FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
• Hive numbers
• Hive registration
• Who a hive belongs to
All New Zealand beekeepers are legally required to register as a beekeeper and register their hives with The AFB PMP Management Agency. The new beekeeper registration form can be found here.
If you would like to find out who a hive belongs to or whether or not a hive is registered, The Management Agency may be able to help. You can call them on 0800 232 767. The Management Agency can also provide statistics on the number of registered beehives in New Zealand.
The AFB PMP (American Foulbrood Pest Management Plan) website is a great resource: www.afb.org.nz
Or you can contact the AFB PMP office on 0800 232 767 or info@afb.org.nz
The ApiNZ Code of Conduct for our members sets the standard for how our members and industry should operate in a responsible and sustainable way. It is a voluntary code that will be continually updated and adapted to meet industry needs. You can find it here.
The New Zealand Apprenticeship in Apiculture (Levels 3 and 4), offers hands-on training, in partnership with PrimaryITO.
There is a list of current beekeeping vacancies here. You could also try getting in touch with beekeeping clubs or ApiNZ regional hubs for jobs in different areas in New Zealand
For people living outside of New Zealand, visit the Immigration New Zealand website to find out more about working here.
See our New to Beekeeping page for advice on getting started. We also recommend getting in touch with your local beekeeping club.
A number of tertiary institutions offer Level 3 and 4 courses in apiculture, with some offering courses at weekends to suit working people.
For beekeepers in work who want to train as they go, ApiNZ, in partnership with Primary ITO, has developed the New Zealand Apprenticeship in Apiculture (Levels 3 and 4). Find out more here.
Many beekeeping clubs also offer hands-on workshops and learning days.
We do not keep a record of, or recommend, honey suppliers in New Zealand.
You can find out about joining ApiNZ here.
Membership benefits include a subscription to The NZ Beekeeper, weekly updates, honey testing discounts from the main laboratories, quarterly honey market updates and discounts to other services.
There are different types of membership depending on which sector you belong to.
The sector you belong to gives you voting rights in that sector. If you belong to more than one sector you can either sign up in each of the sectors or pick which one you want representation in.
- Non-commercial beekeeper – fewer than 26 hives
- Commercial – 26+ hives
- Packers and processors – export
- Packers and processors – domestic
- Health products & food manufacturers
- Affiliate industry (stakeholders including landowners, beekeeping supply companies, industry associations and government agencies)
Go to our swarm collection page and find a local beekeeper in your area who will come and collect the swarm (usually free of charge).
Contact your local council as each council has different bylaws around keeping bees. See our Code of Conduct for guidance.