# Florida Beekeeper Registration



## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

For all that have asked about registration . . .
Please print the application, sign, date, and return it back to the address highlighted in yellow along with your check in the amount of $10.00, payable to FDACS (please put for bee registration in the notes section of your check).

http://www.freshfromflorida.com/onestop/forms/08176.pdf

Once it is received in the Gainesville office, a registration number will be assigned and you should receive your new beekeeper’s packet within two weeks. Certificates are processed ever Friday and mailed the following week.

If you have any questions, or if we may be of further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us. If you have any questions you may contact me at (352) 372-3505 or you may e-mail me directly at [email protected] .

We are providing you with a couple of websites that should be of use to you concerning Florida’s laws regarding beekeeping and registration. The Division’s website is http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi/plantinsp/apiary/apiary.html and the University of Florida’s website is http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/afbee/ . We are sure you will find them a wealth of information.

We are now in a unique situation. Code enforcement is looking for unregistered beekeepers to fine. 
We wish you the best!


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

There is a graduated fee schedule.
By signing the application the beekeeper agrees to comply with appropriate rules of the department. Each application for registration (DACS-08176) or renewal of registration must be accompanied by the proper registration fee based on the total number of colonies operated by the registrant as follows: 
Number of Colonies	Fee
1 – 5 $10
6 – 40 $20
41 – 200 $40
201 – 500	$70
501 – more	$100


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## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

I'm curious to know how the Florida Department of Agriculture is making registration seem like a good thing for beekeepers to do (other than by legally requiring it)?

Here in Maine, we have one inspector for the entire state - this year he had an assistant. And they do a great job - inspecting migratory hives coming in for pollination, teaching bee schools, inspecting hives for hobbyists (like me), working with our board of pesticide control, and teaching the predators/pests segments of most bee schools.

I rate the job they do at A+, but wonder about what more they could do with a larger staff: There are many hobbyists who don't have a reasonable incentive to register their colonies, and then there are the issues of honey purity/sales (current regs are not often enforced) and the use of novel/unapproved medications in hives.

I hate the idea that there are laws on the books that are not enforced. Is the push for registrations in Florida an attempt at a money grab, or is an attempt to get more beekeepers into the system? And I know you've got Africanization worries that we don't. (for the most part)


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

If Maine had more Apiary Inspectors they would be able to inspect more migratory colonies. They would have to inspect more resident beehives to justify employing them. Those Inspectors would be seasonally employed too. I believe Tony Jadszack is employed full time, but I don't knwo what he does during the time of year in which bees can't be inspected.

Tony has been at this a long time. I hope he is bringing someone along to replace him when he retires.


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Apiary Inspection is definitely not a revenue generator for Florida. Niche' pollinators, new beekeepers, take about 3 hours each which works out to about $3.33 an hour. We have 9 inspectors and 3 supervisors that also inspect. There are over 2800 registered beekeepers in Florida. The goal is to keep American foulbrood under 2 percent. Helping beekeepers maintain healthy hives is just a benefit of the personal extension service we offer. There are also plenty of migratory beekeepers building up hives in Florida's winter, which lasts a week or two.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

R u yourself an Inspector?


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## Bees In Miami (Nov 30, 2012)

Gary: Is this a 'new' push for registration? Is it the same code enforcers that look for building/zoning violations that are looking for unregistered hives? Curious to know where Beekeepers stand legally on swarm/colony removals now...I know there were some negotiations in the works. Any changes yet? Thanks! 

ps...I could NOT be more pleased with my inspector!!! Pass on the kind words please....I'm in district 13.


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## jbeshearse (Oct 7, 2009)

Bees In Miami said:


> ps...I could NOT be more pleased with my inspector!!! Pass on the kind words please....I'm in district 13.


Same here. The Florida Bee Inspectors are helpful. They will come to bat for you when needed also. The state intervened when a city code enforcment officer tried to enforce an anti-beekeeping ordinace after the state law (over-rides local ordinace) was passed. The come and inspect, give you pointers and share their experience. Good for all involved.


