Beekeeping laws by state: apiary registration, inspections, moving bees, local ordinances and selling honey

Beekeeping laws in the United States are set by each state, not by Washington: there is no federal permit to keep honey bees, but many states require you to register every apiary with the state department of agriculture, often for a fee of $10 or so, and your city, county or homeowners association can add its own permit, colony limit and setbacks. Florida, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York all make registration mandatory; Texas does not. Federal agencies regulate only the edges of the hobby: bee imports (USDA APHIS), varroa treatments (EPA) and honey labeling (FDA).

Because the rules differ so much, this guide does not pretend there is one American answer. It explains the three layers of law that apply to every beekeeper, then walks through named states as worked examples, with figures taken from state statutes, state agriculture departments and land-grant extension services as of October 2026. Always confirm the current rule with your own state apiarist, whose contact details are on your state department of agriculture’s website. If you are still choosing hives and bees, start with our guide on how to start beekeeping.

Do you need a permit or registration to keep bees in the US?

Think of beekeeping law as three stacked layers. You must satisfy all three, and the strictest one wins.

1. Federal law controls what crosses the US border, what you may put in a hive to kill mites, and how honey is labeled. It says nothing about whether you may keep two hives in a backyard in Ohio.
2. State apiary law is where registration, inspection, disease quarantines, movement permits and the sale of bees are regulated. Most states have an apiary act and a state apiarist or apiary inspection service, usually housed in the department of agriculture, sometimes at a land-grant university, as in Texas.
3. Local law and private rules decide whether you may keep bees at a given address at all: city zoning codes, county ordinances, lease terms and HOA covenants.

A beekeeper in New York City, for example, must register with New York State and separately with the city health department. A beekeeper on five rural acres in Texas may need no registration at all, but must mark any hives kept away from their home.

What the federal government regulates

Importing bees: USDA APHIS

Under the bee regulations in 7 CFR part 322, adult honey bee queens and package bees may be imported into the continental US only from Canada and New Zealand. APHIS adds that importing queens and packages from Australia is prohibited, and that used beekeeping equipment cannot be imported from any country for use in beekeeping. Whole colonies in hive bodies are barred from all countries. Honey bee germplasm (semen) may come from a short list of countries under separate conditions. For a hobbyist, the practical effect is that every queen or package you buy was reared in the US or Canada, or very occasionally New Zealand.

Varroa treatments: EPA

Miticides are pesticides, so they are regulated by EPA under FIFRA. EPA’s advisory on substances used to control varroa mites, first published in January 2024 and updated in October 2026, makes three points that every beekeeper should know:

• using a registered product in a way inconsistent with its label is a violation of FIFRA;
• beekeepers use substances such as oxalic acid, formic acid, amitraz and thymol, none of which qualifies for the minimum risk exemption, so only registered products containing them may be sold and used;
• FIFRA has no exception for “own personal use”, and selling honey, bees or pollination is not personal use anyway.

The advisory lists the products registered against varroa mites in hives, 16 products covering about 10 active ingredients, including two newly registered oxalic acid products. A state may also register additional local uses of a federally registered pesticide, so ask your state lead pesticide agency. Treatment strategies are covered in our guide to varroa mites.

Honey labeling: FDA

FDA’s February 2018 guidance on the proper labeling of honey says a product consisting only of honey must be called “honey”, and that honey mixed with a sweetener cannot use that name: it must be labeled as, for example, “Blend of honey and corn syrup”, with an ingredient list. Naming a floral source such as clover or orange blossom is optional, but if you do it you must be able to show that it is the chief floral source. FDA guidance is not legally binding in itself, but it describes how FDA reads the adulteration and misbranding provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

Disaster aid: USDA FSA

The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) can compensate colony losses above normal mortality caused by an eligible adverse weather or loss condition. The FSA fact sheet dated March 2025 lists state colony registration among the documents accepted as proof of beginning inventory, which is one concrete reason to register even when you hope never to claim.

State apiary registration: worked examples

The table below compares seven states. It is not a complete list, and fees and dates change, so treat it as an illustration of the range rather than a substitute for your own state’s rule.

