Minimum active hives: 6on the first 5
qualifying acres

2021 policy

Qualifying bee acreage: 5–20 acres

Land used for qualifying beekeeping, with the approved acreage shown separately.

Time on the property: 7 months

Active colonies on the property.

A “bee exemption” is usually 1-d-1 open-space agricultural appraisal of qualifying land. Your records support the actual beekeeping taking place there.

The local hive schedule

Qualifying acreage.
Active colonies.

One additional hive for every additional 2.5 acres.

The table shows whole-step examples. Keep the actual qualifying acreage in your records.

Mason County acreage and active-hive schedule
Qualifying acres (examples)	Active hives
5	6
7.5	7
10	8
12.5	9
15	10
17.5	11
20	12

Beyond the hive count

What Mason wants to see.

Time on the property: 7 months

The bee section requires active hives during this period.

Applicable policy: Section 6: bees

Keep bee records tied to the beekeeping section.

Published example: 20 acres: 12 colonies

Both acreage and active count belong in the record.

Mason requires both active colonies and time on the property.

Mason's bee section requires six colonies on five acres, with one more for every additional 2.5 acres. It expressly gives 12 colonies as the minimum for 20 acres and requires active hives on the land for at least seven months.³³

The same policy contains a separate, much longer wildlife-management program with its own reporting instructions. Keep your bee records organized around the colony count and time requirement in the bee section. The wildlife section's annual-report procedures are not a replacement for a bee-specific request.

Keep with the year’s records

Records for your Mason property

Colony counts and time-on-property records
Dated inspection and service notes
Any bee-specific request from Mason CAD

Visit the appraisal district

Records and reporting support

Already have your bee exemption?

We help organize your beekeeping records and prepare county-requested documentation for $99 a year. Tell us about your Mason County property to get started.

Get started now$99/year · Support by email

A few Mason County questions.

Which section of Mason's policy addresses bees?

Section 6, “Bee Keeping,” is separate from section 7's wildlife-management program.

Can my beekeeper’s records be part of the packet?

Yes. Keep dated service notes that identify your Mason County property, the active-colony count, and the work completed. Add the relevant agreement or lease.