Colonie, NY Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Chapter 79 (Dogs and Other Animals) of the Colonie Town Code does not enumerate bees, and Chapter 190 Zoning and Land Use treats apiculture as a permitted accessory use in residential districts so long as no nuisance results. State law fills the gap. New York Agriculture and Markets Law Article 15, effective December 23, 2021, requires every beekeeper in the state to register annually with the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets through the Apiary Industry Advisory Committee process. Registrants must report colony counts, county locations of all hives, and any intent to sell nucleus colonies, packages, or queens. Diseased colonies must be reported to the Commissioner promptly, and bees may not be moved within the state without ten days written notice to the Commissioner unless certified disease-free. Hive placement, water sources, and re-queening of aggressive colonies should follow Cornell Cooperative Extension and Empire State Honey Producers Association guidance. Nuisance, swarming, or stinging incidents may be addressed under the Town's general nuisance provisions in Chapter 79 and Chapter 145 (Property Maintenance).