San Luis Obispo County, CA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing agency
- County Agricultural Commissioner
- Public road setback
- 200 feet (waived while pollinating)
- Cure period after notice
- 48 hours
- Misdemeanor penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine / 6 months jail
- Infraction penalty
- Up to $100 fine
- Landowner permission
- Required, verifiable by commissioner
Summary
San Luis Obispo County regulates apiaries under Code Chapter 5.04. Bees kept away from where the owner lives must carry an identification sign, hives must sit at least 200 feet from any public road except while pollinating crops, and no apiary may sit close enough to a dwelling or road to become a public nuisance or hazard.
(b) Identification Sign. Every person owning, operating or controlling an apiary located on premises other than where such person resides shall identify such apiary as is now provided or hereafter may be provided by the laws of the state. (c) Distance from Roads and Property Lines. No person shall place or keep an apiary, or cause or allow an apiary to remain, so close to a property boundary or a public or private road used by the public as to constitute a public nuisance or public hazard to persons using such road or property. Except when pollinating crops, no apiary shall be located within two hundred feet of any public road. (d) Distance from Building. Other than buildings owned or occupied by such person, no person shall place or keep an apiary, or cause or allow an apiary to remain, so close to any building used as a dwelling as to constitute a public nuisance or public hazard to persons using such dwelling.
Full Breakdown
04 was adopted because "the unregulated and improper keeping of bees and apiaries" was found to be a nuisance and safety hazard countywide. 060 sets the operating rules: an apiary on land other than where the keeper resides must be identified as state law requires; no apiary may sit so close to a property boundary or public or private road as to constitute a public nuisance or hazard, and outside of pollination work, none may be located within 200 feet of a public road; none may sit so close to any building used as a dwelling (other than one the keeper owns or occupies) as to create a nuisance or hazard.
Bees may only be kept on land the keeper does not own with the landowner's permission, verifiable by the county agricultural commissioner. Every apiary must have an adequate water supply provided and maintained by the owner, positioned and managed so bees do not fly toward the public in a way that creates a health hazard. Bees being transported past traffic while flying must be substantially confined by screens. The agricultural commissioner may enter any premises to enforce the chapter, and the county health officer may act if bees present an immediate public health hazard.
Violations & Fines
A violator first receives a written or verbal notice from the agricultural commissioner to cease or remedy the violation, generally within 48 hours, unless the hazard immediately endangers the public. The commissioner decides whether the notice charges a misdemeanor or an infraction. Failing to cure within the 48-hour window is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail, or an infraction punishable by a fine up to $100; each day of continued violation is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a beehive be from a public road in San Luis Obispo County?
Do I need permission to keep bees on someone else's land?
What happens if a neighbor complains about my bees?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Luis Obispo County
California rules heatmap·Compare San Luis Obispo County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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