The Illinois Bees and Apiaries Act requires registration of all colonies with the Department of Agriculture and authorizes inspections to control diseases statewide.
Under the Illinois Bees and Apiaries Act (510 ILCS 20), every person who owns or operates an apiary must register colonies annually with the Illinois Department of Agriculture. The Department conducts inspections for American foulbrood, European foulbrood, and other regulated diseases. Bees and equipment imported into Illinois require a certificate of inspection from the state of origin. The Act applies to hobbyist and commercial beekeepers alike. Municipalities can impose zoning setbacks, but registration, disease inspection, and interstate movement rules are exclusively state-administered.
Civil penalties up to $500 per violation; quarantine or destruction of diseased colonies.
See how Urbana's beekeeping rules stack up against other locations.
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