Bee Ag Exemption in Dallas County, TX
To qualify for a bee ag exemption in Dallas County, you need 5–20 acres of open land and a minimum of 6 hives with current Texas Apiary Inspection Service registration. Timber Creek Bees places, manages, and documents the hives — you file Form 50-129 with Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) between January 1 and April 30.
Reviewed by Hayden - Timber Creek Bees
Commercial beekeeper - 2,000 hives across 40+ Texas Counties.
What does Dallas County require for a bee ag exemption?
Dallas County's intensity standard: a minimum of 6 hives for any qualifying tract of 5–20 acres, with no per-acre scaling — a 20-acre tract needs the same 6 hives as a 5-acre one. Proof of current registration with the Texas Apiary Inspection Service is required, and the operation must be more than a hobby use. Inside city limits (most of Dallas County), land must have been in agricultural use continuously for the preceding 5 years; outside city limits, 5 of the preceding 7 years. Requirements are set by the Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) and can change — we verify the current standard before every installation, and our hive plans are built to meet it exactly.
✓ Verified directly with Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) — August 4, 2026.
We re-confirm every county's standard each season
54
hives we manage in Dallas County
6
Dallas 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 with Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) between January 1 and 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.
"Very friendly, professional and punctual. I have animals on property and they always contact me in advance of coming out. I’ll continue to use them." — James Brown, Google review
Your appraisal district
Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD)
Phone:
(214) 631-0910
Email:
Address:
2949 N. Stemmons Fwy., Dallas, TX 75247-6102
Changing to non-agricultural use triggers a rollback: Dallas County recaptures 3 years of tax savings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hives do I need for an ag exemption in Dallas County?
Dallas County requires a minimum of 6 hives for any qualifying tract of 5–20 acres, with no per-acre scaling — so a 20-acre tract needs the same 6 hives as a 5-acre one. Current Texas Apiary Inspection Service registration is also required, and the use must be more than a hobby. Standards can change, so confirm with Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) at (214) 631-0910 - or let us place hives to spec and keep the records.
How many acres qualify for a beekeeping ag valuation in Dallas 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 Dallas County property?
We keep your hives on the property to Dallas County's compliance standard and a minimum of seven months out of the year, and we document every visit with dates. If DCAD ever asks you to show the colonies were maintained, that record is what answers it. Separately, Dallas County's history rule is the one that catches people out: outside city limits the land needs agricultural use in 5 of the preceding 7 years, and inside city limits — which covers most of the county — it must have been in continuous agricultural use for the preceding 5 years.
When is the deadline to apply?
File Form 50-129 with Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) 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 Dallas County landowners.
What happens if I stop the agricultural use?
If land under 1-d-1 valuation changes to non-agricultural use, Dallas County can recapture 3 years of tax savings - the rollback tax. Keeping qualifying use continuous is what protects you.
Does it matter if my land is inside Dallas city limits?
Yes, and this catches people out. For land outside city limits DCAD applies the usual 5-of-the-preceding-7-years history test. Inside city limits — which covers most of Dallas County — the land must have been in agricultural use continuously for the preceding 5 years. Current Texas Apiary Inspection Service registration is also required.
Do you service Dallas, Mesquite and the rest of Dallas County?
Yes. Timber Creek Bees places and manages hives on qualifying land throughout Dallas County — Dallas, Mesquite, Seagoville, Lancaster, Hutchins, Wilmer, Sunnyvale, Balch Springs, Combine, Glenn Heights, Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Duncanville, Grand Prairie, Irving, Garland, Rowlett, Sachse, Carrollton, Coppell, Richardson, Farmers Branch and Sand Branch. Your application is filed with Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) 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 Dallas County is inside our regular service area.
Nearby counties we serve
Also serving nearby: Collin County, Denton County, Tarrant County, Ellis County, Kaufman County.
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