Revised: 12/31/2021
- A candidate must own or have owned at least one colony of honey bees for at least two years prior to taking the exams. A candidate must be actively managing at least one colony when the candidate takes the certification exams.
- A candidate must be a member of the Alabama Beekeepers Association.
- A candidate must have proof of registration of their colonies with the Alabama Department of Agriculture, or equivalent for out-of-state candidates, or otherwise obtain prior approval of the Alabama Master Beekeepers Board of Directors.
- A candidate must score a 70% or higher on a written examination. The written test includes, but is not limited to, beekeeping classes conducted through the AMB program, books and materials on the AMB reference list and general knowledge and skills expected of a beekeeper with at least two years of experience.
- A candidate must score 70% or higher on a practical examination. The practical exam can include, but is not limited to: describing the physical parts of a beehive; igniting and properly using a smoker; recognizing the various stages of brood, differentiating castes, and finding (or least describing) the queen; differentiating between brood, pollen, and capped honey cells; recognizing propolis and describing its functions; and describing the layout of the brood nest (placement of honey, pollen, and brood), etc.
- A candidate will need to bring his/her jacket, veil, smoker, and smoker fuel to test for the practical exam.