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## Splorndle (Jul 15, 2011)

Thanks but no thanks. I have no desire to have anyone fining me for failure to register my bees. Leave me alone.


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## Bees In Miami (Nov 30, 2012)

Splorndle said:


> Thanks but no thanks. I have no desire to have anyone fining me for failure to register my bees. Leave me alone.


I appreciate what my State Inspectors are doing...keeping the 'leave me alone' types from allowing diseases to spread! They are indeed, a wonderful resource. 

I am NOT for "Uncle Sam" having his fingers in ALL I do...but I will speak for myself only....I LOVE my FL Inspector, and I am glad they are here!


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Thank you Jeremy is our newest inspector covering South Florida.
Code enforcement figured out long ago that we have to publish the list of Registered Beekeepers, especially Pinellas. Now they can only go after unregistered beekeepers as of July 1st. 
The Chief was out the week the Bee Protection Law took effect so I fielded many calls from attorneys in South Florida that do not like bees. I do enjoy reading the new law to them.
Swarm and colony removal is still developing. You can collect swarms and even charge. If you charge and something goes wrong you are subject to the same standards as every other business. Colony removal will be permitted soon. Apiary Inspection has no authority or connection with AES (if you use chemicals or anything that kills insects) or Consumer Services (if you charge too much, someone gets killed or hurt, damage to a structure, building repair codes)
I am the Apiary Inspection supervisor for North Florida sqkcrk. That is basically everything north of Orlando.


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## Splorndle (Jul 15, 2011)

Yeah, save me your anti freedom sanctimony. The spread of disease in bees can be handled without a system of penalties. The end in this kind of system is always the same and life is too short to explain it to condescending folks like you.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

AmericasBeekeeper said:


> I am the Apiary Inspection supervisor for North Florida sqkcrk. That is basically everything north of Orlando.


As an Apiary Inspector, what restrictions are there on how many colonies you can own, what degree of business can you maintain and still hang onto your State employment? Here in NY, back in 2006, Apiary Inspectors had to choose between keeping their bees and being employed seasonally as an Apiary Inspector. How are things in FL?

I would have loved it if our program had Grandfathered those, like myself, who had colonies in further employment. I wished we had been more extensionlike in our work. I woulkd have loved more education, more training, on all aspects of beekeeping and how to present knowledge to local beekeeping clubs. But the reason for us not doing extension was "That's what Cornell is for, we are regulatory." Too bad. We could have had more beekeeper support here in NY if we had.

And, really? Code Enforcement Officers in FL have time and budget enuf so they can go around looking for violations? Maybe my experience is too limited. I thought Code Enforcement Officers approved or disapproved building plans, septic systems and such. Maybe things are done differently in FL.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Splorndle said:


> Yeah, save me your anti freedom sanctimony. The spread of disease in bees can be handled without a system of penalties. The end in this kind of system is always the same and life is too short to explain it to condescending folks like you.


You focus too much on the fines and not enuf on the service. A service you may not need, but, if a neighbor is maintaining diseased colonies you may appreciate.

I bet, if you are found to own colonies of bees unregistered, the first thing which will be done is you will be given a chance to comply w/ the registration requirement. Then, if you still refuse, you may get a ticket, which, if you comply w/in a certain time will pose no penalty, but if you don't you will have to pay something. And, you will be registrested by the Apiary Inspector anyway.

What is your situation in NC Splorndle? Does NC have mandatory apiary registration?


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

The Florida Bee inspectors are very helpful. Most are also active members of local bee clubs, and happily help out new beeks even on their days off.


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## tommyt (Aug 7, 2010)

Where and what are these fines you type of??




Splorndle said:


> Thanks but no thanks. I have no desire to have anyone fining me for failure to register my bees. Leave me alone.


