Coconino County, AZ Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Base allowance
- 1 hive per lot, any zone
- Additional hives
- +1 per 6,000 sq ft
- Uncapped above
- 5 acres
- Property-line setback
- 20 feet
- Flyway barrier trigger
- Entrance within 50 feet of lot line
Summary
Coconino County allows at least one beehive on any residential lot regardless of size, adds a hive for every additional 6,000 square feet, and removes the cap entirely above five acres, subject to a 20-foot property-line setback under the Zoning Ordinance's Animal Keeping standards.
i. The number of hives permitted on a Lot shall be subject to the following: a. One beehive shall be permitted on any Lot regardless of Zone or Lot Size. b. One additional hive shall be permitted for every additional 6,000 feet of Lot Size. c. On Lots greater than 5 acres, there shall be no restrictions on the number of hives. ii. Beehives shall maintain a minimum 20-foot Setback from any property line.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
B sets a sliding scale for hive counts: every lot, no matter how small or which zone it sits in, may keep one beehive; landowners get one more hive for each additional 6,000 square feet of lot size; and once a lot exceeds five acres, the county places no cap on the number of hives at all. Every hive must sit at least 20 feet back from any property line. 6, stand at least 6 feet tall, be solid enough that bees cannot pass through it, run parallel to the hive entrance, and extend at least 4 feet beyond the entrance in each direction.
Keepers must also provide bees a convenient water source so they do not congregate at neighbors' pools, pet bowls or birdbaths, and if a colony becomes defensive and stings without provocation, the beekeeper must promptly re-queen it with a gentler, non-swarming stock. 1 apply on top of the bee-specific rules, including the requirement that no animal be fed, watered or sheltered inside a required yard setback.
Violations & Fines
Keeping more hives than the lot-size formula allows, placing a hive closer than 20 feet to a property line, or failing to install a flyway barrier when an entrance sits within 50 feet of a lot line are enforceable violations of Section 3.3.D.2.B; a beekeeper may seek up to a 10 percent administrative reduction in the setback, with anything greater requiring a Variance from the Board of Adjustment under Section 3.3.D.1.A.ii.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many beehives can I keep on a standard residential lot?
How far do hives have to be from my neighbor's fence?
Is there a limit on hives for larger rural parcels?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Coconino County
Compare Coconino County to another location·View the Arizona animal ordinances overview
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