Bolthole Index

Broward County, Florida

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Tamarac, Florida

The City of Tamarac, Florida adopts its own zoning districts and runs its own Building Department and online permit system.12 Septic and well permits inside Tamarac still come from the Florida Department of Health in Broward County, not from the city.34 Tamarac has no agricultural district, so this is suburban-lot territory, not rural land.5

At a glance

Zoning
Yes. Tamarac adopts its own zoning districts and keeps an official zoning map16
Building permits
Issued through the city's Building Department and online permit system2
Minimum lot size (single-family)
6,000 sq ft in RE; 3,000 sq ft in R-15
Minimum home size
860 sq ft in RE; 750 sq ft in R-17
Accessory dwelling units
Limited: one bedroom, one per lot, and never an RV or mobile home8
Septic and wells
Florida Department of Health in Broward County34
Flood rules
Development in flood hazard areas is regulated; manufactured homes need an elevation certificate9

Who to call

Building permits

City of Tamarac Building Department

Building permits and inspections inside Tamarac city limits, through the city's online permitting system

(954) 597-3420

permit@tamarac.gov

Zoning

City of Tamarac Planning & Zoning (Community Development)

Zoning questions inside Tamarac city limits

(954) 597-3530

Septic permits

Florida Department of Health in Broward County, Environmental Public Health Program

Septic (onsite sewage treatment and disposal) and water-well permits for Broward County, including addresses inside Tamarac

954-467-4700

2421A SW 6th Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315

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 Tamarac means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Tamarac have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The City of Tamarac establishes its own zoning districts and keeps an official zoning map with the city clerk.16 The districts include residential (RE, R-1, R-2, R-3), mixed-use, nonresidential, special purpose and overlay districts, and Tamarac has no agricultural district.65

Single-family lots need at least 6,000 square feet in RE and at least 3,000 square feet in R-1.5 Required setbacks in RE are 20 feet in front, 7.5 feet on the interior side and 15 feet in the rear; R-1 requires 20 feet in front, 5 feet on the interior side and 8 feet in the rear.10 Both districts cap buildings at 2 floors and 30 feet.11 Roofed area may cover up to 40 percent of the lot, with total impervious surface up to 70 percent.12

The minimum net floor area for a single-family home is 860 square feet in RE and 750 square feet in R-1.7

Can you live in an RV, tiny home or accessory dwelling in Tamarac?

Tamarac allows accessory dwelling units only in the districts listed in its land development code, limited to one bedroom, one per lot, and no more than 33 percent of the principal home's habitable floor area.8 Mobile homes, manufactured housing, RVs and other wheeled structures cannot serve as accessory dwelling units.8

We could not confirm Tamarac's rules on camping, living in an RV, or tiny homes on a lot. Ask Tamarac Planning & Zoning at (954) 597-3530 before buying or parking anything you plan to sleep in.13

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

The City of Tamarac Building Department handles building permits and inspections inside city limits, and the city invites applicants to use its online permitting system to begin or manage a permit application.2 Florida applies one statewide building code, the Florida Building Code, and requires mandatory inspections under it.1415

We could not confirm Tamarac's fee schedule or a list of work exempt from permits, so call the Building Department at (954) 597-3420 or email permit@tamarac.gov before you start.2 Florida's owner-builder rule lets an owner act as contractor on a one- or two-family residence for the owner's own use, but Tamarac's local process for it is unconfirmed.16

Broward County's own building code office serves unincorporated Broward County, not land inside Tamarac. For land outside any city, see the Broward County page.

How do septic permits work inside Tamarac?

Septic permits inside Tamarac are handled by the Florida Department of Health in Broward County, not by the city.3 Florida law bars anyone from constructing, repairing, modifying or abandoning a septic system without a permit.17 Water wells 12 inches in diameter or smaller also need a permit from the same health department.4

We could not confirm whether a given Tamarac lot is already on city sewer; ask the Florida Department of Health in Broward County at 954-467-4700 and the city before assuming a septic system is an option.18 Broward County's soils make this question serious: USDA rates 0% of the county's soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and often an engineered system.19

Building a home in Tamarac: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district (RE, R-1 or another) and its setbacks with Tamarac Planning & Zoning at (954) 597-3530.1310
  2. Check whether the lot is in a flood hazard area, where development is regulated and manufactured homes need a lowest-floor elevation certificate.9
  3. Ask the Florida Department of Health in Broward County whether the lot needs a septic or well permit.34
  4. Apply for the building permit through the city's online permitting system.2
  5. Schedule the inspections the Florida Building Code requires and obtain the certificate of occupancy.1520

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

Septic and well permits stay with the Florida Department of Health in Broward County, and the county's zoning code applies only to the Broward Municipal Services District, not to land inside Tamarac.3421

Before buying, confirm the zoning district on the city's official zoning map, the flood status of the parcel, and any homeowners' or condominium association approval, because the city's permit does not replace it.692 Broward County's typical home insurance premium is about $6,148 a year and its effective property tax rate is 0.9 percent, county-wide figures worth pricing before you commit.2223

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Tamarac's rules on RVs, camping, tiny homes or manufactured homes as a primary dwelling; ask Tamarac Planning & Zoning before you buy.13
  • A city permit does not confirm homeowners' or condominium association approval; applicants must obtain that separately.2
  • Lot sizes, setbacks and heights above are for the RE and R-1 districts only; other districts such as R-2 and R-3 differ.510

