Bolthole Index

Hendry County, Florida

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Clewiston, Florida

Inside Clewiston, Florida, no building may be built, altered or extended until a city building permit has been issued1. The city sets its own zoning under Chapter 110 of its code2. Septic permits for Hendry County addresses, city or not, come from the Florida Department of Health in Hendry County3. An RV stored on a residential lot cannot be occupied4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for any new building, alteration or extension inside city limits1
Zoning
City zoning code (Chapter 110) with residential districts R-1A, R-1B and R-1C, among others25
Septic
Local county health department (Hendry County); we could not confirm a city-specific rule3
RV living
A stored RV may not be occupied or used on a residential lot4
Backyard living unit
Living in accessory structures is prohibited6
Minimum home size
1,700 sq ft in R-1A; 1,300 sq ft in R-1B; 1,000 sq ft in R-1C789
Sewer connection
Required within 90 days of city notice where sewer is available to the lot10
Owner-builder
Florida allows owners to act as their own contractor on a home they will occupy11

Who to call

Zoning

City of Clewiston Planning & Zoning

Zoning code compliance review of building permits and site and development applications inside Clewiston

863-983-1484

115 West Ventura Avenue Clewiston, FL 33440

Septic permits

Florida Department of Health in Hendry County — Environmental Health

Septic-system permitting and inspections for Hendry County

863-674-4047

health@flhealth.gov

1140 Pratt Blvd., LaBelle, FL 33935

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

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Do you need a building permit in Clewiston, Florida?

Yes. The Clewiston city code states that no building may be constructed, reconstructed, altered or extended until a building permit has been issued1. The permit has to show that the use complies with the zoning code in Chapter 1101. The city publishes a fee schedule: building fees follow the contract price or the ICC Building Valuation Table, and electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits each carry a $65.00 minimum12. The Florida Building Code applies statewide without local adoption13. Florida law lets an owner act as their own contractor on a one- or two-family home they will occupy, but the owner still has to sign the permit application and the work is still permitted and inspected14.

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

Inside Clewiston city limits, the city issues building permits under its own code, and city zoning staff review permits and development applications for compliance with the Zoning Code15. Call the city's Planning & Zoning office at 863-983-1484 or visit 115 West Ventura Avenue, Clewiston, FL 3344015. Hendry County Building & Licensing in LaBelle serves unincorporated land, so a Clewiston lot is not sent to the county counter for a building permit1. We could not confirm the city's inspection stages or its certificate of occupancy process, so ask the city office what it requires before you pour a foundation.

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

Clewiston has its own zoning code in Chapter 110 of the city code2. Districts include P, R-1A, R-1B, R-1C, R-2, R-3, RM-1, RM-2, C, I, PUD, CPID and the US 27 Commercial Corridor5. Single-family lots have real size floors: R-1A needs 20,000 square feet and 120 feet of width at the building line16, R-1B needs 14,000 square feet and 90 feet17, and R-1C needs 10,000 square feet and 80 feet18. Minimum living area is 1,700 square feet in R-1A7, 1,300 in R-1B8 and 1,000 in R-1C9, which rules out most tiny homes on a single-family lot. Front setbacks for the main building are 40 feet in R-1A19, 30 feet in R-1B20 and 25 feet in R-1C21.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Clewiston?

Not on an ordinary residential lot. Clewiston lets an RV be stored on the resident's lot only if it is not occupied or used for any purpose while stored and displays a current registration sticker and tag4. Living in an accessory structure is prohibited, and accessory structures are limited to 600 square feet of floor area except garages and carports6. Camping is prohibited on city park property22; we did not find a camping rule for private land. RV parks are a separate regulated use in the RM-1 district4. We could not confirm how the code treats tiny homes or manufactured homes on a given lot, so ask city Planning & Zoning about your parcel's district.

How do septic permits work inside Clewiston?

Septic permits are a health-department matter, not a city building-permit matter. Hendry County is not one of the counties where the state environmental agency issues septic permits, so the Florida Department of Health in Hendry County handles septic permitting and inspections3. Florida requires a permit for any new, repaired or replaced septic system, with a site evaluation23. Many Clewiston lots connect to city sewer instead: the city code requires an owner with a dwelling to connect within 90 days after notice from the city clerk, unless sewer is not available to the lot10. Soils across Hendry County rate poorly for conventional drain fields, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system if sewer is not available24. We could not confirm a city-specific septic rule, so call Environmental Health at 863-674-404725.

