Keeping hens · Territory rules

Can you keep backyard chickens in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia?

In the ACT, a property where 100 or more small poultry are kept must have a property identification code (PIC); whether smaller flocks must register wasn't established.

Read from 3 official sources51 passages quotedChecked October 26, 2026

At a glance

Registering your flock

Conditions apply

Territory keeping rule

Rule with conditions

Bird-flu housing orders

Status needs rechecking

Welfare rules

Rule identified

A sourced reading of the law in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia, not legal advice. Local bylaws and zoning, property or tenancy rules, and any local rooster or coop limits aren't covered here yet: check your local rules before you get hens.

Keeping your flock

These findings cover the scope stated below. They do not determine whether chickens are allowed at a particular home. City zoning, property restrictions and other local rules are outside this research.

Registering as a poultry keeper

Conditions apply to this finding

Jurisdiction: Australian Capital Territory

Applies to: Properties in the ACT where 100 or more small poultry are kept, under the Biosecurity (National Livestock Identification System) Regulation 2025 (Republication No 3, effective 16 May 2026).

Outside this finding's scope

  • The duty does not apply to a property that is a veterinary practice where stock do not stay overnight.
  • Flocks of fewer than 100 small poultry are not relevant stock under section 9(1)(e); whether any other ACT rule asks smaller flocks to register was not established from the sections read.

What the checked sources say

  • Each relevant person for a property where relevant stock is kept must ensure the property has a property identification code (PIC). Relevant stock includes 100 or more small poultry, meaning chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, ducks, geese, quails, pigeons, pheasants and partridges.
  • Relevant persons include the occupier of the property, the owner of any of the stock and the person in charge of any of the stock. Depending on the land, they also include the lessee of leased land, the licensee of unleased land held under a Planning Act 2023 section 378 licence, or the custodian of unleased land that has one.
  • A relevant person applies to the director-general for the PIC. A PIC is not transferable, but the director-general may transfer it to a new property made up of all or part of the old property.
  • The PIC fee was not found in the regulation sections read.

Thresholds

  • 100 or more small poultry kept on the property.

Exemptions and their limits

  • A property that is a veterinary practice where stock do not stay overnight.

Authority: The director-general (applications under section 12).

Fee: Not established from the sources checked.

The official wording

  • Republication No 3 Effective: 16 May 2026

    cover page · Checked

  • (e) 100 or more small poultry;

    section 9(1)(e), printed page 5 · Checked

  • small poultry means chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, ducks, geese, quails, pigeons, pheasants and partridges.

    section 9(2), printed page 6 · Checked

  • Each relevant person for a property where relevant stock is kept must ensure that the property has a property identification code.

    section 10(1), printed page 6 · Checked

  • This section does not apply to a property that is a veterinary practice where stock do not stay overnight.

    section 10(3), printed page 6 · Checked

  • if the property is on leased land—the lessee of the land;

    section 7(1)(a)(i), printed page 4 · Checked

  • if the property is on unleased land that is held under a licence to occupy or use the land granted under the Planning Act 2023, section 378—the licensee of the land;

    section 7(1)(a)(ii), printed page 4 · Checked

  • if the property is on unleased land that has a custodian— the custodian of the land;

    section 7(1)(a)(iii), printed page 4 · Checked

  • (iv) the occupier of the property; and (v) the owner of any of the relevant stock kept on the property; and (vi) the person in charge of any of the relevant stock kept on the property;

    section 7(1)(a)(iv)–(vi), printed page 4 · Checked

  • A relevant person for a property may apply to the director-general for a property identification code for the property.

    section 12(1), printed page 7 · Checked

  • A property identification code is not transferable.

    section 14(1), printed page 7 · Checked

  • However, the director-general may transfer a property identification code from 1 property (the old property) to another property (the new property) if the new property comprises all or part of the old property.

    section 14(2), printed page 7 · Checked

Bird-flu housing orders

Current status needs rechecking

An official current-status link has not been established.

Orders can change between checks. A missed check or an expired order does not establish that no order applies.

Housing-order finding as checked on 2026-10-26

The scope and conditions below are a dated record, not confirmation of today's position.

