Can you keep chickens in City of Hoboken, NJ?
Only with a license. Hoboken's code never uses the words chicken, hen, poultry or fowl, but it makes keeping livestock a nuisance unless the Health Officer licenses it.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | Not specified |
| Roosters | Not specified |
| Permit | Required: a license from the Health Officer to keep livestock |
| Coop setback | Not specified |
| Lot size | Not specified |
Good to know
- Chapter 136 does not define livestock, so whether hens count is decided by the Health Officer.
- Keeping any animal under unsanitary conditions is separately listed as a prohibited nuisance.
- Continuous barking or crying of dogs, birds or other animals is also a prohibited nuisance, which is the provision a crowing rooster would hit.
- A full-text search of the code for poultry, fowl, chicken and chickens returns only food handling and peddler references.
Source: City of Hoboken Code (eCode360), § 136-2A(24), Prohibited acts (view the ordinance)
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district; always confirm the current rules with the City of Hoboken clerk or zoning office before you build.
Chicken rules in nearby Hudson County towns
Building a coop in City of Hoboken?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across HudsonCounty and all of New Jersey, sized to your flock and built to your town's rules.
In an HOA? The town allowing hens is not the same as your association allowing them. What an HOA can and cannot stop.
New to this? Start with how to raise chickens in NJ, or what a coop costs.
Ready to keep your flock safe?
Tell us about your animals and your land. We'll design a coop built to last, on-site, just for you.