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Valencia County, NM Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)

Few Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing sections
§ 92.03(B), § 92.04(3)
Status
Excluded from public nuisance chapter
Condition
Exclusion lost if bees are a hazard
Max penalty if hazard found
$300 fine or 90 days jail
Applies
Unincorporated county only

Summary

Unincorporated Valencia County treats honey bee production and keeping as an agricultural activity, and Chapter 92's public nuisance code excludes agricultural activities that don't create a health or safety hazard. Beekeepers in the unincorporated area face no nuisance-based restriction from the county unless the operation becomes hazardous.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Valencia County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(B) Agricultural activities. All agricultural uses, agricultural facilities, agricultural operations, and agricultural activities as defined herein, which uses do not cause a health or safety hazard, are excluded from the provisions of this chapter. ... AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES. Activities which are agricultural in nature and which include: ... (3) The production and keeping of honey bees, production of honey bee products and honey bee processing facilities;

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Full Breakdown

03(B) excludes 'agricultural uses, agricultural facilities, agricultural operations, and agricultural activities as defined herein, which uses do not cause a health or safety hazard' from the entire public nuisance chapter. 04's definition of AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES lists 'the production and keeping of honey bees, production of honey bee products and honey bee processing facilities' as one of the protected uses, so an apiary in unincorporated Valencia County sits inside the exemption from the start. A beekeeper does not need a county nuisance permit, hearing or variance to keep hives on residential, rural residential or agricultural land outside Los Lunas, Belen, Bosque Farms, Peralta and Rio Communities, each of which enforces its own code within its limits.

02(B) confirms the chapter is 'supplementary and complementary to state law,' so a hazardous apiary can still be pursued under state law even while excluded here. 03(B) directly as a defense before Code Enforcement or at a nuisance hearing under the County Manager's office.

Violations & Fines

Because the nuisance chapter excludes bees from its coverage, there is no beekeeping-specific fine. If a hive loses its agricultural exclusion by becoming a genuine health or safety hazard, § 92.99 sets the chapter's general penalty: a fine of no more than $300, imprisonment of no more than 90 days, or both, for each violation. Code Enforcement handles complaints; ongoing hazards can also draw injunctive abatement action.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to keep bees in unincorporated Valencia County?
No. County Code § 92.03(B) excludes agricultural activities, and § 92.04 specifically lists 'the production and keeping of honey bees' among them, from the public nuisance chapter. As long as the hives don't create a documented health or safety hazard, no county nuisance permit, registration or variance is required to keep bees on unincorporated land.
Can a neighbor complain about my bees?
A neighbor can file a nuisance complaint, but § 92.20 requires the activity to meet the general nuisance definition and not be excluded under § 92.03 before it counts as a violation. Ordinary beekeeping stays protected; only bees causing an actual health or safety hazard, like repeated stinging incidents, can lose that protection.
What happens if my bees are found to be a hazard?
Once the agricultural exclusion no longer applies, § 92.99 makes every Chapter 92 violation punishable by a fine of no more than $300, imprisonment of no more than 90 days, or both, and the county can also pursue abatement of the hazard.
Does this apply inside Los Lunas or Belen?
No. This exclusion is part of the Valencia County Code and only governs the unincorporated area. Los Lunas, Belen, Bosque Farms, Peralta and Rio Communities each enforce their own municipal code within their limits, so a beekeeper there must check that town's ordinance instead.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Valencia County

Dog Leash LawsSome RestrictionsChickens & LivestockFew RestrictionsFence Regulations: Height LimitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: RV & Boat ParkingSome RestrictionsMicrochippingSignificant RestrictionsCat RulesFew RestrictionsBreed RestrictionsSignificant RestrictionsPet Store RulesSignificant RestrictionsVeterinary Clinic ZoningFew RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Aircraft NoiseSome RestrictionsBuilding Safety: Childcare Center RulesSignificant RestrictionsHistoric Preservation: Historic-Cultural MonumentsSome RestrictionsSidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment PermitsSome Restrictions

All Valencia County rules

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