Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association

Georgia Bee Laws

The following has been downloaded from the Georgia General Assembly web site.   This information

may change from time to time.  Persons wanting to pursue the Georgia Bee Law more thoroughly

should consult the Georgia General Assembly web site, contact the Georgia Apiary Inspector,

Mr. Berry Smith at 229-386-3464 or consult an attorney.

Beekeepers may register their colonies by notice to the Georgia Apiary Inspector at

bsmith@agr.state.ga.us, advising him of their number and street address.

(a) All persons, firms, or corporations desiring to carry on as a business the sale of bees, queens, nuclei, etc.,

shall apply to the Commissioner of Agriculture as ex officio state entomologist for a license to do so.

The application shall be accompanied by a fee of $25.00. All fees so collected shall all be turned over to the

 Office of Treasury and Fiscal Services.

(b) The Commissioner, upon investigation of the party so applying and at his discretion, shall issue a license

 to the same. Such license shall be revoked by the Commissioner if the licensee fails to comply with this article or

to carry out the rules and regulations established by the Commissioner.

(c) Any person, firm, or corporation attempting to carry on as a business the sale of bees, queens, nuclei, etc.,

without the license required by subsection (a) of this Code section or after such license has been revoked shall

be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished as provided in Code Section 2-14-47.

2-14-41.  Powers of the Commissioner generally; promulgation and enforcement of rules, ordinances, 

and regulations.

The Commissioner shall have full and plenary power to deal with the American and European foul brood, all other 

contagious and infectious honeybee diseases, Africanized bees, or any other threat to honeybees.  He shall have

 full power and authority to make, promulgate, and enforce such rules, ordinances, and regulations and to do and

 perform such acts, through his agents or otherwise, as in his judgment may be necessary to curtail, eradicate, or

prevent the introduction, spread, or dissemination of any and all contagious diseases, Africanized bees, or any 

other threat to honeybees.  All such rules, ordinances, and regulations shall have the force and effect of law.

2-14-41.1.  Prohibition against restriction of honeybee production or maintenance.

No county, municipal corporation, consolidated government, or other political subdivision of this state shall adopt 

or continue in effect any ordinance, rule, regulation, or resolution prohibiting, impeding, or restricting the 

establishment or maintenance of honeybees in hives.  This Code section shall not be construed to restrict the 

zoning authority of county or municipal governments.
    
2-14-42.  Inspections authorized generally.

The Commissioner and his agents and employees shall have the authority to enter any depot, express office,

 storeroom, warehouse, or other premises for the purpose of inspecting any honeybees or beekeeping fixtures

 or appliances therein in order to ascertain whether such bees or fixtures are infected with any contagious or 

infectious diseases, have become Africanized, or pose any other threat to honeybees.  They may also make such

 inspections when they have reason to believe that any honeybees or beekeeping fixtures or appliances on the

 premises have been or are being transported in violation of this article.

2-14-43.  Inspection of colonies; duty to register as colony owner.

2-14-44.  Disposition of infected bees or fixtures.

The Commissioner, through his agents or employees, may require the removal from this state of any honeybees 

or beekeeping fixtures which have been brought into the state in violation of this article.  If he finds that any bees 

or fixtures are infected with any contagious or infectious disease or that such bees or fixtures have been exposed 

to danger of infection by such diseases, that any honeybees have become Africanized, or that honeybees are 

confronted with any other threat in this state, the Commissioner may require the destruction, treatment, or 

disinfection of any such infected or exposed bees, hives, fixtures, or appliances.

2-14-45.  Compensation for destroyed property authorized; appraisal.

Whenever bees, hives, or other equipment are ordered destroyed pursuant to Code Section 2-14-44, 

the Commissioner shall appraise the property to be destroyed.  If the Commissioner and the owner are 

unable to agree on the value, the Commissioner and the owner shall each appoint one disinterested 

appraiser.  These two appraisers shall appoint a third disinterested appraiser.  The three 

appraisers thus appointed shall appraise the property.  When the property is destroyed, the 

Commissioner shall pay any Georgia resident beekeeper whose property is destroyed a sum equal to 

50 percent of the appraised value of the property destroyed from any funds appropriated for that specific purpose,

 provided that in no event shall the compensation paid to any such owner exceed $25.00 per colony.  For the 

purposes of this Code section, the term "property" shall include bees, hives, frames, and other equipment.

2-14-46.  Importation of honeybees or secondhand equipment prohibited without special permit.

The shipment or movement into this state of any honeybees on comb, honeybees in hives, secondhand 

beehives, honeycomb, frames, used bee shipping cages, secondhand honey containers, or other used 

beekeeping fixtures is prohibited, except under special permit issued by the Commissioner under 

such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by him in accordance with Code Section 2-14-41.
 
2-14-47.  Penalty for violation of article or rules or regulations.

Any person, firm, or corporation violating any of the provisions of this article or any of the rules or regulations 

of the Commissioner adopted in accordance with this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500.00 or by 

imprisonment for not more than six months in the county jail.