Upland, CA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Permitted by right in
- RS-20, RS-15, RS-10 zones
- Not allowed in
- RS-7.5, RS-4, RS-MH, all RM zones
- Governing table
- Table 17.04-1, § 17.04.020
- Permit needed where allowed
- None; use is "P" (by right)
- Violation penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine, 6 months jail
Summary
Upland's residential land-use table permits beekeeping by right in only its three largest-lot single-family zones, RS-20, RS-15, and RS-10, and marks it "Use Not Allowed" everywhere else in the residential zoning map, including the RS-7.5, RS-4, RS-MH, and every RM multifamily zone.
TABLE 17.04-1 PERMITTED LAND USES IN THE RESIDENTIAL ZONES. Key: P Permitted Use, CUP Conditional Use Permit Req., AUP Admin. Use Permit Req., — Use Not Allowed. Columns: RS-20 | RS-15 | RS-10 | RS-7.5 | RS-4 | RS-MH | RM-10 | RM-20 | RM-30 | RM-40. Industrial/Agricultural/Natural Resource Uses: Animal Grazing — — — — — — — — — —. Beekeeping P P P — — — — — — —. Crop Cultivation (greater than 1 acre) — — — — — — — — — —.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4480959; v4 updated 2025-09-22).
Full Breakdown
5, RS-4, RS-MH, and RM-10 through RM-40. 5 zone or in any multifamily zone is not simply unpermitted, it is a listed use the code affirmatively bars. 04-1, not a separate hive-count or setback standard; no dimensional standard for hive placement (such as a distance from a property line) appears in the residential zones chapter. Because beekeeping is listed as "P" rather than requiring a CUP or AUP where it is allowed, a residential beekeeper in RS-20, RS-15, or RS-10 does not need a discretionary Zoning Ordinance permit to keep hives, but a beekeeper anywhere else in the residential zones has no path to keep hives under this table.
Violations & Fines
Keeping bees in a residential zone where Table 17.04-1 marks beekeeping "Use Not Allowed," such as RS-7.5, RS-4, RS-MH, or any RM zone, is a Zoning Ordinance violation under Upland Municipal Code § 17.43.040: a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both, with each day the violation continues treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep beehives on my property in Upland?
Do I need a permit to keep bees where it is allowed?
Can I keep bees in an RM (multifamily) zone in Upland?
What is the penalty for keeping bees in a zone that does not allow it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Upland
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