New Orleans, LA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Under Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:2371 through 3:2378, every beekeeper in the state must register each apiary with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry and pay a small annual fee per colony. Registration helps the state track American foulbrood, varroa mite, and Africanized honey bee outbreaks. New Orleans City Code Chapter 18 incorporates beekeeping under general animal-keeping provisions and does not impose a citywide hive cap, but hives must be located so that bee flight paths do not cross neighbor walkways at low altitude; a 6-foot solid fence or hedge between the hive and the property line satisfies most flyway concerns. Beekeepers should maintain a fresh water source on-site to prevent foraging bees from gathering at neighbors' swimming pools and pet bowls. Hives in HDLC or Vieux Carre districts may need design review if visible from the street. Africanized honey bees are present in southeast Louisiana and any unusually defensive swarm should be reported to the Department of Agriculture, which can dispatch trained removers. Selling honey requires compliance with the Louisiana cottage food law (Title 40) including proper labeling. Removing a feral swarm from a wall or tree requires a licensed remover; do not attempt extermination, since honey bees are protected pollinators.