{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/3.2-4411.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/3.2-4411.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/3.2-4411.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/3.2-4411.html"}],"law_id":63833,"edition_id":1,"section_id":63833,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4411","catch_line":"Abandoned apiaries","history":"1972, c. 499, \u00a7 3.1-610.18; 2008, c. 860.","full_text":"The State Apiarist may deem an apiary to be abandoned if: (i) the bees and hives show evidence of a period of neglect exceeding one year; and (ii) the owner of the apiary has not been identified through a reasonable search of available records. If the State Apiarist deems an apiary to be abandoned, he shall certify his findings in a declaration of abandonment to the treasurer of the locality where the apiary is located. The treasurer shall give notice of such certification to the last known owner of the apiary and the owner of the land upon which the apiary is located by personal service, by posting at last known residence, or by publication. If after 60 days, the owner or landowner has not laid claim to the apiary, the treasurer may hold a sheriff’s sale, issue a treasurer’s deed to the successful bidder, and deposit any proceeds into the general fund of the locality. If disposition is not made within 90 days of the date of the declaration of abandonment, the State Apiarist may take possession of the apiary and destroy the related bees, hives, and equipment.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":232546,"text":"The State Apiarist may deem an apiary to be abandoned if: (i) the bees and hives show evidence of a period of neglect exceeding one year; and (ii) the owner of the apiary has not been identified through a reasonable search of available records. If the State Apiarist deems an apiary to be abandoned, he shall certify his findings in a declaration of abandonment to the treasurer of the locality where the apiary is located. The treasurer shall give notice of such certification to the last known owner of the apiary and the owner of the land upon which the apiary is located by personal service, by posting at last known residence, or by publication. If after 60 days, the owner or landowner has not laid claim to the apiary, the treasurer may hold a sheriff’s sale, issue a treasurer’s deed to the successful bidder, and deposit any proceeds into the general fund of the locality. If disposition is not made within 90 days of the date of the declaration of abandonment, the State Apiarist may take possession of the apiary and destroy the related bees, hives, and equipment.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15329,"edition_id":1,"name":"Beekeeping","identifier":"44","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13102,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:54:00","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:54:00","permalink":{"id":196487,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15329,"identifier":"44","token":"3.2\/III\/44","url":"\/3.2\/III\/44\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13102,"edition_id":1,"name":"Production and Sale of Agricultural Products","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12793,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","permalink":{"id":195443,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13102,"identifier":"III","token":"3.2\/III","url":"\/3.2\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12793,"edition_id":1,"name":"Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food","identifier":"3.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":193939,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12793,"identifier":"3.2","token":"3.2","url":"\/3.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":66320,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4400","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/3.2-4400\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4400","metadata":false},{"id":58358,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4401","catch_line":"Powers and duties of the Board","url":"\/3.2-4401\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4401","metadata":false},{"id":82508,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4402","catch_line":"State Apiarist","url":"\/3.2-4402\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4402","metadata":false},{"id":69793,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4403","catch_line":"Duties of beekeepers","url":"\/3.2-4403\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4403","metadata":false},{"id":73762,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4404","catch_line":"Duty to notify the State Apiarist of diseased bees","url":"\/3.2-4404\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4404","metadata":false},{"id":61000,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4405","catch_line":"Entry permit required to bring bees and used bee equipment into Commonwealth; inspection","url":"\/3.2-4405\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4405","metadata":false},{"id":78033,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4406","catch_line":"Certificate of health to accompany bees in combless packages brought into Commonwealth","url":"\/3.2-4406\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4406","metadata":false},{"id":62090,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4407","catch_line":"Certificate of health to accompany bill of sale","url":"\/3.2-4407\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4407","metadata":false},{"id":60868,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4408","catch_line":"Rearing