Visalia, CA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Agricultural zone (A)
- Conditional use permit required
- Open Space zone (OS)
- Conditional use permit required
- Residential zones (R-1, etc.)
- Bees excluded from 'household pets' definition, not allowed
- Approval body
- Planning commission per Chapter 17.38
- Household pets definition
- Expressly excludes bees (§ 17.04.030)
Summary
Beekeeping requires a conditional use permit in Visalia's Agricultural and Open Space zones and is not listed as a permitted or conditional use in residential zones.
17.08.040 Conditional uses. The following uses may be permitted, subject to approval of a conditional use permit, issued in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 17.38: ...
C. Bee keeping;
17.04.030 Definitions. "Household pets" means animals or birds ordinarily permitted in a dwelling and kept only for the company or pleasure provided to the occupants. Household pets shall not include horses, cows, goats, sheep, other equine, bovine, ovine or ruminant animals, pigs, predatory wild animals, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons (except as provided in Section 17.32), game birds, fowl that normally constitute an agricultural use, poisonous reptiles, and bees. Rodents and rabbits shall not exceed four per property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-50: Municipal Code contains Supplement, current through Ordinance 2025-15, passed 12-15-2025).
Full Breakdown
In both the Agricultural zone (A) and the Open Space zone (OS), beekeeping is listed as a conditional use, meaning you need City Council or planning commission approval via a conditional use permit process under Chapter 17.38. In single-family residential zones (R-1, R-1-12.5, R-1-20), the definition of 'household pets' in § 17.04.030 explicitly excludes bees, meaning bees cannot be kept as household pets in those zones. The code makes no provision for beekeeping in standard residential zones.
Violations & Fines
Operating a beekeeping operation without a conditional use permit would be a zoning violation subject to enforcement, potential fines, and permit revocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep bees in my backyard in a residential neighborhood?
Where can I legally keep bees in Visalia?
What does getting a conditional use permit for bees involve?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Visalia
California rules heatmap·Compare Visalia to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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