Bolthole Index

Alachua County, Florida

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in High Springs, Florida

Inside High Springs, Florida (Alachua County), a building permit from the city's building official is required to erect, move, add to or structurally alter a building1. The city also has its own zoning, with residential districts R-1 through R-32. Septic permits come from the Alachua County Health Department, and only where sewer cannot be extended3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the city's building official for new buildings, additions and structural changes1
Zoning
City zoning with districts R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, C-1, C-2, C-3 and IND2
Septic
Alachua County Health Department, only where public sewer extension is infeasible3
RV living
Not allowed on residential or commercial lots; houseguests may use one up to 21 days a year4
Minimum home size
1,000 sq ft for a new one-family dwelling5
Accessory dwelling
One per lot, owner must live on site, 600 sq ft minimum6
Building height
40 ft in R-1 through C-3; 80 ft in IND7

Who to call

Building permits

City of High Springs Building Department

Building permits, plan review, inspections and contractor license checks inside High Springs

386-454-7322

23666 NW 185th Road, High Springs, FL 32643

Zoning

City of High Springs Planning

Land use planning, zoning questions and site plans inside High Springs

386-454-7322

23718 W US Hwy 27, High Springs, FL 32643

Septic permits

Florida Department of Health in Alachua County - Environmental Health

Septic (OSTDS) permits, site evaluations and inspections in Alachua County, including inside High Springs

352-334-7930

224 SE 24th St., Gainesville, FL 32641

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in High Springs means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does High Springs have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and home size?

High Springs zones land inside its city limits under its own land development code, with conventional districts R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, C-1, C-2, C-3 and IND2. Residential and commercial lots may not be used for living, sleeping or housekeeping in an RV or other major recreational equipment; a bona fide houseguest may use a travel trailer or motor home up to 21 days per calendar year4. A new principal one-family dwelling in High Springs must have at least 1,000 square feet, excluding porches and attached garages5. Structures top out at 40 feet in R-1 through C-3 and 80 feet in IND7. Questions go to the8 planning office.

Do you need a building permit in High Springs, and who issues it?

Yes. High Springs requires a permit, issued by the building official, before any building or structure is erected, moved, added to or structurally altered inside the city1. The permit is issued only in conformity with the land development code, and a principal building also needs prior plat approval unless an exemption applies9. The city's10 building department handles permitting, plan review and inspections. These rules apply inside High Springs city limits; land outside the city is under Alachua County's rules.

How do septic permits work inside High Springs?

Inside High Springs, an on-site septic system for a home is allowed only when the city administrator finds that extending public sewer is infeasible and the city commission confirms it; the application then goes to the Alachua County Health Department11. Septic tanks, privies and cesspools are otherwise unlawful within the city's wastewater service area12. Once public sewer reaches a property, the building sewer must be connected within six months and the old septic system cleaned and filled13. The septic office is14 the Florida Department of Health in Alachua County. In Alachua County, local health department staff handle septic permitting and inspections14.

Can you live in an RV, camp or add a second dwelling in High Springs?

Living in an RV on a residential or commercial lot is barred in High Springs, and the city also bans public camping and sleeping on public property, with fines starting at $5015. An accessory dwelling unit is allowed in the districts listed in the city code, one per lot, with the owner living in either unit; it must be between 600 square feet and the lesser of 50 percent of the main home or 1,000 square feet, and it cannot be a shed, garage, RV or manufactured home6. We could not confirm the city's rules for tiny homes or manufactured homes; ask the planning office.

Building a home in High Springs: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district and dimensional standards with the city planning office16.
  2. Check whether sewer is available; if not, septic needs a city finding of infeasibility and a county health department permit11.
  3. Get site plan or plat approval and a final development order first17.
  4. Apply for the building permit from the city's building official1.
  5. Pass inspections; we could not confirm the city's inspection and certificate of occupancy procedure, so ask the building department.

