Can you keep backyard chickens in South Australia, Australia?
ABLIS says SA egg producers need a PIC if accredited: over 50 laying birds, or any eggs sold to a food business or another producer, at a market or wholesale. Whether a non-commercial keeper needs one wasn't established.
Read from 6 official sources32 passages quotedChecked October 26, 2026
At a glance
Registering your flock
State keeping rule
Bird-flu housing orders
Welfare rules
A sourced reading of the law in South Australia, 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: South Australia
Applies to: Commercial poultry egg or meat businesses in South Australia that need food safety accreditation, as described in the Australian Government’s ABLIS service listings read on 26 October 2026.
Outside this finding's scope
- These are service listings, not the legislation itself; the regulations were not read.
- Whether a non-commercial keeper must hold a PIC was not established. ABLIS’s statement that backyard producers giving eggs to friends and family do not need accreditation is about egg accreditation only, not PIC registration.
What the checked sources say
- ABLIS says you need a PIC if you intend to operate a commercial poultry egg and/or meat production business that needs food safety accreditation, and that accredited egg producers must also have a PIC.
- ABLIS says egg producers must be accredited if they have more than 50 laying birds and, whatever the number of birds, if they produce and sell eggs to a food business, to another egg producer, at a market or by wholesale. It says backyard producers who give eggs to friends and family do not need to be accredited.
- ABLIS lists who may register for a PIC: an owner or part owner, an occupier, an owner of stock, or a person responsible for managing or caring for stock on the property. It lists registration as lasting two years and not transferable, with one PIC per property; blocks within 100 kilometres need one PIC and blocks more than 100 kilometres apart each need their own.
Thresholds
- ABLIS links the PIC to egg-producer accreditation, which it says applies above 50 laying birds or, whatever the number, when eggs are sold to a food business, another egg producer, at a market or by wholesale.
Authority: Department of Primary Industries and Regions, Biosecurity SA (as named by ABLIS).
Fee: ABLIS lists the PIC application fee and renewal fee at $108.00 each for 2026-27.
The official wording
You will also need a PIC if you intend to operate a commercial poultry egg and / or meat production business that is needed to have food safety accreditation.
Description, poultry paragraph · Checked
If you are accredited for egg production, you must also have a property identification code (PIC) .
Description, PIC paragraph · Checked
Egg producers must be accredited if you have more than 50 laying birds. Regardless of bird numbers, egg producers must be accredited if you produce and sell eggs:
Description, threshold · Checked
Regardless of bird numbers, egg producers must be accredited if you produce and sell eggs: to a food business such as a supermarket, cafe, hotel or bakery to another egg producer at a market such as a farmers' market by wholesale.
Description, list · Checked
Backyard producers who give eggs to friends and family do not need to be accredited.
Description, backyard paragraph · Checked
You may register for a PIC if you are: an owner or part owner occupier owner of stock a person who has responsibility for managing or caring for stock on the property.
Eligibility requirements · Checked
Duration Two years
Duration · Checked
Apply Application All $108.00 Fees for 2026-27
Fees table, Apply row · Checked
Renew Renewal All $108.00 Fees for 2026-27
Fees table, Renew row · Checked
You will only need one PIC per property. Properties that have multiple blocks of land within 100 kilometres only need one PIC. Properties that have multiple blocks of land more than 100 kilometres apart must register for a PIC for each property.
Additional information · Checked
Registration cannot be transferred.
Transfer process · Checked
Administering agency Department of Primary Industries and Regions Biosecurity SA
Administering agency · 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: South Australia
Applies to: Ministerial notices and inspectors’ orders for controlling or eradicating disease under the Livestock Act 1997 (version of 8 December 2022), read in the Internet Archive copy of the South Australian legislation site’s current-version file as archived on 27 March 2025; later changes were not checked.
Outside this finding's scope
- These powers do not themselves require birds to be housed; a requirement exists only while a notice or order that imposes one is in force.
- Whether any notice or order requiring poultry to be confined applies now was not established, and no official South Australian status page could be read for this page.
What the checked sources say
- Livestock includes poultry. To control or eradicate disease or contamination, the Minister may, by notice in the Gazette, impose requirements of the kinds in Schedule 1 or any other requirement reasonably required; the notice must state how long it stays in force, and failing to comply without the Chief Inspector’s approval is an offence.
- An inspector who knows or has reason to suspect that livestock are affected with, or in danger of becoming affected with, a disease or contaminant may issue an order to control or eradicate it, and the person given the order must comply.
- Schedule 1 requirements include detaining or confining livestock at a specified place for a specified period.
- Whether any notice or order requiring poultry to be confined applies now was not established; the Minister issues notices and inspectors issue orders.
- 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.
Version: 8.12.2022
cover (Internet Archive copy, archived 27 March 2025) · Checked
livestock means animals kept or usually kept in a domestic or captive state, including— (a) poultry; and
section 3(1), livestock, printed page 5 · Checked
For the purposes of controlling or eradicating disease or contamination, the Minister may, by notice in the Gazette, impose— (a) one or more requirements of the kinds set out in Schedule 1; or (b) any other requirement reasonably required in the circumstances.
section 37(1), printed page 19 · Checked
(2) The notice must state the period for which it will remain in force.
section 37(2), printed page 19 · Checked
(4) A person who, without the approval of the Chief Inspector, contravenes or fails to comply with a notice under this section is guilty of an offence.
section 37(4), printed page 20 · Checked
(1) If an inspector knows or has reason to suspect that livestock, livestock products or other property is affected with, or in danger of becoming affected with, a disease or contaminant, the inspector may issue an order under this section for the purposes of controlling or eradicating the disease or contamination.
