Washington, DC Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration
- annual, with DOEE, § 8-1825.04(a)
- Multi-unit building
- written owner/manager consent required
- Colony density/setback limits
- repealed, not current law
- Swarm/nuisance remediation
- beekeeper's duty; must reimburse owner
- Diseased colonies
- Department may order treatment or destruction
- Enforcement
- civil fines under Title 2, Ch. 18, plus injunctions
Summary
Washington, D.C. requires every honeybee colony to be registered annually with the Department of Energy and Environment under D.C. Code § 8-1825.04(a). A beekeeper needs the property owner's written permission before hiving a colony in a multi-unit building, must prevent overcrowding and swarming, and is on the hook for remediating bee swarms and nuisance conditions under § 8-1825.04(c)-(e).
(a) A colony kept in the District shall be registered annually with the Department. (b) No person shall bring into the District a colony or portion of a colony, bees on combs, empty used combs, used hives, or other used apiary appliances without complying with the procedures established by the Department in accordance with this subchapter. (c) A colony may not be established in a multi-unit building without written permission from the property manager or owner. (d) A hive must be kept and maintained to prevent overcrowding and deter swarming according to procedures established by the Department through rulemaking. (e) A beekeeper shall be responsible for the remediation of bee swarms and nuisance conditions. If a beekeeper fails to fulfill this obligation, the owner of the property on which a hive is located shall be responsible for remediating these conditions, and the beekeeper shall reimburse the property owner for the costs incurred by the remediation.
Full Breakdown
03. 02(10) as a building with at least 4 separate housing units, under (c); keeping and maintaining a hive to prevent overcrowding and deter swarming according to Department procedures under (d); and personal responsibility for remediating bee swarms and nuisance conditions under (e), with reimbursement owed to the property owner if the owner ends up having to remediate because the beekeeper didn't. 06 are both repealed and are not current law, so there is currently no Code-based setback or per-lot colony cap. 07, including ordering a beekeeper to control the spread of bee disease, with the Mayor authorized to treat or destroy bees, hives, and honey if a beekeeper fails to comply. 09, which lets the Mayor issue implementing rules, set fees by rule, seek injunctive relief, and impose civil fines as sanctions.
Violations & Fines
The Mayor may enforce this subchapter through injunctive relief or by imposing civil fines, penalties, and fees as sanctions under the Civil Infractions Act, Chapter 18 of Title 2, per § 8-1825.09(b)-(c). The Department may also order treatment or destruction of diseased colonies, hives, and equipment under § 8-1825.07(b) if a beekeeper doesn't comply with a disease-control order, and the Mayor may seek reimbursement for the District's costs of inspections, testing, storage, and transportation of hives or bees under § 8-1825.09(e).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to register my beehive in D.C.?
Can I keep bees in my apartment building's courtyard?
Is there a limit on how close my hive can be to my neighbor's property line?
Who pays if my bees swarm and bother a neighbor?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington
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