Missouri's Backyard Chicken Law Was Ruled Unconstitutional. Here's What That Means for Flock Owners.

Missouri passed House Bill 2062 in 2024 with broad support. The law was relatively simple: it allowed residents on lots of at least 0.2 acres to keep up to 6 hens, and it overrode HOA CC&Rs that banned them. For Missouri's growing population of urban and suburban flock owners, it looked like a decisive victory.

Then, in October 2025, a Cole County Circuit Court judge ruled the entire bill unconstitutional — not because of the chicken provisions themselves, but because of how the bill was constructed under Missouri's constitutional requirements for single-subject legislation. The HOA-override provision, combined with unrelated elements in the bill, created a constitutional problem. The judge threw out the whole law.

The state has appealed. As of this writing, the appeal is pending at the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District. The ruling stands in the meantime.

What Was HB 2062?

Missouri House Bill 2062, passed in 2024, did three things relevant to backyard flock owners:

1. Established a statewide baseline allowing residents on lots of 0.2 acres or more to keep up to 6 hens.
2. Explicitly prohibited HOA CC&Rs from banning chickens on qualifying lots.
3. Made clear that local municipalities could still regulate (but not prohibit outright) chicken-keeping consistent with the state baseline.

For the roughly 60+ percent of Missouri's HOA residents who previously had blanket chicken bans in their CC&Rs, the bill was transformative. Many residents began acquiring hens in 2024 relying on its protections.

Why Was It Struck Down?

Missouri's Constitution, Article III, Section 23, requires that every bill contain only one subject, clearly expressed in its title. The Cole County Circuit Court found that HB 2062 violated this single-subject rule by bundling the chicken provisions together with unrelated regulatory matters. The court did not rule on whether the chicken policy itself was good or bad — only that the legislative packaging was unconstitutional.

This type of ruling is more common than it sounds. Missouri courts have struck down laws on single-subject grounds before. The fix — if the state legislature wants to pass a similar law — is to reintroduce the chicken provisions cleanly in a standalone bill with a title that clearly covers only that subject.

What Does This Mean If You Already Have Chickens?

This depends on where you live. There are three situations:

You live outside an HOA (no CC&Rs)

The ruling has minimal effect on you. Your rights depend on your city or county ordinance, not on HB 2062. If your city permits chickens, you're still fine. If your city prohibits them, you were already in violation regardless of HB 2062.

You live in an HOA that previously banned chickens and you got chickens after HB 2062 passed

This is the most difficult situation. With HB 2062 gone, your HOA's original CC&R ban is back in effect. Your HOA could resume enforcement — including fines — for chickens acquired during the period when you believed the law protected you. Some HOAs may choose not to enforce against existing flocks; others may not. You should consult a Missouri HOA attorney if you receive a notice.

You live in an HOA that updated its CC&Rs to allow chickens after HB 2062

If your HOA formally amended its CC&Rs during 2024 to permit chickens — and that amendment was properly recorded — those amended CC&Rs remain in effect. The ruling doesn't un-amend HOA documents that were voluntarily changed. Check your HOA's recorded documents to see what version of the CC&Rs governs your community.

What Missouri Flock Owners Should Do Now

1. Check your city's ordinance first. Many Missouri cities — including Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia, and Springfield — have their own ordinances permitting backyard chickens. Your city's code governs regardless of HB 2062.
2. Pull your HOA's current CC&Rs. Get the most recently recorded version from your county recorder's office (or your HOA management company). Read what they say about livestock or poultry.
3. Don't assume your HOA won't enforce. Even if they've been quiet, the ruling restores their legal authority. If you're in violation under the restored CC&Rs, that violation exists whether or not the HOA has sent a notice.
4. Monitor the appeal. If Missouri's Court of Appeals reverses the circuit court, HB 2062 would be reinstated. This is not a resolved situation — it's actively in progress.
5. Contact your state representative. If you want this law reinstated, the legislature can pass a clean single-subject bill with the same provisions. Constituent calls and emails drive that kind of reintroduction.

Missouri Cities With Their Own Ordinances (Still In Effect)

Always verify current rules directly with your city. Ordinances are updated periodically and this table reflects publicly available information as of late 2025.