Sierra County, CA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Sierra County does not have a dedicated beekeeping ordinance. The Animal Control Ordinance does not reach bees at all: Section 8.08.020 defines 'animal' for that chapter as dogs or domesticated canines and excludes farm animals, so honeybees fall outside county animal control. Beekeeping is instead an agricultural activity governed by the zoning code (Title 15). In the A1 agricultural district, permitted uses include 'general farming,' 'animal husbandry,' and similar agricultural pursuits (Section 15.12.160(B)), under which apiculture customarily falls. In the RR-1 rural residential district, household animals are kept 'without restriction,' though commercial uses are limited (Section 15.12.190). We did not find a county section that caps the number of hives, so we do not state one. The controlling requirement for beekeepers comes from state law: California Food & Agricultural Code Section 29040 requires every person who owns or possesses an apiary in the state to register each apiary's location and colony count with the County Agricultural Commissioner by January 1 each year (or within 30 days of acquiring bees). California registers apiaries through the statewide BeeWhere system, and registration also entitles beekeepers to advance notice of nearby pesticide applications. Beekeepers should confirm their parcel's zoning with Sierra County Planning and register with the Agricultural Commissioner before placing hives.