Waukesha County sets no county-wide beekeeping ordinance; whether you may keep hives is governed by your town, city, or village zoning. Wisconsin regulates bees at the state level for disease and registration, but hive placement, hive counts, and setbacks are decided locally. Check your municipality's zoning code before starting.
There is no Waukesha County beekeeping rule for residents. Because Wisconsin land use is municipal (cities/villages) or county-zoned only in consenting unincorporated towns under Wis. Stat. 59.69, beekeeping permission and standards, such as the number of hives, lot-size minimums, setbacks from property lines, and water-source requirements, come from your local zoning ordinance. Some Waukesha-area municipalities permit backyard hives with a permit and setback; others restrict them to agricultural or larger lots. At the state level, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) administers apiary/bee health programs. Confirm the specific hive limits and setbacks with your city, village, or town.
Enforced by the municipality under its zoning code, typically by citation and an order to remove non-conforming hives. Penalty amounts are set locally.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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