Pinellas Park, FL Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Local rules
- Preempted by state
- Statute
- FS 586.10(1)
- Regulator
- Florida Dept. of Agriculture
- Registration
- Required annually with FDACS
- Inspection authority
- State, not city
Summary
Beekeeping in Pinellas Park is governed by Florida law, not local ordinance. FS 586.10 preempts municipal regulation of managed honeybee colonies; the Florida Department of Agriculture handles registration, inspection, and placement rules.
586.10 Powers and duties of department; preemption of local government ordinances. - (1) The authority to regulate, inspect, and permit managed honeybee colonies and to adopt rules on the placement and location of registered inspected managed honeybee colonies is preempted to the state through the department and supersedes any related ordinance adopted by a county, municipality, or political subdivision thereof. (2) The department shall: (a) Administer and enforce this chapter. (b) Adopt rules necessary to enforce this chapter, rules relating to standard grades for honey and other honeybee products, and, after consultation with local governments and other affected stakeholders, rules to administer this section.
Full Breakdown
Under Florida Statute 586.10(1), the authority to regulate, inspect, and permit managed honeybee colonies, and to adopt rules on placement and location, is preempted to the state through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). Pinellas Park cannot prohibit beekeeping in residential areas or impose hive-count, setback, or registration rules beyond state law. All Florida beekeepers must register colonies with FDACS annually under Chapter 586 and follow Best Management Practices for Maintaining European Honey Bee Colonies. The state can adopt rules after consulting with affected stakeholders.
Violations & Fines
State enforcement focuses on unregistered hives, Africanized colonies, and BMP violations. FDACS may order requeening, relocation, or destruction of nuisance colonies under Chapter 586.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit from Pinellas Park to keep bees?
Can my neighbor force me to remove bees?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pinellas Park
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Pinellas Park to another location·View the Florida animal ordinances overview
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Beekeeping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Pinellas County handle beekeeping.