Green Bay, WI Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- from the Humane Officer
- Apiary location
- must sit on one parcel
- Flyway barrier
- 6 ft tall within 25 ft of line
- Abandoned hives
- owner must remove them
- Appeal
- Protection and Policy Committee
Summary
Beekeeping in Green Bay requires a permit from the Humane Officer, and any apiary within 25 feet of a property line must be screened by a six-foot flyway wall, fence, or vegetation.
No person shall engage in beekeeping without having first obtained a permit from the Humane Officer and having paid a permit fee as provided in the City Fee Schedule. In reviewing a permit application, the Humane Officer shall consider the number of honeybees to be possessed, their location, the facilities to be used for such purpose, and the likelihood of a public or private nuisance being created. Any person denied a permit may appeal to the Protection and Policy Committee.(c)Manner of keeping.(1)All hives shall have combs which are kept in sound and usable condition and removable for inspection.(2)The apiary shall be entirely located on one parcel of land.(3)There shall be a flyway consisting of a solid wall, fence, vegetation, or combination thereof at least six feet in height erected along any property line located within 25 feet of an apiary.
Full Breakdown
Section 6-11 requires a permit before keeping honeybees; the Humane Officer weighs the number of bees, their location, the facilities used, and nuisance risk before approving an application, with denials appealable to the Protection and Policy Committee. Hives must sit on one parcel, keep removable combs in usable condition, and house only honeybees. Where an apiary sits within 25 feet of a property line, the keeper must erect a solid wall, fence, or vegetation barrier at least six feet tall along that line.
Violations & Fines
Keeping bees without a permit, or maintaining a hive the Humane Officer finds in violation, can lead to a correction order; an uncorrected hive may be destroyed or removed at the owner's cost within 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to keep bees in Green Bay?
How close can a beehive be to my neighbor's yard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Green Bay
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Beekeeping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Brown County handle beekeeping.