Beekeeping is legal across Pennsylvania, but every apiary owner must register hives with the state Department of Agriculture under the Bee Law. Local placement and setback rules, if any, come from your Lehigh County municipality, not the county itself.
Pennsylvania's Bee Law (3 Pa.C.S. §2105) requires the owner of any apiary in the Commonwealth to register it with the Department of Agriculture, which enables inspection for disease. Registration is the core statewide obligation. Because PA counties do not zone, whether hives are permitted on a given lot — and any setback from property lines or flyway-barrier requirements — is governed by the individual borough, township, or city zoning ordinance. Allentown and denser boroughs may limit hive numbers or placement, while rural townships are generally permissive. There is no Lehigh County beekeeping ordinance.
Keeping an unregistered apiary violates the Bee Law and can trigger Department of Agriculture enforcement, inspection orders, and fines; local zoning violations carry separate municipal penalties.
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See how Lehigh County's beekeeping rules stack up against other locations.
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