Beekeeping in Clearwater is governed by Florida Statute 586, which preempts most local regulation; registered hives are allowed in residential yards subject to FDACS Best Management Practices.
Florida Statute 586.10 preempts local governments from prohibiting or unreasonably regulating registered honeybee colonies. Clearwater therefore cannot ban hobby beekeeping, but the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) requires every beekeeper to register annually regardless of hive count, pay a small fee, and follow Best Management Practices including water sources, flyway barriers, and hive density limits based on lot size. Africanized colonies must be requeened or removed. Nuisance complaints (stinging incidents, swarming) can still be addressed under Clearwater Code as a public nuisance. Homeowners' associations and deed-restricted communities may impose stricter limits since they are not preempted.
FDACS administrative fines for unregistered apiaries, mandatory removal or requeening of aggressive colonies, and city nuisance citations for unmaintained hives.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Pinellas County.
See how other cities in Pinellas County handle beekeeping.
See how Clearwater's beekeeping rules stack up against other locations.
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