Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Keystone Heights, Florida

At a glance

Zoning

Yes, city zoning districts (RSF, RG, RMH, REC) under the Land Development Regulations¹

Building permit

City Public Works Director reviews first, then the application goes to Clay County²

Septic

Florida Department of Health in Clay County permits septic systems in Clay County³

RV living

Prohibited as a residence in all districts; up to four weeks temporary with an administrative permit⁴

Manufactured homes

Permitted in the RMH district; temporary use elsewhere needs a special exception⁵

Minimum lot (RSF)

6,500 sq ft, 50 ft wide, 135 ft deep⁶

Height and coverage

35 ft maximum height, 35% maximum lot coverage in residential districts⁷⁸

Accessory dwelling

Mother-in-law suites are permitted uses in RSF, RG and RMH⁹

Who to call

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

Does Keystone Heights have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes, lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Keystone Heights zones land inside city limits through Chapter 17 of its Land Development Regulations, with districts that include RSF, RG, RMH and REC¹. The residential districts are meant for single-family use¹⁰.

Lot sizes depend on the district. In RSF, a lot needs 6,500 square feet, 50 feet of width and 135 feet of depth⁶. In RG, one- and two-family lots need 11,200 square feet¹¹. In RMH, lots need 9,600 square feet, 30 feet of width and 120 feet of depth¹².

In RSF, setbacks are 20 feet front, 20 feet rear and 5 feet on each side, with combined side yards of at least 15 feet¹³. In RMH, the side yard is 10 feet¹⁴. Residential districts cap lot coverage at 35 percent⁸ and building height at 35 feet⁷. Mother-in-law suites are permitted uses in RSF, RG and RMH⁹. We could not confirm tiny-home rules or a minimum house size; ask City Hall at (352) 473-4807².

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

Yes, a building permit goes through two offices. All building permits for property inside Keystone Heights city limits must first be reviewed and approved by the City's Public Works Director, and once approved the permit is submitted to Clay County². The Clay County Building Division handles plan review and inspections under the Florida Building Code¹⁵.

Florida adopts its building code statewide without separate local adoption¹⁶. A homeowner can act as owner-builder on a one- or two-family residence they will occupy, but still must sign the permit application and get inspections¹⁷. Clay County's owner-builder rules require the applicant to be on the deed and to appear in person¹⁸. We could not confirm whether the city adds its own building rules or fees; ask City Hall².

Before anyone moves in, a Certificate of Occupancy is required, and occupying a building without one is unlawful under the county's permit notice¹⁹.

How do septic permits work in Keystone Heights?

Septic permits in Clay County come from the Florida Department of Health in Clay County, because Clay County is outside the 16 counties where the state Department of Environmental Protection took over permitting²⁰. Florida law requires a permit before anyone constructs, repairs, modifies or abandons a septic system²¹. A site evaluation is part of the process²².

We could not confirm a separate city septic rule inside Keystone Heights, so treat the county health department as the office to call²³. If a public sewer becomes available, state law can require connecting an existing system within 365 days of written notice²⁴.

Wells are permitted through the water management district or its delegate; Clay County's health department is among the delegated agencies²⁵. Clay County's soils rate poorly for conventional drain fields, with only 2.1% rated not limited, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system²⁶.

Can you live in an RV, mobile home or tiny home in Keystone Heights?

Living in a travel trailer as a temporary or permanent residence is prohibited in all Keystone Heights districts⁴. The city's administrator may issue an administrative permit for temporary use of a travel trailer on the same property as a single-family dwelling for no more than four weeks⁴. Staying in an RV while you build requires a special exception permit⁴.

Mobile homes are a permitted use in the RMH district, and temporary mobile home occupancy elsewhere needs a special exception that expires after one year unless extended⁵. Florida requires manufactured homes treated as real property to be allowed where single-family detached homes are allowed, subject to uniform standards²⁷. In Clay County, setting a mobile home requires a licensed contractor²⁸.

We could not confirm tiny-home rules inside Keystone Heights. Ask City Hall at (352) 473-4807 before buying².

