Lancaster County sets no beekeeping rule. Statewide, Pennsylvania's Bee Law requires every apiary to register with the PA Department of Agriculture. Where hives may be placed on a residential lot is decided by your municipality's zoning code.
Two layers apply. First, the state Bee Law (3 Pa.C.S. §2101 et seq.) requires all apiaries in Pennsylvania to be registered with the Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Plant Industry; the registration fee is about $10 for two years and enables the state inspection program. Second, whether and where you may keep hives on a residential parcel is a municipal zoning matter under the MPC — the county imposes nothing. Many Lancaster County townships permit hives outright given the region's agricultural base; some boroughs follow the PA model beekeeping ordinance with setback and hive-count limits. Confirm hive placement with your local zoning office.
Failure to register an apiary violates the state Bee Law and can bring Department of Agriculture penalties; local placement violations carry municipal zoning fines.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Lancaster, PA
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Lancaster, PA
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Lancaster, PA
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See how Lancaster's beekeeping rules stack up against other locations.
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