Tulsa, OK Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Max hives
- 4 per 1/4 acre or less
- Lot-line setback
- 20 feet minimum
- Screening required
- 6-ft hedge or fence
- Water source
- within 20 ft, Mar 1-Oct 31
- Inspections
- 4x/year, written log kept
Summary
Tulsa allows backyard honeybee hives but caps density at four hives per quarter acre, requires a 20-foot lot-line setback, a 6-foot screening hedge or fence, and standing water within 20 feet of each hive.
Harbor, keep or possess domestic honeybees otherwise permitted by this chapter unless the bees are maintained as follows: a. No more than four (4) hives shall be maintained for each one-quarter (1/4) acre or less of lot size on any lot; and b. No hive shall be maintained within twenty (20) feet of any lot line of the lot on which said hive is located; and c. ...maintain a hedge or a screening fence of at least six (6) feet in height...; and d. A supply of clean water must be furnished within twenty (20) feet of each hive between March 1 and October 31 of each year.
Full Breakdown
Tulsa Revised Ordinances Title 2 makes it unlawful to keep domestic honeybees unless the hives meet four conditions: no more than four hives per quarter acre or less of lot size, no hive within 20 feet of any lot line, a hedge or screening fence at least 6 feet tall between the hive and the neighboring lot in the direction the bees fly out, running the full length of that lot line, and a clean water source within 20 feet of each hive from March 1 through October 31. Owners must also inspect each hive at least four times during that same March-to-October window and keep a dated written record available to WIN (Working in Neighborhoods) on request. Commercial use of a property where bees are kept has to comply separately with the Title 42 zoning code.
Violations & Fines
Keeping hives that don't meet the density, setback, screening or water requirements is an offense under Title 2, Chapter 1's general offense section, enforced by WIN.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep bees on a small city lot in Tulsa?
Do I need a permit to keep bees in Tulsa?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tulsa
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Beekeeping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle beekeeping.