Mount Pleasant, SC Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Density limit
- 2 colonies per 1/4 acre
- Hive setback
- 20 feet from all property lines
- Flyway barrier
- 6 ft tall within 25 ft of boundary
- Permit
- Zoning permit required, all districts
- Governing section
- § 156.353 Apiculture
Summary
Mount Pleasant lets residents keep bees on any size lot under Section 156.353, capping density at two colonies per quarter acre. Hives must sit at least 20 feet from every property line, face away from neighbors, and carry a six-foot flyway barrier when placed within 25 feet of a boundary.
§ 156.353 APICULTURE. (A) There is no minimum parcel size for beekeeping; however, the maximum density is two colonies per one-quarter acre. (B) Hives shall be located at least 20 feet from all property lines. The opening of the hive shall be oriented away from adjoining properties. (C) For colonies located within 25 feet of a property boundary, a flyway barrier at least six feet in height consisting of a solid wall, fence, or dense hedge parallel to the property line and extending ten feet beyond the apiary in each direction is required. (D) A constant supply of fresh water is required.
Full Breakdown
353(A) caps colony density at two colonies per one-quarter acre, so a larger lot can support proportionally more hives. 353(B), every hive must sit at least 20 feet from all property lines, with the hive entrance oriented away from adjoining properties to keep bee flight paths off neighboring yards. Division (C) adds a screening requirement: any colony placed within 25 feet of a property boundary needs a flyway barrier at least six feet tall, built as a solid wall, fence, or dense hedge, running parallel to the property line and extending ten feet past the apiary in each direction, which forces the bees to fly up and over rather than across a neighbor's yard at head height.
Division (D) requires beekeepers to keep a constant water source next to the hives that lets bees land on a hard surface to drink, though that supply is not required during winter and other inactive months, and division (E) requires removal of any hive that is no longer actively maintained. Apiculture appears on the Town's accessory use table as a use requiring a zoning permit in all districts, so a beekeeper needs the Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Department's sign-off before installing hives, in addition to meeting the setback and barrier standards above.
Violations & Fines
Keeping bees without the required zoning permit, exceeding the two-colonies-per-quarter-acre density cap, or skipping the 20-foot setback or flyway barrier violates the Zoning Code and can draw the general municipal penalty of Section 10.99: a fine of up to $500, up to 30 days imprisonment, or both, with each day the violation continues charged as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many beehives can I keep on my Mount Pleasant property?
How far do beehives have to be from my neighbor's yard?
Do I need a permit to keep bees in Mount Pleasant?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mount Pleasant
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