Spokane allows residential beekeeping under SMC 17C.310 with registration through the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Hives must be set back from property lines; up to 4 hives typical on standard residential lots.
Spokane permits beekeeping as an accessory use in residential zones. Under SMC 17C.310, hives must be set back at least 5 feet from any property line and 25 feet from dwellings on adjoining lots, unless a flyway barrier (solid fence or dense vegetation at least 6 feet tall) directs bees upward. A water source must be maintained on the beekeeper's property so bees do not seek water at neighbors' pools. Washington State requires annual apiary registration with WSDA for anyone keeping one or more hives under RCW 15.60. Africanized honey bees are not established in WA. Spokane has an active beekeeping community through the West Plains Beekeepers Association.
Non-compliant hive placement is a civil zoning violation; typical corrective notice followed by fines of 100 to 500 dollars if not resolved.
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See how Spokane's beekeeping rules stack up against other locations.
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