Honeybees became legal in Detroit under the 2024 Animal Husbandry Ordinance, effective February 2025. Residential lots may keep up to four hives, urban gardens up to eight, and all hives must sit at least 25 feet from any property line.
Detroit honeybee keeping is governed by the same 2024 Animal Husbandry Ordinance that legalized chickens and ducks, with companion Chapter 50 zoning amendments. Residential properties may keep up to four hives; urban gardens and farms may keep up to eight hives subject to lot size. Every hive must sit at least 25 feet from any property line. Beekeepers must obtain an animal-keeping license through Detroit Animal Care and Control, provide on-site water to reduce neighbor conflicts, and maintain hives in usable condition. State-level oversight under the Michigan Bees and Apiaries Act (MDARD) overlays the city's land-use rules for disease and apiary-registration matters.
Keeping hives without the city animal-keeping license, exceeding the four-hive residential cap, or violating the 25-foot setback is a Chapter 6 violation enforced by DACC. Citations carry fines, mandatory hive relocation, license revocation, and abatement of nuisance colonies.
Detroit, MI
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Wayne County.
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