Bexar County, TX Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- State law
- TX Agriculture Code Chapter 131
- Registration threshold
- Over 6 colonies or interstate moves
- Preemption
- Ag Code 131.044 preempts nuisance rules
- Ag-use valuation
- 5 to 20 acres with 6 to 12 hives
- San Antonio small lot
- 2 hives on lots under 1/4 acre
Summary
Beekeeping is protected under TX Agriculture Code Chapter 131 with Texas Apiary Inspection Service oversight. Unincorporated Bexar County has no local rule; San Antonio allows backyard hives with limits.
CHAPTER 131. BEES AND HONEY. Sec. 131.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: (1) 'Abandoned apiary, equipment, or bees' means an apiary, equipment, or a colony of bees that is not regularly maintained or attended in accordance with this chapter or rules or quarantines adopted under this chapter. (2) 'Apiary' means a place where colonies of bees or nuclei of bees are kept. (3) 'Beekeeper' means a person who owns, leases, possesses, controls, or manages one or more colonies of bees for any personal or commercial purpose. (4) 'Bee' means any stage of the common honeybee, Apis mellifera species. (5) 'Colony' means a distinguishable localized population of bees in which one or more life stages may be present.
Full Breakdown
Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 131 establishes the Texas Apiary Inspection Service (TAIS) at Texas A&M, requires registration of beekeepers with more than 6 colonies or who transport hives, and mandates inspection for certain interstate movements. 51 grants ag-use valuation for qualifying apiaries with 6 to 12 colonies on 5 to 20 acres. In unincorporated Bexar County, beekeeping is unrestricted beyond Chapter 131. The City of San Antonio allows beekeeping under Chapter 5 with typical limits of 2 hives on lots under 1/4 acre, 4 hives on 1/4 to 1/2 acre, and more on larger lots, with a flyway barrier requirement of 6 feet where the hive is within 25 feet of a property line.
Africanized honeybee (AHB) presence across south Texas means keepers should re-queen aggressive colonies promptly; state law treats feral AHB swarms the same as domestic bees. Neighbor allergies do not override Chapter 131 preemption, but keepers are liable for common-law nuisance if hives are sited unsafely. Bexar County falls within TAIS Region 7 for inspection support.
Violations & Fines
Failure to register with TAIS when required is a Class C misdemeanor, up to $500. Moving hives interstate without inspection may trigger civil penalties under Ag Code 131.081. Municipal overreach that conflicts with Ag Code 131.044 is unenforceable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to register my backyard hives in Bexar County?
Can my neighbor stop me from keeping bees?
Do Africanized bees make beekeeping illegal?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bexar County
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Bexar County to another location·View the Texas animal ordinances overview
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