Minimum active hives: 6on the first 5
qualifying acres

2026 guidelines

Qualifying bee acreage: 5–20 acres

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

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.

Two published acreage bands.

Blanco County acreage and active-hive schedule
Qualifying acres	Active hives
5–12.99	6
13–20	8

Beyond the hive count

What Blanco wants to see.

The local hive schedule: 6 or 8 hives

The 2026 guide has two acreage bands.

Queen replacement: Bills of sale

Retain evidence of replacement queens.

Apiary map: Hives & vegetation

Identify current forage and future plantings.

Blanco's 2026 guide uses two hive-count bands.

Blanco requires six hives on 5 to 12.99 qualifying acres and eight on 13 to 20 acres. Its 2026 guidelines also call for a map of the hives and vegetation, with information about future plantings.¹⁰

Keep queen-replacement bills of sale with the year's records; the district specifically calls for that evidence. Blanco also connects the paperwork to the operation's products: where there is no marketing plan, its guide asks for proof of products with commercial value. Keep that evidence beside the hive map and management notes.

Keep with the year’s records

Records for your Blanco property

Hive and vegetation map, including future plantings
Queen-replacement bills of sale
Colony counts and inspection notes
Product evidence or marketing plan

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 Blanco County property to get started.

Get started now$99/year · Support by email

A few Blanco County questions.

Does Blanco require eight hives on 10 acres?

Its 2026 table places 10 qualifying acres in the six-hive band.

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

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