Bolthole Index

Flagler County, Florida

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Bunnell, Florida

The City of Bunnell, Florida in Flagler County adopts and enforces its own zoning through Land Development Code Chapter 341. Inside city limits, an RV may be stored on a residential lot but not connected to utilities or lived in2. Building permits inside the city run through Bunnell's Community Development department3. Septic permits for every Flagler County address, city or not, come from the county health department4.

At a glance

Zoning
Bunnell sets its own zoning: AG&S, RE, R-1, R-2 and R-3 districts5
Building permits
Handled by the city's Community Development department; confirm scope with the Building Official3
Septic
Florida Department of Health in Flagler County permits and inspects septic tanks6
RV living
Storage only on residential lots; no utility hookup or dwelling use2
Manufactured homes
Allowed in the AG&S district; R-2 allows mobile homes only in parks78
Minimum lot, R-1
10,000 sq ft and 100 ft wide9
Minimum lot, AG&S
5 acres and 200 ft wide10
Flood rules
Development in flood hazard areas is regulated by the city11

Who to call

Building permits

City of Bunnell Community Development

City planner, Building Official and floodplain manager, permit coordinator and code enforcement for Bunnell

386.437.7516

2400 Commerce Pkwy Bunnell, FL 32110

Septic permits

Florida Department of Health in Flagler County, Environmental Health

Septic (onsite sewage treatment and disposal system) permitting and inspection for Flagler County

386-437-7358

chd18webmaster@flhealth.gov

P.O. Box 847, Bunnell, FL 32110

Online permits →

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

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

Yes. The City of Bunnell, in Flagler County, zones land inside its limits under Land Development Code Chapter 341. Flagler County's own zoning covers only unincorporated land, and the county names Bunnell among the cities that set their own12. The city's districts include AG&S, RE, R-1, R-2 and R-35.

Lot rules depend on the district:

  • R-1 single-family: at least 10,000 square feet and 100 feet wide, with density limited to four units per acre9. Front yards are 25 feet, side yards 10 feet and main-building rear yards 20 feet13. Buildings may cover no more than 50 percent of the lot14.
  • R-2 single-family: at least 5,000 square feet and 50 feet wide15, with 15-foot front yards and 10-foot side and rear yards16.
  • AG&S single-family: five acres and 200 feet of width10, with buildings covering no more than 35 percent of the lot17.
  • RE rural estate: never less than 10,000 square feet or 80 feet wide18.

Buildings in R-1 cannot exceed 35 feet19. In R-3, minimum floor area is 600 square feet for an efficiency unit and 750 square feet for one bedroom20. Floor-area minimums for the other districts were not confirmed; ask Community Development.

Can you live in an RV, manufactured home or tiny home in Bunnell?

RVs: not on a residential lot. Bunnell's code lets a recreational vehicle be stored in a residential district only if it is not connected to utilities, not used as a dwelling and carries a current registration tag2. Dwelling use is limited to hunting camps in agricultural areas and to licensed mobile home parks or campgrounds, plus emergency use under a declared order2. Inside Bunnell, camping or sleeping on public property is banned, with a minimum fine for a first violation of $5021.

Manufactured homes: the AG&S district lists single-family residences and mobile and modular homes as permitted uses, subject to flood-hazard elevation rules7. R-2 allows mobile homes only in mobile home parks8. AG&S also allows an accessory dwelling, such as a guest house, if it stays accessory to and under the same ownership as the main home22.

Tiny homes: we could not confirm a city rule. Ask the Community Development department before buying3.

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

Inside Bunnell, building permits are handled by the city rather than Flagler County. The city's Community Development department lists a Building Official who is also the certified floodplain manager, a permit coordinator and a city planner3. Flagler County Central Permitting covers unincorporated land only23. We could not confirm the city's permit exemptions, fee schedule or application process, so call the permit coordinator at 386.437.7516 before starting any work3.

The Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023) is the statewide base code, though local authorities may adopt amendments24. A parcel in a flood hazard area also falls under Bunnell's flood rules in Chapter 10, including inspection of installed manufactured homes by the floodplain administrator11.

How do septic permits work in Bunnell?

