Horry County, SC Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- County rule
- None specific to beekeeping
- Zoning
- Treated as agricultural use, § 902
- State oversight
- S.C. Dept. of Agriculture apiary program
- Farm protection
- Right to Farm § 46-45-70
- Limit
- No county hive-count cap
Summary
Horry County's animal chapter and zoning code set no specific beekeeping ordinance. Hives are treated as an agricultural use tied to your zoning district, and South Carolina's Right to Farm Act protects established, lawful apiaries from nuisance suits.
No established agricultural facility or any agricultural operation at an established agricultural facility is or may become a nuisance, private or public, by any changed conditions in or about the locality of the facility or operation.
Full Breakdown
Neither Chapter 4 (Animals and Fowl) nor Zoning Appendix B contains a dedicated beekeeping or hive-count rule, so the county sets no specific limit on backyard hives. Keeping bees is treated like other animal husbandry under Zoning § 902 and must fit the uses and lot sizes your district allows. Statewide, apiaries are regulated by the S.C. Department of Agriculture, and the Right to Farm Act (§ 46-45-70) provides that an established agricultural facility cannot become a nuisance due to changed conditions around it. Residents should still avoid creating a public nuisance under § 4-3(c) and check any homeowners-association restrictions.
Violations & Fines
No county-specific beekeeping penalty; a hive creating a genuine public nuisance could be addressed under Code § 4-3(c) or zoning enforcement (§ 114).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Horry County limit how many hives I can keep?
Can neighbors force me to remove my hives?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Horry County
Compare Horry County to another location·View the South Carolina animal ordinances overview
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