Montgomery County permits beekeeping on residential lots under Maryland Agriculture Article Sec 5-501 et seq. State registration with the Maryland Department of Agriculture Apiary Inspection Program is required. No county-specific permit needed. Hives should face away from neighboring property and public areas.
Beekeeping in Montgomery County is governed by Maryland state law under the Agriculture Article, Sections 5-501 through 5-507. Beekeepers must register with the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) Apiary Inspection Program. The state charges no registration fee and conducts periodic hive inspections for disease. Montgomery County does not impose additional local permits or restrictions on beekeeping beyond state requirements. Best practices recommended by MDA include maintaining hives at least 10 feet from property lines, providing a water source to prevent bees from visiting neighbors, orienting hive entrances away from neighboring homes and sidewalks, and installing a 6-foot flyway barrier (fence or hedge) near property lines to force bees upward. Maryland law protects beekeepers from nuisance claims if they follow best management practices. The Chesapeake Bay watershed location makes pollinator support a county priority. The Montgomery County Beekeepers Association provides local mentoring. HOAs cannot ban beekeeping under Maryland law but may regulate hive placement.
No county penalties for residential beekeeping. Failure to register with MDA: state enforcement. Diseased colonies: MDA-ordered treatment or destruction. Nuisance complaints without best practices: civil liability.
Montgomery County, MD
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