San Mateo County, CA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Unincorporated San Mateo County does not impose a strict zoning cap on hives; local sources describe beekeeping as allowed as long as it does not create a nuisance for neighbors. The principal mandatory rules come from California state law administered by the County Agricultural Commissioner. California law requires all beekeepers to register their honey bee hive locations with their local Agricultural Commissioner's office within 30 days of establishing the apiary, and registration is renewed annually by January 1 (California Food & Agricultural Code Section 29040 et seq.). San Mateo County processes registrations through the statewide BeeWhere program (beewhere.calagpermits.org) and currently waives the $10 registration fee. Beekeepers must update their registration within 72 hours when they change colony numbers, relocate within or outside the county, or move out of state. Unless an apiary is located at the beekeeper's residence, it must be marked with the owner's name (or responsible person), address (city and state), and phone number; the markings must be in a dark color on a contrasting background with letters no less than one inch tall, displayed on an entrance sign or one hive per pallet. A statewide benefit of registration is that pesticide applicators must notify registered beekeepers before applying bee-toxic pesticides near their apiaries. Because the County reorganized Planning and Building rules into a new Title 8 Development Code in late 2024, confirm any current zoning-based beekeeping provisions with Planning and Building.