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## tommyt (Aug 7, 2010)

Ttt


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## AUXCOM (Sep 1, 2012)

So.....who is handling the "honey quality" proposed in 2008?
How do they do that....viscosity, color or actual lab tests....sounds like more taxes to me!!

I actually support the registration.....but want the pest controll companies to stay out of our business.
Swarms are our business!

Smells like fish...tastes like honey!


Bobby


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Apiary Inspection encourages not discourages beekeeping. We do not fine beekeepers for not registering, nor much else I have been told. Fines are a last resort. We are not "Bee Police".
Food Safety will monitor and test any honey quality or honey laws.


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## mac (May 1, 2005)

The inspectors in Fl. are a tremendous resource, mine, is I think, 3rd generation beekeeper. Knows what healthy bees looked like before mites. Want to make splits, raise queens make honey, move hives, who has local queens, how to check for mites, what to do about shb how far away are the closest hives how to feed, what’s in bloom, who needs pollination, any afb or efb in the area etc. Our retired state inspector Lawrence Cutts invented the Cutts Beetle blaster (I have no connection to the company) however they do promote all the latest chems and are rooting for Monsanto’s GMO bees. Anyway the fee is way beyond cheep. Cheaper than the Peen state course plus they let ya know how your bees are. I don’t know if they’re much help with commercial guys but the newbee ?the cat’s meow, bee’s knees.


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## AUXCOM (Sep 1, 2012)

Mosquito control is killing our hives in the St Johns County area....we have seen them arial spraying before dusk and after dawn .....they are not suppost to do this. One of our local beekeepers lost all of his hives except for one. They keep saying that the product they are using is not harmfull to the bees...we beg to differ!!!!!

Are the inspectors going to help us get this problem rectified? If not...what recourse do we have? What state entity is going to take the responsibility of making sure we don't loose all of our bees!!

Bobby


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## smoore (Feb 1, 2012)

I agree they are helpful and active. I haven't seen my local inspector at my apiary yet (I'm sure its because his supervisor is overworking him in other ways), but I have seen him at several local meetings (both IFAS and local assoc run) and he went out of his way to make sure we had contact info including a cell phone #.


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

When does your inspection expire? It is a year after the last or a year after the hive was sold to you. I would never overwork him. He only has to do 8 inspections a day including answering all the beekeepers questions. We are a little behind and migratory beekeepers have us tied up for the next two months. Please be patient. If he does not call you, you can call me. 352-395-4635.


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## smoore (Feb 1, 2012)

The registration expires April/May. I got the bees from a well known in state source (Elmore in Marianna, and was told to put that on the registration form) and I'm pretty sure the nucs were inspected just before purchase so I didnt really expect to see him this year. 

8 inspections a day at 3 hours a piece, you actually let them go home and sleep for 8 hours?


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## Chappie (May 8, 2010)

Splorndle said:


> Thanks but no thanks. I have no desire to have anyone fining me for failure to register my bees. Leave me alone.


This is the attitude of many new beekeepers that I talk with in Florida. Even some old timers are moving their bees and not reporting them for the new season. And some even claim they have gone out of the bee business.
Our inspectors were once looked on as a valuable tool that were there when needed and they were liked.
Now it seems a new generation of inspectors have a new attitude towards beekeepers and how they perceive their jobs. Many think they are too important to the industry and push for more and more power by creating new rules and regulations that may harm the small scale beekeepers in this state.
Beekeepers are now put on the defensive and most will not even let other beekeepers know where they keep their bees let alone registering them.
Oh how I miss the good old days when government was not so big and did not try to squeeze every last nickel out of our pockets.
Today sadly we live in a world where those working have to justify the jobs they hold and many make it more important than it really is.
Can we live without bee inspectors? Of course and many would like to but inspectors do fulfill a need in helping keep the amount of AFB down.
Are they important to beekeepers in general? You be the judge.....
Chappie
www.floridabees.org


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## kmalik (Aug 17, 2013)

thumbs up to all the Florida bee inspectors, they are here to help us and the girls, kent


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## mac (May 1, 2005)

It's not hard to keep your bees unregistered. It's not like the inspectors are driving around looking for renegade beekeepers.I know a few that don't and they have problems and don't know what to do. for 10 bucks a year ya get a great education. Ya got mits ya don't know call the inspector he comes out and does a wash. Who has queens for sale honey nuks boxes??


