Arlington, TX Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Under Texas Agriculture Code §131.045, any person who owns or possesses bees must register colonies annually with the Texas Apiary Inspection Service (TAIS) at Texas A&M University. Arlington does not prohibit residential beekeeping, but hives must be maintained so they do not become a nuisance. Best practices enforceable under Arlington's nuisance code include: placing hives at least 10 feet from property lines, installing a 6-foot flyway barrier (fence or dense vegetation) when hives are within 25 feet of a property line to force bees to fly upward, providing a fresh water source on the property so bees don't seek water at neighbors' pools or birdbaths, and limiting colonies to 2 per quarter-acre lot and up to 6 on lots over half an acre. Africanized honey bee (AHB) concerns in North Texas make gentle European stock and regular requeening important. Swarms must be captured or removed promptly. Hives should not be placed in front yards and should be screened from street view. If a colony becomes aggressive and stings neighbors or pets, Arlington Code Compliance can declare it a nuisance and order removal. Commercial honey sales require a cottage food exemption or retail permit.