Maine Beekeeping Laws: Apiary Licenses & Import Permits
By UrbanBee Editorial TeamSources checked Oct 3, 2026
⚠️ Not Legal Advice: Summaries for educational purposes only. Verify with official Maine authorities.
Anyone keeping honeybees in Maine must obtain an apiary license, and importing bees or used bee equipment requires a separate advance permit. Maine DACF’s apiary program links the current license application, import notification and fee schedule.
Prepare the colony counts and physical yard locations before filing. For an interstate purchase, coordinate the origin inspection and Maine permit before the supplier dispatches the order. Check the town’s parcel requirements and property permission separately.
Annual Licensing and Colony Counts
Title 7, section 2701 requires annual notification of keeping bees and their location, plus the annual fee for bees kept on June 15. A new keeper should ask DACF for the applicable filing instructions rather than postpone licensing until the next June.
The fee schedule currently linked by DACF gives these smaller-operation bands:
| Colony count | License fee | Planning note |
|---|---|---|
| 1–10 | $10 | The smallest band still requires licensing |
| 11–30 | $20 | Record the correct operation count |
| 31–70 | $30 | Update yard locations with the application |
| 71–100 | $40 | Check the full schedule when expanding |
These are fee bands, not allowances for a residential parcel. Use the complete linked schedule for a larger operation and ask DACF about payment for the intended import and resident-license activity.
Keep a copy of the submitted application and confirmation. Name each yard consistently so colony counts are attributable to the locations. If equipment or colonies are managed for another owner, describe the arrangement to the program when determining who files.
Import Approval Before Shipment
Section 2751 requires the application, certified health document and fee to reach the department, and the permit to be issued before movement into Maine. Completing the import-notification form is a step toward that permit.
Section 2753 requires an origin-authorized inspector’s certificate based on actual inspection within 30 days of shipment, indicating freedom from the regulated diseases and parasites and the destination in Maine.
List packages, nucs, colonies and used gear accurately when arranging the paperwork. Nucs contain comb; empty equipment can still be used apiary material. Ask the program about the complete load instead of omitting hardware from the description.
Coordinate the inspection, application, approval and pickup as one schedule. If the destination or delivery date changes, have DACF review whether the documents still cover the shipment. Keep the issued permit and certificate accessible during transport.
Inspection and Practical Yard Records
DACF explains that colonies may be inspected for regulated diseases and parasites and that inspections can be requested. Contact the program with precise observations and colony identifiers when arranging a visit.
Keep suspect comb separate while seeking assessment. Record an unexplained loss before cleaning out the equipment, and ask about reuse before transferring it to another keeper. Our American foulbrood guide helps identify information useful to an inspector.
Town Rules, Property Permission and Food Sales
Follow the address-level legal checklist to confirm the town or other responsible authority. Send a measured layout with boundaries, entrances, water and inspection access. Obtain the owner’s permission for land you do not own.
Classify honey extraction, packaging and sales separately from the apiary license. Use the home honey-business guide to prepare the product and sales-channel questions for the food regulator before offering jars.
Legal and safety alert: Obtain the license and the actual import permit when required. An application, fee payment or seller’s assurance alone is not the issued movement approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Maine hobby yard need an apiary license?
Yes. DACF says anyone keeping honeybees must obtain the license. Use its current application and report the actual locations and colony counts rather than assuming personal use creates an exemption.
What should I ask before a Maine bee delivery?
Confirm who will supply the official origin certificate, submit the import documents and obtain the issued permit. Keep those responsibilities and the planned shipment date with the purchase record.