New York Beekeeping Laws: Registration & Bee Movement

New York requires all beekeepers to register with the Department of Agriculture and Markets and renew annually. The Honey Bee Health program also asks registrants to indicate whether they intend to sell nucleus colonies.

Use the registration link on the official program page or its current forms, then verify the rules for the installation address. For an apiary in the five boroughs, read the New York City beekeeping guide as well; the state and city processes are separate checks.

State Registration, Bee Movement and Local Rules

Activity	Responsible check	What to prepare
Keep honey bees	State beekeeper registration	Contact details and each yard’s location
Continue next year	Annual state renewal	Updated colony and site information
Sell nucs	Declare the intended activity to the state program	Seller and yard records for the inspector
Bring bees into New York	Origin-state health certificate or permit	Inspection document tied to the shipment
Establish an NYC apiary	Separate city health and property checks	City registration information and owner permission

The state program’s current guidance sets out annual registration and incoming disease-freedom documentation. Keep those documents separate from a purchase receipt.

Register the Actual Apiary Locations

The PI-136 and PI-136A forms distinguish the keeper’s contact information from individual bee yards. Gather the yard address, county, landowner information and colony count before filing. A mailing address alone may not tell an inspector where the hives stand.

The form also offers a swarm-catcher listing. That is an optional public-facing service choice, distinct from mandatory beekeeper registration. Read the listing’s contact-publication terms before opting in; maintaining bees does not require advertising yourself as a removal provider.

Create a yard file containing the registration confirmation, seller documents, colony identifiers and inspection notes. If the garden manager changes, update the responsible contact rather than leaving correspondence attached to someone who no longer has site access.

Incoming Bees Need Health Documentation

New York’s program says incoming honey bees must travel with a disease-freedom certificate or permit executed by an official from the origin state. For outgoing shipments, the receiving state may impose its own requirements. Ask both programs about the particular shipment before arranging collection.

Describe whether you are buying queens, packages, nucs or full colonies, and give the intended arrival date. Avoid assuming that paperwork for a supplier’s earlier shipment covers your order. If used comb is included, tell the inspector rather than treating it as an unimportant accessory.

Confirm the Property Before Paying for Bees

Identify the city, town or village governing the parcel, including any county layer. The address-level law workflow helps distinguish the mailing place from the responsible planning office. Request the current code sections for apiary use, colony limits, setbacks, nuisance control and any permit.

For a shared roof, resolve safe access, maintenance responsibility and structural review with the owner before installation. Use the rooftop setup checklist to prepare that discussion. Honey packing or sales require their own food-regulatory review; beekeeper registration is not a food-business approval.

Legal and safety alert: Complete state registration and the applicable local checks. A public swarm-catcher listing does not establish removal qualifications, property access rights or pesticide authorization.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do New York hobby beekeepers have to register?

Yes. The Department of Agriculture and Markets says all New York beekeepers must register and renew annually.

Does New York state registration replace New York City’s registration?

No. Check the city health requirements separately when the apiary is in New York City, alongside state registration and property permission.