Can you keep chickens in Township of Mount Laurel, NJ?
Yes, with a $12 annual license and a zoning permit. Lot size sets the number, from 3 hens on 5,000 square feet up to a maximum of 8, and roosters are not allowed.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | 3 to 8 hens, based on lot area |
| Roosters | Prohibited |
| Permit | Required: $12 annual license plus a zoning permit |
| Coop setback | Coop or run at least 10 feet from any adjacent property line and 3 feet from the principal structure |
| Lot size | No minimum stated |
Good to know
- Only one license is issued per household per year, and United States veterans are exempt from the fee.
- The property must be a detached single-family or two-family home; townhouse and multifamily yards are excluded.
- The coop may be up to 120 square feet and 8 feet tall; an attached run may be up to 200 square feet.
- Commercial sales of eggs, meat or fertilizer from the birds are not allowed.
Source: Township of Mount Laurel Code (eCode360), § 154-19D, Accessory uses (keeping of hens or other domestic fowl); see also §§ 70-30 and 70-31 (view the ordinance)
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district; always confirm the current rules with the Township of Mount Laurel clerk or zoning office before you build.
Chicken rules in nearby Burlington County towns
Building a coop in Township of Mount Laurel?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across BurlingtonCounty 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.