Building a home in Clewiston: the steps, in order

  1. Ask city Planning & Zoning which district the parcel is in and what lot size, setbacks and minimum home size apply15.
  2. Ask the city whether sewer reaches the lot; if not, call the Florida Department of Health in Hendry County about a septic site evaluation3.
  3. Apply for the city building permit, which must show the use complies with Chapter 1101.
  4. Pay the city's permit fees, which are set by a published schedule12.
  5. Build to the Florida Building Code and pass inspections13.
  6. Request a certificate of occupancy; we could not confirm the city's own procedure, so ask the city office for it.

What stays with Hendry County, and what to check before you buy near Clewiston

The city's rules stop at its limits; land outside them falls under Hendry County and its own planning and building offices26. Septic and limited-use water-system permits come from the Florida Department of Health in Hendry County for every address327. Check flood status before buying: the city requires manufactured homes in flood hazard areas to be elevated under the Florida Building Code, and RVs there must stay fewer than 180 consecutive days or be ready for highway use28. Hendry County's effective property tax rate is 0.8% and its median bill is $1,519 a year2930. A Clewiston short-term rental needs a city vacation rental permit31.

Watch-outs

  • Searching "Clewiston building permit" can lead to Hendry County's LaBelle office, but a lot inside Clewiston city limits needs a city building permit1.
  • Minimum living area is 1,700 square feet in R-1A, so check the district before planning a small home7.
  • We could not confirm Clewiston's inspection process, certificate of occupancy or private-well rules; ask city Planning & Zoning and the Florida Department of Health in Hendry County15.
  • Sewer connection is mandatory within 90 days of city notice where sewer is available to a lot with a dwelling10.

Sources

  1. Clewiston Code Sec. 110-31 Building permits required (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked
  2. Clewiston Code Sec. 110-149 Zoning districts classified (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked
  3. Onsite Sewage & Septic, quoted and re-checked
  4. Clewiston Code Sec. 50-7 Storage on private property (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked
  5. Clewiston Code Sec. 110-149 Zoning districts classified (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked
  6. Clewiston Code Sec. 110-526 Accessory structures (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked
  7. library.municode.com (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked
  8. library.municode.com (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked
  9. library.municode.com (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked
  10. Clewiston Code Sec. 74-7 Sewer connection required (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked
  11. 2026 Florida Statutes § 489.103, Exemptions (2026 county census)
  12. Clewiston Code Appendix A Sec. 1 Permit fee schedule (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked
  13. Florida Statutes § 553.73 — Florida Building Code (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. 2026 Florida Statutes § 489.103, Exemptions (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. City of Clewiston Planning & Zoning (clewiston-fl.gov)
  16. Clewiston Code Sec. 110-194 R-1A lot and building requirements (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked
  17. Clewiston Code Sec. 110-218 R-1B lot and building requirements (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked
  18. Clewiston Code Sec. 110-251 R-1C lot and building requirements (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked
  19. Clewiston Code Sec. 110-194 R-1A lot and building requirements (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked
  20. Clewiston Code Sec. 110-218 R-1B lot and building requirements (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked
  21. Clewiston Code Sec. 110-251 R-1C lot and building requirements (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked
  22. Clewiston Code Sec. 62-101 Camping prohibited (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked
  23. OSTDS Construction Application (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. 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
  25. Florida Department of Health in Hendry County — Environmental Health (hendry.floridahealth.gov)
  26. Planning & Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  27. Water Systems, quoted and re-checked
  28. Clewiston Code Sec. 98-122 Manufactured homes (floodplain) (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked
  29. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  30. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  31. Clewiston Code Sec. 22-184 Vacation rentals enforcement (Clewiston), quoted and re-checked

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 Clewiston

Clewiston’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction, reconstruction, alteration or extension of buildings inside Clewiston city

    • The permit must show the use complies with the zoning code (Chapter 110).
    “No building shall be constructed, reconstructed, altered or extended, until a building permit has been issued”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Clewiston city limits

    • Zoning is in Chapter 110 of the city code.
    “the city is hereby divided into the following zoning districts”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Clewiston city

    • Districts include P, R-1A, R-1B, R-1C, R-2, R-3, RM-1, RM-2, C, I, PUD, CPID and US 27 Commercial Corridor.
    “the city is hereby divided into the following zoning districts”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Residences in R-1A Single-Family Residential District

    minimum living area: >= 1700 sq ft

    “minimum living area of residences: 1,700 square feet.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
    • Specified — Residences in R-1B Single-Family Residential District
      “minimum living area of residences: 1,300 square feet.”
    • Specified — Residences in R-1C Single-Family Residential District
      “minimum living area for residences: 1,000 square feet.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1B Single-Family Residential District

    • The 50-foot width applies only if an occupied single-family residence existed on the lot in the previous five years.
    • Minimum lot depth is 125 feet.

