Palm Springs, CA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Beekeeping in Palm Springs is subject to both local zoning restrictions and California state law. Palm Springs does not have a backyard-beekeeping ordinance comparable to those in Los Angeles or Santa Monica; the Planning Department generally treats hives as an agricultural/livestock use not permitted in standard R-1 residential zones. Large-lot, equestrian-overlay, or agricultural zones may allow a small number of hives with setbacks from adjacent homes (commonly 20–25 feet from property lines), water-source requirements, and flyway barriers to direct bees up and away from neighbors. Under California Food and Agricultural Code §29040, all beekeepers with one or more colonies must register annually with the Riverside County Agricultural Commissioner and mark each hive with the beekeeper's name and address or registration number. Notification is required before moving hives (§29043). Africanized honey bee (AHB) concerns are significant in the Coachella Valley; Palm Springs Fire and Riverside County Vector Control respond to aggressive swarms. The public should not attempt to remove feral colonies; licensed bee-removal specialists are required. Neighbors disturbed by a hive can file a nuisance complaint with Code Enforcement, and a hive declared a nuisance under PSMC may be ordered removed. Commercial pollination operations that truck colonies through the Coachella Valley for date and citrus pollination are regulated separately. Check Palm Springs Planning specifically for your parcel before installing a hive; the default answer in most residential zones is no.