Minnesota Statewide Rule
Minnesota Bee Inspections Are Voluntary, On Request (Minn. Stat. 17.445)
Key Facts
- Statute
- Minn. Stat. 17.445
- Agency
- Dept. of Agriculture
- Inspections
- On request only
- Registration
- None required statewide
- Fees
- Cost-recovery for requested services
Summary
Minnesota keeps honey bees under a hands-off regime. Section 17.445 directs the Department of Agriculture to inspect apiaries only on request, and there is no statewide license, permit, or mandatory hive registration required to keep bees.
Subd. 2. Purpose. To ensure continued access to foreign and domestic markets, the commissioner shall provide requested bee inspections and other necessary services. Subd. 3. Inspections and other services. On request, the commissioner may make inspections for sale of bees, bee equipment, or appliances or perform other necessary services. Subd. 4. Fees. The commissioner shall charge a fee or charge for expenses so as to recover the cost of performing the inspections and services in subdivision 3.
Full Breakdown
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture runs the state apiary program under Minn. Stat. 17.445. Subdivision 3 lets the commissioner inspect bees, bee equipment, or appliances "on request", chiefly to certify colonies for sale or movement out of state, and subdivision 4 authorizes a cost-recovery fee for those services. Nothing in the section requires a keeper to register hives, obtain a permit, or submit to routine inspection. The former mandatory registration and disease-control chapter (Chapter 19, Apiaries) was repealed in 2006, leaving honey bees essentially unregulated at the state level. Cities and counties set their own hive placement and setback rules.
Violations & Penalties
There is no state penalty for keeping unregistered hives; Minnesota Statutes 17.445 imposes no license or registration mandate. Inspection fees apply only when a keeper requests services for sale or export certification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to keep bees in Minnesota?
Will the state inspect my hives?
Sources
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