Bellevue, WA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Bellevue permits backyard beekeeping under Land Use Code 20.20.130. Beekeepers must register their hives with the Washington State Department of Agriculture under RCW 15.60 (WSDA apiarist program), which is free for hobbyists and tracks colonies for disease and pest surveillance. Hives must be maintained in movable frame hive equipment at all times (Langstroth or top-bar with removable combs) to allow inspection. Beekeepers must requeen annually or any time after swarming or aggressive behavior, using a breeder-raised queen of docile strain. Hive management must minimize swarming and overpopulation. The 15-foot setback from all property lines applies to hives as animal enclosures, unless the entire lot is fenced along all lot lines. Best management practices include providing a consistent water source to prevent bees from seeking water at neighbors' pools or birdbaths, installing 6-foot flyway barriers (fences or hedges) near property lines to raise bee flight paths above pedestrian height, and siting hive entrances away from walkways. Puget Sound Beekeepers Association offers local education. HOAs may impose additional restrictions.