Baltimore County, MD Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger distance
- within 200 feet of property line
- Barrier height
- at least 4 feet
- Barrier setback
- at least 4 feet from the line
- Gate lock height
- at least 4 feet above ground
- Porch exception
- hive 4 ft up, locked gate 3 ft high
Summary
Baltimore County allows backyard beehives but bans keeping one unless it is enclosed. Any hive within 200 feet of a neighboring property line needs a 4-foot fence, hedge or natural barrier set back 4 feet from the line, with a locked gate whenever the beekeeper isn't present.
(a)"Beehive" defined. In this section, "beehive" means a moveable-frame enclosure for the housing of honeybees.(b)Prohibited. A person may not maintain a beehive on the person's property unless the beehive is enclosed as required under this section.(c)Required enclosures. Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, a person maintaining a beehive located within 200 feet of an adjoining property line shall:(1)Enclose the beehive by a fence, natural barrier, or hedge at least 4 feet in height;(2)Locate the fence, natural barrier, or hedge at least 4 feet from the property line; and(3)If the fence, natural barrier, or hedge has a gate:(i)Place a lock at least 4 feet above the ground; and(ii)Keep the gate closed and locked except when the person maintaining the beehive is present.(d)Exception. A person may maintain a beehive on a porch of a residence without an enclosure as required under subsection (c) of this section if the beehive is at least 4 feet above ground level and the steps leading to the beehive have a locked gate at least 3 feet high.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 29 | Zoning Regulations: Supplement 10).
Full Breakdown
Baltimore County Code § 17-1-106 defines a beehive as a moveable-frame enclosure for housing honeybees and then flatly prohibits maintaining one unless it meets the section's enclosure standard. For any beehive located within 200 feet of an adjoining property line, the keeper must enclose it with a fence, natural barrier, or hedge at least 4 feet high, positioned at least 4 feet from the property line. If that barrier has a gate, the gate needs a lock placed at least 4 feet above ground and must stay closed and locked except while the beekeeper is actually present tending the hive.
The section carves out one narrow exception: a beehive kept on a residential porch does not need the fence-and-hedge enclosure at all, provided the hive itself sits at least 4 feet above ground level and the steps leading up to it are blocked by a locked gate at least 3 feet high. There is no county apiary permit or hive-count limit in this section; the entire regulatory scheme is the barrier requirement, aimed at keeping neighbors and children from wandering into an active hive rather than restricting where or how many colonies a resident may keep.
Violations & Fines
The Baltimore County Code does not attach a specific fine to § 17-1-106 itself; an unenclosed hive within 200 feet of a property line is enforced as a code violation through the county's general nuisance and code-enforcement process, which can require the keeper to install the required fencing or remove the hive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a fence around my beehive in Baltimore County?
Can I keep a beehive on my porch without a fence?
Does Baltimore County require a permit to keep bees?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Baltimore County
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