State	Registration	Fee	Renewal	Authority
Florida	Mandatory for every beekeeper	$10 (1 to 5 colonies) to $100 (501+)	Yearly, by certificate anniversary	FDACS, Division of Plant Industry
California	Mandatory for owners and possessors of apiaries	None collected in LA County for 2025, pending a fee regulation	Yearly, by January 1	County agricultural commissioner
Pennsylvania	Mandatory	$10	About every two years	Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
Ohio	Mandatory	Not stated in the statute	Yearly, by June 1	Ohio Department of Agriculture
New York	Mandatory since December 23, 2021	Not stated by the department	Yearly	NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets
Texas	Not required (voluntary)	$35 if voluntary	Through August 31	Texas Apiary Inspection Service
North Carolina	No registration to keep bees; permit to sell	See NCDA&CS	Yearly permit list	NCDA&CS Apiary Program

Florida

Florida Administrative Code rule 5B-54.010 states that “Each beekeeper having honey bee colonies within the state must register with the department.” Fees depend on the total number of colonies operated: $10 for 1 to 5, $20 for 6 to 40, $40 for 41 to 200, $70 for 201 to 500 and $100 above 500. Renewal is due by the anniversary of the certificate, with a $10 late fee. Before registration is issued, an inspector checks that the colonies are free of common pests and of “unwanted bee races”, which in practice targets Africanized honey bees, present in Florida. Beekeepers in non-agricultural locations must also follow the Beekeeper Compliance Agreement, which sets colony density and best management practices. Failing to register is a violation of section 586.045, Florida Statutes.

California

Under Food and Agricultural Code section 29040, every owner, broker or person in possession of an apiary in California must register it each year with the agricultural commissioner of the county where it sits. The Los Angeles County form for 2025 asked for each apiary’s address or GPS coordinates, the number of colonies, the months on site and written permission from the landowner if you do not own or lease the land (section 29046(b)). It also required notice within 72 hours of moving colonies into, within or out of the county. At the time, the county was collecting no fee until a new fee schedule was finalized in regulation, but the duty to register still applied.

Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture says its Bee Law, in force since 1994, “mandates apiary registration”. The fee is $10 for about two years. Seasonal inspectors visit hives from May to mid-October, prioritizing apiaries with past disease, queen breeding yards, new beekeepers and colonies never inspected. When American foulbrood is found, the department can quarantine the apiary and gives the beekeeper a 14-day window to begin treatment.

Ohio

Ohio Revised Code section 909.02 requires “any person owning or possessing bees” to apply for registration by June 1 each year, or within 30 days of acquiring bees or bringing them into Ohio. The application gives the exact location of each apiary. Registrations expire on May 31 of the following year. No one may maintain an apiary unless it is registered and identifiable by a name or number assigned by the director, and that number must be posted conspicuously at the apiary. The current version of the section took effect on September 30, 2025.

New York

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets states that as of December 23, 2021, all beekeepers in the state must register with the department and renew annually, through its online beekeeper portal. The form asks whether you intend to sell nucleus colonies. Seasonal apiary inspectors visit colonies to detect contagious diseases and invasive pests.

Texas

The Texas Apiary Inspection Service (TAIS), part of Texas A&M AgriLife, is unambiguous: “The state of Texas does not require a beekeeper to register.” Voluntary registration costs $35 and runs through August 31 of the state fiscal year. Registration is required for beekeepers who do bee removals, because it exempts them from structural pest control licensing. Texas does require movable frames, and hives kept anywhere other than the beekeeper’s primary residence must be marked, either with letters or numbers at least one inch (2.5 cm) high on each end of a hive body or with a weatherproof sign giving the manager’s contact details.

North Carolina

North Carolina does not ask hobbyists to register colonies, but regulates sales. The NCDA&CS says it is unlawful to sell queens, packages, nucs or hives without a permit, with exemptions for residents selling fewer than 10 hives in a calendar year, for a one-time going-out-of-business sale of fewer than 50 hives, and for pollination rentals. The department publishes the list of permitted sellers each year; the 2026 list is dated March 9, 2026.

How to register an apiary in your state

The procedure varies, but most states follow the same pattern.

