Be Happy Bees · North Texas and the Texoma area
Bee Ag Exemption in Fannin County
Fannin County is a short drive east of our Sherman apiary, and plenty of its five-to-twenty acre tracts suit bees. The rules here are less spelled out than in Grayson or Collin, so this page covers what is published and what you should confirm.
What Fannin CAD has and has not published
Texas law sets the same five to twenty acre range for beekeeping in every county. The hive count is up to each appraisal district. Grayson and Collin publish theirs. As of November 2026, Fannin Central Appraisal District's website does not post a beekeeping standard or a beekeeping report form.
What it does post is the state application, Comptroller Form 50-129, and an Agricultural History Affidavit. The affidavit matters: Fannin wants the land's agricultural history documented, so gather what you have on past hay, grazing or crop use before you apply.
How many hives to plan for
Until Fannin CAD tells you otherwise, we plan to the standard its neighbors publish: six hives on the first five acres, plus one for every full two and a half acres, up to twelve on twenty acres. A Texas Beekeepers Association survey lists Fannin with that same rule, but it is a secondary source, so call the district in Bonham and confirm the number for your parcel before you rely on it.
| Your acreage | Minimum hives |
|---|---|
| 5 to 7.49 acres | 6 |
| 7.5 to 9.99 acres | 7 |
| 10 to 12.49 acres | 8 |
| 12.5 to 14.99 acres | 9 |
| 15 to 17.49 acres | 10 |
| 17.5 to 19.99 acres | 11 |
| 20 acres | 12 |
Planning figures based on the Grayson and Collin standard. Confirm Fannin CAD's requirement for your parcel.
Why the ag value matters here
Fannin's productivity values run higher than its neighbors'. In the Comptroller's 2025 study, Fannin reported dry cropland at about $240 to $243 an acre across Bonham, Dodd City and Ector ISDs. That is still a small fraction of what most rural acreage near Bonham, Leonard or Trenton sells for, which is where the saving comes from.
Bees that stay, not bees that visit
Some commercial operations recruit Fannin County land for a few weeks of spring forage and truck the hives out by early summer. That suits them, but appraisal districts in this area expect agricultural use for the bulk of the year. Our hives stay on your land, cared for from Sherman, with the records to show it.
Other counties
See the Grayson County and Collin County guides, or how bee ag valuation works in North Texas.
Questions we get asked
Frequently asked questions
Does Fannin County allow bees for ag valuation?
Yes. Beekeeping on five to twenty acres is an agricultural use under state law in every Texas county. What varies is the local hive count and paperwork, which Fannin CAD has not posted online, so confirm them with the district.
What forms do I need in Fannin County?
Fannin CAD links the Comptroller's Form 50-129 application and an Agricultural History Affidavit. File by April 30.
Do you serve all of Fannin County?
We work from Sherman, so the western half, around Leonard, Trenton, Savoy and Bonham, is the easiest for us. Call with your location and we will tell you straight.
What if my land has never been farmed?
Bees can start the clock, but Texas requires agricultural use in five of the preceding seven years before the valuation is granted, so savings usually begin around year six.
Ask about hives on your land
Tell us your acreage, the nearest town, and how the land is used today. We will tell you how we would set it up and what to confirm with Fannin CAD.