New Mexico Statewide Rule
New Mexico Commercial Apiary Registration Law
Key Facts
- Statute
- NMSA Chapter 76, Article 9
- Commercial Threshold North of I-40
- 15 colonies
- Commercial Threshold South of I-40
- 25 colonies
- Annual Fee
- $3 per apiary
- Regulator
- NM Department of Agriculture
Summary
New Mexico Statutes Chapter 76, Article 9 governs beekeeping statewide, requiring commercial apiary registration with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture. Importation of honey bees and used equipment requires a certificate of inspection regardless of local rules.
Each commercial beekeeper shall register the location of each commercial apiary under his control with the department and shall give an accurate description of the location of each commercial apiary. The registration fee shall be set by the board at not more than five dollars ($5.00) for each commercial apiary, provided that no beekeeper shall be required to pay registration fees totaling more than two hundred dollars ($200) in any one year. The regulations of the board shall determine the time and method of registration.
Full Breakdown
Under NMSA Chapter 76, Article 9, commercial beekeepers must register apiaries with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture before placing or importing bees. A commercial apiary is defined as 15 or more colonies north of Interstate 40, or 25 or more colonies south of I-40. The annual registration fee is three dollars per apiary, capped at $200 per beekeeper. Bees and used equipment imported into the state require a certificate of inspection issued within 30 days of movement, filed at least 10 days before transport. The state regulates pollination permits and disposal of abandoned apiaries. Hobbyist beekeepers below the colony threshold remain subject to local zoning rules.
Violations & Penalties
Operating an unregistered commercial apiary, importing bees without inspection certificates, or abandoning apiary equipment subjects beekeepers to penalties under NMDA enforcement rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do hobbyist beekeepers need to register with the state?
Can I bring hives from another state into New Mexico?
Sources
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