Tehama County, CA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Dwelling setback
- 300 feet minimum
- Road right-of-way setback
- 100 feet
- Waiver option
- Written neighbor consent
- Enforcement
- County Agricultural Commissioner
Summary
In unincorporated Tehama County, California, no apiary may sit within 300 feet of a neighboring dwelling or within 100 feet of a public road right-of-way without the county Agricultural Commissioner's approval, with limited exceptions.
No person shall place or keep any apiary or cause or allow any apiary to remain closer than three hundred feet to any house or building used as a dwelling, other than a house or building owned or possessed by that person.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23).
Full Breakdown
Tehama County Code § 7.07.060 keeps beehives at least 300 feet from any house or dwelling other than the beekeeper's own, unless the neighbor waives the distance in writing, flight-dispersing barriers are built, or the apiary predates the neighboring residential use. A separate 100-foot buffer applies from any public road right-of-way unless the Agricultural Commissioner approves closer placement. Hives must also stay accessible for inspection and can't be kept where bees create a public-health hazard or unreasonably interfere with neighboring property. This governs only the unincorporated area of Tehama County. Red Bluff, Corning, and the City of Tehama set their own rules, if any.
Violations & Fines
A violation is a declared public nuisance under § 7.07.120; the Agricultural Commissioner can issue a written notice to abate within 14 days, with costs recoverable as a lien on the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must beehives be from my neighbor's house in Tehama County?
Can I keep bees close to a public road in unincorporated Tehama County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tehama County
California rules heatmap·Compare Tehama County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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