Beekeeping is regulated under NY Ag and Markets Law Article 15. Saratoga County towns generally permit backyard beekeeping with setback and hive-count standards.
NY Ag and Markets Law Article 15 requires all beekeepers to register annually with NYSDAM (mandatory since December 23, 2021) reporting colony counts and county. Saratoga Springs permits up to 2 hives per 5,000 sq ft lot under City Code Chapter 78, with 10-foot setbacks from property lines and a flyway barrier required within 25 feet of boundaries. Clifton Park, Halfmoon, Wilton, and Malta allow beekeeping on residential lots generally with similar setback rules. Agricultural zones throughout the county have no hive limits under the Right to Farm Law Section 305-a. Queen bee colonies from Saratoga County apiaries supply Capital Region honey operations; local beekeeper associations meet in Ballston Spa.
NYSDAM failure to register: warning then $100-$500 fine. Municipal setback violations: $100-$500 per instance plus hive relocation order.
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See how Saratoga County's beekeeping rules stack up against other locations.
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