Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Blountstown, Florida

At a glance

Building permits

Issued by the City of Blountstown inside city limits¹

Zoning

City land development regulations with land use districts²

Septic

Permit required; applications go to Florida DEP⁴³

Flood areas

Floodplain development permit required before work⁵

RV living

Floodplain rule: under 180 consecutive days unless highway-ready; other zoning rules unconfirmed⁶

Mobile homes

Allowed in several districts under conditions⁷

Building permit fees

Set by the city council; city posts a fee schedule⁸

Who to call

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

Do you need a building permit in Blountstown, Florida?

Yes. The City of Blountstown issues building permits within the city limits¹, so a home or addition inside the city is permitted by the city, not by Calhoun County. Inside a flood hazard area, development also needs a floodplain development permit from the floodplain administrator before work starts⁵. Manufactured homes placed in a flood area are inspected by the city's building official⁹. We could not confirm the city's owner-builder rules or certificate of occupancy process, so ask City Hall before you pull a permit yourself.

Who issues building permits in Blountstown, and how do you reach them?

City Hall at 20591 Central Ave. West is the contact point: call 850.674.5488 or email cityhall@blountstown.org¹⁰. The city's permit page links a fee schedule and an application packet that includes a development order application and an owner-as-contractor disclosure¹¹. Fee amounts are set by the city council from time to time⁸. Calhoun County's Building Department serves unincorporated land; see the Calhoun County page for land outside the city.

Does Blountstown have zoning, and what does it mean for mobile homes and RVs?

Blountstown has its own land development regulations that establish land use districts and regulate the uses of land in each². Single mobile homes are permitted on individual lots in several districts, but only one single-family unit is allowed per lot, and the unit must have its wheels, axles and tow bars removed⁷. For RVs, the city code we reviewed only addresses flood hazard areas: an RV there must be on site fewer than 180 consecutive days or be fully licensed and highway-ready⁶. We could not confirm minimum lot sizes, setbacks or whether living in an RV is allowed in each district, so ask City Hall and read the district chapter before you buy.

How do septic permits work inside Blountstown?

The city code makes it unlawful to install a septic tank system without a permit⁴, and it bars septic tanks within 200 feet of the sewer line¹². Where sewer is more than 200 feet from the lot, a dwelling is not required to connect¹³. The city code still names the county public health unit as the issuer¹⁴, but Calhoun County applicants now apply through Florida DEP with form DEP4015, a site plan and a floor plan³. Call DEP at 850-245-2118¹⁵. Conventional drain-field soils are limited in the county, so expect a site evaluation¹⁶.

Building a home in Blountstown: the steps, in order

1. Ask City Hall at 850.674.5488 which zoning district the lot is in and whether sewer is within 200 feet¹⁰⁴.
2. If the lot is in a flood hazard area, apply for the floodplain development permit⁵.
3. If no sewer is available, apply to Florida DEP for the septic permit and site evaluation³.
4. Submit the city's building permit application and forms¹¹.
5. Get the city's final approvals; a final septic approval must be issued not more than 60 days before electrical service is connected¹⁷.

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

Septic permits for every address in Calhoun County, city or not, run through Florida DEP³. Land outside Blountstown is governed by the county's rules, covered on the Calhoun County page. Wells are permitted through the water management district or its delegate, not the city¹⁸. County-level numbers: Calhoun County's effective property tax rate is 0.6%¹⁹ and annual precipitation is about 57 inches²⁰.

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm the city's zoning district rules for lot size, setbacks or RV living; ask City Hall at 850.674.5488 before relying on any assumption¹⁰.
• Inside flood hazard areas, a floodplain development permit is required before work, and other state and federal permits may apply⁵.
• Do not start a septic system before the permit is issued; the city bars septic within 200 feet of the sewer line¹².

Sources

1. City of Blountstown building permits (blountstownfl.govoffice3.com)
2. Blountstown Land Development Regulations, Article II (blountstownfl.govoffice3.com)
3. Onsite Sewage FAQ - Permitting, quoted and re-checked
4. Blountstown Code Sec. 10-1 Septic tanks and sewage disposal requirements (Blountstown), quoted and re-checked
5. Blountstown Code Sec. 19-4 Permits (floods) (Blountstown), quoted and re-checked
6. Blountstown Code Sec. 19-35 Recreational vehicles and park trailers (Blountstown), quoted and re-checked
7. Blountstown mobile home ordinance (land development code section 2.01.19) (blountstownfl.govoffice3.com)
8. Blountstown Code Sec. 10-32 Building permit fees (Blountstown), quoted and re-checked
9. Blountstown Code Sec. 19-6 Inspections (Blountstown), quoted and re-checked
10. Blountstown City Hall (blountstownfl.govoffice3.com)
11. Blountstown building permit forms (blountstownfl.govoffice3.com)
12. Blountstown Code Sec. 40-52 Septic tanks (Blountstown), quoted and re-checked
13. Blountstown Code Sec. 40-44 Same—With sewer system (Blountstown), quoted and re-checked
14. Blountstown Code Sec. 10-1 Septic tanks and sewage disposal requirements (Blountstown), quoted and re-checked
15. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Onsite Sewage Program (floridadep.gov)
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. Blountstown Code Sec. 10-1 Septic tanks and sewage disposal requirements (Blountstown), quoted and re-checked
18. Water Well Contractor Licensing and Permitting (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
19. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
20. Annual precipitation: 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.