Yellowstone County sets no beekeeping ordinance in the rural unincorporated county. Beekeeping is governed statewide: hobbyist apiary sites (up to 10 hives) may register with the Montana Department of Agriculture under MCA 80-6-114. Cities like Billings may add local hive rules.
The county does not regulate backyard beekeeping in unincorporated areas; it falls under Montana's apiary program. Under MCA 80-6-114 the Department of Agriculture may grant hobbyist apiary site registrations to beekeepers who own no more than 10 hives, all placed on the registered site, and who own and personally manage the bees and hives. General and commercial apiary sites must sit three or more miles apart (MCA 80-6-111). Incorporated municipalities can adopt their own hive-count and setback rules, so check city code inside town limits.
Apiary-registration violations are handled by the Montana Department of Agriculture; the county imposes no beekeeping penalty in unincorporated areas.
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