Broken Arrow, OK Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Max hive density
- 1 per 2,500 sq ft of lot
- Property-line setback
- 20 feet minimum
- Flyway barrier
- 6 ft tall, required near boundary
- Ag-zoned exception
- no limit at 200 ft setback
- Violation
- class B offense
Summary
Broken Arrow allows backyard beekeeping but caps density at one hive per 2,500 square feet of lot, requires colonies sit 20 feet from any property line, and mandates a flyway barrier near boundaries.
(c)It shall be unlawful and a class B offense for any person to harbor, keep or possess domestic honeybees unless the bees are located as follows:(1)No person shall keep or maintain more than one bee hive per 2,500 square feet of lot area. "Hive" shall mean an aggregate of bees consisting principally of workers, but having, when perfect, one queen and at times many drones, including brood, combs, honey and the receptacle inhabited by the bees.(2)No person shall locate colonies of bees closer than 20 feet from any property line
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 43).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 5-11(c) makes keeping domestic honeybees unlawful (class B offense) unless the keeper follows specific siting rules: no more than one hive per 2,500 square feet of lot area; no colony closer than 20 feet to any property line; and, where a hive sits within 20 feet of a boundary, a six-foot flyway barrier of solid wall, fence, or dense vegetation extending ten feet beyond the colony in each direction. Every beekeeper must ensure bees have their own water source so they don't congregate at neighbors' pools or pet bowls. On agriculturally zoned land, there is no hive limit at all if every hive is at least 200 feet from all property lines. The standard was added by Ord. No. 3111 in 2010.
Violations & Fines
Keeping honeybees without meeting the density, setback, or flyway-barrier standards is a class B offense under § 5-11(c), separate from any nuisance-animal citation the hive might also draw.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many beehives can I keep in Broken Arrow?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Broken Arrow
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Beekeeping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle beekeeping.