Every beekeeper, owner or others in possession of any honeybees shall, on or before October 1 of each year, register with the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries every colony of honeybees, bee yards or apiaries in their possession or under their control, and such registration shall be made upon forms furnished by the commissioner upon which there shall be shown the number and location of colonies of bees with the apiary location or locations together with such other information as may be necessary for the administration of this chapter. The Board of Agriculture and Industries shall establish through rules and regulations categories of apiarists or beekeepers. Colonies of bees and apiaries acquired after October 1 during any year and not previously registered shall also be registered as required under this section; provided, however, that this requirement shall not apply to any bees or apiaries acquired after March 31, as such bees shall not be registered until the following October 1.
If any honeybees or an apiary currently registered under this section are sold or otherwise transferred from one beekeeper to another beekeeper, the registration may be transferred to the person acquiring the bees or apiary without the payment of the registration fee.
An annual registration or inspection fee shall be paid by the registrant which shall accompany the application for registration. The amount of such fee shall be based upon the number of colonies of bees owned by or under the control of the person registering such honeybees in the following amounts:
| Number of Colonies | Maximum Registration Fee |
| 1-9 | $5 |
| 10-24 | $10 |
| 25-49 | $15 |
| 50-99 | $20 |
| 100-249 | $25 |
| 250-499 | $50 |
| 500 or more colonies | $75 |
The Board of Agriculture and Industries shall establish the annual registration or inspection fee for each category of apiarist or beekeeper.
All amounts collected under this section as registration fees together with the amount of any fine imposed under the penalty section of this chapter shall be deposited into the Agricultural Fund of the State Treasury to be disbursed and expended for the administration and enforcement of this chapter by the Department of Agriculture and Industries for the payment of salaries, equipment purchases, travel expenses, and other purposes incident to and necessary for the administration and enforcement of this chapter. Failure or refusal to comply with the registration requirements of this section and to pay the required registration fee shall be unlawful and punishable under the penalty provisions of this chapter.
Last modified: May 3, 2021