GENERAL PROVISIONS.

Austin City Code tit. 3, ch. 3-6, art. 1

in effect

Austin City Code § 3-6-1 DEFINITIONS.

§ 3-6-1 - DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: (1) APIARY means a place where a bee colony is kept. (2) BEE means any stage of the common domestic honey bee, Apis mellifera species. (3) COLONY means a hive and related equipment and appurtenances including bees, comb, honey, pollen, and brood. (4) HIVE means a structure intended to house a colony. (5) TRACT means a contiguous parcel of land under common ownership. (6) UNDEVELOPED PROPERTY means any property that is not improved or under improvement for human use or occupancy, including property developed as a street or highway, or used for a commercial agricultural purpose. Source: 1992 Code Section 3-4-1; Ord. 031009-9; Ord. 031211-11.

Austin City Code § 3-6-2 APIARY MAINTENANCE.

§ 3-6-2 - APIARY MAINTENANCE. (A) A person shall keep a colony in a Langstroth-type hive with removable frames that is maintained in sound and usable condition. (B) A person shall provide a source of water to a colony to prevent the bees from congregating at a water source used by a human, bird, or domestic pet. (C) A person shall store or dispose of bee comb or other material removed from a hive in a sealed container, building, or other bee-proof enclosure. Source: 1992 Code Section 3-4-3, 3-4-5, and 3-4-6; Ord. 031009-9; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. No. 20141002-012, Pt. 2, 10-13-14.

Austin City Code § 3-6-3 HIVE LOCATION.

§ 3-6-3 - HIVE LOCATION. A person may not locate a hive within 10 feet of the property line of a tract, as measured from the nearest point of the hive to the property line. Source: Ord. No. 20141002-012, Pt. 3, 10-13-14.

Austin City Code § 3-6-4 CONSTRUCTION OF FLYWAY BARRIER.

§ 3-6-4 - CONSTRUCTION OF FLYWAY BARRIER. (A) Except as provided in Subsection (B), a person who keeps a colony within 25 feet of the property line of a tract, as measured from the nearest point of a hive to the property line, shall establish and maintain a flyway barrier parallel to the property line. (B) A person is not required to construct a flyway barrier if the apiary tract is adjoined by undeveloped property for a distance of at least 25 feet from the property line of the tract that is closest to location of the colony. (C) A flyway barrier created under this section must: (1) consist of a solid wall, fence, dense vegetation, or combination of these materials at least six feet high; and (2) extend at least 10 feet beyond the hives on each end of the colony. Source: 1992 Code Section 3-4-4; Ord. 031009-9; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. No. 20141002-012, Pt. 4, 10-13-14.

Austin City Code § 3-6-5 CONTROL OF AGGRESSIVE COLONY.

§ 3-6-5 - CONTROL OF AGGRESSIVE COLONY. (A) A person shall immediately replace the queen in a colony that exhibits aggressive characteristics, including stinging or attempting to sting without provocation, or a disposition towards swarming. A person required to replace a queen under this subsection shall select the replacement from bee stock bred for gentleness and non-swarming characteristics. (B) As required for swarm management, a person may maintain a nucleus colony for each two colonies allowed under this chapter. A person may house a nucleus colony in a structure not exceeding a standard 9⅝-inch depth ten-frame hive body with no supers attached. A person shall dispose of or combine a nucleus colony with an authorized colony not later than the 30th day after the date the nucleus colony is acquired. Source: 1992 Code Section 3-4-7, and 3-4-8; Ord. 031009-9; Ord. 031211-11.

Austin City Code § 3-6-6 COLONY DENSITY.

§ 3-6-6 - COLONY DENSITY. (A) Except as provided in Subsection (B), a person may not keep more than: (1) two colonies on a tract one-quarter acre or smaller; (2) four colonies on a tract larger than one-quarter acre but smaller than one-half acre; (3) six colonies on a tract one-half acre or more but smaller than one acre; (4) eight colonies on a tract one acre or more. (B) A person may keep an unlimited number of colonies on a tract: (1) on which all hives are located at least 200 feet from each property line of the tract; or (2) adjacent to undeveloped property for at least 200 feet from any hive. Source: 1992 Code Section 3-4-8; Ord. 031009-9; Ord. 031211-11.

Austin City Code § 3-6-7 HIVE IDENTIFICATION AND OWNERSHIP.

§ 3-6-7 - HIVE IDENTIFICATION AND OWNERSHIP. (A) Except as provided in Subsection (B), a person shall: (1) brand, paint, or otherwise clearly mark the apiary owner's name or telephone number on at least two hives placed at opposite ends of an apiary; or (2) post a conspicuous sign displaying the apiary owner's name and telephone number at the entrance to the apiary tract. (B) A person is not required to place owner identification on or near a colony located on a tract on which the owner resides. Source: 1992 Code Section 3-4-9; Ord. 031009-9; Ord. 031211-11.

Source: City of Austin, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/austin/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT3ANRE_CH3-6BE_ART1GEPRFetched: 10/27/2026