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## mac (May 1, 2005)

Chappie said:


> Many think they are too important to the industry and push for more and more power by creating new rules and regulations that may harm the small scale beekeepers in this state.


 Do you really know many??


Chappie said:


> Beekeepers are now put on the defensive and most will not even let other beekeepers know where they keep their bees let alone registering them.


 Do you know most bee keepers??


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## Gemeinschaft79 (Jun 27, 2016)

I have a dumb question. I have my registration number, and I've read the instructions to place the number on the upper left corner of the hive. I'm just not sure exactly what that means. Upper left corner of what side? Do I place it on the hive's left side of the box, in the upper left corner? Do I put it on the brood box or the honey super? Perhaps it doesn't matter what side it is on, as long as it is in the upper left corner of the side the number is on?

I"m probably over-thinking this, but I'd love to hear what beekeepers and inspectors have to say on the matter. Thanks!


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## smoore (Feb 1, 2012)

Typically the front top left of the brood box. I try and make sure its low enough its not covered by the lid when its on since the point it identification. Its not really that critical to get it exact. I know I've had some boxes facing backwards and the inspector has never even commented. The only time your number on the box is relevant for most of us is if the boxes are stolen or if there is some suspicion you have abandoned boxes and they are looking for the owner. Most the time you are going be right there with the inspector and the hives will be on your property anyway.

Nucs are small enough its often not possible for them to be on the left. You also try and avoid the cut out. While its only required on the brood box many of use use it as an id number on all boxes. I tend to brand every box on the front/rear top left and at least one internal panel before assembling. It can be helpful if the box is stolen when the number is in an unexpected location so the thief doesn't remove it. 

AmericasBeekeeper works for the state apiary office, PM him if you want an official answer.


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## Gemeinschaft79 (Jun 27, 2016)

Thank you so much, SMoore, for you quick reply. I really appreciate your help.


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

The rule is not more specific to allow freedom of where you can best mark them.
Thank you.


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## GSF (Jul 21, 2013)

I'm located about 45-50 minutes north of Montgomery, Alabama. I'm very much doubtful and suspicious of government. That being said, like most folks on here I'm very much appreciative of our apiary people. I gladly pay $10-$15 each year. It's insurance to me. If something's wrong that I can't figure out, then there's the resource. I keep 20 to 35 hives depending on the time of year. So far (4th year) I see no reason not to trust them. Around here as well they are speaking at bee meetings. One of them told us, heck - I ain't got time to snoop around people's homes to see if their hives are marked. To sum it up, they're here to help, not hurt.


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## Farmercal (May 19, 2015)

I have a quick question. I am about to register my hive this year. When it comes time to register next year, will the state of Florida send me a reminder or is it up to my busy mind to remember each year to send in my fee? The state tells me when it is time to register my cars, bees should be the same I would expect.


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

If you provided an email address they will email you. If not they will send a small yellow card that the Post Office will probably lose.
You can email me at work and I will make sure you are notified -- [email protected]


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

The application form has been updated please always use this link to find the most current.
http://forms.freshfromflorida.com/08176.pdf


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## bharte1217 (9 mo ago)

AmericasBeekeeper said:


> For all that have asked about registration . . .
> Please print the application, sign, date, and return it back to the address highlighted in yellow along with your check in the amount of $10.00, payable to FDACS (please put for bee registration in the notes section of your check).
> 
> http://www.freshfromflorida.com/onestop/forms/08176.pdf
> ...


Question - I see that Florida issues both a "Firm" number and a "Registration" number - Which of these is the required number to place on hive bodies?...Thanks, Brian


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