Beekeeping is legal in Hamilton County and is encouraged as agriculture under Tennessee's Apiary Act. The county sets no specific hive rule; on unincorporated land hives are broadly allowed, while Chattanooga zoning may set placement limits on residential lots.
Tennessee treats bees as agriculture under the state Apiary Act (TCA Title 44, Chapter 15), administered by the Department of Agriculture, which handles registration, inspection, and disease control. Hamilton County has no separate ordinance banning hives, and right-to-farm protections (TCA 43-26-103) support established apiaries. On unincorporated agricultural or rural-residential land, beekeeping is generally permitted. Within Chattanooga and other cities, zoning and nuisance rules can govern hive placement, setbacks, and colony numbers on small residential lots. Beekeepers should register with the state and confirm any city-specific setback before placing hives near property lines.
No county-specific penalty; nuisance abatement applies if hives become a documented hazard. State Apiary Act violations (unregistered or diseased colonies) are handled by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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