Colorado Springs, CO Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- UDC Subsection 7.3.304B, Table 7.3.3-A
- Small lot cap
- 2 hives under 20,000 sf; 5-ft setback
- Large lot
- 5+ acres: unlimited hives; 50-ft setback
- Flyway barrier
- 6-ft opaque fence/hedge if hive within 50 ft of line
- Water rule
- Fresh water within 5 ft of every hive
Summary
Colorado Springs allows accessory beehives on any residential lot, but the number you may keep, and how far each hive must sit from property lines, scales with lot size under UDC Table 7.3.3-A, and hives near a boundary require a six-foot flyway barrier plus a nearby water source.
B. Beehive, Accessory: 1. General Requirements: Beehives are permitted as an accessory use on any lot, with the number of beehives allowed and permitted location subject to the size of the lot as identified in Table 7.3.3-A. ... 2. Flyway Barrier: a. If the property is less than five (5) acres in size, and the beehive is located within fifty (50) feet of any property line, a flyway barrier located no more than five (5) feet from the entrance of the beehive is required. b. Each flyway barrier shall be at least six (6) feet in height and constructed of an opaque fence or fast-growing, dense evergreen vegetative material capable of reaching six (6) feet in height at maturity. 3. A fresh water supply shall be provided within five (5) feet of each beehive.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 26-23, passed June 9, 2026).
Full Breakdown
3-A setting a sliding scale: a lot under 20,000 square feet may keep two hives with a 5-foot rear or side-yard setback; 20,000 square feet up to one acre allows four hives; one to two acres, five hives; two to three acres, six hives with a 15-foot rear or side setback and a front-yard setback matching the zone district minimum; three to four acres, seven hives; four to five acres, eight hives; and any lot of five acres or more may keep an unlimited number of hives, but must set every hive back 50 feet from both rear/side and front property lines.
Beyond the numeric caps, two physical safeguards apply citywide. First, on any property under five acres where a hive sits within 50 feet of a property line, the keeper must install a flyway barrier, an opaque fence or a fast-growing, dense evergreen hedge capable of reaching six feet in height at maturity, positioned no more than five feet from the hive entrance, forcing bees to fly up and over rather than across a neighbor's yard at head height. Second, every beehive must have a fresh water supply within five feet of it, cutting the odds that bees forage at neighboring pools, pet bowls, or irrigation heads. 304B specifies a different number.
Violations & Fines
Keeping more hives than Table 7.3.3-A allows for the lot size, or placing a hive without the required flyway barrier or water source, is a UDC accessory-use violation. Under City Code Section 1.1.201's general penalty, conviction carries a fine of up to $2,500, up to 189 days in jail, or both, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many beehives can I keep on a typical Colorado Springs residential lot?
Do I need a fence around my beehives?
Is a water source required for backyard hives?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Colorado Springs
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