Cupertino, CA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Front setback
- 20 feet from front line or street
- Side/rear setback
- 8 feet from side or rear line
- Hive cap
- two hives on lots under 5,000 sq ft
- Registration
- required with Santa Clara County Ag Commissioner
- Zoning
- urban apiaries allowed in every zoning district
Summary
Cupertino allows beekeeping citywide as an accessory use, but Chapter 8.07 sets minimum setbacks of twenty feet from the front property line and eight feet from side or rear lines, caps hives at two on lots under 5,000 square feet, and requires every apiary to register with the County Agricultural Commissioner.
Location: Agricultural apiaries as permitted in Chapter 19.20; Urban apiaries in all zoning districts; Minimum setbacks: Front property line and/or any public or private street: 20 feet; and Side or rear property lines and/or driveway easements: Eight (8) feet, unless property owners of adjacent properties or beneficiaries of driveway easements have given written permission to locate hives at a closer distance. Number: Only two hives may be kept or maintained on parcels less than 5,000 square feet in size.
Full Breakdown
020. 20 permits them, but allows urban apiaries in every zoning district in the City. Hives must sit at least twenty feet from the front property line or any public or private street, and at least eight feet from a side or rear property line or driveway easement, unless the adjoining property owner or driveway-easement beneficiary gives written permission for a closer placement. A parcel under 5,000 square feet may keep no more than two hives. Beekeepers must maintain a constant, adequate supply of fresh water at the location, and must promptly dismantle and remove any apiary that's abandoned or no longer in use.
Every apiary, agricultural or urban, must be registered with the Santa Clara County Agricultural Commissioner under the state's Bee Management and Honey Production law, California Food and Agricultural Code Section 29000 et seq. 040, subject to code enforcement and every other remedy available under the Cupertino Municipal Code.
Violations & Fines
Keeping bees outside the required setbacks, exceeding the two-hive cap on a small lot, or failing to register with the County Agricultural Commissioner makes the apiary a public nuisance under Section 8.07.040, subject to code enforcement action and any other remedy available under the Municipal Code, including abatement under Chapter 1.09.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep bees anywhere in Cupertino, or only in certain zones?
How far do my beehives need to be from my property line?
How many hives can I keep on a small residential lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cupertino
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Beekeeping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle beekeeping.