Perris, CA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

A full review of Title 8 (Animals) of the Perris Municipal Code, adopted by Ordinance No. 1380, found no chapter, section or definition addressing bees, beehives, apiaries or honey production. Bees are therefore not regulated under the city's animal-keeping rules, and there is no city-specific hive count, setback or permit written into Title 8. That does not mean beekeeping is unregulated. Two other layers apply. First, under California Food and Agricultural Code Section 29040, every person who owns or possesses an apiary in the state must register the number of colonies and the location of each apiary with the agricultural commissioner of the county where the bees are kept (Riverside County for Perris), by January 1 each year, with a $10 annual fee that hobbyists keeping nine or fewer hives are exempt from paying (registration is still required). Second, where bees are kept on a residential parcel is controlled by the city zoning code rather than the animal code, and a colony that becomes a nuisance could be addressed under the general nuisance and sanitary provisions. Because Title 8 is silent, anyone planning to keep bees in Perris should confirm hive placement with the city Planning/Development Services Department and register with the county. We do not state a specific city hive limit or setback because none appears in the fetched Perris code.