California's Food and Agriculture Code, Division 13, Chapter 1, Article 4 requires beekeepers to register and notify the Santa Clara County Agriculture Commission of their apiary location(s) and number of hives per apiary. Currently there are no waivers of this law for hobbyist beekeepers by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.
Hive registration came about through a partnership with the Pest Control Industry and Pollinators to prevent harming bees during pesticide application. Please read the Bee Watch FAQ for the background and the purpose of the new regulation which takes effect January 1, 2019.
Send a $10 registration fee* and this form to:
Santa Clara County Division of Agriculture
Attention: Agriculture Biologist
1553 Berger Drive, Building 1
San Jose, CA 95112
*The $10.00 annual fee is per beekeeper, not per hive nor location.
Local Beekeeping Ordinancesfor the Santa Clara Valley |
Please click on each city to find their beekeeping ordinance or municipal code.
© 2020 Santa Clara Valley Beekeepers Guild.