Building a home in Keystone Heights: the steps, in order

1. Confirm the zoning district and its lot, setback and height rules with City Hall at (352) 473-4807².
2. Check flood zones; development in flood hazard areas inside the city needs floodplain review and elevated floors²⁹.
3. Apply for septic approval with the Florida Department of Health in Clay County at 904-278-3784²³.
4. Have the City's Public Works Director review and approve the building permit application².
5. Submit the approved application to the Clay County Building Division¹⁵.
6. Record a Notice of Commencement before the first inspection³⁰.
7. Get county approvals before placing concrete, covering framework, applying interior wall covering and at completion³¹.
8. Obtain a Certificate of Occupancy before moving in¹⁹.

What stays with Clay County, and what to check before you buy in Keystone Heights

Land outside Keystone Heights city limits follows Clay County's rules, not the city's; see the Clay County page for unincorporated land. Septic, wells and building permit issuance stay with county and state offices²³¹⁵.

Before buying, check floodplain status, since the city requires the lowest floor of a residence at base flood elevation plus 1 foot or the design flood elevation, whichever is higher²⁹. Clay County's property tax rate is 0.7% of value³², and the median property tax bill is $2,080 a year³³. The typical home insurance premium in Clay County is $2,308 a year³⁴.

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm the city's building code, permit fees or whether the city adds inspections of its own; call City Hall at (352) 473-4807².
• A travel trailer cannot serve as a residence in any Keystone Heights district, even while you build, without a special exception permit⁴.
• Homes in flood hazard areas inside the city must have the lowest floor at base flood elevation plus 1 foot or higher²⁹.

Sources

1. Keystone Heights Code Sec. 17-110 Permissible uses and specific exclusions (Keystone Heights), quoted and re-checked
2. City of Keystone Heights (City Hall, building permit review) (keystoneheights.us)
3. Onsite Sewage - Florida Department of Health in Clay County, quoted and re-checked
4. Keystone Heights Code Sec. 17-110 Permissible uses and specific exclusions (Keystone Heights), quoted and re-checked
5. Keystone Heights Code Sec. 17-99 Residential districts (Keystone Heights), quoted and re-checked
6. Keystone Heights Code Sec. 17-99 Residential districts (Keystone Heights), quoted and re-checked
7. Keystone Heights Code Sec. 17-99 Residential districts (Keystone Heights), quoted and re-checked
8. Keystone Heights Code Sec. 17-99 Residential districts (Keystone Heights), quoted and re-checked
9. Keystone Heights Code Sec. 17-99 Residential districts (Keystone Heights), quoted and re-checked
10. Keystone Heights Code Sec. 17-99 Residential districts (Keystone Heights), quoted and re-checked
11. Keystone Heights Code Sec. 17-99 Residential districts (Keystone Heights), quoted and re-checked
12. Keystone Heights Code Sec. 17-99 Residential districts (Keystone Heights), quoted and re-checked
13. Keystone Heights Code Sec. 17-99 Residential districts (Keystone Heights), quoted and re-checked
14. Keystone Heights Code Sec. 17-99 Residential districts (Keystone Heights), quoted and re-checked
15. Clay County Building Division (claycountygov.com)
16. Florida Statutes § 553.73 — Florida Building Code (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
17. 2026 Florida Statutes § 489.103, Exemptions (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
18. Can I Pull a Permit as an Owner-Builder?, quoted and re-checked
19. Clay County Building Permit Search, quoted and re-checked
20. Onsite Sewage - Florida Department of Health in Clay County, quoted and re-checked
21. Onsite Sewage - Florida Department of Health in Clay County, quoted and re-checked
22. OSTDS Construction Application (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
23. Florida Department of Health in Clay County - Environmental Health (clay.floridahealth.gov)
24. flsenate.gov (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
25. Well Construction in Florida (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
26. 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
27. Florida Statutes § 553.385, Zoning of off-site constructed residential dwellings; parity (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
28. Clay County Building Division - Permit FAQ (claycountygov.com)
29. Keystone Heights Code Appendix V Sec. V-6 Inspections (floodplain) (Keystone Heights), quoted and re-checked
30. Clay County Building Permit Search, quoted and re-checked
31. Clay County Building Permit Search, quoted and re-checked
32. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
33. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
34. Typical home insurance premium: 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.