Ag Exemption with Bees in Hill County, Texas: Hives, Acres, Cost & How to File (2027 Guide)

Quick answer: Hill County landowners with 5 to 20 acres can qualify for agricultural (1-d-1) valuation with managed honeybee colonies. Hill County Appraisal District (Hill CAD) requires 6 hives on the first 5 acres plus 1 additional hive for every 1.5 acres after that, which works out to 16 hives at 20 acres. Hives must stay on the property for the full calendar year, and Hill CAD asks for an apiary registration with the Texas Apiary Inspection Service and a landscape plan. Applications are due April 30.

Does Hill County allow bees for an ag exemption?

Yes. Texas Tax Code Section 23.51(2) makes beekeeping an agricultural use on tracts of 5 to 20 acres, and Hill CAD applies that statute with its own degree-of-intensity standard. Ten Box Bees, based in Burleson, places and manages hives for landowners across Hill County, including the Itasca, Covington, Blum, Hillsboro and Whitney areas.

How many hives does Hill County require?

Hill County is stricter than most of its neighbors. Hill CAD's 2024 agricultural guidelines set the minimum at 6 colonies on the first 5 acres, plus 1 colony for each additional 1.5 acres, with 16 hives required at the 20-acre maximum.

Compare that with Johnson County (8 hives at 15 to 20 acres) and Parker or Wise County (12 at 20 acres). Ask Hill CAD how they handle partial 1.5-acre blocks before you file, and always confirm the current standard, since it can change from year to year.

Hill County rules that catch people

• Full calendar year on site. Hill CAD expects the hives on the property all year, maintained and alive. Ten Box Bees keeps client colonies on the land year-round.
• Apiary registration. Hill CAD asks for a copy of the apiary's registration with the Texas Apiary Inspection Service.
• Landscape plan. Hill CAD asks owners to submit a landscape plan showing how plantings on the property (fruit trees, shrubs, clover, vetch, wildflowers and similar) support bee forage. We help clients put this together.
• Field inspections. Hill CAD ag appraisers inspect bee properties 1 to 2 times per year to check compliance.
• Homesite carve-out. The tract must be more than 5.00 acres if unimproved, or more than 6.01 acres with no more than 1 acre in improvements. The house, driveway and buildings do not count toward the 5 acres.
• Mason bees do not qualify. Only managed honeybee colonies in hives count.

The 5-of-7-year history rule

Land must show agricultural use in 5 of the previous 7 years. If your land already has ag valuation for cattle or hay, switching to bees keeps the history intact as long as there is no gap. If it has no ag history, Hill CAD says land qualifying for the first time must be used for 5 continuous years, so the bees start that clock.

What does a managed hive program cost in Hill County?

Ten Box Bees leases fully managed hives at $385 per hive per year plus a one-time $200 setup fee. Because Hill County requires more hives per acre, a typical Hill County property runs about $2,310 per year at 5 acres, $3,465 at 10 acres, $4,620 at 15 acres and $6,160 at 20 acres. That includes hive placement, all colony management and inspections, replacing failed colonies, and the documentation Hill CAD asks for. You also receive 5 jars of local honey every year.

On smaller Hill County tracts, the savings usually outweigh the lease. On 15 to 20 acres with lower land values, run the numbers first. We will give you a written quote and an honest estimate before you commit.

How to apply with Hill CAD

1. Confirm acreage. Pull your Hill CAD property record and subtract the homesite. You need more than 5 acres left for bees.
2. Get hives on the ground. Colonies must be in place and managed, not just ordered.
3. File Form 50-129 (Application for 1-d-1 Open-Space Agricultural Use Appraisal) with Hill CAD by April 30. Late applications are accepted until the records are approved in early July, with a 10% penalty, and never after the roll is certified.
4. Attach documentation. Lease agreement, hive placement map, colony counts, Texas Apiary Inspection Service registration and your landscape plan.
5. Expect a field visit. A Hill CAD appraiser will review the application and inspect the property.
6. Re-apply only if something changes. Once approved, Hill CAD does not require a new application each year unless the use changes, ownership changes or the chief appraiser asks.

Rollback tax

If land under ag valuation changes to a non-agricultural use, Hill County recaptures the tax savings for the 3 previous years plus 5% annual interest. Keeping the bees on the land and managed avoids this.

Frequently asked questions

Can I do this on 5 acres with a house on it in Hill County? Usually not. You need more than 6.01 acres if there is a home, because the homesite does not count.

Do I have to work the bees myself? No. A managed lease from a commercial beekeeper satisfies the requirement.

Why does Hill County need more hives than Johnson County? Each appraisal district sets its own degree-of-intensity standard. Hill CAD uses 1 hive per additional 1.5 acres instead of the 2.5 acres many counties use.

Can I buy my own bees instead of leasing? Yes. We sell Texas-raised 5-frame nucs ($275 for 2027, pickup in Burleson) and teach hands-on beekeeping classes. Owning means you manage the colonies and replace any that die, which matters in Hill County because every hive must stay alive all year.

Get a free property evaluation

Ten Box Bees is a veteran-owned commercial beekeeping operation based at the Honey Farm, 1010 Tejas Trail in Burleson, managing 900+ hives for 75+ landowner clients across North Texas. We will look up your Hill CAD record, tell you how many hives you need, and give you a written quote. Call or text William at 940-597-5219 or request an evaluation online.

This article is general information based on Hill County Appraisal District's agricultural guidelines (revised January 2024) and is not tax or legal advice. Confirm current requirements with Hill CAD at hillcad.org or (254) 582-2508.