Burlington allows residential beekeeping consistent with Vermont's apiary statutes. Hives must be registered with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture and kept in a way that avoids creating a nuisance for neighbors.
Vermont 6 V.S.A. Chapter 125 governs apiaries statewide and requires beekeepers to register hives with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets. Burlington layers basic nuisance and zoning rules on top of the state framework: hives are allowed in residential yards if they are set back from property lines, screened with a flyway barrier where appropriate, and supplied with water to discourage bees from foraging at neighbors' pools. Inspectors from the state apiary program may visit hives, and the city's Code Enforcement responds to complaints about swarming or aggressive colonies.
Vermont Agency of Agriculture inspection orders; Burlington Code Compliance nuisance citations if hives create swarming or sting hazards for neighbors.
Burlington, VT
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See how Burlington's beekeeping rules stack up against other locations.
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