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Beekeeping Laws by City

Check U.S. city beekeeping laws, registration, hive limits, and official sources. Verify your address before installing a hive.

14 city guides and 3 state guides, each with official sources and a review date

Start with the city, then verify the property

Beekeeping rules can overlap at city, county, and state level. Zoning for a specific parcel, a lease, condo or HOA rules, and permission to use a roof or shared space may add another layer. A ZIP code alone does not confirm that a hive is allowed at a particular address.

If your city is not listed, follow our guide to checking beekeeping laws for your address to identify the right government offices and records. It is a step-by-step lookup method, not a nationwide legal database.

State beekeeping laws

Start with your state layer — registration, inspection and (in some states) protection from local bans — then drill into your city below.

California

California requires apiary registration with your county agricultural commissioner. Add city zoning — LA, SF, San Diego all differ — and Africanized-bee rules.

Florida

Florida preempts local bee bans: FS 586.10 gives the state sole authority over managed colonies. Register with FDACS and follow the BMRs to qualify.

Texas

Texas regulates bee health through TAIS and Agriculture Code Chapter 131 — but hive rules come from cities, HOAs and deed restrictions. Here's the full stack.

Find your city

Austin skyline with urban apiary

Austin, TX

Is beekeeping legal in Austin? Complete guide to Chapter 3-6 regulations, hive density limits, flyway barriers, and enforcement for urban beekeepers.

Last updated: 2/1/2026
Rooftop beehives in a dense city neighborhood, similar to Boston apiary sites

Boston, MA

Boston allows residential beekeeping citywide with up to three hives per lot or roof, a $25 registration, and setback rules. Check the official sources.

Last updated: 7/26/2026
Chicago rooftops

Chicago, IL

Chicago allows up to five honey bee colonies as an accessory use. Illinois registration is required. Check zoning and current official rules.

Last updated: 7/22/2026
Denver skyline with urban apiary

Denver, CO

Is beekeeping legal in Denver? Complete guide to Zoning Code Article 11, the 2-hive limit, 5ft setbacks, and flyway barrier rules.

Last updated: 2/1/2026
Backyard beehive behind a tall privacy fence, a common Houston-style setup

Houston, TX

Houston has no citywide beekeeping ordinance or zoning, but deed restrictions, nuisance law, and Texas state rules still apply. Verify before you install.

Last updated: 7/26/2026
Los Angeles skyline with urban greenery

Los Angeles, CA

Is beekeeping legal in LA? Complete guide to Ordinance 183920, hive limits, registration, and flyway rules for Los Angeles urban beekeepers.

Last updated: 2/1/2026
Rooftop hives with NYC skyline

New York City, NY

Honey bees are legal in NYC, but city and state registration are required. Learn deadlines, hive care, water, nuisance rules, and official sources.

Last updated: 7/22/2026
Honey bees foraging across an urban neighborhood landscape

Philadelphia, PA

Beekeeping is practiced across Philadelphia, but Pennsylvania requires apiary registration ($10 for two years). Here is how the state and city layers fit.

Last updated: 7/26/2026
Beehive placed under shade protection during extreme desert heat

Phoenix, AZ

Phoenix City Code 8-8 allows bees on lots of 6,000+ sq ft: one hive per 1,700 sq ft, 5-foot setbacks, mandatory water. Smaller lots need neighbor consent.

Last updated: 7/26/2026
Portland skyline with urban apiary

Portland, OR

Is beekeeping legal in Portland? Complete guide to City Code Title 13, hive limits (4 per lot), setbacks, and neighbor notification rules.

Last updated: 2/1/2026
Honey bee foraging on garden flowers in a sunny Southern California yard

San Diego, CA

San Diego allows two hives at single-family homes with 15-foot setbacks, a 6-foot barrier, re-queening every two years, and county registration within 30 days.

Last updated: 7/26/2026
Beehive with Golden Gate Bridge in the background

San Francisco, CA

Honey bee hives may be kept in San Francisco, but California apiary registration—and possibly a fee—apply in 2026. Check property rules first.

Last updated: 7/22/2026
Seattle skyline with urban apiary

Seattle, WA

Is beekeeping legal in Seattle? Complete guide to hive limits (4 per lot), state registration, and setback rules for urban beekeepers.

Last updated: 2/1/2026
Urban bee flight path over row houses, similar to Washington, DC apiary settings

Washington, DC

Beekeeping is legal in Washington, DC. Register colonies with DOEE within 30 days, keep hives 15 feet from property lines, and mind the four-hive rule.

Last updated: 7/26/2026

Before you install a city hive

  1. Read the city guide and open its linked government sources.
  2. Check state or county apiary registration and inspection requirements.
  3. Confirm parcel zoning and obtain permission for any rented, shared, rooftop, or condo space.
  4. Plan water, flight paths, swarm control, and access for safe inspections.
  5. Recheck the rules before adding colonies, moving a hive, or selling bees.

Continue with our beginner setup plan, rooftop hive checklist, or beehive insurance guide after completing the legal check.

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