Louisiana Beekeeping Laws: Apiary Permits & Fees

Louisiana requires apiary registration and a permit, including hobby operations that qualify for a zero-dollar fee. R.S. 3:2305 requires annual registration on or before October 1, or before bringing honeybees or beekeeping equipment into the state.

Use the application linked by LDAF’s bee program and report the actual operation and yards. Confirm the permit class and any movement conditions with LDAF before accepting an interstate shipment. Local property permission is a separate decision.

Permit Period and Small-Apiary Fees

The January 2026 application says all permits expire September 30 and that an application is required even when no payment is due.

Colony count	Class A fee	Class B fee
1–10	$0	$16
11–25	$4	$16
26–100	$10	$40
101–300	$20	$80

These are the small-to-medium bands shown on the form, not the entire fee schedule or a local colony allowance. For a larger operation, use the full current schedule and statutory boundary counts when calculating payment.

Select the Correct Permit Class

The form directs Louisiana residents to Class A and nonresidents to Class B. The statute also describes a Class A eligibility route for certain applicants with three consecutive years of registered Louisiana operations, inspections and demonstrated disease control. Ask LDAF to resolve the actual status instead of assuming a mailing address alone determines domicile.

Prepare the parish locations, hive counts, yard counts and operation types. Separate a keeper’s home address from apiary locations when completing the worksheet. Keep the submitted list with the permit and update information using the agency’s current instructions.

The statute has specific provisions for later acquisitions and permit transfers. A new keeper without a current permit should not use the later-acquisition provision to postpone an initial application. Give LDAF the acquisition date and registration history before relying on an exception.

Plan Inspections and Interstate Movement

LDAF provides inspection requests and explains that inspections may be needed for sales of queens, packages or used equipment and for interstate movements. Contact the program with origin, contents, destination and dates before scheduling transport.

An annual permit does not describe every shipment’s health status. Ask about certificates, location conditions and any disease-control restriction for the actual load. Retain the accepted documents and seller information, especially for purchases including comb.

Keep suspect material separate while obtaining qualified advice. Record colony identifiers and observations so an inspector can connect a concern to the relevant purchase and yard.

Check the Parish or City and Honey Business

Use the address-level legal checklist to identify the responsible parish or municipal office. Give the actual parcel and proposed layout, including entrances, water, paths and maintenance access. Obtain written permission for land you do not own.

If selling jars, review home honey-business questions and classify the food activity separately. A no-fee apiary permit does not itself create a honey-processing or sales exemption.

Legal and safety alert: File even when the fee is zero. Confirm permit class, renewal timing and movement conditions before importing or relocating colonies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a zero-dollar Louisiana fee mean no application?

No. LDAF’s current application expressly requires filing even when no fee is due. Submit the operation and location details rather than treating the fee exemption as a permit exemption.

How should a new Louisiana keeper choose Class A or Class B?

Describe domicile and registration history to LDAF. Use its current form and statutory eligibility rules; do not choose a class only because its fee is lower.