Marion County, OR Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- RS zone
- No beekeeping allowed
- Classified as
- Farm use (honeybees)
- Allowed zones
- EFU, SA, FT, TC, AR
- Rural code
- Ch. 17.126.020 / 17.110.223
- Enforcement
- Marion County Code Enforcement
Summary
Marion County's Rural Zone Code prohibits beekeeping in the Single Family Residential (RS) zone. Keeping honeybees is treated as a farm use, allowed in the rural farm and forest zones (EFU, SA, FT, TC) and the Acreage Residential zone.
… a conditional use permit is required in the RS and AR zones if there are more than 10 mammals over four months old. No birds or furbearing animals, other than pets, and no livestock, or beekeeping are permitted in RS zones.
Full Breakdown
Under Rural Zone Code Chapter 17.126.020, no birds or furbearing animals other than pets, and no livestock or beekeeping, are permitted in RS zones. Honeybees are captured by the county's farm-use definition (Ch. 17.110.223), which includes 'the feeding, breeding, management and sale of, or the produce of, livestock, poultry, fur-bearing animals or honeybees.' Farm use is allowed in the EFU, SA, FT and TC farm/forest zones and in the Acreage Residential (AR) zone, but not in RS or, generally, industrial or commercial zones. Inside city limits, city codes govern hive keeping.
Violations & Fines
Keeping bees in a zone where they are not permitted is a zoning violation enforced by Marion County Code Enforcement (503-373-4333); the county can require removal of hives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep bees in a residential neighborhood?
Does the county define honeybees as farm animals?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Marion County
Compare Marion County to another location·View the Oregon animal ordinances overview
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