1. Find your state apiarist. Search your state department of agriculture website for “apiary”, “bee inspection” or “plant industry”. In a few states, as in Texas, the service sits at the land-grant university.
2. Register before or soon after your bees arrive. Ohio gives you 30 days after acquiring bees; New York City asks for hive registration within 30 days of setting up. If you install packages in April, register in April.
3. Give each apiary location. States want a street address, parcel number or GPS coordinates, and the number of colonies at each site. Out-yards on a farm count as separate apiaries.
4. Pay the fee and keep the certificate. Store the registration certificate with your inspection records. You will need it to sell bees, move colonies or claim ELAP.
5. Mark your apiary if required. Ohio requires your assigned number to be posted at the apiary; Texas requires one-inch markings or a sign for hives away from home.
6. Renew on time. Renewal dates differ: June 1 in Ohio, January 1 in California, the certificate anniversary in Florida, August 31 in Texas.

Apiary inspections and disease control

Registration is how the state apiarist knows where to look. Inspectors check primarily for American foulbrood, the disease that state apiary laws most often target for quarantine or destruction, and increasingly for exotic threats such as small hive beetle, Tropilaelaps mites and the yellow-legged hornet detected in Georgia in 2023. Inspection costs vary: some states inspect registered apiaries at no charge, while Texas, for example, charges small-scale beekeepers $100 for a requested health inspection. An inspection certificate is often required before you sell bees or move them across a state line, so book it early in the season: Pennsylvania’s inspectors, for instance, only work from May to mid-October.

If an inspector finds a regulated disease, expect a quarantine on the apiary and an order to treat or destroy infected colonies and equipment within a set time. Do not move colonies, combs or used equipment out of a quarantined yard. Our page on honey bee diseases describes the signs of foulbrood and when to call your inspector. For the hornet, see our yellow-legged hornet page.

Moving bees across state lines

Migratory beekeeping is a central part of American agriculture, and the rules for moving colonies are stricter than those for keeping them.

California and almond pollination

Every winter, colonies from across the country travel to California for almond bloom. CDFA’s report for the 2025/26 season (September 1, 2025 to March 15, 2026) counted 4,619 loads of bees, an estimated 1.9 million colonies at an average of 411 hives per load. Pests were found or quarantine violated on 142 shipments, 3.01% of the total, with small hive beetle, carpenter ants and red imported fire ants the most frequent finds.

Every shipment gets a cursory inspection at a Border Protection Station and a fuller one at destination by the county agricultural commissioner. The main concern is red imported fire ants and other actionable ants. CDFA’s rules are precise:

• with a voluntary ant-free certificate from the state of origin and no actionable ants, the load enters under quarantine and may be unloaded before county inspection;
• with a certificate and five or fewer worker ants, it enters under quarantine but may not be unloaded without the county’s authorization;
• with more than five worker ants, or any queen, eggs or other life stage, it is rejected;
• without a certificate, any actionable ant means rejection.

Rejected loads must be cleaned, usually by pressure washing at the driver’s expense, and reinspected. The driver must give the exact destination, the number of colonies and the state of most recent origin.

Other states

Many states require a certificate of inspection from the state of origin for incoming colonies, and some add their own permit. Texas, for example, requires a health certificate plus a $200 interstate permit for bees brought in from another state, and commercial operations moving bees across state lines need a state health inspection. Texas health certificates are valid for one year from the inspection date. Before any move, call the apiary office of the destination state as well as your own.

Selling bees, nucs and queens

Selling live bees is regulated more tightly than keeping them, because it is the fastest way to spread disease and undesirable genetics. Three examples show the range:

• North Carolina: a permit to sell bees, with the small-seller exemption described above.
• Texas: sellers of queens, packages, colonies and nucs must provide a TAIS health certificate or a signed, notarized affidavit certifying the health of the bees with every sale.
• New York: the registration form asks whether you intend to sell nucs, so inspectors can prioritize those apiaries.

If you plan to sell even a few nucs from your overwintered colonies, check this before you split them in spring. Our guide to swarming explains how to make splits that keep colonies from swarming and give you bees to sell.

City and county ordinances and HOAs

Most backyard disputes are settled not by state apiary law but by local codes. Cities that allow beekeeping usually regulate the number of hives, setbacks and flyway barriers.