package bees and queens for sale","url":"\/3.2-4408\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4408","metadata":false},{"id":63298,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4409","catch_line":"Right of entry for inspection and enforcement","url":"\/3.2-4409\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4409","metadata":false},{"id":66909,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4410","catch_line":"Measures to eradicate and control bee diseases; appeal","url":"\/3.2-4410\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4410","metadata":false},{"id":63833,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4411","catch_line":"Abandoned apiaries","url":"\/3.2-4411\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4411","metadata":false},{"id":86491,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4411.1","catch_line":"Apiaries; limitation on liability","url":"\/3.2-4411.1\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4411.1","metadata":false},{"id":75781,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4412","catch_line":"Reserved","url":"\/3.2-4412\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4412","metadata":false},{"id":72033,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4413","catch_line":"Costs of administering chapter","url":"\/3.2-4413\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4413","metadata":false},{"id":59525,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4414","catch_line":"Violation of chapter","url":"\/3.2-4414\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4414","metadata":false},{"id":76448,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4415","catch_line":"Beehive Grant Fund","url":"\/3.2-4415\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4415","metadata":false},{"id":63371,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4416","catch_line":"Beehive distribution program","url":"\/3.2-4416\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4416","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":66909,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4410","catch_line":"Measures to eradicate and control bee diseases; appeal","url":"\/3.2-4410\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4410","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":86491,"structure_id":15329,"section_number":"3.2-4411.1","catch_line":"Apiaries; limitation on liability","url":"\/3.2-4411.1\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4411.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/3.2-4411\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1972. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 499 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1972 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 2008, chapter 860<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":196533,"object_type":"law","relational_id":63833,"identifier":"3.2-4411","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4411","url":"\/3.2-4411\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/3.2-4411\/","token":"3.2\/III\/44\/3.2-4411","dublin_core":{"Title":"Abandoned apiaries","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 3.2-4411","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The State Apiarist may deem an apiary<\/span> to be abandoned if: (i) the bees<\/span> and hives<\/span> show evidence<\/span> of a period of neglect exceeding one year; and (ii) the owner of the apiary<\/span> has not been identified through a reasonable search of available records. If the State Apiarist deems an apiary<\/span> to be abandoned, he shall certify his findings<\/span> in a declaration of abandonment to the treasurer of the locality where the apiary<\/span> is located. The treasurer shall give notice of such certification to the last known owner of the apiary<\/span> and the owner of the land upon which the apiary<\/span> is located by personal service, by posting at last known residence, or by publication. If after 60 days, the owner or landowner has not laid claim to the apiary<\/span>, the treasurer may hold a sheriff’s sale, issue<\/span> a treasurer’s deed to the successful bidder, and deposit any proceeds into the general fund of the locality. If disposition<\/span> is not made within 90 days of the date of the declaration of abandonment, the State Apiarist may take possession<\/span> of the apiary<\/span> and destroy the related bees<\/span>, hives<\/span>, and equipment.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nABANDONED APIARIES (\u00a7 3.2-4411)\n\nThe State Apiarist may deem an apiary to be abandoned if: (i) the bees and hives\nshow evidence of a period of neglect exceeding one year; and (ii) the owner of\nthe apiary has not been identified through a reasonable search of available\nrecords. If the State Apiarist deems an apiary to be abandoned, he shall certify\nhis findings in a declaration of abandonment to the treasurer of the locality\nwhere the apiary is located. The treasurer shall give notice of such\ncertification to the last known owner of the apiary and the owner of the land\nupon which the apiary is located by personal service, by posting at last known\nresidence, or by publication. If after 60 days, the owner or landowner has not\nlaid claim to the apiary, the treasurer may hold a sheriff’s sale, issue a\ntreasurer’s deed to the successful bidder, and deposit any proceeds into\nthe general fund of the locality. If disposition is not made within 90 days of\nthe date of the declaration of abandonment, the State Apiarist may take\npossession of the apiary and destroy the related bees, hives, and equipment.\n\nHISTORY: 1972, c. 499, \u00a7 3.1-610.18; 2008, c. 860.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}