Knox County follows Tennessee's Apiary Act: beekeepers must register their hives with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and re-register every three years. Registered, reasonably-operated apiaries receive liability protection (TCA 44-15-125). Local zoning still governs where hives may be placed.
Beekeeping in Knox County is regulated primarily at the state level under the Tennessee Apiary Act of 1995 (TCA 44-15-101 et seq.). New apiaries must be registered with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and re-registered every three years; the State Apiarist assigns each beekeeper a registration number. A key benefit is at TCA 44-15-125: a registered, compliant, reasonably-operated apiary is shielded from liability for personal injury or property damage caused by its bees, absent intentional or grossly negligent conduct. Placement of hives may still be limited by Knox County zoning, so confirm your district before siting colonies.
Failing to register bees or comply with the Apiary Act can result in confiscation of bees and equipment plus a fine of up to $500.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Knox County does not prohibit backyard composting for households. The zoning code only regulates commercial-scale composting facilities, which are solid-wast...
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Knox County has no ordinance regulating artificial turf on residential property. Synthetic lawns are neither required nor banned; large installations should ...
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Knox County has no rule requiring native plants in home yards, but its zoning ordinance requires native shade trees in new parking lots and along streets in ...
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Knox County has no ordinance prohibiting or specially regulating residential rain barrels or rainwater collection. Tennessee does not restrict rainwater harv...
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Knox County does not impose a general ordinance restricting lawn or garden watering days or hours. Any watering limits come from your individual water utilit...
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Knox County treats vines, grass, weeds and other vegetation that reaches 12 inches or more as a presumed public nuisance on residential property. Owners must...
See how Knox County's beekeeping rules stack up against other locations.
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