What stays with Alachua County, and what to check before you buy

Septic permits for High Springs addresses go through the Alachua County Health Department, not city hall3. Land outside the city limits follows the county's own rules; see the Alachua County page. Alachua County's effective property tax rate is 1%18. Conventional drain fields rate poorly in Alachua County, with only 15.1% of soils rated not limited, so expect a site evaluation or an engineered system19. We could not confirm building permit fees, driveway rules or private well permits inside the city; ask the building department.

Watch-outs

  • Inside High Springs, a septic system is allowed only if sewer extension is judged infeasible by the city administrator and city commission11.
  • Septic tanks and cesspools are unlawful in the city's wastewater service area, and a property must connect to sewer within six months once it becomes available12.
  • We could not confirm the city's building code adoption, owner-builder rules, permit fees or tiny-home rules; call the High Springs Building Department before you buy10.

Sources

  1. High Springs LDC Sec. 1.03.02.02 Building permits required (High Springs), quoted and re-checked
  2. High Springs LDC Sec. 7.02.01 Density, area, height and bulk standards (High Springs), quoted and re-checked
  3. High Springs LDC Sec. 11.01.09.02 Wastewater treatment systems permits (High Springs), quoted and re-checked
  4. High Springs LDC Sec. 7.09.16 Major recreational equipment (High Springs), quoted and re-checked
  5. High Springs LDC Sec. 7.09.17 Minimum living area (High Springs), quoted and re-checked
  6. High Springs LDC Sec. 7.09.01.01 Accessory dwelling units (High Springs), quoted and re-checked
  7. High Springs LDC Sec. 7.02.01 Density, area, height and bulk standards (High Springs), quoted and re-checked
  8. City of High Springs Planning (highsprings.gov)
  9. High Springs LDC Sec. 11.00.02 Development permits and orders required (High Springs), quoted and re-checked
  10. City of High Springs Building Department (highsprings.gov)
  11. High Springs LDC Sec. 11.01.09.02 Wastewater treatment systems permits (High Springs), quoted and re-checked
  12. High Springs Code Sec. 78-90 Construction of privy vaults, septic tanks, etc. (High Springs), quoted and re-checked
  13. High Springs Code Sec. 78-124 Action upon public sewer becoming available (High Springs), quoted and re-checked
  14. Florida Department of Health in Alachua County - Environmental Health (alachua.floridahealth.gov)
  15. High Springs Code Sec. 66-90 Prohibition against public sleeping and public camping (High Springs), quoted and re-checked
  16. High Springs LDC Sec. 7.02.01 Density, area, height and bulk standards (High Springs), quoted and re-checked
  17. High Springs LDC Sec. 11.00.02 Development permits and orders required (High Springs), quoted and re-checked
  18. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  19. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 16, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for High Springs

High Springs’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Erecting, moving, adding to or structurally altering any building or structure inside High Springs city

    • Permit issued by the building official
    • Permit issued only in conformity with the land development code
    • Principal building permits also need prior plat approval unless an exemption applies (Sec. 11.00.02)
    “No building or other structure shall be erected, moved, added to, or structurally altered without a permit therefore, issued by the building official.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside High Springs city limits

    • Conventional districts include R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, C-1, C-2, C-3 and IND
    “The dimensional standards governing density, area, height and bulk within conventional zoning districts are set forth in Table 7.02.01.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside High Springs city

    • Table lists residential R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-3, commercial C-1 to C-3 and IND
    “TABLE 7.02.01 TABLE OF REQUIRED DIMENSIONS R-1 R-1 A R-2 R-3 C-1 C-2 C-3 IND”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    New principal one-family dwellings inside High Springs city (all districts)

    • Excludes porches, attached garages and similar space
    • Multi-family units min 600 sq ft; ADUs min 600 sq ft

    minimum one-family dwelling: >= 1000 sq ft

    “No principal one-family dwelling unit shall be erected with less than 1,000 square feet.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Structures by zoning district inside High Springs city

