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.
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.
State enforcement focuses on unregistered hives, Africanized colonies, and BMP violations. FDACS may order requeening, relocation, or destruction of nuisance colonies under Chapter 586.
See how other cities in Pinellas County handle beekeeping.
See how Pinellas Park's beekeeping rules stack up against other locations.
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