Rhode Island Statewide Rule
Rhode Island Requires Annual Beekeeper Registration by March 1
Key Facts
- Governing law
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-12-12
- Registration deadline
- March 1 annually
- Enforcing agency
- RI DEM director
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine (misdemeanor)
- Transfer notice
- Within 30 days
Summary
Every apiary in Rhode Island must be registered annually with the Department of Environmental Management by March 1 under R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-12-12. Beekeepers report their bees, hive locations, and colony counts, and DEM inspects apiaries for disease.
All apiaries in the state must be registered, annually, with the director of environmental management not later than March first.
Full Breakdown
The deadline is firm: apiaries must be on file with the DEM director no later than March 1 each year, and the state mails registration material to known beekeepers at least 30 days ahead. If you sell, gift, or barter colonies, you must notify the director in writing within 30 days with the new owner's name and address. The program exists to track and contain honeybee diseases such as American foulbrood; DEM inspectors may enter apiaries to survey for infection and order abatement or quarantine.
Violations & Penalties
Violating §§ 4-12-1 through 4-12-16, including failing to register an apiary, is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 on conviction under § 4-12-17.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to register my beehives in Rhode Island?
What happens if I don't register?
What if I sell or give away my colonies?
Sources
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