Bethlehem, PA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Bethlehem has not adopted a dedicated urban-beekeeping ordinance. Article 1159 of the Codified Ordinances at https://www.bethlehem-pa.gov/ordinances regulates animals through nuisance and permit provisions but does not expressly authorize or prohibit backyard hives. The practical effect is that hives are reviewed case-by-case under (1) Section 1159.06 nuisance enforcement if swarming or stinging draws complaints; and (2) the underlying Zoning Ordinance, which determines whether the use is a customary residential accessory in the relevant district. At the state level the Pennsylvania Bee Law (3 Pa.C.S. Section 2101 et seq. at https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/pda/documents/plants_land_water/plantindustry/entomology/apiary/documents/pa%20bee%20law.pdf) requires every person owning or maintaining an apiary in the Commonwealth to register with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and submit hives to inspection by the State Apiarist; registration is approximately $10 for two years and supports tracking of American foulbrood and other diseases. Bethlehem residents interested in beekeeping should: (1) confirm zoning with the City Bureau of Planning and Zoning; (2) register apiaries with PDA at https://www.pa.gov/agencies/pda/plants-land-water/plant-industry/entomology/apiary-pollinator-services; and (3) follow Penn State Extension best practices (water source, hive orientation, six-foot fence flyway barriers, setbacks from property lines) to minimize neighbor complaints. The Lehigh Valley Beekeepers Association covers the Bethlehem area and mentors new urban beekeepers.