Conditions apply to this finding

Uses housing orders in this scope: Yes, according to the checked evidence, within the limits listed under “Outside this finding’s scope” below.

Jurisdiction: Australian Capital Territory

Applies to: Biosecurity emergency and control declarations by the ACT Minister, and biosecurity directions by authorised persons, under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (Republication No 3, effective 26 November 2025), whose measures can require animals, including poultry, to be isolated, confined or detained.

Outside this finding's scope

  • These powers do not themselves require birds to be housed; a requirement exists only while a declaration or direction that imposes one is in force.
  • Whether any emergency declaration applies now was not established, and no official ACT status page could be read for this page.

What the checked sources say

  • If the Minister is satisfied, or reasonably suspects, that a current or likely biosecurity risk may have a significant biosecurity impact, the Minister may declare a biosecurity emergency. The declaration sets out the emergency measures, the area or premises where they apply (the emergency zone), the people they apply to and when it expires.
  • Emergency measures may require the isolation, confinement or detention of any biosecurity matter, which includes an animal. A measure must be no more onerous than the Minister considers necessary, given the nature of the emergency.
  • A declaration ends 6 months after it comes into force, or at an earlier time it states, and the Minister may extend it by further periods of up to 6 months each.
  • The Minister may also make a control declaration to manage a biosecurity risk or impact, whose control measures may require the isolation, confinement or detention of biosecurity matter in the area or premises it names (the control zone), and an authorised person may give a person a biosecurity direction that may require the isolation, confinement or detention of any biosecurity matter.
  • Whether a declaration or direction requiring poultry to be confined applies now was not established; the Minister makes emergency and control declarations, and authorised persons give biosecurity directions.
Checked
Recheck due

Historical evidence, as checked

These quotations record what was checked on the dates shown. They do not confirm an order's current status.

  • Republication No 3 Effective: 26 November 2025

    cover page · Checked

  • If the Minister is satisfied, or reasonably suspects, that there is a current or likely to happen biosecurity risk that may have a significant biosecurity impact, the Minister may declare a biosecurity emergency (an emergency declaration).

    section 38(1), printed page 26 · Checked

  • (b) the measures the Minister considers reasonably necessary to respond to the emergency (the emergency measures); (c) the area or premises where the emergency measures apply (the emergency zone); (d) the people to whom the emergency measures apply; (e) when the declaration expires.

    section 38(2)(b)–(e), printed page 26 · Checked

  • In particular, emergency measures may prohibit, regulate, control, require or authorise any of the following:

    section 42(2) opening, printed page 28 · Checked

  • (d) the isolation, confinement or detention of any biosecurity matter or other thing;

    section 42(2)(d), printed page 28 · Checked

  • biosecurity matter means any of the following: (a) an animal, plant or other living thing, including an animal product, plant product or product of another living thing;

    section 8(1)(a), printed page 5 · Checked

  • ensure that an emergency measure is no more onerous than the Minister considers necessary, taking into account the nature of the biosecurity emergency; and

    section 41(a), printed page 28 · Checked

  • An emergency declaration— (a) comes into force immediately after it is made, or at any later time stated in the declaration; and (b) ends 6 months after it comes into force, or any earlier time stated in the declaration.

    section 39(1), printed page 27 · Checked

  • The Minister may extend, or further extend, an emergency declaration for an additional period of not longer than 6 months.

    section 39(2), printed page 27 · Checked

  • If the Minister is satisfied that it is necessary to manage a biosecurity risk or biosecurity impact, the Minister may make a declaration (a control declaration).

    section 51(1), printed page 36 · Checked

  • (c) the area or premises where the control measures apply (the control zone);

    section 51(2)(c), printed page 36 · Checked

  • In particular, control measures may prohibit, regulate, control, require or authorise any of the following:

    section 55(2) opening, printed page 38 · Checked

  • (d) the isolation, confinement or detention of any biosecurity matter or other thing;

    section 55(2)(d), printed page 38 · Checked

  • An authorised person may give a biosecurity direction to a person by—

    section 147(1) opening, printed page 90 · Checked

  • A biosecurity direction may prohibit, regulate, control or require any of the following:

    section 148 opening, printed page 91 · Checked

  • (d) the isolation, confinement or detention of any biosecurity matter or other thing;

    section 148(d), printed page 91 · Checked

  • animal means any of the following, whether alive or dead: (a) a member of the animal kingdom, other than a human, including an amphibian, bird, crustacean, fish, insect, mammal, mollusc, reptile and any other vertebrate or invertebrate member of the animal kingdom;

