Franklin, TN Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Franklin does not maintain a city-specific beekeeping ordinance setting hive count limits, setback distances, water-source requirements, or city-issued apiary permits. Beekeeping is governed at the state level by the Tennessee Apiary Act of 1995, codified at TCA 44-15-101 through 44-15-122. The Act establishes: (1) the position of State Apiarist within the Tennessee Department of Agriculture's Office of the State Veterinarian (TCA 44-15-103); (2) mandatory free registration of every apiary in the state with TDA at the time of establishment, with re-registration required every three (3) years (administered through the apiary registration program at tn.gov/agriculture); (3) authority for the Commissioner of Agriculture and the State Apiarist to inspect colonies and order treatment or destruction of hives infected with American foulbrood or other regulated diseases; (4) regulation of the movement of used beekeeping equipment between apiaries (TCA 44-15-112) to prevent disease spread; and (5) penalties for failure to register, failure to permit inspection, or movement of diseased bees. The Tennessee Apiary Act does not expressly preempt local hive caps or setbacks, but the State Apiarist's Best Management Practices (recommended six-foot flyway barriers between hives and adjoining lot lines, provision of a permanent water source, and gentle queen genetics) are the de facto baseline that Franklin Code Enforcement applies when evaluating any nuisance complaint. Franklin's Planning & Sustainability Department promotes pollinator-friendly practices and partners with local groups (including the Nashville Area Beekeepers Association and the Williamson County Beekeepers); aggressive or out-of-control hives could be cited as a nuisance under the general provisions of Title 10 and Title 13 of the Franklin Municipal Code, but no breed-specific apiary cap or permit applies inside the city.