Colusa County, CA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

The Colusa County Zoning Code, Chapter 44, defines "apiaries" as any place where one or more colonies or nuclei of bees are kept, and its definition of "agriculture" expressly includes apiculture alongside viticulture, horticulture, and animal and poultry husbandry. Chapter 34 (Farming Practices), the county's Right to Farm ordinance, similarly defines agriculture to include apiculture. Commercial animal and agricultural uses are allowed by right in the county's agricultural zones, and there is no dedicated county ordinance capping the number of hives or setting hive setbacks for residential parcels, so siting follows the zone's agricultural and accessory-use provisions. Statewide, California Food and Agricultural Code Section 29040 and following require beekeepers to register their apiary annually with the agricultural commissioner of each county where the bees are located and to identify their hives; registration supports pest and disease tracking and pesticide-application notice. Because Colusa County is a rural agricultural county that prioritizes agricultural use of land, beekeepers in unincorporated areas should confirm their parcel's zoning and register their apiary with the Colusa County Agricultural Commissioner.