Rio Rancho, NM Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Rio Rancho does not have a specific beekeeping ordinance. A review of Chapter 90 (Animals) of the Municipal Code found no provisions addressing bees, hives, honeybees, or apiaries, and no separate beekeeping rule was located in the city's animal regulations. Because the city is silent, beekeeping is controlled mainly by New Mexico state law. The New Mexico Bee Act, codified at NMSA 1978, Chapter 76, Article 9 (Sections 76-9-1 through 76-9-13), is administered by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) and establishes registration of apiaries, governs importation of honeybees, provides for pollination permits, addresses abandoned apiaries, and supports inspection and disease management. Under that act, a 'commercial apiary' is defined by colony count and location relative to Interstate 40. Beyond the Bee Act, a beekeeper in Rio Rancho should confirm whether the activity is permitted under the city's zoning code (Chapter 154, Planning and Zoning) for their district, since cities typically control land-use and nuisance aspects of beekeeping even where the state regulates bee health. Honeybees kept in a way that creates a nuisance could still draw enforcement under general nuisance provisions. Always verify current requirements with NMDA and the city before establishing hives.