Can I keep hens in my garden?
Yes, but only with a permit and within clear limits: in Reykjavík you may keep up to four hens in a garden, but no rooster is allowed and you must apply for a permit first. The rules are in by-law no. 815/2014 on hen-keeping in Reykjavík outside organised agricultural areas, and the permit is granted by Reykjavík Public Health under by-law no. 426/2003 on limits to livestock-keeping. The myth is twofold: that keeping hens in the city is banned outright, or the reverse, that you may keep as many as you like and even a rooster. Both are wrong. The maximum is four hens, a rooster is banned (because of noise), and the hen coop and related structures must be at least 3 metres inside the property boundary and comply with building rules. The application must include the consent of adjoining property owners. Although hens for your own consumption need no traceability number from the Food and Veterinary Authority, the flock may need to be registered for disease-control reasons. Other municipalities have different rules, so check your local by-law.
📋 The rules
- In Reykjavík keeping hens in gardens is allowed with a permit under by-law no. 815/2014; you must apply for a permit from Reykjavík Public Health.
- You may keep at most four hens, and a rooster is not allowed — mainly because of morning noise.
- The hen coop and related structures must be at least 3 metres inside the property boundary and comply with current building rules.
- The permit application must include the consent of adjoining property owners (neighbours).
- Hens kept solely for your own consumption need no traceability number from the Food and Veterinary Authority, but the flock may need registering for disease control (e.g. avian flu).
🔓 Exceptions
- Rules differ between municipalities: the number, the permit requirement and distance limits can be different outside Reykjavík, so check your local by-law.
- On organised agricultural land and farms, the general livestock rules (Act no. 38/2013) apply rather than the narrow city rules on garden hens.
- During avian-flu preparedness, the Food and Veterinary Authority can order poultry to be kept indoors or impose other temporary requirements, regardless of the municipal permit.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Keeping hens without a permit, with a rooster or beyond four hens breaches Reykjavík's hen-keeping by-law, and the first step of Public Health is usually a demand to put things right. If that is ignored, the authority can use warnings, daily fines and, ultimately, require the hens to be removed. A hidden cost lies in the neighbour dimension: because the application must include the consent of adjoining plots, hen-keeping that causes noise, smell or vermin can lead to complaints, revocation of the permit and disputes that end up with the authority. The building side is often forgotten: a coop that stands too close to the boundary or fails to meet building rules can prompt a demand that it be moved or removed, regardless of the animal-keeping itself. Finally, the disease-control aspect is underrated — during avian-flu preparedness the Food and Veterinary Authority can order birds indoors, and breaching such orders can carry sanctions under the laws on animal diseases and livestock. It also pays to avoid the outdated generalisation that hens are simply banned in the city; it has been allowed with a permit since 2014, but within these limits.
📎 Official sources
- City of Reykjavík · hen-keeping in gardens (permit and rules) →
- Althingi · Livestock Act no. 38/2013 →
- Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) · poultry keeping and registration (disease control) →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I keep hens in a garden in Reykjavík?
Yes, in Reykjavík you may keep up to four hens in a garden under by-law no. 815/2014, but you must first apply for a permit from Reykjavík Public Health. A rooster is not allowed and the application must include the consent of adjoining property owners, so hen-keeping is allowed but within clear limits.
How many hens may I keep?
In Reykjavík the maximum is four hens per plot under the hen-keeping by-law, and a rooster is banned mainly because of morning noise. It is a widespread misconception that you may keep as many as you like, but the number limit and the ban on roosters are exactly the core of the rules.
Do I need my neighbours' consent for hens?
Yes, the permit application for hen-keeping must include the consent of adjoining property owners, so neighbours have a say in the matter. This means hen-keeping that causes neighbours a nuisance can lead to complaints and even revocation of the permit, so good relations with neighbours matter.
Where may the hen coop stand?
The hen coop and related structures must be at least 3 metres inside the property boundary and comply with current building rules. A coop that stands too close to the boundary or fails to meet building requirements can prompt a demand that it be moved or removed, regardless of the animal-keeping itself.
Do I have to register the hens with the authorities?
Hens kept solely for your own consumption need no traceability number from the Food and Veterinary Authority, but the flock may need registering for disease-control reasons. During avian-flu preparedness the authority can also order poultry to be kept indoors, regardless of the municipal permit for the hen-keeping.
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