Vermont Statewide Rule
Vermont Requires Every Beekeeper to Register Their Apiary (6 V.S.A. § 3023)
Key Facts
- Statute
- 6 V.S.A. § 3023(a)
- Enforcing agency
- Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
- Registration fee
- $10.00 per apiary, yearly
- Maximum penalty
- $500.00 per offense
- Who must register
- Any owner of bees or hive
Summary
Anyone who owns bees, a colony, or a hive anywhere in Vermont must register each apiary in writing with the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets and pay a $10.00 annual fee for every location.
A person who is the owner of any bees, apiary, colony, or hive in the State shall register with the Secretary in writing on a form provided by the Secretary.
Full Breakdown
Under 6 V.S.A. § 3023(a), every owner of bees, an apiary, a colony, or a hive in the State "shall register with the Secretary in writing on a form provided by the Secretary." The Secretary heads the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, which runs the apiary program under Chapter 172. Section 3022(b) sets a $10.00 annual registration fee for each apiary. Registration lets the State inspect hives and track diseases such as American foulbrood. There is no hobbyist carve-out: a single backyard hive carries the same duty as a commercial bee yard.
Violations & Penalties
Section 3035 lets the Agency fine violators up to $500.00 for each offense, so failing to register an apiary or ignoring an inspection order carries a per-location penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to register a single backyard hive in Vermont?
How much does apiary registration cost?
What happens if I don't register?
Sources
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.