Yes, beekeeping is legal in Chile, but compliance with agricultural and environmental regulations is mandatory. The Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero (SAG) oversees beekeeping under the Ley de Protección Agrícola (Law 18.755), while municipal ordinances may impose additional restrictions. Recent 2026 updates to SAG’s Reglamento de Sanidad Apícola tighten hive registration and disease control protocols.
Key Regulations for Keeping Bees in Chile
- Hive Registration: All beekeepers must register hives with SAG via the Sistema de Registro Apícola Nacional (SRAN), with mandatory annual updates. Failure to comply risks fines up to 50 UTM (≈$3,800 USD).
- Disease Control: SAG enforces Plan Nacional de Vigilancia y Control de Loque Americana y Varroasis, requiring periodic inspections and mandatory treatment for infected hives. Non-compliance may lead to forced euthanization of colonies.
- Environmental Zoning: Municipalities in regions like La Araucanía and Los Lagos restrict hive placement near protected areas under Ley 20.417 (Biodiversity Framework). Prior environmental impact assessments are required for commercial-scale operations.
Additional local permits may apply, particularly in urban zones where municipal ordinances cap hive density (e.g., Santiago’s Ordenanza General de Urbanismo y Construcciones). Cross-border movement of bees requires SAG-issued Certificados Fitosanitarios, aligning with Mercosur’s Acuerdo sobre Sanidad Vegetal.