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

Quick answer: Hood County landowners with 5 to 20 acres can qualify for agricultural (1-d-1) valuation with managed honeybee colonies. Hood County Appraisal District's published beekeeping standard is a minimum of 6 active hives, with qualifying land valued at the rate for its current land category. Land must show agricultural use for 5 of the previous 7 years. File Form 50-129 with Hood CAD in Granbury between January 1 and April 30.

Does Hood 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 Hood County Appraisal District (Hood CAD, Granbury) applies it. Hood County is one of the best fits in North Texas for a bee-based exemption: much of the land around Granbury, Tolar, Lipan, Cresson and Lake Granbury is rocky, cedar-covered, or too small for cattle, but it grows plenty of forage for bees. Ten Box Bees manages hives on Hood County properties today.

How many hives does Hood County require?

Hood CAD's published intensity standard is a minimum of 6 active hives on qualifying tracts of 5 to 20 acres. Unlike most neighboring counties, Hood has not published a sliding scale that adds hives as acreage grows. That said, appraisal districts revise standards, and inspectors expect the hive count to be reasonable for the acreage. Ten Box Bees places colonies to meet or exceed the published minimum and to satisfy an inspector on a 20-acre tract, and we confirm Hood CAD's current standard with the district before every placement.

How many acres do I need?

Between 5 and 20 acres devoted to bees, after the homestead is carved out. A 6-acre tract with a house on it typically leaves 5 qualifying acres. A 4-acre lake lot does not qualify under state law.

The 5-of-7-year history rule

To receive agricultural valuation, land must have been in agricultural use for 5 of the previous 7 years. If your Hood County land has no history, hives placed in year one qualify the land in year six. If the land already carries an ag valuation for cattle, hay, or goats and you are tired of fences and feed, switching to bees keeps the history intact as long as there is no gap in use.

What does it save?

Qualifying acreage is taxed on productivity value instead of market value. Hood County land near Granbury and the lake has appreciated hard, so the gap between market and productivity value is large. Most Ten Box Bees clients net $2,500 to $6,000 or more per year after paying for the hive lease.

What does a managed hive program cost in Hood County?

Ten Box Bees leases fully managed hives at $385 per hive per year plus a one-time $200 setup fee. At Hood's 6-hive minimum that is $2,310 per year, and most Hood County properties fall between $2,310 and $3,465 depending on acreage. That covers placement, all colony management and inspections, mite and pest control, and the placement records and annual agricultural-use documentation you need for Hood CAD.

How to apply with Hood CAD

1. Confirm acreage. Pull your Hood CAD record at hoodcad.net and subtract the homestead portion. You need 5+ acres left.
2. Get hives on the ground and managed before you file.
3. File Form 50-129 (Application for 1-d-1 Open-Space Agricultural Use Appraisal) with Hood County Appraisal District, 1902 W. Pearl Street, Granbury, TX 76048. Filing window is January 1 to April 30. Late applications are accepted until the roll is certified, with a 10% penalty.
4. Attach documentation. Hive lease agreement, placement map, colony count, and any Texas Apiary Inspection Service records.
5. Expect a site visit. Hood CAD may inspect to confirm hives are present and active.
6. Keep records every year. Ten Box Bees supplies updated documentation annually for clients.

Common Hood County mistakes

• Counting the house and lake frontage toward the 5-acre minimum.
• Buying six hives, losing three over the winter, and not replacing them before inspection.
• Assuming an HOA or deed restriction near Lake Granbury allows bees. Check your restrictions first; many newer subdivisions prohibit apiaries.
• Missing the April 30 deadline.

Frequently asked questions

Can I qualify 4 acres in Hood County with bees? No. Texas law sets 5 acres as the floor.

Do I have to work the bees myself? No. A managed hive lease from a commercial beekeeper satisfies the requirement and Hood CAD accepts lease documentation.

Do the hives have to stay all year? Hood CAD's standard requires active, maintained colonies. Ten Box Bees keeps hives on client land year-round.

I already have a wildlife exemption. Can I add bees? Wildlife management requires an existing ag valuation to convert from. Bees can be the ag use that establishes it. Call us and we will walk through it.

What if I sell? The valuation transfers if the buyer continues the ag use and reapplies. Changing the use triggers a 3-year rollback tax.

Get a free property evaluation

Ten Box Bees is a veteran-owned commercial beekeeping operation based in Burleson, managing 900+ hives across 73+ North Texas properties. We will pull your Hood CAD record, tell you how many hives your tract needs, and give you a written quote. Call or text William at 940-597-5219 or request an evaluation online.

This article is general information about Hood County Appraisal District beekeeping guidelines for the 2027 tax year and is not tax or legal advice. Confirm current requirements with Hood CAD at hoodcad.net or 817-573-3212.