Bee Ag Exemption in Cooke County, TX
To qualify for a bee ag exemption in Cooke County, you need 5–20 acres of open land and 6 hives on the first 5 acres plus 1 per additional 2.5 acres (6–12 total), on site at least 7 months of the year. Timber Creek Bees places, manages, and documents the hives — you file Form 50-129 with Cooke CAD's Supplemental Beekeeping Questionnaire and Bee Annual Check List by April 30.
Reviewed by Hayden - Timber Creek Bees
Commercial beekeeper - 2,000 hives across 40+ Texas Counties.
What does Cooke County require for a bee ag exemption?
Cooke County's intensity standard: 6 hives on the first 5 acres, plus 1 hive for each additional 2.5 acres, up to 20 acres — a range of 6 to 12 hives, or roughly 0.6 hives per acre. Cooke CAD requires two county forms alongside the application: a Supplemental Beekeeping Questionnaire (including a copy of your apiary purchase receipt) and a Bee Annual Check List with a land map showing hive locations. Hives must be kept alive, on the property at least 7 months of the year, situated up off the ground, with flowering plants planted where vegetation is limited — and the bees must be alive, active and producing, subject to annual verification. Requirements are set by the Cooke County Appraisal District (Cooke CAD) and can change — we verify the current standard before every installation, and our hive plans are built to meet it exactly.
✓ Verified directly with Cooke County Appraisal District (Cooke CAD) — August 12, 2026.
We re-confirm every county's standard each season
73
hives we manage in Cooke County
9
Cooke County properties under our care
What would your land need — and save?
How honey bees qualify your land
The land qualifies — not you. Texas Property TaxCode §23.51 recognizes beekeeping as agricultural use. You don't have to become a beekeeper; you hire one. We own and manage the colonies on your property, and your land still qualifies.
Instead of taxing your land at market value, the county taxes its agricultural productivity value— commonly cutting the taxable value of qualifying land by 90% or more.
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Acreage: 5–20 acres of open land. A homestead typically carves out about an acre, so plan on 6–21 total if your house is on the tract.
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History: qualifying use for 5 of the past 7 years — savings usually start in Year 6. Already have an ag valuation from cattle or hay? Switch to bees immediately and keep it. No waiting.
How to get started
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Contact us for a Free assessment on your property
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We design a hive plan that meets your county's standard for your acreage.
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We place and manage the bees, and provide your documentation.
4. File Form 50-129 plus the Supplemental Beekeeping Questionnaire and Bee Annual Check List with Cooke County Appraisal District (Cooke CAD) by April 30. We give you everything you need.
Late applications accepted until the appraisal roll is certified (typically mid-July) with a 10% penalty on the tax savings.
Why landowners choose Timber Creek Bees
Full Service Program
Completely hands-off for you — we provide the bees, place the hives, maintain them all season, replace any dead-outs, and hand you a detailed packet to submit at the end of the year.
Loss Protection
We replace losses at no extra cost — if a colony fails, we make it right, so your hive count and your valuation stay protected.
2,000+ Hives Managed
Local and experienced — based in Greenville, caring for over 2,000 hives across 40+ Texas counties in the Dallas, Austin, and Houston regions.
Filing Assistance
We walk you through the filing process, provide everything your county asks for, and stand behind you if a denial ever needs to be protested.
Appraisal District Compliance
We keep you compliant — proper hive counts, healthy colonies, and the documentation your appraisal district wants to see.
Hundreds of Properties Qualified Yearly
We've been at this a while. We know the counties, we know what they want, and we'll guide you through the whole process from first hive to approved valuation.
"We are very happy with their services and would recommend them to anyone wanting a no hassle way to Ag Exempt status." — Paul Lemmons, Google review
Your appraisal district
Cooke County Appraisal District (Cooke CAD)
Phone:
(940) 665-7651
Email:
Address:
201 N. Dixon St., Gainesville, TX 76240-3974
Changing to non-agricultural use triggers a rollback: Cooke County recaptures 3 years of tax savings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hives do I need for an ag exemption in Cooke County?
Cooke County's standard (verified directly with the county appraisal district, August 2026): 6 hives on the first 5 acres, plus 1 hive for each additional 2.5 acres (about 12 hives at 20 acres). Standards can change, so confirm with Cooke County Appraisal District (Cooke CAD) at (940) 665-7651 - or let us place hives to spec and keep the records.
How many acres qualify for a beekeeping ag valuation in Cooke County?
Texas Tax Code limits beekeeping ag valuation to 5-20 acres of qualified open-space land. If your home sits on the tract, most districts carve out about 1 acre for the homestead, so plan on at least 6 total acres.
How long do the bees have to stay on my Cooke County property?
Cooke County requires colonies on site at least 7 months of the year. We place and manage your hives to that standard and a minimum of seven months out of the year, and we document every visit — so there's a dated record if the district asks for one.
When is the deadline to apply?
File Form 50-129 with Cooke County Appraisal District (Cooke CAD) by April 30. Late applications are generally accepted until the appraisal roll is certified (typically mid-July) with a 10% penalty on the tax savings.
Do I have to keep the bees myself?
No. The land qualifies - not the landowner. You can hire a professional service to place, manage, and document the hives. That turnkey management is exactly what Timber Creek Bees does for Cooke County landowners.
What happens if I stop the agricultural use?
If land under 1-d-1 valuation changes to non-agricultural use, Cooke County can recapture 3 years of tax savings - the rollback tax. Keeping qualifying use continuous is what protects you.
Does Cooke County require anything every year after approval?
Yes. Cooke CAD's Bee Annual Check List is due each year and asks for a land map with hive locations, inspection and queen-replacement dates, an Africanized bee prevention plan, a fire ant prevention plan, clover supplementation and winter maintenance. Its Supplemental Beekeeping Questionnaire also requires a copy of your apiary receipt at application.
Do you service Gainesville, Muenster and the rest of Cooke County?
Yes. Timber Creek Bees places and manages hives on qualifying land throughout Cooke County — Gainesville, Muenster, Lindsay, Valley View, Callisburg, Oak Ridge, Lake Kiowa, Era, Myra, Rosston, Sanger and Pilot Point. Your application is filed with Cooke County Appraisal District (Cooke CAD) wherever in the county your tract sits, and we handle the hive placement, the management and the records the same way across all of it. We are based in Greenville, Texas, and Cooke County is inside our regular service area.
Nearby counties we serve
Also serving nearby: Grayson County, Denton County, Montague County, Wise County.
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