Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup
Key FactsOrdinance TextFull BreakdownViolationsFAQSourcesMore in Kitsap County

Kitsap County, WA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Urban residential cap
2 bee colonies for personal use
Companion hen allowance
8 hens, no roosters
Rural zones
Apiaries permitted outright as agricultural use
Governing table
KCC 17.455.020, Table 1, footnote (1)
Jurisdiction reach
Unincorporated Kitsap County only

Summary

Kitsap County's agriculture code caps backyard beekeeping in urban residential zones at two bee colonies per household, allowed only for personal use, under Table 1 of the county's Agriculture Code. Rural zones face no such cap since agriculture, including apiaries, is a permitted primary use outright.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Kitsap County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(1) Residents or community gardens may keep up to eight hens (no roosters) and two bee colonies for their own use.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4864424; v0 updated 2025-12-08; through 12-08-2025).

Full Breakdown

455 (the Agriculture Code) governs where apiaries are allowed across Kitsap County's unincorporated zoning map. 030 to expressly include "apiaries", as a permitted (P) use, so rural landowners can keep bee colonies without a numeric cap tied to this table. " That two-colony cap, paired with the eight-hen, no-rooster allowance, is the operative backyard limit for residents in those urban-designated zones. 100. Because this is county code, it binds unincorporated Kitsap County only; Bremerton, Port Orchard, Poulsbo and Bainbridge Island keep their own beekeeping rules under their separate municipal codes.

Property owners uncertain which zone applies should confirm their Comprehensive Plan land use designation and zone classification against Table 1 before assuming either the rural permitted-use status or the two-colony urban allowance applies to their parcel.

Violations & Fines

Table 1 and its footnotes function as zoning permit standards rather than a stand-alone penalty schedule; exceeding the two-colony cap in an urban residential zone, or keeping bees in a zone where agricultural uses are marked "--" (not permitted) without qualifying for the personal-use footnote, is treated as an unpermitted land use under Title 17 and enforced through the county's standard zoning code enforcement process, which can require compliance or removal of the nonconforming use.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many beehives can I keep at my house in unincorporated Kitsap County?
It depends on your zone. In rural zones like Rural Residential or Rural Protection, apiaries are a permitted agricultural use with no colony cap under Table 1. In urban residential zones, footnote (1) to that table limits residents to two bee colonies kept for their own personal use.
Do I need a permit to keep two beehives in an urban Kitsap County neighborhood?
The code does not describe a separate apiary permit; the two-colony allowance in Table 1's footnote (1) operates as a zoning permissibility rule, not a permit application. Confirm your zone classification against Table 1 in KCC 17.455.020 before setting up hives.
Does the county's right-to-farm law protect my backyard bees from a nuisance complaint?
KCC 17.455.030 defines "agricultural activity" to include keeping bees for agricultural or apicultural products, and KCC 17.455.100 states agricultural operations following best management practices are not a public or private nuisance, which extends nuisance protection to qualifying beekeeping.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Kitsap County

Parking Rules: Street Parking LimitsSome RestrictionsDog Leash LawsSome RestrictionsPet Store RulesSignificant RestrictionsBreed RestrictionsSignificant RestrictionsVeterinary Clinic ZoningSome RestrictionsMicrochippingLight RestrictionsExotic PetsHeavy RestrictionsWildlife Rescue PermitsSome RestrictionsPet LimitsSome RestrictionsCat RulesSome RestrictionsPet Groomer RulesSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Vehicle NoiseSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: EV ChargingSome RestrictionsFire Regulations: FireworksSignificant Restrictions

All Kitsap County rules

Compare Kitsap County to another location·View the Washington animal ordinances overview

Get notified when Beekeeping in Kitsap County, WA changes

We'll email you the moment we detect a change in the code. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We'll never sell or share your email. One-click unsubscribe in every email.

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.