Oregon Statewide Beekeeper Registration Requirements

ORS Chapter 602 governs apiaries in Oregon. Anyone owning or managing five or more honey bee colonies must register with the Oregon Department of Agriculture each calendar year and pay the fee set by ORS 602.110. The state inspects apiaries for American foulbrood, varroa mites, and other diseases. Local governments may regulate hive setbacks and density through zoning, but disease control, certification of disease-free hives for movement under ORS 602.075, and apiary registration are exclusively state functions. Failure to register is a Class C violation.

Operating five or more colonies without registration is a Class C violation under ORS 602.990, with civil penalties up to $720. ODA may also order destruction of diseased hives.