Beekeeping in St. Petersburg is preempted by Florida Statute 586 and FDACS rules, allowing residential hives that follow state Best Management Requirements with FDACS registration.
Under Florida Statute Chapter 586 (Honeybees) and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) rules, the state preempts local ordinances that prohibit beekeeping outside HOA or deed-restricted communities. St. Petersburg therefore allows backyard hives provided beekeepers follow FDACS Best Management Requirements (BMR) for European honey bees and register every colony with FDACS as required by FS 586.04. Recommended practices include maintaining a water source, gentle stock, hive setbacks of 10 to 25 feet from property lines depending on lot size, and barrier flyway fencing. City Codes Compliance may still respond to nuisance or aggressive-bee complaints under Chapter 11 environmental protection.
Violations of FDACS BMR or registration can lead to state inspection orders, hive removal, and civil fines; St. Petersburg may treat aggressive colonies as a nuisance.
St. Petersburg, FL
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Pinellas County.
See how other cities in Pinellas County handle beekeeping.
See how St. Petersburg's beekeeping rules stack up against other locations.
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