New York City registers hives through the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. New beekeepers submit a hive registration form within 30 days of setting up each hive, with the block and lot number of the property, and re-register every year by May 31 with both the city and the state. Registration is free; failing to register may lead to a fine. The city requires movable-frame hives, a constant water source, placement that keeps bees from bothering people, and prompt swarm control.

Boston requires a permit from Inspectional Services. Its application sets a maximum of five hives per lot or roof, no hive taller than 6 feet (1.8 m) or larger than 24 cubic feet (0.68 m³), a setback of 5 feet (1.5 m) from the property line where there is no wall or fence, 10 feet (3 m) from a public sidewalk and 6 feet (1.8 m) from a roof edge, and no hives in front yards. A hive within 20 feet (6 m) of a neighbor’s door or window must face away from it or have a flyway barrier at least 6 feet (1.8 m) tall within 3 feet (0.9 m) of the entrance.

HOAs can go further than any public law. UF/IFAS Extension in Florida notes that if an HOA prohibits beekeeping, residents cannot keep colonies there regardless of state law. Leases can do the same.

To find your local rule, search your municipal code for “bees”, “apiary” or “apiculture”, then call the zoning office if the answer is unclear. Our guide on where to put a beehive covers siting that keeps neighbors on your side.

Selling honey and farm tax rules

Honey sales

Beyond FDA labeling, honey sales are regulated by state food law. Many states let you sell honey you produce directly to consumers under a cottage food law or a specific honey exemption. In Florida, for instance, honey may be sold directly to consumers without a food permit under the Cottage Food Law, provided it is bottled in a private home kitchen; prepared foods containing honey are not covered. Larger volumes, wholesale and sales through stores usually require a food establishment permit.

Agricultural property valuation

Some states treat beekeeping as agriculture for property tax. In Texas, Tax Code section 23.51 includes the use of land “to raise or keep bees for pollination” or for producing food or other products with commercial value, on tracts of not less than 5 and not more than 20 acres. Local appraisal districts decide how many hives per acre qualify, and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension advises owners to be ready to show a genuine agricultural enterprise.

Paperwork through the year, region by region

Legal deadlines follow the beekeeping season, and the season depends on where you live. These examples come from the state rules described above.

Northeast. In New York, registration is renewed annually, and New York City beekeepers re-register by May 31 with both the city and the state. In Pennsylvania, the inspection season runs from May to mid-October, so a beekeeper who wants a certificate before selling nucs in June should ask for an inspection as soon as colonies are active. Packages usually arrive in April, which is the month to register a first apiary.

Midwest. Ohio registrations expire on May 31 and must be renewed by June 1, which falls after most packages and nucs have been installed. A beekeeper who buys bees in April therefore registers within 30 days of acquiring them, then renews again each June.

South. Florida registrations run from the anniversary of each certificate, so the date is personal rather than seasonal. Because colonies can be active almost all year in Florida, and because inspectors check for Africanized genetics before a registration is issued, new beekeepers should contact their local apiary inspector before buying bees, not after. Texas voluntary registrations end on August 31, the close of the state fiscal year.

California. County registration is due by January 1, just as colonies from other states begin arriving for almond bloom. CDFA’s border inspection season for pollination traffic runs from September 1 to mid-March. A California beekeeper who moves colonies between counties for pollination must also notify the county commissioner within 72 hours of each move.

Pacific Northwest and beyond. For beekeepers in Oregon, Washington or Idaho who send colonies south for almond pollination, the paperwork is the same as for any migratory operation: an inspection or ant-free certificate from the home state, then the CDFA border check. Ask your own state apiarist which certificate it issues and how far ahead to book it, because colonies have to be inspected before they leave in late fall or winter.

A checklist before your first colony arrives

Step	Where to check
Is registration mandatory in my state, and what is the fee?	State department of agriculture, apiary program
Does my city or county require a permit, colony limit or setback?	Municipal code, zoning office
Do my HOA covenants or lease allow bees?	CC&Rs, landlord
Must I mark hives or post an apiary number?	State apiary law (Ohio, Texas)
Do I need an inspection certificate to buy, sell or move bees?	State apiarist of origin and destination
Is my varroa treatment EPA-registered, and am I following the label?	EPA list, product label
Can I sell honey from my kitchen?	State cottage food law, state food safety agency

The safest routine is simple: register with your state the month your bees arrive, keep every certificate and inspection report in one folder, renew on time, and ask your state apiarist before you move, sell or treat in any way you have not done before. Your local beekeepers’ association and county extension office know the local ordinances better than any national guide. For more first steps, browse our getting started section.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit to keep bees in my backyard?