    Dictionary, animal (a), printed page 158 · Checked

Small-flock welfare minimums

Rule identified for the scope below

Jurisdiction: Australian Capital Territory

Applies to: Live chickens, including privately kept flocks, under the Animal Welfare Act 1992 (Republication No 36, effective 6 December 2025). The section 9A accommodation rule covers only commercial egg production.

Outside this finding's scope

  • Section 6B does not apply if the person has a reasonable excuse, and the section 20 code-of-practice exception can apply to it.
  • Section 9A does not cover egg production whose main purpose is the producer’s own consumption.
  • The section 20 code-of-practice exception does not apply to sections 9A and 9C.
  • Approved and mandatory codes of practice were not read for this page, so no code requirement is stated; whether a mandatory code of practice applies to poultry keepers was not established.

What the checked sources say

  • The Act covers live birds. A person in charge of an animal includes its owner and anyone with custody or control of it; if that person acts as someone else’s employee or agent, the employer or principal is also a person in charge, and so is the occupier of a saleyard where the animal is confined.
  • A person in charge commits an offence if they fail to give the animal appropriate food, water, treatment for illness, disease or injury, shelter or accommodation, a clean and hygienic living environment, grooming and maintenance, exercise, opportunities to display normal behaviour, or care appropriate for its wellbeing. Appropriate means suitable for the animal’s needs, having regard to its species, environment and circumstances.
  • Treatment includes veterinary treatment, including preventive treatment, where a reasonable person would expect it to be sought. The duty does not apply if the person has a reasonable excuse, and under section 20 the Part 2 offences (other than listed provisions) do not apply to conduct in accordance with an approved or mandatory code of practice.
  • Section 9A makes it an offence to keep laying fowls (female domesticated chickens aged 16 weeks or older) for commercial egg production without appropriate accommodation, meaning accommodation that meets or improves on the Eggs (Labelling and Sale) Regulation 2019 conditions for aviary, barn or free-range eggs. Egg production whose main purpose is producing eggs for the person’s own consumption is not commercial egg production.
  • Removing or trimming the beak of a female domesticated chicken is an offence, unless a veterinary practitioner does it for a therapeutic purpose. The section 20 code-of-practice exception does not apply to sections 9A or 9C.

The official wording

  • Republication No 36 Effective: 6 December 2025

    cover page · Checked

  • animal means— (a) a live member of a vertebrate species, including— (i) an amphibian; and (ii) a bird; and

    Dictionary, animal, printed page 138 · Checked

  • person in charge, in relation to an animal, means— (a) the owner of the animal; or (b) a person having the custody or control of the animal; or

    Dictionary, person in charge (a)–(b), printed page 142 · Checked

  • (c) if a person mentioned in paragraph (b) is acting as the employee or agent of someone else—the other person; or (d) if the animal is confined in a saleyard—the occupier of the saleyard.

    Dictionary, person in charge (c)–(d), printed page 142 · Checked

  • A person in charge of an animal commits an offence if the person fails to give the animal— (a) appropriate food; or (b) appropriate water; or (c) appropriate treatment for illness, disease or injury; or (d) appropriate shelter or accommodation; or (e) a clean and hygienic living environment; or

    section 6B(1)(a)–(e), printed page 6 · Checked

  • (f) appropriate grooming and maintenance; or (g) appropriate exercise; or (h) appropriate opportunities to display behaviour that is normal for the animal; or (i) care that is appropriate for the animal’s wellbeing.

    section 6B(1)(f)–(i), printed page 6 · Checked

  • Subsection (1) does not apply if the person has a reasonable excuse.

    section 6B(2), printed page 6 · Checked

  • appropriate, in relation to an animal, means suitable for the needs of the animal having regard to the species, environment and circumstances of the animal.

    section 6B(3), printed page 6 · Checked

  • treatment includes veterinary treatment, including preventative treatment, if a reasonable person would expect veterinary treatment to be sought in the circumstances.

