East Baton Rouge Parish, LA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Setback without barrier
- 25 ft from any property line
- Flyway barrier height
- 6 ft, extends 10 ft past hive
- Absolute dwelling setback
- 25 ft from neighbor's occupied home
- Colony cap, 1/4 acre or less
- 2 colonies
- Colony cap, 1 acre or more
- 8 colonies
- Registration
- Annual, with LDAF (Sec. 6:662)
- Appeal window
- 5 days to district court
Summary
City-Parish Code Chapter 10 lets residents keep honeybees but sets real limits: hives must sit at least 25 feet from a property line or behind a six-foot flyway barrier, never within 25 feet of a neighbor's occupied home, and colony counts are capped by tract size. Every hive must be registered with the state.
(a) In each instance in which any colony is situated within twenty-five (25) feet of a public or private property line of the tract upon which the apiary is situated, as measured from the nearest point on the hive to the property line, the beekeeper shall establish and maintain a flyway barrier at least six (6) feet in height consisting of a solid wall, fence, dense vegetation, or combination thereof that is parallel to the property line and extends ten (10) feet beyond the colony in each direction so that all bees are forced to fly at an elevation of at least six (6) feet above ground level over the property lines in the vicinity of the apiary. It is a defense against prosecution under this section that the property adjoining the apiary tract in the vicinity of the apiary is undeveloped property for a distance of at least twenty-five (25) feet from the property line of the apiary tract. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) above, in no instance shall a colony be situated within twenty-five (25) feet of an unhabited dwelling on adjoining property.
Full Breakdown
East Baton Rouge Parish's beekeeping chapter (Sec. 6:660 through 6:672) treats bees as a regulated activity rather than a banned or unregulated pet. Sec. 6:662 requires every honeybee colony to be registered annually with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, and Sec. 6:663 limits hives to Langstroth-type equipment with removable frames kept sound and usable. Sec. 6:664 is the residential-proximity rule: if a colony sits within 25 feet of a property line, the beekeeper must build a flyway barrier at least six feet high (a wall, fence or dense vegetation) running parallel to the line and extending ten feet past the colony in each direction, forcing bees to fly above six feet over neighboring ground; it is a defense if the adjoining land is undeveloped for at least 25 feet.
No barrier cures a colony kept within 25 feet of an occupied dwelling next door; that placement is barred outright. Sec. 6:665 requires a standing water source so bees do not swarm pools or birdbaths, Sec. 6:666 requires old comb be sealed or disposed of promptly, and Sec. 6:667 requires marked, gentle-stock queens and prompt requeening of aggressive colonies. Sec. 6:668 caps colony counts by tract size: two colonies on a quarter acre or less, four up to a half acre, six up to a full acre, and eight on a full acre or larger.
Sec. 6:669 requires a posted sign with the beekeeper's name and phone number plus the state's registration yard marker, unless the beekeeper lives on the tract.
Violations & Fines
The director of mosquito abatement and rodent control can inspect an apiary between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. under Sec. 6:670 and may order unusually aggressive bees destroyed immediately without a hearing if they pose an imminent threat, though the beekeeper can request a hearing within five days. For other violations, Sec. 6:671 requires written notice and a hearing before bees are ordered removed or destroyed, with keeping bees on the tract barred for up to two years; decisions are appealable to district court within five days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How close can beehives be to my neighbor's fence?
How many hives am I allowed?
Do I have to register my bees?
What happens if my bees are reported as aggressive?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in East Baton Rouge Parish
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