Indio, CA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed zones
- DE-1, DET-3, SN-4 residential zones only
- Hive setback
- 20 feet from any property line
- Flyway barrier height
- Minimum six feet tall
- Location
- Rear yards (side yards in DE-1/DET-3)
- Water source
- Required year-round for bees
Summary
Indio's Unified Development Code allows residential beekeeping only in the DE-1, DET-3, and SN-4 zones, requires hives in rear yards at least 20 feet from property lines, and mandates a solid six-foot flyway barrier.
Beekeeping is allowed in the DE-1, DET-3, and SN-4 zones. The principal use of the property on which beehives are kept must be residential, institutional, or educational. Beehives shall only be located in rear yards and shall be placed a minimum of 20 feet from any property line, except that in the DE-1 and DET-3 zoning beehives also may be placed in the interior side yards. In all zones the entrance to the beehive shall face away from the property line closest to the hive.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4796010; v13 updated 2026-02-04; through 02-04-2026).
Full Breakdown
The City of Indio's Unified Development Code permits beekeeping as an accessory use only in the DE-1, DET-3, and SN-4 residential zones, and only where the property's principal use is residential, institutional, or educational. Hives must sit in rear yards at least 20 feet from every property line (interior side yards are allowed only in DE-1 and DET-3), and beekeepers must install a six-foot flyway barrier, solid enough to block bee flight, running parallel to the property line and extending five feet past the hive in each direction. Keepers must also provide a year-round water source and requeen any unusually defensive colony.
Violations & Fines
Violating hive placement, zone eligibility, setback, or flyway-barrier standards is a code violation subject to enforcement and potential nuisance abatement by the City of Indio.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep bees in my Indio backyard?
How far must a beehive be from my neighbor's property line?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Indio
California rules heatmap·Compare Indio to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Beekeeping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle beekeeping.