    section 6B(3), printed page 7 · Checked

  • This part (other than the following provisions) does not apply if the conduct making up the offence was in accordance with an approved code of practice or a mandatory code of practice:

    section 20 opening, printed page 30 · Checked

  • (a) section 9A (Keeping laying fowls for commercial egg production—appropriate accommodation);

    section 20(a), printed page 30 · Checked

  • (c) section 9C (Removing or trimming beak of fowl);

    section 20(c), printed page 31 · Checked

  • A person commits an offence if— (a) the person keeps laying fowls for commercial egg production; and (b) the fowls are not kept in appropriate accommodation.

    section 9A(1), printed page 13 · Checked

  • commercial egg production does not include egg production by a person the main purpose of which is the production of eggs for the person’s own consumption.

    section 9A(3), printed page 14 · Checked

  • laying fowl means a female domesticated chicken (Gallus gallus) that is 16 weeks old or older.

    section 9A(3), printed page 14 · Checked

  • appropriate accommodation, for laying fowls kept by a person, means accommodation that is in accordance with, or an improvement on, the conditions stated in the Eggs (Labelling and Sale) Regulation 2019 in relation to— (a) aviary eggs; or (b) barn eggs; or (c) free-range eggs.

    section 9A(3), printed page 14 · Checked

  • A person commits an offence if the person removes or trims the beak of a fowl.

    section 9C(1), printed page 15 · Checked

  • This section does not apply to a veterinary practitioner who removes or trims the beak for a therapeutic purpose.

    section 9C(2), printed page 15 · Checked

  • fowl means a female domesticated chicken (Gallus gallus).

    section 9C(4), printed page 15 · Checked

Rules on keeping poultry

Conditions apply to this finding

Jurisdiction: Australian Capital Territory

Applies to: The general biosecurity duty in the ACT Biosecurity Act 2023 (Republication No 3, effective 26 November 2025), which applies to anyone dealing with biosecurity matter, including animals, who knows or reasonably ought to know of a biosecurity risk.

Outside this finding's scope

  • No ACT-wide permission or ban on keeping chickens was found in the Biosecurity Act 2023, Animal Welfare Act 1992 and NLIS Regulation 2025 sections read. Planning, lease and other rules on where chickens may be kept were not read.

What the checked sources say

  • A person who deals with biosecurity matter or a carrier and knows, or reasonably ought to know, that it poses a biosecurity risk has a general biosecurity duty to take all reasonable steps to manage that risk. Biosecurity matter includes an animal.

The official wording

  • If a person deals with biosecurity matter or a carrier and the person knows, or reasonably ought to know, that the matter, carrier or dealing poses a biosecurity risk, the person has a duty (the general biosecurity duty) to take all reasonable steps to manage the risk.

    section 22, printed page 14 · Checked

  • Republication No 3 Effective: 26 November 2025

    cover page · Checked

  • biosecurity matter means any of the following: (a) an animal, plant or other living thing, including an animal product, plant product or product of another living thing;

    section 8(1)(a), printed page 5 · Checked

Selling eggs in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia? →Licence, small-flock line, markets and cartons, on their own page.Selling: Licence: depends

Elsewhere in Australia

Every region on the map →

Common questions

Do I have to register backyard chickens in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia?
Registration: conditions apply. The finding covers: Properties in the ACT where 100 or more small poultry are kept, under the Biosecurity (National Livestock Identification System) Regulation 2025 (Republication No 3, effective 16 May 2026). 100 or more small poultry kept on the property. Outside this finding's scope: The duty does not apply to a property that is a veterinary practice where stock do not stay overnight. Flocks of fewer than 100 small poultry are not relevant stock under section 9(1)(e); whether any other ACT rule asks smaller flocks to register was not established from the sections read. Exemptions and their limits: A property that is a veterinary practice where stock do not stay overnight. Authority: The director-general (applications under section 12).
Can I keep chickens in my backyard in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia?
The sources we read don't settle it, and we haven't identified who decides. Check your local rules before you get hens.
Do I have to keep my hens indoors for bird flu in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia?
Housing orders come and go, so we never show one as current. We haven't confirmed an official current-status page for it.

Allowed where you live? Then keep the records.

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