Tigard, OR Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Tigard regulates bees in Article VII of Chapter 6.02, Keeping Livestock, adopted by Ordinance 22-09. Section 6.02.610 defines a bee as a honey-producing insect of the species Apis mellifera, the honeybee, and a hive as a moveable structure for housing a collection of bees with a single queen. The definition of livestock names honeybees directly, so every beekeeper in the City of Tigard is a livestock keeper bound by the chapter.

Hive care comes first. Beekeepers must respond to bee swarming incidents within 36 hours, keep hives in good repair, and provide adequate space to prevent overcrowding and swarming. A clean and accessible source of water must be available on the lot where the hive sits from March through October.

Hive location is controlled by distance. A hive located within 10 feet of a lot line or public access easement requires a flyaway barrier. The barrier must measure at least six feet in height, consist of a solid wall, fence, dense vegetation or a combination, and extend 10 feet in length beyond the hive in each direction, as shown in Figure 6.02.1 of the code. A hive set farther back than 10 feet from every lot line and easement does not trigger the barrier rule.

The general duties in § 6.02.630.A also apply: livestock keepers must respond to and remediate valid complaints in a timely manner, and valid complaints include the identifiable presence of vermin or noxious odors. The shelter setback of five feet that applies to coops and hutches does not govern bees, because the definition of a livestock facility excludes bees. Under § 6.02.620, livestock keepers must also follow any administrative rules for best practices that the city determines applicable.