Austin allows residential beekeeping under City Code Chapter 3-2 with no colony cap, provided hives are set back 10 feet from property lines and behind a 6-foot flyway barrier if within 25 feet of a neighbor. Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 131 regulates registration and disease control.
Austin's beekeeping rules are pollinator-friendly. Chapter 3-2 permits hives in any residential zone without a numerical colony limit, subject to placement standards: hives must be at least 10 feet from any property line, and if within 25 feet of a neighboring dwelling must have a 6-foot solid flyway barrier (fence or dense hedge) that forces bees to fly upward. Water sources must be provided on-site to prevent bees from visiting neighbors' pools and birdbaths. Beekeepers with eight or more hives must register with the Texas Apiary Inspection Service at Texas A&M under Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 131, which preempts local disease-control standards. Africanized honey bee swarms are managed by Travis County Extension. Swarm removal is not city responsibility — homeowners hire a licensed bee remover or beekeeper. HOA restrictions on beekeeping are permitted (TPC §202 does not protect apiaries). Austin Parks allows registered beekeeping at community gardens with supervisor approval. Complaints about aggressive or neglected hives route to Austin Animal Services and the state inspector.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact Austin code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
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