Septic permits inside Bunnell do not come from the city. The Florida Department of Health in Flagler County keeps permitting and inspecting septic tanks, even though the state environmental agency took over implementing the rules in 20216. Applications go to the county health department with a site plan, a building floor plan and the fee25. The phone number is 386-437-73584.

Plan for a site evaluation. USDA rates 0% of Flagler County soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect an evaluation and often an engineered system26. Whether a particular Bunnell lot can connect to city sewer instead was not confirmed; the RE district rules only require central water and wastewater in one narrow case27.

Building a home in Bunnell: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel is inside Bunnell city limits, then find its zoning district with Community Development3.
  2. Check the district's lot size, setbacks and whether your home type, such as a manufactured home, is allowed5.
  3. Check flood-hazard status, which changes elevation requirements11.
  4. If the lot will use a septic system, apply to the county health department4.
  5. Apply for the building permit through the permit coordinator3.

What stays with Flagler County, and what to check before you buy in Bunnell

Septic permits stay with the Florida Department of Health in Flagler County for every address in the county6. Land outside city limits is handled by the county; see the Flagler County page for those rules, including the county's building permit requirement for unincorporated land28.

Flagler County's effective property tax rate is 0.8%29, and the median property tax bill is $2,628 a year30. The typical home insurance premium is $3,515 a year31.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Bunnell's building permit exemptions, fees or whether owner-builder work is treated differently inside the city; ask the permit coordinator at the Community Development department3.
  • Bunnell's RV rule allows storage only, so a buyer planning to live in an RV on a residential lot should look at a licensed mobile home park or campground instead2.
  • Floor-area minimums for R-1, R-2, AG&S and RE were not confirmed, so ask the city planner before drawing plans20.

Sources

  1. Bunnell LDC Sec. 34-111 R-1 Single-family residential district (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  2. Bunnell LDC Sec. 34-203 Storage and parking of trailers and commercial vehicles (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  3. City of Bunnell Community Development (bunnellcity.us)
  4. Florida Department of Health in Flagler County, Environmental Health (flagler.floridahealth.gov)
  5. Bunnell LDC Sec. 34-106 AG&S Agricultural and silviculture district (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  6. Onsite Sewage Disposal, quoted and re-checked
  7. Bunnell LDC Sec. 34-106 AG&S Agricultural and silviculture district (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  8. Bunnell LDC Sec. 34-112 R-2 Multiple-family residential district (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  9. Bunnell LDC Sec. 34-111 R-1 Single-family residential district (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  10. Bunnell LDC Sec. 34-106 AG&S Agricultural and silviculture district (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  11. Bunnell LDC Sec. 10-69 Manufactured homes (flood) (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  12. Zoning Districts Flagler County, quoted and re-checked
  13. Bunnell LDC Sec. 34-111 R-1 Single-family residential district (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  14. Bunnell LDC Sec. 34-111 R-1 Single-family residential district (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  15. Bunnell LDC Sec. 34-112 R-2 Multiple-family residential district (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  16. Bunnell LDC Sec. 34-112 R-2 Multiple-family residential district (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  17. Bunnell LDC Sec. 34-106 AG&S Agricultural and silviculture district (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  18. Bunnell LDC Sec. 34-110 RE Rural estate district (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  19. Bunnell LDC Sec. 34-111 R-1 Single-family residential district (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  20. Bunnell LDC Sec. 34-113 R-3 Multiple-family (zero lot line) district (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  21. Bunnell Code Sec. 46-6 Prohibition against public sleeping and public camping (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  22. Bunnell LDC Sec. 34-106 AG&S Agricultural and silviculture district (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  23. Building and Inspections, quoted and re-checked
  24. 61G20-1.001 Florida Building Code Adopted (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  25. Onsite Sewage FAQ - Permitting, 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. Bunnell LDC Sec. 34-110 RE Rural estate district (Bunnell), quoted and re-checked
  28. Central Permitting, quoted and re-checked
  29. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  30. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  31. 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Bunnell

Bunnell’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Bunnell city limits; Land Development Code Chapter 34 Zoning

    “the purpose of this district is to provide for single-family residential areas of low density.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Bunnell city districts include AG&S, RE, R-1, R-2, R-3

    “the purpose of this district is to permit a range of agricultural and/or silvicultural uses”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    R-3 Multiple-family (zero lot line) district inside Bunnell city

