Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Margate, Florida

At a glance

Zoning

Margate adopts its own zoning districts (Chapter 40, Land Development Code)¹

Building permits

City Building Department; online permit portal³

Septic permits

Florida Department of Health in Broward County⁴

RV living

Not allowed in residential districts, even temporarily²

Minimum home size (R-2)

1,000 sq ft for a one-family dwelling⁵

Minimum lot (R-2)

7,500 sq ft and 75 ft wide for a one-family lot⁶

Height limit (R-2)

35 feet⁷

Wells

Water wells need a permit statewide⁸

Who to call

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

Does Margate, Florida have zoning, and can you live in an RV there?

Yes. Margate adopts its own zoning districts in Chapter 40 of its Land Development Code, Article 5¹. The Development Services Department carries out the city's planning and zoning functions⁹.

Living in an RV is the part that surprises people. Margate's code says a camping trailer, motor home or other recreational vehicle parked in a residential district may not be used as a permanent or temporary residence². RV parks in the RVRP district allow nonpermanent residency only, and mobile home parks in the T-1 district are regulated separately².

Camping is limited too: the city makes it unlawful to regularly camp or sleep on public or private property, with exceptions where the property owner or governing authority specifically authorizes it¹⁰. We did not find a Margate rule on tiny homes, so ask Development Services before you plan one.

What are Margate's lot size, home size and setback rules?

The rules depend on the zoning district. In the R-2 district, a one-family lot needs at least 7,500 square feet and 75 feet of width⁶. A one-family dwelling must have at least 1,000 square feet of floor area, and a unit in a two-family dwelling at least 790 square feet⁵.

R-2 residential lots need a rear setback of at least 15 feet, a front setback of at least 25 feet and side setbacks of at least 7.5 feet on each side, with corner lots needing at least 15 feet on the street side¹¹. Buildings may cover up to 60 percent of the lot¹², and height is capped at 35 feet⁷.

These figures are for the R-2 district only¹¹. Other districts have their own numbers, so confirm your parcel's district with Development Services⁹.

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

The City of Margate Building Department enforces the Florida Building Code and related regulation inside city limits³. Florida adopts the Florida Building Code statewide for public and private buildings, including residential construction¹³. We could not confirm Margate's specific permit thresholds or fee schedule, so ask the department what your project needs before you start.

The department's permit window is open 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday³. The city also runs an online permit portal where you create an account and apply³. Broward County's own building office serves unincorporated land and does not issue Margate's building permits.

How do septic permits work in Margate, Florida?

Septic is not a city decision. Florida requires a permit to install, replace, repair, modify or abandon an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system¹⁴. In Broward County, applicants submit the application, site plan, floor plan and fee to the local county health department, and a site evaluation determines property conditions¹⁵. That office is the Florida Department of Health in Broward County, Environmental Public Health Program⁴.

We could not confirm whether sewer is available at a particular Margate address. Call the health department and the city before assuming a septic system is allowed. Florida soils also rate poorly for conventional drain fields, so expect a site evaluation¹⁶.

Building a home in Margate: the steps, in order

1. Confirm the parcel's zoning district and whether your use is allowed with the Development Services Department⁹.
2. Check the district's lot, setback, coverage and height limits, such as the R-2 limits above⁶¹¹.
3. Ask the Building Department what permits your project needs, then apply through the city's online portal³.
4. If development falls in a flood hazard area, expect a floodplain development permit and inspection¹⁷.
5. If the address needs a septic system, apply to the Florida Department of Health in Broward County⁴.
6. Book inspections through the Building Department as work proceeds³.

What stays with Broward County, and what to check before you buy in Margate

Septic and water-well permits come through the county health department, not the city⁴. Water wells need a permit statewide⁸. Land outside Margate city limits follows different rules; see the Broward County page for unincorporated land.

Before you buy, confirm the zoning district, check for flood hazard designation¹⁷ and compare insurance costs: Broward County's typical home insurance premium is about $6,148 a year¹⁸. Broward County's effective property tax rate is about 0.9 percent¹⁹.

Watch-outs

• Margate's code prohibits using an RV as a temporary or permanent residence in residential districts, so do not plan to live in one on a lot while you build².
• We could not confirm Margate's building permit thresholds, fees or certificate of occupancy steps; call the City of Margate Building Department before starting work³.
• Setback, lot and height numbers here are for the R-2 district only; other districts differ¹¹.

Sources

1. Margate LDC 40.511 Two Family Dwelling: R-2 (Margate), quoted and re-checked
2. Margate Code Sec. 26-6 Prohibitions (Margate), quoted and re-checked
3. City of Margate Building Department (margatefl.com)
4. Florida Department of Health in Broward County, Environmental Public Health Program (broward.floridahealth.gov)
5. Margate LDC 40.511 Two Family Dwelling: R-2 (Margate), quoted and re-checked
6. Margate LDC 40.511 Two Family Dwelling: R-2 (Margate), quoted and re-checked
7. Margate LDC 40.511 Two Family Dwelling: R-2 (Margate), quoted and re-checked
8. Water Well Contractor Licensing and Permitting (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
9. City of Margate Development Services Department (margatefl.com)
10. Margate Code Sec. 33-34 Public camping or sleeping prohibited (Margate), quoted and re-checked
11. Margate LDC 40.511 Two Family Dwelling: R-2 (Margate), quoted and re-checked
12. Margate LDC 40.511 Two Family Dwelling: R-2 (Margate), quoted and re-checked
13. 61G20-1.001 Florida Building Code Adopted (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
14. OSTDS Construction Application (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
15. Onsite Sewage FAQ - Permitting, quoted and re-checked
16. 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
17. Margate Code Sec. 17-6 Inspections (floodplain) (Margate), quoted and re-checked
18. Typical home insurance premium: Bolthole Index county data
19. Effective property tax rate: 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.