Bee Ag Exemption in Hill County, TX
To qualify for a bee ag exemption in Hill County, you need 5–20 acres of open land and 6 hives on the first 5 acres, plus 1 hive for each additional 1.5 acres (about 16 hives at 20 acres), kept on the property year-round. Timber Creek Bees places, manages, and documents the hives — you file Form 50-129 with Hill County Appraisal District (Hill CAD) by April 30.
Reviewed by Hayden - Timber Creek Bees
Commercial beekeeper - 2,000 hives across 40+ Texas Counties.
What does Hill County require for a bee ag exemption?
Hill County's intensity standard: 6 hives on the first 5 acres, plus 1 hive for each additional 1.5 acres (about 16 hives at 20 acres). Hill CAD requires hives on the property for the full calendar year, TAIS apiary registration (copies via the AgriLife office), and a landscape/foraging plan showing plantings that support the bees (fruit trees, clover, buckwheat, vetch and similar); the district conducts 1–2 compliance inspections per year. Requirements are set by the Hill County Appraisal District (Hill 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 Hill County Appraisal District (Hill CAD) — July 24, 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 Hill County Appraisal District (Hill 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.
"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
Hill County Appraisal District (Hill CAD)
Phone:
(254) 582-2508
Email:
Address:
1407 Abbott Ave., Hillsboro, TX 76645-2872
Changing to non-agricultural use triggers a rollback: Hill County recaptures 3 years of tax savings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hives do I need for an ag exemption in Hill County?
Hill County's standard (verified directly with the county appraisal district, July 2026): 6 hives on the first 5 acres, plus 1 hive for each additional 1.5 acres (about 16 hives at 20 acres). Standards can change, so confirm with Hill County Appraisal District (Hill CAD) at (254) 582-2508 — or let us place hives to spec and keep the records.
How many acres qualify for a beekeeping ag valuation in Hill 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 Hill County property?
Hill County requires colonies on the property the full calendar year — not the roughly 7 months most counties ask for. Where a county requires year-round placement we follow that standard and the hives stay on your property all year, with every visit documented.
When is the deadline to apply?
File Form 50-129 with Hill County Appraisal District (Hill 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 Hill County landowners.
What happens if I stop the agricultural use?
If land under 1-d-1 valuation changes to non-agricultural use, Hill County can recapture 3 years of tax savings - the rollback tax. Keeping qualifying use continuous is what protects you.
What makes Hill County stricter than its neighbours?
Three things. Hives must be on the property the full calendar year rather than roughly 7 months; the count scales at 1 hive per additional 1.5 acres, reaching 16 at 20 acres; and Hill CAD inspects qualifying properties once or twice a year. Copies of Texas Apiary Inspection Service registration and a foraging plan showing bee-supporting plantings are also required.
Do you service Hillsboro, Whitney and the rest of Hill County?
Yes. Timber Creek Bees places and manages hives on qualifying land throughout Hill County — Hillsboro, Whitney, Itasca, Hubbard, Blum, Abbott, Mount Calm, Covington, Malone, Carl's Corner, Penelope, Bynum, Mertens, Aquilla, Irene, Peoria, Brandon and Files Valley. Your application is filed with Hill County Appraisal District (Hill 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 Hill County is inside our regular service area.
Nearby counties we serve
Also serving nearby: Ellis County, Johnson County, Navarro County, Bosque County.
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