Murrieta, CA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed zones
- RR and ER only
- Minimum lot size
- One-half acre
- Setback distance
- 400 feet from streets, schools, homes
- Use restriction
- Noncommercial, occupants only
- Water requirement
- On-site water source required
Summary
Murrieta allows apiaries only in the Rural Residential and Estate Residential zones, per Development Code Table 16.44.040-1, on lots of at least one-half acre. Hives must sit at least 400 feet from any street, school, park, property line, dwelling, or business, and beekeepers must provide an on-site water source for the bees.
Apiary (bees) RR, ER N/A One-half (1/2) acre ... b. Apiaries, for the noncommercial use of occupants of the premises only, shall have all boxes or hives housing bees placed at least four hundred (400) feet from any highway, roads, or streets, any public school, park, property boundary or from any structure used as a dwelling or as a place of business. A water source shall be provided on-site.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-23: A Codification of the General Ordinances of the City of Murrieta, California through Ord. 634-26, passed 7-7-2026).
Full Breakdown
040(E) treats bees as an animal-keeping use, meaning apiaries fall under the same chapter that regulates livestock and pets rather than a standalone beekeeping ordinance. 040-1 restricts hives to the RR (Rural Residential) and ER (Estate Residential) zoning districts and sets a minimum parcel size of one-half acre; no maximum number of hives is specified for noncommercial use, unlike the numeric caps set for dogs, cats, or livestock in the same table. b then layers on a 400-foot buffer: every box or hive must be kept at least 400 feet from any highway, road, or street, any public school, any park, the property boundary itself, or any structure used as a dwelling or place of business.
040-2, reflecting the city's added caution around bee stings and swarming near neighbors and schools. The rule limits apiaries to noncommercial use by the property's own occupants; it does not extend the exemption to a for-profit apiary. 28 and all county and state licensing requirements.
Violations & Fines
Placing hives closer than 400 feet to a school, park, street, dwelling, or property line, or keeping bees outside the RR and ER zones, violates Section 16.44.040(E)(1)(b) and is enforced under the citywide penalty section, Murrieta Code Section 1.08.050: an infraction starting at a $100 fine that escalates and can be prosecuted as a misdemeanor, up to $1,000 and six months in jail, after a third violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep bees on any residential lot in Murrieta?
How far must beehives sit from my neighbor's house?
Do I need a permit to keep bees for my own honey?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Murrieta
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