James City County, VA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Sec. 1 of the zoning ordinance lets James City County residents keep bees, but ties the hobby to buffer distances measured from the hive itself. Hives must sit at least ten feet from any public right-of-way and from the boundary line of property the beekeeper does not own or control, and at least 50 feet from any dwelling or structure on someone else's land. If a hive sits between ten and 30 feet from a right-of-way or boundary line, the keeper must install a barrier of fencing, vegetation, or both that is at least six feet tall, dense enough to force bees to fly above six feet, placed between the hive and the boundary, and extended at least ten feet past the hive on each side.

Hives must stay in the rear yard, oriented so the entrance faces into the property, and an on-site water source must sit within 50 feet of the hive or closer than the nearest natural water source, whichever is nearer. Colony counts are capped at six on lots under one acre; lots of one acre or more have no county-imposed cap. Non-residential apiaries carry two extra rules: a permanent, non-illuminated sign no larger than four square feet must be posted on the building announcing bees on the premises, and rooftop hives are limited to flat roofs, must sit at least six feet from the roof edge, and require a strapping system to keep the hive secure.