules outside city limits can differ.
Heads up: These rules apply inside the City of Tacoma 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: Tacoma Municipal Code § 5.30.010 Keeping – Prohibited places (Ord. 28085).
At a glance
- Hen cap
- Up to 6 hens
- Roosters
- Banned
- Permit & fee
- Code does not mention a permit
- Setback
- 12 ft
Code cite: Tacoma Municipal Code § 5.30.010 Keeping – Prohibited places (Ord. 28085).
The rule, quoted
Word for word from Tacoma Municipal Code § 5.30.010 Keeping – Prohibited places (Ord. 28085).
How many hens
“No more than 6 adult poultry and 6 pigeons are allowed per parcel”
Up to six adult poultry per parcel. With written consent from every owner of a home within 50 ft, filed with the City Clerk, up to 10, plus one more for each 5,000 sq ft of lot over 10,000 sq ft.
Tacoma Municipal Code § 5.30.010 Keeping – Prohibited places (Ord. 28085).
Roosters
“Pursuant to TMC § 17.02.041, it is a violation for any person to own, possess, or harbor a rooster within the City limits.”
Permit and fee
Code does not mention a permit. Ask the city whether a permit is needed before you buy birds.
Chapter 5.30 lists no permit or fee. Going above six needs neighbor consent filed with the City Clerk.
Setback / screening
“Animal enclosures such as a cage or coop shall be set back a minimum of 12 feet from the nearest portion of any residence, dwelling, hotel, apartment house or rooming house.”
Coop at least 12 ft from any home, behind the front wall of your house and out of the required side yard. Coops over 200 sq ft need a building permit.
Also in this section
Behind the house
“Animal enclosures must be located behind the front wall of the main building on a lot, and shall not be located in the required side yard setback area of the main building as described in TMC § 13.06.100F.5.”
Big coops need a permit
“Animal enclosures larger than 200 square feet must obtain a building permit.”
No running at large
“It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having the charge and control of any poultry or pigeons to permit the same to run at large upon any of the streets, alleys or public places within the corporate limits of the City of Tacoma.”
What to buy
Named products and shops are real. Confirm stock, shipping, and that the vet still sees poultry before you spend money.
Shared Seattle, WA metro list: same stores for every city in this metro.
Hatchery
Cackle Hatchery
Ships live chicks to Washington via USPS Priority Mail. Cackle's FAQ lists Washington 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 — Kent (#2055)
Kent — 8420 South 228th St, Kent, WA 98031. (253) 520-2333. 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 2026-10-30 against Tacoma Municipal Code § 5.30.010 Keeping – Prohibited places (Ord. 28085). at https://ecode360.com/48384477. Read the live code before you build or order birds.