Paramount, CA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Beekeeping is prohibited everywhere in the City of Paramount, California. Section 6.44.010 of the Municipal Code provides that no person shall establish or maintain any hive or box where bees are kept, or keep any bees on any premises, dwelling, or property within City limits. The rule has three parts: it bars establishing or maintaining a hive or box, it bars keeping bees on any premises, dwelling or property, and it applies throughout City limits. The section prints no zone exception, no permit path, no colony count and no setback, so a single backyard hive falls under the same sentence as a larger operation.

The prohibition sits in Chapter 6.44, Miscellaneous Provisions, of Title 6, the Animal Control Ordinance, next to rules that do offer permits, such as homing pigeons under Section 6.44.020, which requires a City Clerk permit with a five dollar application fee and caps a keeper at 100 birds. Chapter 6.44 holds no comparable permit for bees, and the household pet provisions in the R-1, R-2 and R-M zoning chapters never mention bees.

Enforcement falls to the Director of Animal Care and Control, who is vested with police powers under Section 6.08.020, and to any enforcement officer using Chapter 1.08. Section 1.08.050 authorizes an administrative citation for any provision of the Municipal Code. The citation states the provision violated, the actions required to correct it and a deadline not to exceed 21 days unless the enforcement officer determines a longer period is reasonably warranted. The fine comes from a schedule set by City Council resolution, increased fines apply to repeat violations within 12 months, and the fine is due within 30 calendar days. A cited party can contest in writing within 15 days after service, with a deposit of the full fine or a hardship waiver request, and the hearing is scheduled not less than 15 nor more than 60 days after the request. The Hearing Officer's decision is final.