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

Quick answer: Parker County landowners with 5 to 20 acres can qualify for agricultural (1-d-1) valuation with managed honeybee colonies. Parker County Appraisal District requires 6 hives on the first 5 acres plus 1 additional hive for every 2.5 acres, up to 12 hives on 20 acres. Land must show agricultural use for 5 of the previous 7 years. File Form 50-129 with Parker CAD in Weatherford between January 1 and April 30; late filings are accepted until roll certification (about July 25) with a 10% penalty.

Does Parker County allow bees for an ag exemption?

Yes. Texas Tax Code Section 23.51(2) makes beekeeping an agricultural use on 5 to 20 acres, and Parker County Appraisal District (Parker CAD, Weatherford) publishes a specific hive table for it in its Agricultural Valuation guidelines. Ten Box Bees places and manages hives for landowners around Weatherford, Aledo, Willow Park, Hudson Oaks, Springtown, Millsap, Peaster and Brock.

How many hives does Parker County require?

Parker CAD's published standard, straight from its Agricultural Valuation manual:

Hives must be live, managed colonies. Empty equipment does not count, and Parker CAD field staff physically inspect properties.

How many acres do I need?

Between 5 and 20 acres devoted to bees, after your homestead is carved out. Parker CAD is explicit that a tract under 5 acres with a residence on it will be treated as residential, not agricultural. With a house, plan on owning about 6 acres so 5 remain for the bees.

The 5-of-7-year history rule in Parker County

Parker CAD requires agricultural production for 5 of the preceding 7 years. Their example: to qualify for 2024, you needed 5 qualifying years between 2017 and 2023. Two things worth knowing that Parker CAD states directly:

• The district looks at actual land use, not whether the prior owner ever applied. If the land was grazed or kept in bees but never filed, those years still count. Lease agreements, owner records, tax records, and statements from adjoining landowners are accepted as proof.
• The district will not research the history for you. It is the owner's job to document it.

If your land has no history, hives placed in year one qualify the land for the reduced valuation in year six.

What does it save?

Qualifying acreage is taxed on productivity value instead of market value. Parker CAD's current productivity values run roughly $42 to $206 per acre depending on land class. On a 10-acre tract near Aledo or Weatherford that might carry a market value of several hundred thousand dollars, the reduction on the qualifying acres is typically thousands of dollars a year. 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 Parker County?

Ten Box Bees leases fully managed hives at $385 per hive per year plus a one-time $200 setup fee. Under Parker's table that is $2,310 per year for 5 acres (6 hives) up to $4,620 for 20 acres (12 hives). That covers placement, all colony management and inspections, mite and pest control, and the placement records and annual agricultural-use documentation you need for Parker CAD.

How to apply with Parker CAD

1. Confirm acreage. Pull your Parker CAD record at parkercad.org and subtract the homestead portion. You need 5+ acres left for bees.
2. Get hives on the ground and managed. Do this before you file, not after.
3. File Form 50-129 (Application for 1-d-1 Open-Space Agricultural Use Appraisal) with Parker County Appraisal District, 1108 Santa Fe Drive, Weatherford, TX 76086. Filing window is January 1 to April 30. Late applications are accepted until the roll is certified (usually by July 25) with a 10% penalty.
4. Fill out every line. Parker CAD sends incomplete applications back unapproved. List the prior seven years of use even if you have to reconstruct it.
5. Attach documentation. Hive lease agreement, placement map, colony count, and any Texas Apiary Inspection Service records.
6. Get a stamped copy. Parker CAD will stamp a copy "received" on request. Keep it. If approved, you will not get a letter; only denials are mailed, along with a protest form.

Parker County rules that catch people off guard

• You must reapply after a deed change. If you buy land already under ag valuation, the prior approval does not transfer. You must file your own application, and you must have owned the land on January 1 to apply for that tax year.
• No annual refiling once approved, unless something changes, a new deed is filed, or the Chief Appraiser requests it.
• Rollback is 3 years. Changing the land to a non-agricultural use triggers a rollback of the taxes saved for the 3 preceding years. Building your own homestead on part of the tract does not trigger it as long as the rest keeps qualifying and you live in the home for 3 years.
• Losing intensity is not a rollback. If hives die off and you drop below the table, you lose eligibility for that year but are not automatically rolled back. Get colonies replaced fast.

Frequently asked questions

Can I qualify 4 acres in Parker County with bees? No. The 5-acre floor is state law and Parker CAD treats small tracts with a house as residential.

Do I have to work the bees myself? No. A managed hive lease from a commercial beekeeper satisfies the requirement. Parker CAD specifically lists lease agreements as acceptable evidence.

Does Parker County require the hives to stay year-round? Parker CAD's manual does not publish a month count, but the hives must be present and active when inspected. Ten Box Bees keeps colonies on client land year-round.

Can I do bees on part of my land and cattle on the rest? Yes, as long as each portion meets its own intensity standard. Many Parker County owners run bees on the 5 to 20 acres that will not support cattle.

Is my application public? No. Parker CAD keeps ag applications confidential.

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 Parker CAD record, tell you exactly how many hives your acreage needs, and give you a written quote. Call or text William at 940-597-5219 or request an evaluation online.

This article summarizes Parker County Appraisal District's published Agricultural Valuation guidelines (updated September 2024) for the 2027 tax year. It is general information, not tax or legal advice. Confirm current requirements with Parker CAD at parkercad.org or 817-596-0077.