Polk County sets no specific beekeeping ordinance. In the unincorporated county, hives fall under the Zoning Ordinance — treated as an agricultural use, so genuine farm apiaries are exempt under Iowa Code 335.2. Cities like Des Moines set their own hive limits and setback rules for urban beekeeping.
There is no dedicated Polk County beekeeping code. For unincorporated land, keeping bees is generally an agricultural use, and Iowa Code 335.2 exempts bona fide agricultural use from county zoning. Hobby beekeeping on residential-zoned parcels is governed by the applicable zoning district's use and nuisance provisions. Statewide, apiaries are registered with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship under Iowa Code Chapter 160 (apiary law), which addresses disease and inspection — not local placement. If you live inside a Polk County city, check that municipality's ordinance, which typically caps hive numbers and sets fence/setback and water requirements.
No county beekeeping penalty exists; enforcement would come through the zoning nuisance provisions or, inside a city, the municipal beekeeping ordinance. State apiary registration is handled by IDALS.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Polk County allows backyard composting but regulates it through the Health Nuisance Regulation: a compost pile that harbors vermin, produces offensive odors,...
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Polk County has no ordinance for or against artificial turf on residential lots. Installation on unincorporated land is generally unrestricted; cities and HO...
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Polk County has no ordinance banning native or prairie landscaping, and the county promotes native roadside vegetation. The one legal limit: your planting ca...
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Iowa has no state ban on collecting rainwater, and Polk County sets no rain-barrel ordinance. Residents may capture roof runoff in barrels or cisterns; only ...
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Polk County sets no lawn-watering schedule. Central Iowa's water is managed by Central Iowa Water Works / Des Moines Water Works, which can impose voluntary ...
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Iowa Code 317.10 requires every landowner to destroy all noxious weeds on their land as directed by the county board of supervisors. Polk County's Weed Commi...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in this county.
See how West Des Moines's beekeeping rules stack up against other locations.
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