Sources

  1. Tamarac Land Development Code 10-2.1 General Provisions (Tamarac), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Tamarac Building Department (tamarac.gov)
  3. Onsite Sewage FAQ - Permitting, quoted and re-checked
  4. Water Well Construction, quoted and re-checked
  5. Tamarac Land Development Code 10-2.2 Residential Districts (Tamarac), quoted and re-checked
  6. Tamarac Land Development Code 10-2.1 General Provisions (Tamarac), quoted and re-checked
  7. Tamarac Land Development Code 10-2.2 Residential Districts (Tamarac), quoted and re-checked
  8. Tamarac Land Development Code 10-3.4 Accessory Uses and Structures (Tamarac), quoted and re-checked
  9. Tamarac Code Sec. 8-33.3 Manufactured homes (flood) (Tamarac), quoted and re-checked
  10. Tamarac Land Development Code 10-2.2 Residential Districts (Tamarac), quoted and re-checked
  11. Tamarac Land Development Code 10-2.2 Residential Districts (Tamarac), quoted and re-checked
  12. Tamarac Land Development Code 10-2.2 Residential Districts (Tamarac), quoted and re-checked
  13. City of Tamarac Planning & Zoning (Community Development) (tamarac.gov)
  14. Florida Statutes § 553.73 — Florida Building Code (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Florida Statutes § 553.73, Florida Building Code, quoted and re-checked
  16. 2026 Florida Statutes § 489.103, Exemptions (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Onsite Sewage Disposal - Florida Department of Health in Broward County, quoted and re-checked
  18. Florida Department of Health in Broward County, Environmental Public Health Program (broward.floridahealth.gov)
  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
  20. Florida Statutes § 553.73, Florida Building Code, quoted and re-checked
  21. Urban Planning Services, quoted and re-checked
  22. Typical home insurance premium: Bolthole Index county data
  23. 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Tamarac

Tamarac’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Tamarac city limits

    • Consistent with the Broward County Land Use Plan
    “zoning districts are established as shown in table 10-2.1.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Tamarac city (RE, R-1, R-2, R-3, mixed-use, nonresidential, special purpose, overlay)

    • Official Zoning Map kept by City Clerk
    “the official zoning map shall be kept and preserved by the city clerk.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    RE and R-1 districts inside Tamarac city

    • Net floor area minimum per unit; R-3 varies by bedroom count

    RE min net floor area: >= 860 sq ft · R-1 min net floor area: >= 750 sq ft

    “net floor area, min per unit (sq ft) 860 750 860 efficiency 500 1 bdrm 600 2 bdrm 800 3 bdrm 950”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family lots in RE and R-1 districts inside Tamarac city (no agricultural district exists)

    • Two-family and other residential in R-2/R-3 require 10,000 sq ft or more
    • Table cell mapping read from column order RE, R-1, R-2, R-3

    RE single-family min lot size: >= 6000 sq ft · R-1 single-family min lot size: >= 3000 sq ft

    “lot size, min (sq ft) single-family 6,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 two-family n/a n/a 10,000 10,000 other residential n/a n/a 10,000 22,000”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    RE and R-1 districts inside Tamarac city

    • Nonresidential uses need 10 ft greater setback
    • Rear setback may be 10 ft in certain cases (note 3)

    RE front: >= 20 ft · RE interior side: >= 7.5 ft · RE rear: >= 15 ft · R-1 front: >= 20 ft · R-1 interior side: >= 5 ft · R-1 rear: >= 8 ft

    “front standard 20 20 20 20 side interior 7.5 5 7.5 7.5 corner 10 10 10 20 rear standard 15 8 15 15”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    RE and R-1 districts inside Tamarac city

    • Min landscaped pervious area 30%

    RE roofed area max: <= 40 percent · R-1 roofed area max: <= 40 percent · RE/R-1 total impervious max: <= 70 percent

    “lot cover, max (%) roofed area 40 40 40 70 total impervious 70 70 70 landscaped pervious area, min (%) 30 30 30 30”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    RE and R-1 districts inside Tamarac city

    • R-3 allows 3 floors; 40 ft
    • Multi-story buildings adjacent to single/two-family must step down

    RE max height: 2 floors; 30 ft · R-1 max height: 2 floors; 30 ft

    “height, max 2 floors; 30 ft 2 floors; 30 ft 2 floors; 30 ft 3 floors; 40 ft”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    ADUs accessory to single-family detached, duplex, attached or live/work units inside Tamarac city

    • Only in districts listed in Table 10-3.1
    • One bedroom max; one ADU per lot
    • Max 33 percent of principal unit habitable floor area
    • At least one off-street parking space
    • Not sold apart from principal dwelling
    • Mobile homes, manufactured housing, RVs and other wheeled structures cannot be ADUs
    • Detached ADU not within 10 feet of principal structure
    “accessory dwelling units shall be limited to one bedroom.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in flood hazard areas inside Tamarac city

    • Manufactured homes installed or replaced in flood hazard areas are inspected; lowest-floor elevation certification required
    “the chief building official shall inspect manufactured homes that are installed or replaced in flood hazard areas to determine compliance with the requirements of this chapter and the conditions of the issued permit. upon placement of a manufactured home, certification of the elevation of the lowest floor shall be submitted to the chief building official.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Tamarac or Broward County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits in Tamarac city
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder in Tamarac city
  • Building code adopted — Building code in Tamarac city
  • Inspections — Building inspections in Tamarac city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy in Tamarac city
15 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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 Tamarac publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Broward County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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