It depends on your state and your city. There is no federal permit for keeping honey bees. Many states, including Florida, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York, require you to register your apiary, while others such as Texas do not. Your city or county may add its own permit, colony limits or setbacks, and an HOA can forbid hives outright.

How much does it cost to register beehives?

Fees are set by each state and are usually small. Florida charges $10 a year for 1 to 5 colonies, rising to $100 for more than 500. Pennsylvania charges $10 for roughly two years. Texas offers voluntary registration for $35 a year. New York City's municipal hive registration is free. Check your state department of agriculture for the current figure before you send money.

What happens if I do not register my bees?

In states where registration is mandatory, keeping unregistered colonies is a violation of the state apiary law and can lead to a fine. Florida, for example, treats failure to register or keep a registration active as a violation subject to statutory penalties. You may also lose access to free inspections, and some disaster programs accept a state registration as proof of colony numbers.

Can I move my beehives to another state?

Usually, but you need paperwork. Many states expect a certificate of inspection from the state of origin, and some add their own permit: Texas requires a health certificate plus a $200 interstate permit. Colonies entering California pass a Border Protection Station check for fire ants and other pests, and loads with too many actionable ants are rejected.

Is it legal to sell nucs or package bees I raised?

Selling bees is more regulated than keeping them. Many states require a permit or a current health inspection before you sell queens, packages, nucs or colonies. North Carolina requires a permit unless you are a resident selling fewer than 10 hives a year. Texas requires a health certificate or a notarized affidavit with every sale. New York asks whether you intend to sell nucs when you register.

Is it legal to treat my hives with oxalic acid I bought online?

Only if the product is EPA-registered for use in beehives and you follow its label. EPA's advisory on varroa treatments says using an unregistered pesticide, or a registered one against its label, violates FIFRA. Oxalic acid sold as wood bleach or a lab chemical is not a registered hive product, and EPA notes that FIFRA has no exception for your own personal use.

Do I need a license to sell honey?

Federal law does not license honey sellers, but states do regulate food sales. Many states let you sell honey under a cottage food law without a food permit if you sell directly to consumers. Florida's cottage food law covers honey bottled in a home kitchen. Your label must still call the product honey only if it is pure honey, as FDA's labeling guidance requires.

Can my HOA ban beekeeping even if my state allows it?

Yes. Homeowners association covenants are private contracts, and state apiary laws do not override them. University of Florida Extension states it directly: if an HOA prohibits beekeeping, residents cannot keep colonies there regardless of state law. Read your covenants, conditions and restrictions before you buy equipment, and ask the board in writing if the wording is unclear.

Sources

1. Honey Bees and Other Bees (import requirements), USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
2. Advisory on the applicability of FIFRA and FFDCA for substances used to control varroa mites in beehives, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
3. Guidance for Industry: Proper Labeling of Honey and Honey Products (February 2018), U.S. Food and Drug Administration
4. Disaster Assistance: Honey and Honeybee Programs (fact sheet, March 2025), USDA Farm Service Agency
5. Florida Administrative Code Rule 5B-54.010: Registration with the Department, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (rule text)
6. Beekeeping in Florida: important beekeeping regulations, UF/IFAS Extension Polk County
7. Annual Apiary Registration information and form, Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures
8. Entering California: Border Protection Stations and the voluntary ant-free certificate, California Department of Food and Agriculture
9. California apiary inspection activities, 2025/26 almond pollination season, California Department of Food and Agriculture
10. Apiary and Pollinator Services, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
11. Ohio Revised Code section 909.02: Registration of apiaries, State of Ohio
12. Honey Bee Health, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets
13. Beekeeper Registration, NYC Business (NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene)
14. Regulations, Texas Apiary Inspection Service, Texas A&M AgriLife
15. Beekeeping qualifies as an agricultural use enterprise, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
16. 2026 Permits to Sell Bees, North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
17. Application for a Permit to Keep Honey Bees, City of Boston Inspectional Services