Plymouth, MN Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

04 requires a Beekeeping License before anyone keeps bees in Plymouth, issued and fee-set under Chapter X of the City Code. The application must be signed by the property owner and include a site plan, hive plan, identification of who the beekeepers will be, proof of completing the University of Minnesota's 'Beekeeping in Northern Climates' course or a comparable program, and a bee management plan covering swarm management, mite and disease treatment, and native pollinator preservation. Licenses run for two years with no renewal fee, and the City may inspect licensed premises and suspend or revoke a license under the Section 1005 licensing procedures.

Hive placement varies by district: on RSF-1, RSF-2, RSF-3, and single-family PUD lots, hives must be located on the ground, in the side or rear yard, and set back at least 20 feet from side and rear property lines; in the I-1, I-2, and I-3 districts, hives must be on rooftops, set back at least 20 feet from property lines; and on P-I or city-owned property, hives may sit on the ground or rooftops, set back 20 feet from property lines and public trails. Every hive location must supersede other setbacks by staying at least 25 feet from any kenneled or restricted animal on the same or an adjacent property, and needs a water source within 10 feet unless a natural source exists within 25 feet.

Residential lots may hold up to two hives at initial permit submission, with a step-up to four hives the following spring; industrial, P-I, and city-owned sites may start at eight hives and step up to 16, with each 16-hive grouping kept at least a mile from any other. Selling honey from the property requires a separate home occupation license under Section 21145.