    minimum lot area: >= 14000 sq ft · minimum lot width at building line: >= 90 ft (50 ft if an occupied single-family residence existed on the lot in the previous five years)

    “minimum lot area: 14,000 square feet. (2) minimum lot width at building line: 90 feet, 50 feet*. (3) minimum lot depth: 125 feet.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Principal buildings in R-1A Single-Family Residential District

    • Corner side yard is 20 feet.
    • Accessory structure setbacks: front 80 ft, rear 15 ft, interior side 10 ft, corner side 20 ft.

    front yard: >= 40 ft · rear yard: >= 40 ft · interior side yard: >= 20 ft

    “minimum front yard: 40 feet. (5) minimum rear yard: 40 feet. (6) minimum side yard (interior): 20 feet. (7) minimum side yard (corner): 20 feet.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational vehicles on a residential lot inside Clewiston city

    • An RV may be stored on the same lot as the resident's residence only if it is not occupied or used for any purpose while stored.
    • A stored RV must display a current vehicle registration sticker and tag.
    • RV parks are a separate regulated use (RM-1 district, Chapter 50 Article II).
    “is not occupied or used for any purpose while stored; and displays a current vehicle registration sticker and tag.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Camping on city park property only. Camping on private land was not found.

    • Camping means use of tents, RV campers or other temporary shelters, non-City cooking facilities, or cots, beds or hammocks.
    “Camping on park property is prohibited. For the purposes of this section, the term "camping" means the use of camping facilities”
  • Accessory dwellingsProhibited

    Accessory structures incidental to residential dwellings inside Clewiston city

    • Accessory structures are limited to 600 square feet gross floor area, except garages and carports.
    • Temporary mobile offices for outdoor activities may not be used for living.

    max accessory structure floor area: <= 600 sq ft (garages and carports)

    “use of accessory structures for living purposes is prohibited.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Lots inside Clewiston city with a building or trailer used as a dwelling

    • The owner must connect within 90 days after notice from the city clerk.
    • No connection is required where the sewer system or line is not available to the lot.
    • Water connection is not stated in this section.

    connection deadline after notice: <= 90 days (No connection required where sewer is not available)

    “shall connect or cause such building or trailer to be connected with the public sewer facilities of the municipal sewer system of the city and use such facilities within 90 days following notification so to do by the city clerk.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside Clewiston city (Chapter 106)

    • Residential lots must meet the Chapter 110 zoning minimum dimensions and area.
    • Lots without public sewer or water must also meet the health officer's requirements.
    “every residential lot shall conform to the minimum dimensions and area requirements of chapter 110, zoning, provided that every lot not served by a public sewer or community sanitary sewage system and/or public water shall meet the dimension and area requirements of the health officer.”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Garages and carports in R-1A, R-1B and R-1C districts inside Clewiston city

    • The driveway must be asphalt, concrete or a similar impervious surface.
    • RM-1 and RM-2 need such driveways when access fronts on a public right-of-way.

    driveway width: >= 10 ft

    “ten-foot wide paved driveway extending from the vehicular opening of such structure to the public right-of-way improvements”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Manufactured homes installed in flood hazard areas inside Clewiston city

    • Installers must be licensed under F.S. 320.8249 and comply with F.A.C. ch. 15C-1.
    • Homes must be elevated per Florida Building Code, Residential, Sec. R322.2.
    • RVs in flood hazard areas must be on site fewer than 180 consecutive days or be ready for highway use (Sec. 98-123).
    “installed on permanent, reinforced foundations that are designed in accordance with the foundation requirements of the Florida Building Code, Residential, Section R322.2”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Vacation rentals inside Clewiston city

    • A vacation rental permit is required.
    • Violations are enforced through the special magistrate and may lead to permit suspension or revocation.
    “It shall be unlawful and a violation of this chapter for any person or entity to rent, lease, advertise or hold out for rent any property or dwelling unit for vacation rental use without a vacation rental permit.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Residential, commercial and industrial building permit fees inside Clewiston city

    • Building fees are based on contract price or the ICC Building Valuation Table (Schedule A-1).
    • Electrical, plumbing and mechanical/AC permits each have a $65.00 minimum fee.
    • The fee schedule was adopted by Ord. No. 2016-09 on 9-19-2016.

    minimum fee for electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits: >= 65 USD

    “shall be based on a bona fide contract price, and the building official shall require a copy of such contract, or the international code council (building valuation table) published in the building safety journal shall be used.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Clewiston city
  • Building code adopted — Building code inside Clewiston city
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Clewiston city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Clewiston city
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage in Clewiston residential districts
10 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Clewiston publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Hendry County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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