Santa Clara, CA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Santa Clara allows residential beekeeping in single-family zones. Beekeepers are permitted up to 2 hives per 5,000 square feet of lot area, with a general cap of 4 hives on typical residential lots. Hives must be located at least 20 feet from any property line and 25 feet from any street or right-of-way. If hives are located closer, a 6-foot-tall flyway barrier (solid fence or dense vegetation) is required to direct bee flight upward and away from neighbors. Beekeepers must maintain a permanent water source on-site to prevent bees from congregating at neighboring pools and spas, a common issue in Silicon Valleys Mediterranean climate. Only European honey bees (Apis mellifera) are permitted; Africanized colonies must be promptly requeened. Beekeepers should register with the Santa Clara County Agricultural Commissioner under California Food and Agricultural Code 29040. Complaints about aggressive swarms or nuisance hives are handled by the city code enforcement and animal services. Santa Clara University maintains demonstration hives as part of sustainability programs.