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Total estimated savings for Texas landowners
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Get your estimate in less than 60 seconds
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We verify your property and pull real tax data from your county appraisal district.
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Get an instant estimate based on your actual property value and acreage.
Get your guide
Download your county's ag exemption guide with step-by-step filing instructions.
What Texas Landowners Are Saying
Real savings from real property owners across Texas
“I had no idea beekeeping could save me this much on taxes. BeeKings walked me through the entire process — from getting the hives set up to filing with the county. Saving over $4,000 a year now.”
Sarah M.
Van Zandt County
Saving $4,200/yr
“We bought 12 acres outside of Dallas and the taxes were killing us. Got set up with 6 hives through BeeKings and our tax bill dropped by more than 80%. Best investment we've made on the property.”
James & Lisa T.
Kaufman County
Saving $6,800/yr
“Honestly didn't think my 5 acres would qualify, but it did. The bees basically take care of themselves and I'm saving almost $3,000 a year. Plus we get honey! Win-win.”
Mark R.
Henderson County
Saving $2,950/yr
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this really legal?
Absolutely. Texas Tax Code Chapter 23, Subchapter D explicitly recognizes beekeeping as qualifying agricultural use. The Texas Comptroller has specific guidelines for beekeeping ag valuations, and thousands of Texas landowners use this every year.
How many acres do I need?
Most Texas counties require between 5 and 20 acres for a beekeeping ag exemption. Some counties accept as few as 5 acres. Our calculator automatically checks your county's specific requirements.
How much work is involved?
Italian honeybees are gentle and low-maintenance. Most beekeepers spend 15-30 minutes per hive per month during active season. We provide complete training and ongoing support to make it easy.
How soon can I qualify?
If your land already has agricultural history, you may qualify the same tax year. For new agricultural use, Texas requires 5 of 7 years of qualifying ag use. The sooner you start, the sooner you save — and your savings compound every year.
What about property with a house?
Your home and the surrounding 1-2 acres (your homestead) remain taxed at market value. The ag exemption applies to your remaining qualifying acreage. Our calculator automatically separates these when estimating your savings.
Do I need beekeeping experience?
Not at all! BeeKings provides everything you need: hives, bees, equipment, hands-on training, and ongoing support. Many of our most successful customers started with zero experience.
What does "ag exemption" actually mean?
It's technically an agricultural appraisal (1-d-1), not an exemption. Your land is appraised at its productivity value (what it produces agriculturally) instead of market value. For most properties, this reduces the taxable land value by 90-98%.
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Texas Beekeeping Agricultural Exemption Guide
What is a Texas bee exemption? Under Texas Tax Code Chapter 23, Subchapter D, landowners can qualify for an agricultural appraisal (commonly called an "ag exemption") by maintaining beehives on their property. This reduces your property's taxable value from market value to agricultural productivity value — typically saving landowners 80-98% on the land portion of their property taxes.
How much land do I need? Requirements vary by county, but most Texas counties accept beekeeping ag exemptions on properties as small as 5-10 acres. Popular counties like Van Zandt, Kaufman, Henderson, Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton, Ellis, and Rockwall all have active beekeeping ag exemption programs.
How many beehives do I need for a Texas ag exemption? The Texas Comptroller recommends a minimum of 6 hives for 5-10 acres, with additional hives required for larger properties. Each county appraisal district sets its own specific requirements. Our calculator automatically determines the exact number of hives needed for your property.
What are the costs? A typical beekeeping setup costs approximately $197 per hive for equipment and $260 per nucleus colony (nuc) of bees. Annual maintenance runs about $75 per hive for mite treatments, feed, and supplies. Most landowners also earn $400-$600+ per hive annually from honey production (approximately 30 lbs per hive at $20/lb for local raw honey).
Which Texas counties support beekeeping ag exemptions? All 254 Texas counties recognize beekeeping as a qualifying agricultural use. Our calculator includes county-specific data for tax rates, minimum acreage requirements, hive requirements, and productivity values. Whether you're in East Texas, the DFW Metroplex, Hill Country, Gulf Coast, or West Texas — we've got your county covered.
Real estate agents: Help your clients save thousands on property taxes. Our free calculator uses real data from county appraisal districts and the Texas Natural Resources Information System (TNRIS) to provide accurate, instant savings estimates. Share this tool with clients buying rural or semi-rural Texas properties of 5+ acres — it could be the difference that closes the deal.