    • R-1, R-2, AG&S and RE minimum floor areas not stated in the sections reviewed

    efficiency unit: >= 600 sq ft · one bedroom: >= 750 sq ft (plus 150 sq ft each additional bedroom)

    “(4) minimum floor area: 600 square feet efficiency unit. 750 square feet one bedroom. 150 square feet each additional bedroom.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    AG&S district, single-family residences

    • Commercial uses: half acre minimum

    min lot size: >= 5 acres · min lot width: >= 200 ft

    “(1) minimum lot size. five acres. (2) minimum lot width. 200 feet.”
    3 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Specified — R-1 Single-family residential district
      “the minimum lot or building site area shall be 10,000 square feet and have a width of not less than 100 feet, measured at the front of the building line. residential density is limited to four units per acre.”
    • Specified — R-2 Multiple-family residential district, single-family dwellings
      “a. for single-family dwellings, the minimum lot or building site shall be 5,000 square feet and have a width of not less than 50 feet measured at the front building line.”
    • Specified — RE Rural estate district
      “in no event shall the minimum building site area be less than 10,000 square feet nor have a lot width of less than 80 feet at the front of the building line.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    AG&S district, single-family residences

    • Minimums that may be increased to prevent interference with agricultural operations
    • Accessory buildings rear yard 10 ft

    front yard: >= 25 ft · side yard: >= 10 ft · rear yard main buildings: >= 20 ft

    “a. front yard. there shall be a front yard of not less than 25 feet measured from the front property line to the front building line.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    AG&S district, single-family residences

    • Commercial uses: 40 percent

    max lot coverage: <= 35 percent

    “(3) maximum lot coverage. 35 percent for all principal and accessory buildings.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-1 Single-family residential district (R-2 also 35 ft)

    • AG&S height not in the portion reviewed

    max height: <= 35 ft

    “(e) height regulations. no building shall exceed 35 feet in height.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    RVs on residential lots inside Bunnell city

    • Storage only; not connected to utilities or used for dwelling
    • Must keep current DMV registration
    • Dwelling use only in hunting camps in agricultural areas, licensed mobile home parks or campgrounds complying with F.S. ch. 513, 193.075 and 320.0815
    • Emergency residential use only under declared emergency order
    “recreational vehicles may be stored in a residential district as long as they are not connected to utilities or used for dwelling purposes and maintain a current department of motor vehicles registration tag.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Camping inside Bunnell city; the cited section bans public camping on public property

    • Excludes camping for recreational purposes on property designated for such purposes
    • Private-land camping not addressed in the quoted section

    minimum fine first violation: >= 50 USD

    “(1) 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.”
  • Manufactured homesAllowed

    AG&S district inside Bunnell city

    • Flood-hazard elevation rules in Ch. 10 apply
    “(1) single-family residences, mobile and modular homes, and accessory uses;”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    AG&S district inside Bunnell city

    • Must remain accessory to and under the same ownership as the principal dwelling
    “(25) accessory dwellings (e.g., guest houses, caretaker's quarters, security stations, etc.) subject to the following criteria: a. accessory dwellings shall remain accessory to and under the same ownership as the principal dwelling.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    RE district developments inside Bunnell city

    • Central water and wastewater required only if wetland density transfer pushes net density above two dwelling units per net acre
    • General new-home connection rule not found
    “if as a result of a wetland easement density transfer, the net density of the residential development exceeds two dwelling units per net acre, these developments shall require the provision of central water and wastewater services.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in flood hazard areas inside Bunnell city (Ch. 10 Art. II)

    • Manufactured homes must be elevated per Florida Building Code R322.2 (Sec. 10-87)
    • RVs in flood areas: fewer than 180 consecutive days or road-ready (Sec. 10-90)
    “sec. 10-69. - manufactured homes. the floodplain administrator shall inspect manufactured homes that are installed or replaced in flood hazard areas to determine compliance with the requirements of this article and the conditions of the issued permit.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Inside Bunnell city
  • Owner-builder exemption — Inside Bunnell city
  • Building code adopted — Inside Bunnell city
  • Inspections — Inside Bunnell city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Inside Bunnell city
12 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • 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 Bunnell publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Flagler County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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