section 38(1), printed page 20 · Checked
(5) A person to whom an order is issued under this section must comply with the order.
section 38(5), printed page 21 · Checked
For the purposes of controlling or eradicating disease or contamination by notice or order under Part 4 Division 4, requirements may be imposed—
Schedule 1, opening, printed page 43 · Checked
(ii) detaining or confining the livestock, livestock products or other property at a specified place for a specified period;
Schedule 1(b)(ii), printed page 43 · Checked
Small-flock welfare minimums
Conditions apply to this finding
Jurisdiction: South Australia
Applies to: Owners and other people dealing with chickens in South Australia under the Animal Welfare Act 1985 (version of 14 July 2023), read in the Internet Archive copy of the South Australian legislation site’s current-version file as archived on 4 December 2025; later changes were not checked. The Department for Environment and Water said on 26 October 2026 that the 1985 Act remains in place until a new Act becomes operational.
Outside this finding's scope
- Nothing in the Act makes unlawful anything done in accordance with a prescribed code of practice relating to animals; the prescribed codes were not read.
- It is a defence to the basic ill-treatment offence if the offence did not result from any failure to take reasonable care.
What the checked sources say
- The Act covers members of any vertebrate species other than humans and fish. A person who ill treats an animal is guilty of an offence; a more serious offence applies where ill treatment causes death or serious harm and the person intends it or is reckless about it.
- Ill treatment includes intentionally, unreasonably or recklessly causing an animal unnecessary harm. For an owner, it includes failing to provide appropriate and adequate food, water, living conditions or exercise, failing to take reasonable steps to mitigate harm the animal suffers, abandoning it, or neglecting it so as to cause it harm.
- The Department for Environment and Water says animals in South Australia must be treated in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act 1985 and the Animal Welfare Regulations 2012, that the Act applies equally to all animals, and that compliance is mandatory. It says the new Animal Welfare Act will become operational once its regulations have been passed and the 1985 Act remains in place in the meantime.
The official wording
Version: 14.7.2023
cover (Internet Archive copy, archived 4 December 2025) · Checked
animal means a member of any species of the sub-phylum vertebrata except— (a) a human being; or (b) a fish, and includes any prescribed animal;
section 3, animal, printed page 3 · Checked
(2) A person who ill treats an animal is guilty of an offence.
section 13(2), printed page 7 · Checked
(a) intentionally, unreasonably or recklessly causes the animal unnecessary harm;
section 13(3)(a), printed page 7 · Checked
(b) being the owner of the animal— (i) fails to provide it with appropriate, and adequate, food, water, living conditions (whether temporary or permanent) or exercise; or (ii) fails to take reasonable steps to mitigate harm suffered by the animal; or (iii) abandons the animal; or (iv) neglects the animal so as to cause it harm; or
section 13(3)(b), printed page 7 · Checked
(5) It is a defence to a charge of an offence against subsection (2) if the defendant proves that the offence did not result from any failure on the part of the defendant to take reasonable care to avoid the commission of the offence.
section 13(5), printed page 8 · Checked
Nothing in this Act renders unlawful anything done in accordance with a prescribed code of practice relating to animals.
section 43 · Checked
(b) the ill treatment causes the death of, or serious harm to, the animal; and (c) the person intends to cause, or is reckless about causing, the death of, or serious harm to, the animal, the person is guilty of an offence.
section 13(1)(b)–(c), printed page 7 · Checked
Animals in South Australia must be treated in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act 1985 (the Act) and the Animal Welfare Regulations 2012 .
Animal welfare legislation, opening · Checked
The Act applies equally to all animals regardless of their value or status (ie threatened or pest species). Compliance with the requirements of the Act is mandatory.
The new Animal Welfare Act will become operational once the regulations for the Act have been passed. Regulations provide the rules for how the Act will be implemented. In the meantime, the Animal Welfare Act 1985 will remain in place, and there will be no changes.
Next steps · Checked
Rules on keeping poultry
Not established from the sources checked
Jurisdiction: South Australia
Applies to: Statewide rules on keeping chickens at a property in South Australia.
Outside this finding's scope
- No statewide permission or ban on keeping chickens was found in the Livestock Act 1997 and Animal Welfare Act 1985 provisions read. Council by-laws and planning rules were not read, and who sets local rules was not established.
Elsewhere in Australia
- Australian Capital TerritoryRegistration: conditions applyRegistration: conditions
- New South WalesRegistration: conditions applyRegistration: conditions
- Northern TerritoryRegistration: requiredRegistration required
- QueenslandRegistration: conditions applyRegistration: conditions
- TasmaniaRegistration: not establishedNot established
- VictoriaRegistration: conditions applyRegistration: conditions
- Western AustraliaRegistration: conditions applyRegistration: conditions
Common questions
- Do I have to register backyard chickens in South Australia, Australia?
- Registration: conditions apply. The finding covers: Commercial poultry egg or meat businesses in South Australia that need food safety accreditation, as described in the Australian Government’s ABLIS service listings read on 26 October 2026. ABLIS links the PIC to egg-producer accreditation, which it says applies above 50 laying birds or, whatever the number, when eggs are sold to a food business, another egg producer, at a market or by wholesale. Outside this finding's scope: These are service listings, not the legislation itself; the regulations were not read. Whether a non-commercial keeper must hold a PIC was not established. ABLIS’s statement that backyard producers giving eggs to friends and family do not need accreditation is about egg accreditation only, not PIC registration. Authority: Department of Primary Industries and Regions, Biosecurity SA (as named by ABLIS).
- Can I keep chickens in my backyard in South Australia, 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 South Australia, 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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