Bee Ag Exemption in Henderson County, TX
To qualify for a bee ag exemption in Henderson County, you need 5–20 acres of open land and 6 hives on the first 5 acres, plus 1 hive for each additional 2.5 acres (about 12 hives at 20 acres). Timber Creek Bees places, manages, and documents the hives — you file Form 50-129 with Henderson County Appraisal District (Henderson CAD) by April 30.
Reviewed by Hayden - Timber Creek Bees
Commercial beekeeper - 2,000 hives across 40+ Texas Counties.
What does Henderson County require for a bee ag exemption?
Henderson County's intensity standard: 6 hives on the first 5 acres, plus 1 hive for each additional 2.5 acres (about 12 hives at 20 acres). Requirements are set by the Henderson County Appraisal District (Henderson 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 Henderson County Appraisal District (Henderson CAD) — August 7, 2026.
We re-confirm every county's standard each season
2,000+
hives we manage across 40+ Texas counties
250+
Texas 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 Henderson County Appraisal District (Henderson 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
Henderson County Appraisal District (Henderson CAD)
Phone:
(903) 675-9296
Email:
Address:
1751 Enterprise St., Athens, TX 75751-8827
Changing to non-agricultural use triggers a rollback: Henderson County recaptures 3 years of tax savings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hives do I need for an ag exemption in Henderson County?
Henderson 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 Henderson County Appraisal District (Henderson CAD) at (903) 675-9296 - or let us place hives to spec and keep the records. Henderson CAD rounds partial acreage down — leftover land under 2.5 acres adds no hive. Their published worked example: 14.6 acres needs 9 hives (6 for the first 5 acres, 3 for the next 7.5, none for the remaining 2.1).
How many acres qualify for a beekeeping ag valuation in Henderson 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 Henderson County property?
We keep your hives on the property to Henderson County's compliance standard and a minimum of seven months out of the year, and we document every visit with dates. If Henderson CAD ever asks you to show the colonies were maintained, that record is what answers it.
When is the deadline to apply?
File Form 50-129 with Henderson County Appraisal District (Henderson 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 Henderson County landowners.
What happens if I stop the agricultural use?
If land under 1-d-1 valuation changes to non-agricultural use, Henderson County can recapture 3 years of tax savings - the rollback tax. Keeping qualifying use continuous is what protects you.
When can I apply in Henderson County, and what do they want with it?
Henderson CAD accepts applications from September 1 through the April 30 deadline — the 2026 window has closed, so 2027 applications are taken after tax statements go out. As of August 2026 the district requires photographs of all bee equipment with the application: suits, boxes, bees, honey and hives.
Do you service Athens, Gun Barrel City and the rest of Henderson County?
Yes. Timber Creek Bees places and manages hives on qualifying land throughout Henderson County — Athens, Gun Barrel City, Chandler, Malakoff, Tool, Seven Points, Brownsboro, Eustace, Berryville, Trinidad, Log Cabin, Payne Springs, Murchison, Star Harbor, Enchanted Oaks, Poynor, Coffee City, Caney City, Moore Station, LaRue, Cross Roads, Mabank and Frankston. Your application is filed with Henderson County Appraisal District (Henderson 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 Henderson County is inside our regular service area.
Nearby counties we serve
Also serving nearby: Van Zandt County, Smith County, Anderson County, Navarro County, Kaufman County.
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