Registering as a beekeeper in NSW, Vic, Qld, WA, SA and Tas

Every Australian state and territory requires beekeepers to register, and this includes the person with one backyard hive, not just the commercial operator with three hundred. Registration is what makes traceability work. It is also what gets you onto the email list when there is a varroa detection within 5 km of your apiary.

The systems differ. The fees differ. The brand-number formats differ. What follows is a per-state walkthrough as of early 2026. Numbers and websites change every few years; before you act, check the linked state authority page.

New South Wales

NSW transitioned its hive registration onto the Biosecurity Information and Resource Tool for Hives (BIRTH) system, run by NSW DPI. As of 2026, BIRTH is the source of truth for NSW hive registration, replacement and renewal.

• Who must register. Anyone who keeps one or more hives. No exemption for hobbyists.
• Registration fee. A tiered annual fee based on hive count. The 2025-26 fee for 1-5 hives is around $60 AUD per year (confirm current rate on the DPI site).
• Brand format. NSW issues a registration number which doubles as your hive brand. The brand must be marked on at least one box of every hive. Stencil, brand, or burn-on; permanent marker on the lid is not compliant.
• Renewal. Annual, with reminders sent to the email you registered with.
• Notifiable diseases. AFB and EFB notifications go through the Biosecurity Helpline (1800 680 244) and are automatically linked to your BIRTH registration.

Start point: NSW DPI Bees and beekeeping page. Search "NSW DPI hive registration BIRTH".

Victoria

Victoria's hive registration is run by Agriculture Victoria under the Livestock Disease Control Act.

• Who must register. Anyone with one or more hives must register before keeping bees.
• Registration fee. Tiered. 2025-26 fees start at around $66 AUD for 1-5 hives (confirm current rate).
• Brand format. Victoria issues a hive identification code (HIC). The HIC must be displayed on every apiary, on a sign visible from a public access point, in letters at least 50 mm high. The HIC is also marked on each hive.
• Apiary identification. Each separate apiary location must be registered.
• Notifiable diseases. Notify Agriculture Victoria via 136 186.

Start point: Agriculture Victoria's "Honey bees" page.

Queensland

Queensland registration is run by Biosecurity Queensland under the Biosecurity Act 2014.

• Who must register. All beekeepers, hobbyist or commercial.
• Registration fee. Free for hobbyists with under a certain hive count; commercial registration tiers above that. Confirm current rate.
• Brand format. Queensland issues a registered beekeeper number which serves as the hive brand. Brand on every hive, permanent marking.
• Renewal. Annual.
• Notifiable diseases. AFB, EFB, small hive beetle (in some contexts), and varroa are all notifiable. Call 13 25 23.

Queensland has its own dedicated complication: small hive beetle is endemic. Registration includes an obligation to manage SHB so as not to create a reservoir.

Start point: Business Queensland "Beekeeping in Queensland".

Western Australia

WA registration is run by DPIRD (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development) under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act.

• Who must register. All beekeepers, including hobbyists.
• Registration fee. Tiered. Free for the first year for new hobbyists in some cases (confirm with DPIRD).
• Brand format. WA issues a unique registered beekeeper code.
• Apiary movement. WA has interstate hive movement restrictions to maintain its varroa-free status. If you have hives in WA, you cannot bring hives, used equipment or queens from interstate without specific permits. This is the strictest border in the country and the reason WA is still officially varroa-free in 2026.
• Notifiable diseases. Pest and Disease Information Service: (08) 9368 3080.

Start point: DPIRD "Honey bees" page.

South Australia

SA registration is run by PIRSA (Primary Industries and Regions South Australia).

• Who must register. All beekeepers, hobbyist included.
• Registration fee. Tiered. 2025-26 fees start around $33 AUD annually for the smallest tier (confirm).
• Brand format. A registered beekeeper code issued by PIRSA, marked on every hive.
• Renewal. Annual.
• Notifiable diseases. Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline: 1800 675 888.

Start point: PIRSA "Beekeeping" page.

Tasmania

Tasmania registration is run by Biosecurity Tasmania under the Animal Health Act.

• Who must register. All beekeepers, including hobbyist with one hive.
• Registration fee. Tiered, with a low annual fee for small hobbyists.
• Brand format. Tasmanian beekeeper code, marked on every hive.
• Movement. Tasmania, like WA, restricts hive imports to maintain disease status. Bringing hives or used equipment from the mainland requires permits.
• Notifiable diseases. Biosecurity Tasmania: (03) 6165 3777.

Start point: NRE Tasmania "Bees and beekeeping".

ACT and Northern Territory

• ACT. Registration through Access Canberra under the ACT Animal Diseases Act. Annual registration, low fee. AFB notifiable.
• Northern Territory. Registration through the NT Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade. Free registration historically. AFB notifiable.

What registration gets you, beyond the legal box-tick

The reason to register, beyond not being fined, is access:

• The DPI / department's email list when something happens. Varroa detection within 5 km, EFB cluster in your suburb, swarm collection requests routed to local registered beekeepers.
• Permission to sell honey at markets and to retailers. Most farmers' markets in Australia now require proof of registration before they will book you a stall.
• Insurance, in some cases. Public liability cover from the state beekeeping associations is contingent on you being registered.
• Standing to comply with the Biosecurity Code of Practice. The Code is not optional; it applies to every beekeeper. Registration is the front door.

The records you should be keeping anyway

Whether or not your state requires it, every registered beekeeper should be able to produce, on request:

• An up-to-date list of apiary locations with GPS coordinates.
• A current hive count per apiary.
• Inspection records for the last 12 months at minimum.
• Treatment records with batch numbers and withdrawal dates.
• Notifiable disease history (mostly: a clean record).

This is not optional under the Honey Bee Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice. The Code expects you to maintain records that prove your monitoring program. The format is yours to choose. The records, on the other hand, are yours to produce.

Register. It costs less than the fines, and a lot less than the next emergency response. The whole industry depends on the people who do.