Jackson County, MO Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Permitted district
- Agricultural District (AG) only
- Governing section
- § 24004.2(b)(3)
- Permit required
- None, by-right permitted use
- AG minimum tract size
- 10 acres, § 24004.2(f)(1)
- Contrast: poultry setback
- 50 ft + 10 ft per 100 fowl over 250
- UDC violation penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine or 1 year jail
Summary
Beekeeping is a permitted use by right on land zoned Agricultural (AG) in unincorporated Jackson County. Jackson County Code § 24004.2(b)(3) lists "Bee keeping" among the AG District's permitted uses, right alongside aviaries and general farming, so a landowner on AG-zoned acreage needs no conditional use permit, site plan, or public hearing before installing hives.
a. Purpose. The Agricultural District (AG) is intended to help retain large tracts of land for agricultural purposes and to minimize conflicts between agricultural uses and adjacent development. The principal purpose of this district is to provide for large tracts of open land (10 acres or more) devoted to active agricultural and open space uses, including crop farming, animal raising, pasture and woodlands with related residential and farm structures and equipment. ... b. Permitted Uses. The following uses are authorized as permitted uses subject to any conditions established in these district provisions: 1. Agricultural uses, including general farming, ranching, animal breeding, horticulture, orchards and vineyards, but not including poultry farms or the feeding or disposal of garbage or waste. 2. Aviaries. 3. Bee keeping.
Full Breakdown
The Agricultural District exists, per its purpose clause, to protect large tracts of open land of 10 acres or more used for crop farming, animal raising, pasture, and related residential and farm structures. Within that district's Permitted Uses list, "Bee keeping" sits as item 3, immediately after "Agricultural uses" (item 1) and "Aviaries" (item 2). 2(c)(13)). No comparable hive count, hive placement, or property-line buffer appears anywhere in the beekeeping entry itself. 2(f)(1)), so a residential subdivision lot zoned RR, RE, RS, or another district does not automatically inherit this AG permitted-use listing. A beekeeper should confirm the parcel's actual zoning designation before relying on this section.
Violations & Fines
Jackson County Code § 24001.12 makes any violation of the Unified Development Code's use provisions a County ordinance violation. The Director, the Plan Commission secretary, and their staff enforce the chapter, and a conviction carries up to one year in the county jail or a fine of not more than $1,000, or both, with each day a violation continues charged as a separate offense; the County Counselor may also seek an injunction to stop an unauthorized use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to keep bees in unincorporated Jackson County?
Does this AG beekeeping rule cover a house lot in a subdivision?
Are there hive-count or setback limits for beekeeping in the county code?
What happens if a use violates the AG district's permitted-use list?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jackson County
Compare Jackson County to another location·View the Missouri animal ordinances overview
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