Fairfax, VA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Beekeeping in Virginia is regulated at the state level by the Office of the State Apiarist within the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services under Virginia Code 3.2-4400 et seq., with local zoning supplementing for setbacks and nuisance control. Beekeepers in the City of Fairfax must register colonies annually with the State Apiarist, a free process that helps track disease and supports inspections. The city zoning ordinance typically requires hives to sit at least 10 feet from side and rear property lines and 25 feet from the front property line, with a solid fence or dense vegetation flyway barrier at least 6 feet tall when hives are within 10 to 25 feet of a property line. Beekeepers must maintain an on-site water source so bees do not congregate at neighbor pools or birdbaths. Hive density is generally capped by lot size, and Africanized honey bees are prohibited. Nuisance swarms or aggressive hives can be ordered removed under Chapter 14 when complaints are substantiated. Honey sales as a cottage food operation follow the 2023 Virginia Cottage Food Law if annual sales are below the statutory threshold.