Bee Ag Exemption in Travis County, TX
To qualify for a bee ag exemption in Travis County, you need 5–20 acres of open land and 6 hives on the first 5 acres, plus 1 hive for each additional 2 acres (about 13 hives at 20 acres), kept on site at least 7 months of the year. Timber Creek Bees places, manages, and documents the hives — you file Form 50-129 with Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) by April 30.
Reviewed by Hayden - Timber Creek Bees
Commercial beekeeper - 2,000 hives across 40+ Texas Counties.
What does Travis County require for a bee ag exemption?
Travis County's intensity standard: 6 hives on the first 5 acres, plus 1 hive for each additional 2 acres (about 13 hives at 20 acres). TCAD also requires a Beekeeping Annual Survey by February 1 every year, reporting the prior year's activities — both once your beekeeping valuation is approved and while you're still building your qualifying history. The survey must be filed with supporting documentation (maps identifying the location of the beehives with photos, routine hive inspection logs, and lease agreements if applicable); a survey submitted without it is considered incomplete and may result in removal of the agricultural valuation. Requirements are set by the Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) and can change — we verify the current standard before every installation, and our hive plans are built to meet it exactly.
✓ Verified directly with Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) — 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 Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) 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.
"This is a great company. We host their bees and get an ag exemption. They come out and do all the work.....they are friendly, polite, and courteous. We love doing business with them." — Mary Petrichenko, Google review
Your appraisal district
Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD)
Phone:
(512) 834-9317
Email:
Address:
850 E. Anderson Ln., Austin, TX 78752
Changing to non-agricultural use triggers a rollback: Travis County recaptures 3 years of tax savings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hives do I need for an ag exemption in Travis County?
Travis 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 2 acres (about 13 hives at 20 acres). Standards can change, so confirm with Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) at (512) 834-9317 - or let us place hives to spec and keep the records.
How many acres qualify for a beekeeping ag valuation in Travis 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 Travis County property?
Travis 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 Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) 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 Travis County landowners.
What happens if I stop the agricultural use?
If land under 1-d-1 valuation changes to non-agricultural use, Travis County can recapture 3 years of tax savings - the rollback tax. Keeping qualifying use continuous is what protects you.
What is Travis County's February 1 deadline?
Travis CAD requires a Beekeeping Annual Survey every year by February 1, reporting the prior year's activities. It applies both to owners who already have beekeeping special valuation approved and to those still building history to qualify in a future year. The survey must be submitted with supporting documentation — maps identifying the location of the beehives with photos, routine hive inspection logs, and lease agreements if applicable. A survey submitted without supporting documentation is considered incomplete and may result in removal of the agricultural valuation. It is separate from the April 30 application deadline and is the requirement most often missed here. The county's hive count also scales faster than most: 1 additional hive per 2 acres, about 13 at 20 acres.
Do you service Austin, Pflugerville and the rest of Travis County?
Yes. Timber Creek Bees places and manages hives on qualifying land throughout Travis County — Austin, Pflugerville, Manor, Lakeway, Lago Vista, Bee Cave, Jonestown, West Lake Hills, The Hills, Briarcliff, Rollingwood, Point Venture, Mustang Ridge, Sunset Valley, Volente, San Leanna, Creedmoor, Webberville, Del Valle, Wells Branch, Hornsby Bend and Manchaca. Your application is filed with Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) 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 Travis County is inside our regular service area.
Nearby counties we serve
Also serving nearby: Williamson County, Hays County, Blanco County, Burnet County.
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