Salt Lake City, UT Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Max hives, standard lot
- 5 hives
- Max hives, 0.5+ acre lot
- 10 hives
- Hive setback from property line
- 5 feet
- Flyway barrier trigger
- within 15 feet of line
- State registration required
- Utah Dept. of Agriculture
Summary
Salt Lake City allows up to 5 hives on most residential lots (10 on half-acre-plus lots) with mandatory setbacks, flyway barriers, and state registration.
Hives shall be placed at least five feet (5') from any property line and six inches (6") above the ground... this requirement may be waived in writing by the adjoining property owner... an apiary, consisting of not more than five (5) hives or an equivalent capacity, may be maintained in a side yard or the rear yard of any residential lot. On a residential lot which is one-half (0.5) acre or larger, the number of hives located on the lot may be increased to ten (10) hives.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 40-26, passed June 16, 2026).
Full Breakdown
City code permits residential beekeeping without a city permit, overriding contrary zoning limits, but hives must sit at least 5 feet from any property line and 6 inches off the ground, be marked with the owner's contact and state registration number, and include a 6-foot flyway barrier if within 15 feet of a property line or public area. Beekeepers must register with the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food and keep water available for the colony from March through October.
Violations & Fines
Keeping bees in a manner that threatens public health/safety or creates a nuisance is unlawful regardless of compliance with the chapter's technical rules; violations are enforced as a class B misdemeanor/civil infraction under the city's general animal code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to keep bees in Salt Lake City?
How close to my neighbor's fence can I place a hive?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salt Lake City
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Beekeeping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle beekeeping.