Hawaii County, HI Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies only where
- Zoning already permits apiaries, § 4-5-2
- Core duty
- Best-ability healthy-colony standard, § 4-5-4(a)
- Neighbor placement
- Hives as far away as feasible
- Nuisance complaints go to
- State DOH vector control, § 4-5-5
- Adopted
- Ordinance 24-65 (2024)
Summary
Hawai'i County regulates beekeeping through 'generally accepted apiary management practices' rather than a permit. HCC § 4-5-4 lists a dozen required practices, from maintaining removable-frame hives to placing hive boxes 'as far away as feasible' from neighboring dwellings, and applies only within zoning districts that already permit apiaries.
(a) Beekeepers shall, to the best of their ability, maintain a healthy colony of bees by adhering to generally accepted apiary management practices as set forth in this section. (b) These generally accepted apiary management practices encompass, but are not limited to, the following: ... (11) Be considerate of neighbors by placing hive boxes as far away as feasible from neighboring properties with dwelling units; and (12) Respond to concerns, complaints, and other issues from neighbors in a manner that seeks to find mutually agreeable resolutions and avoid further potential conflict.
Full Breakdown
' The operative standard is § 4-5-4(a): beekeepers 'shall, to the best of their ability, maintain a healthy colony of bees' by following the practices in subsection (b), which include inspecting the apiary for nuisance risks, keeping colonies in sound removable-frame hives, providing an on-site water source with landing sites, shielding hives from bright lights at night, proactively preventing swarming, sanitizing against pests like small hive beetles and varroa mites, and requeening if aggressive behavior appears. § 4-5-5 routes nuisance complaints, such as aggressive bee behavior, to the State department of health's vector control division, and requires any detected Africanized honeybee to be reported to the State department of agriculture, not the County.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 4's beekeeping article carries no listed fine schedule of its own; § 4-5-4 is framed as a management standard beekeepers 'shall' follow rather than a permit with a penalty table. A bee-related nuisance is instead routed to the State department of health's vector control division under § 4-5-5, and an Africanized honeybee finding goes to the State department of agriculture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to keep bees in Hawai'i County?
How far do hives have to be from my neighbor's house?
Who do I call about aggressive bees or a suspected Africanized hive?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hawaii County
Compare Hawaii County to another location·View the Hawaii animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.