Hamilton, NJ Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing statute
- N.J.S.A. 4:6-24 (state law)
- Local code
- Hamilton Code § 317-8
- Violation status
- Declared a public nuisance
- Enforcement
- Division of Health or Police
- Max penalty
- $2,000 fine or 90 days
- Added
- Ord. No. 23-035, 8-15-2023
Summary
Hamilton Township does not run its own beekeeping permit program. Township Code § 317-8 instead requires every beekeeper in Hamilton to follow New Jersey's state beekeeping statute, N.J.S.A. 4:6-24, and it declares any beekeeper, colony, or swarm of Hymenoptera insects operating outside those state rules a public nuisance that the Division of Health or Police can act on.
§ 317-8. Hymenoptera. All beekeepers within the Township of Hamilton shall follow all regulations pursuant to N.J.S.A. 4:6-24 and as amended. Any beekeeper and/or colony and or swarm of insects of the Hymenoptera order in violation of said regulations shall be declared a nuisance.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4984352; v35 updated 2026-06-16; through 06-16-2026).
Full Breakdown
' Section 317-2 defines a BEEKEEPER as a 'person who breeds and keeps honey bees for pollination, reproduction and sale of honey bees and the production of honey and other products,' language added by Ordinance No. 23-035 on August 15, 2023, the same ordinance that created § 317-8. A. 4:6-24, which sets state standards for hive placement, colony management, and disease control. Any beekeeper, honeybee colony, or swarm found in violation of those state standards is automatically 'declared a nuisance' under Hamilton's own code, which brings it within the enforcement machinery of Chapter 317 generally: inspection by the Division of Health, Police, or another enforcing official under § 317-18, written abatement notice under § 317-19, and cost recovery against the property under § 317-20 if the beekeeper does not comply.
A. 4:6-24's requirements faces no separate Township permit, fee, or inspection regime; the local hook only activates once the state law is already being broken.
Violations & Fines
The Township's Division of Health, Police Division, or another enforcing official investigates complaints under § 317-18 and may inspect the property. A beekeeping nuisance triggers the written notice-and-abatement process in § 317-19; if the owner does not correct the violation within the stated deadline, the Township can abate it and bill the cost to the property under § 317-20. Convictions carry the Chapter 1 general penalty: a fine up to $2,000, up to 90 days imprisonment, or up to 90 days of community service, with continuing daily violations charged separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Hamilton Township require a permit to keep honeybees?
What happens if my hives don't meet state beekeeping standards?
Who enforces Hamilton's beekeeping rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hamilton
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