Apiary registration and fees are due starting January 1, 2026, now on BeeWhere portal.

Apiary Program

AWM’s Apiary Program works with beekeepers to monitor honey bee colony health in San Diego County. Our goal is to help beekeepers raise healthy and gentle bees, prevent pests and disease, and keep the public safe.

Annual Apiary Registration

Per state law, all beekeepers must register by January 1 each year or within 30 days of acquiring bees. This lets the County help beekeepers manage bee health and behavior. It also gives beekeepers the option to be notified before pesticides labeled as toxic to bees are used on blossoming plants within one mile of their hives.

How to register your bees:

1. Complete BeeWhere online registration

• BeeWhere Registration Guide

• BeeWhere Video Tutorial

2. Complete and submit BMP Checklist (unincorporated areas only) to Labs.AWM@sdcounty.ca.gov or:

County of San Diego
Agriculture, Weights & Measures
Attn: Apiary Program
9325 Hazard Way, Suite 100
San Diego, CA 921233.

3. Complete the free online beekeeping course (Required for first-time registrants in unincorporated areas, recommended for all beekeepers).

2026 Apiary Registration Updates

While apiary registration fees have not been collected since 2022, the following fees will resume in 2026 as set by the California Department of Food and Agriculture:

Number of Colonies	Fee
1-9	$10*
10-50	$100
51+	$250
Broker	$250

*Each CAC office can waive fees for 1-9 colonies at its discretion. San Diego County will continue to waive this fee for 1-9 colony count beekeepers.

Please note that fees will be assessed based on beekeepers’ total colony counts during the previous 12 months. For example, if a beekeeper had 50 total colonies in 2025 and has 51+ in 2026, they will be assessed at the 10-50 ($100) tier for their 2026 registration and at the 51+ ($250) tier in 2027.

Fees are now only payable through the BeeWhere payment portal. Please do not submit fee payments to AWM's office, as we will be unable to process them. Learn more about 2026 Apiary Registration updates in this CDFA flyer.

Questions? Call the Bee Hotline at 1-800-200-BEES (2337) or email Labs.AWM@sdcounty.ca.gov.

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