    • 40 ft in the first seven columns of the table, 80 ft in the last (IND)

    maximum height R-1 through C-3: <= 40 ft (IND is 80 ft)

    “Maximum height structures (ft.) 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 80”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Travel trailers, motor homes and other major recreational equipment on lots in residential or commercial districts inside High Springs city

    • May be parked in rear or side setback, not required front yard
    • Bona fide houseguest may use travel trailer or motor home up to 21 days per calendar year
    • RV parks governed separately under Part 6.09.00

    houseguest use: <= 21 days per calendar year

    “No major recreational equipment shall be used for living, sleeping, or housekeeping purposes when parked or stored on a lot in a residential or commercial district.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Camping inside High Springs city; public camping banned on public property

    • Camping for recreational purposes on property designated for such purposes is excluded from the ban
    • Living in recreational equipment on residential or commercial lots is barred by Sec. 7.09.16
    • Fines start at $50
    “No person may engage in public camping or sleeping on any public property, including, but not limited to, any public building or its grounds or any public right-of-way.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Accessory dwelling units on single-family lots inside High Springs city

    • Allowed in districts outlined in Table 2.02.01
    • Not on sites containing a duplex
    • One per lot; no separate lot
    • Owner must reside in principal or accessory unit
    • Not sheds, garages, RVs or mobile/manufactured homes
    • Max 50 percent of principal dwelling or 1,000 sq ft, whichever is less
    • Min 600 sq ft (Sec. 7.09.17)

    maximum ADU size: <= 1000 sq ft (or 50 percent of principal dwelling, whichever is less)

    “No more than one accessory dwelling unit shall be permitted per lot.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Septic, privy or cesspool sewage disposal inside the city's wastewater service area

    • Unlawful within the city's wastewater service area except as otherwise provided
    • Septic allowed via county health department only where sewer extension is infeasible
    “Except as otherwise provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage within the city's wastewater service area.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Properties served by a private sewage system inside High Springs city when public sewer becomes available

    • Applies once public sewer becomes available to the property
    • Septic system must be cleaned and filled
    • Owner bears cost of building sewer connection (Sec. 78-153)
    • Water connection requirement not found

    connection deadline: <= 6 months

    “When a public sewer becomes available, the building sewer shall be connected to the public sewer within six months”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Platting and development of land inside High Springs city

    • Plat must be approved by city commission and recorded in Alachua County unless an exemption in the Code applies
    “No application for a building permit for the construction of a principal building on a parcel of land in the incorporated area shall be granted unless a plat including such parcel of land has been approved by city commission and recorded in the official records of Alachua County, or unless the request meets one of the exemptions listed in this code.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Development approval inside High Springs city

    • Site plan or subdivision plat and a final development order are required first
    • Other statutory permits remain separately required
    “until there is first on file and approved by official city action a site plan or subdivision plat for such premises and a final development order has been secured.”

Rules another office applies inside High Springs

High Springs does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

    On-site septic systems for residential use inside High Springs city (Alachua County Health Department handles permits for land inside the city)

    • Only when extension of the public wastewater collection system is determined infeasible by the city administrator and confirmed by city commission
    • City administers sewer connection; county health department handles septic permits
    “Permits to authorize installation of on-site septic systems for residential use shall be submitted to Alachua County Health Department only when extension of the public wastewater collection system is determined to be infeasible by the administrator and confirmed by city commission.”
  • Septic permitLimited

    Residential on-site septic installation inside High Springs city

    • Permitted only where public sewer extension is infeasible per administrator and city commission
    • Application goes to Alachua County Health Department
    “Permits to authorize installation of on-site septic systems for residential use shall be submitted to Alachua County Health Department only when extension of the public wastewater collection system is determined to be infeasible by the administrator and confirmed by city commission.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask High Springs or Alachua County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside High Springs city
  • Building code adopted — Building code adopted inside High Springs city
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside High Springs city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside High Springs city
  • Lot coverage — Residential lot coverage inside High Springs city
8 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that High Springs publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Alachua County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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