Greenville County, SC Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Greenville County does not have a county-level beekeeping ordinance. Honey bees in Greenville County are governed primarily by South Carolina state law, with city or municipal zoning controlling residential placement inside incorporated cities such as Greenville, Greer, Mauldin, Simpsonville, Fountain Inn, and Travelers Rest.

The operative state law is South Carolina Code Title 46 (Agriculture), Chapter 37, "Introduction of Honey Bees Into State," codified at §§ 46-37-05 through 46-37-50. Chapter 37 vests regulatory authority in the South Carolina Crop Pest Commission, with day-to-day administration delegated by § 46-37-25 to the Director of Regulatory and Public Service Programs at Clemson University. The Clemson Department of Plant Industry runs the state Apiary Inspection Program.

The substantive requirements of Chapter 37 focus on the introduction of bees from out of state. § 46-37-10 requires that all bees and beekeeping fixtures shipped or moved into South Carolina must be accompanied by a certificate of inspection signed by the state entomologist, state apiary inspector, or equivalent official from the originating state, with the inspection occurring within 60 days before shipment; in addition, an entry permit from the Clemson Department of Plant Industry must be obtained before the bees enter the state. § 46-37-30 authorizes Clemson inspectors to enter warehouses, premises, or apiary areas to inspect bees and fixtures and to order the removal or destruction of bees that are diseased or that were brought into the state in violation of Chapter 37. § 46-37-40 prohibits the shipment of used beekeeping fixtures into South Carolina unless authorized by regulations promulgated by the Commission. § 46-37-50 sets penalties: any person who violates Chapter 37 is guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, may be fined up to $500 or imprisoned for up to six months.

Inside the state, registration of hives with Clemson is voluntary — there is no mandatory beekeeper license or registration requirement under SC law. Beekeepers may, however, enroll their apiaries voluntarily through the Clemson Apiary Inspection Program and the Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program (CAPP), which provides extension support, free hive inspections on request, and a voluntary Bee Mapping program that lets agricultural pesticide applicators check for nearby hives before spraying.

Because Greenville County itself has not adopted a beekeeping ordinance, density limits, hive setbacks, and whether bees are permitted on a particular residential parcel are governed by the zoning code of the relevant city. Beekeepers in the City of Greenville, Greer, Mauldin, Simpsonville, Fountain Inn, or Travelers Rest should confirm hive placement with their municipal zoning office. In unincorporated parts of Greenville County, the County Zoning Ordinance permits "Agriculture, Farming" — defined to include cultivating plants and raising livestock or fowl that does not require a state tax license — in most rural and residential zoning districts.