Question 1

How many acres do I need for a bee ag exemption in Texas?

Accepted Answer

Every appraisal district we serve requires 5 to 20 acres of qualifying land, not counting the acre or so under your homestead. Below 5 acres bees will not qualify the tract; above 20 the beekeeping valuation caps out and the remainder needs another qualifying use. That band is set in the Texas Tax Code and we have confirmed it directly with all 43 districts we work in.

Question 2

How many hives will I need?

Accepted Answer

Every district we serve requires at least 5 acres. Most set a minimum of 6 hives on the first 5 acres and add hives as acreage rises, but the ladder varies a great deal: Dallas, Tarrant and Wood require a flat 6 hives on any qualifying tract, while Hays and Hill add a hive every 1.5 acres — about 16 hives at 20 acres. A few districts start lower than 6. We work from each district's published standard, verified directly with them.

Question 3

How do I find out if I qualify?

Accepted Answer

Call us and we will confirm your eligibility. If we cannot confirm immediately, we will contact your local appraisal district directly. In most counties you need 5–20 qualifying acres (not including your homestead) and an active agricultural use such as bees.

Question 4

Who files the Agricultural Valuation forms?

Accepted Answer

The landowner files the application — that is Form 50-129, the Application for 1-d-1 Open Space Agricultural Appraisal — with your county appraisal district. We prepare everything that goes with it: hive counts, placement records, inspection dates and the maintenance documentation your district expects to see.

Question 5

When is the best time to get started?

Accepted Answer

The sooner the better — your qualifying use history starts when the bees arrive, not when you file. Applications are due to your county appraisal district by April 30. Late applications are accepted until the appraisal roll is certified, usually around mid-July, but they carry a 10% penalty on the tax savings for that year.

Question 6

Does a bee ag exemption affect my homestead exemption?

Accepted Answer

No. Your homestead, over-65, disabled-veteran and other special exemptions are unaffected — an agricultural valuation applies to your qualifying acreage, not to your home or the land under it. What you cannot do is stack two agricultural valuations on the same acreage: if your land is already in hay, livestock or wildlife management, bees replace that use rather than adding to it.

Question 7

How much does it cost to maintain the bees on my land?

Accepted Answer

Cost depends on how many hives your county requires for your acreage and how far your property sits from us. There is no charge for the bees, the boxes or the labour — you pay an annual service fee and we handle everything else.

Question 8

How much will a bee ag exemption save me?

Accepted Answer

It depends on your county's productivity value and your local tax rate, but on qualified acreage an agricultural valuation typically reduces the taxable value of that land by 90% or more. The valuation applies to your qualifying acreage, not to your home or homestead.

Question 9

Do I have to own the bees?

Accepted Answer

No — and that is the point. Timber Creek Bees owns the hives, the equipment and the bees. You are not buying livestock, learning beekeeping or replacing dead-outs at your own expense.

Question 10

Who owns the hives?

Accepted Answer

Timber Creek Bees owns and manages the hives. Our beekeepers handle all maintenance, and if a colony fails we replace it at no extra cost — so your hive count, and your valuation, stay intact.

Question 11

Who keeps the honey?

Accepted Answer

Bees often need their honey to survive winter, so we usually leave it for them. Any surplus belongs to us, but we like to gift landowners a little as a thank-you.

Question 12

How long do the bees stay on my land?

Accepted Answer

It depends on your county. About half the districts we serve publish a minimum — most commonly around seven months — while Hays and Hill require the full calendar year and Wise sets 185 days. Many districts publish no time-on-property standard at all; there the qualifying test is simply active, maintained colonies. We keep hives resident and documented year-round regardless.

Question 13

How does hive installation work?

Accepted Answer

We work with you remotely to choose the hive location — usually a spot with morning sun, some wind protection and vehicle access, well away from where you spend time. Once the location is agreed we deliver the equipment on the next available date, and that date is set when you sign up.

Question 14

Can I switch from hay or livestock to bees?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and usually without a waiting period. If your land already carries an agricultural valuation through hay, cattle or another qualifying use, switching the use to beekeeping does not restart your history — the valuation continues as long as the new use meets your district's standard from the start.

Question 15

What if my county denies my application?

Accepted Answer

Denials are usually about documentation rather than eligibility — a missing hive count, an unclear placement date, or a district standard that was not met at the right time of year. We supply the records your district asks for, and if an application is denied we help you assemble the protest.

Question 16

What happens if I sell the land or stop?

Accepted Answer

If the land changes to a non-agricultural use, the district recaptures the tax difference for the prior years plus interest — that is the rollback. Selling to a buyer who continues the agricultural use does not trigger it.

Question 17

Why does the Ag Exemption exist?

Accepted Answer

Texas created the 1-d-1 Open Space valuation to keep working land in production by taxing it on what it produces rather than what it would fetch on the market. Beekeeping qualifies because pollination is genuine agricultural production — bees support crop yields, biodiversity and food supply across the state.

Timber Creek Bees

Bees for Agricultural Tax Exemption in Texas

How Much Will a Bee Ag Exemption Save?

How Do I Start?

Why Landowners Choose Us

Apply Now

The Complete Texas Bee Ag Exemption Guide (2026)

Ag Exemption Denied? How to Protest and Win

Becoming a Beekeeper! / The Basics

Minimum Acreage for an Ag Exemption in Texas: How Many Acres Do You Really Need? (2026)

Find Your Counties Requirements

Frequently asked questions