Dunedin cannot prohibit beekeeping. Florida Statute Chapter 586 gives the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services exclusive authority over honey bee colonies, preempting any local ordinance that bans hives on residential property.
Under Florida Statute Chapter 586, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) regulates honey bees, and Section 586.10 preempts local governments from prohibiting registered hives. All Florida beekeepers, hobbyist or commercial, must register every colony annually with FDACS and follow Best Management Practices for Maintaining European Honey Bee Colonies, which set hive density, water source, flyway barrier, and requeening requirements based on lot size. Dunedin defers to this state framework. Local nuisance, setback, and property maintenance rules still apply if hives create swarming, aggressive bee, or sanitation issues. Homeowner associations and deed-restricted communities are not preempted and may impose private restrictions.
Unregistered apiaries can be ordered destroyed by FDACS inspectors. Failure to follow BMPs may trigger compliance orders, civil penalties, and inspection fees from the state.
See how other cities in Pinellas County handle beekeeping.
See how Dunedin's beekeeping rules stack up against other locations.
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