Lehi, UT Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Maximum hives
- No cap
- Standard setback
- 6 ft from property line
- Reduced setback
- 16 in with 6-ft flyway barrier
- Max hive height
- 6 feet
- State registration
- Utah Dept. of Agriculture, Bee Inspection Act
Summary
Lehi treats beekeeping as a permitted use with no cap on the number of hives, in every zoning district from the A-5 agricultural district down to the R-3 multifamily district. Development Code Section 12.120.E only regulates placement: hives must clear the front yard, sit back from property lines or hide behind a flyway barrier, and stay under six feet tall.
E. Beekeeping. The keeping of bees is allowed on all properties in the A-5, TH-5, A-1, RA-1, R-1-22, R-1-15, R-1-12, R-1-10, R-1-8, R-2, R-2.5, and R-3 Districts as a permitted use subject to the following requirements: 1. There is no defined maximum number of beehives or colonies. 2. Beehives shall not be located in any front yard. 3. Beehives shall be located at least six feet from any adjoining property line or public road. Hives may be located up to 16 inches from the property line or public road if a solid fence or hedge known as a "flyway barrier" of at least six feet in height is provided in front of the hive entrance. ... 4. ... A fresh supply of water shall be maintained to prevent bees from collecting at water sources in neighboring properties. 5. Beehives or any component thereof shall not exceed six feet in height. ... 7. ... Each beekeeper shall register with the Utah Department of Agriculture as provided in the Utah Bee Inspection Act as set forth in Title 4, Chapter 11 of the Utah State Code.
Full Breakdown
5 and R-3 districts, which covers essentially every residential and agricultural zone in the city. There is no maximum number of hives or colonies. Hives cannot sit in a front yard, and must be at least six feet from any adjoining property line or public road, except that a hive may come as close as 16 inches from the line if the keeper installs a solid fence or hedge at least six feet tall, known in the code as a flyway barrier, in front of the hive entrance to force bees to fly up and over foot traffic.
Keepers must maintain a fresh water supply near the hives so bees do not congregate at neighbors' water sources, and no hive or any component of it may exceed six feet in height. Hives must be kept under beekeeping best-management practices for disease control and swarm prevention, and the Lehi City animal control officer can order a hive removed if it is found to be a nuisance. Because bees are agricultural livestock under state law, every beekeeper must also register with the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food under the Utah Bee Inspection Act, Utah Code Title 4, Chapter 11, a requirement the Development Code repeats rather than creates.
Violations & Fines
A hive placed in a front yard, set closer than six feet from a line without a flyway barrier, or built taller than six feet is out of compliance, and the animal control officer can order a colony removed as a nuisance. Because Section 12.120.E sits inside the Development Code, ordinary code violations fall under Section 34.010.D's class C misdemeanor and the Zoning Administrator's enforcement authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to keep bees in Lehi?
How close to my neighbor's yard can I put a hive?
Is there a limit on how many beehives I can have?
What happens if my bees become a nuisance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lehi
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