Thousand Oaks, CA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Road/street setback
- 150 ft
- Dwelling setback
- 400 ft (waivable with owner consent)
- Property-line setback
- 50 ft (waived if both properties have apiaries)
- Water supply
- Required on-site for the bees
Summary
Thousand Oaks allows residents to keep bees, but backyard apiaries must sit well back from roads, neighboring homes, and property lines. The Municipal Code sets specific footage buffers designed to keep hives away from foot and vehicle traffic and reduce the odds of a sting complaint from next door.
Apiaries are subject to the following limitations: (1) No occupied hive shall be located or maintained within one hundred fifty (150') feet of any public road, street or highway. (2) No occupied hive shall be located or maintained within four hundred (400') feet of any dwelling, unless the owner of said dwelling(s) has consented. (3) No occupied hive shall be located or maintained within fifty (50') feet of any property line common to other property, except when such other property also contains an apiary. (4) Adequate water supply shall be available and maintained on the property to serve the bees.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-78: 2026 S-78 Supplement contains: Current city legislation passed through March 31, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under TOMC § 9-4.2106(a), occupied beehives cannot be placed within 150 feet of any public road, street, or highway, within 400 feet of any dwelling unless that dwelling's owner has given consent, or within 50 feet of a shared property line, unless the neighboring parcel also hosts an apiary, in which case the property-line buffer doesn't apply. Beekeepers must also maintain an adequate on-site water supply for the bees, which helps keep foraging bees away from neighbors' pools and pet water bowls. These limits apply wherever beekeeping is otherwise a permitted accessory use under the city's zoning matrix (Sec. 9-4.2104).
Violations & Fines
The apiary buffers are development standards enforced through the city's zoning code; failing to meet them is treated as a zoning violation subject to the city's standard code-enforcement and permit process for Community Development matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep bees within 400 feet of my neighbor's house?
Does the property-line setback ever not apply?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Thousand Oaks
California rules heatmap·Compare Thousand Oaks to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Beekeeping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Ventura County handle beekeeping.