San Diego allows 1-2 beehives on residential property per SDMC Chapter 4, Article 4, Division 4. Hives must be outside setbacks or 15 feet from property lines. A 6-foot barrier is required unless hives are 8+ feet above ground. Registration with County Agriculture Department required (no City permit).
SDMC Chapter 4, Article 4, Division 4 governs beekeeping in San Diego. Residents of single-family homes may keep 1 or 2 beehives. Hives must be located outside all setbacks or at least 15 feet from the property line and 20 feet from the public right-of-way, whichever is greater. A 6-foot tall barrier (fence, wall, or dense hedge) must surround the hive area unless the hive is at least 8 feet above ground level. Hives must not be visible from the public right-of-way. Queens must be re-queened every two years. Hives must be in a secured area. Three or more hives constitute an apiary requiring at least 600 feet from any residence and 100 feet from public right-of-way. No city permit is required, but all beekeepers must register with the San Diego County Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures.
Code enforcement action for non-compliant hive placement. Unregistered hives may be removed by County Agriculture Department. Aggressive bee colonies may trigger mandatory re-queening or removal.
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