Bolthole Index

Marion County, Florida

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Belleview, Florida

Belleview, Florida, in Marion County, has its own city building division that issues building permits inside city limits1. The city also zones its own land under its municipal code2. Septic permits in Marion County, city or not, come from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, not the city3. Land outside city limits follows Marion County's rules instead.

At a glance

Building permits
Issued by the City of Belleview Building Division1
Zoning
Belleview has its own zoning districts (R-1, R-2, AG and others)24
Septic permits
Florida DEP issues septic permits in Marion County3
RV living
Temporary only, by city permit, 90 days at most without a special exception5
Mobile and manufactured homes
Allowed in AG, prohibited in R-16
R-1 minimum home size
600 sq ft of living area7
R-1 minimum lot
7,500 sq ft, 75 ft wide8
Wells
Permit required from the water management district or its delegate9

Who to call

Building permits

City of Belleview Building Division

Building permits, plan review, inspections and certificates of occupancy inside Belleview city limits

352-245-7021

5525 SE 119th St. Belleview FL 34420

Zoning

City of Belleview Development Services Department

Zoning, the comprehensive plan, land use, building codes and inspections inside Belleview city limits

352-245-7021

5525 SE 119th St. Belleview FL 34420

Septic permits

Florida Department of Environmental Protection — Onsite Sewage Program

Onsite sewage treatment and disposal system (septic) permitting for Marion County

850-245-4070

ostds_feedback@floridadep.gov

2600 Blair Stone Road, MS 3596, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400

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

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

Yes. Belleview, Florida adopts its own zoning, and the Development Services Department handles zoning, land use and the comprehensive plan inside city limits210. The city's code establishes districts including R-1 single-family, R-2 single-family and duplex, and AG agriculture4.

In R-1, the minimum lot is 7,500 square feet and 75 feet wide8, with at least 600 square feet of living area7. Setbacks in R-1 are 25 feet in front, 8 feet on the sides and 25 feet in the rear11. A tiny home under 600 square feet of living area therefore does not meet the R-1 minimum7; we could not confirm how Belleview treats tiny homes in other districts, so ask Development Services before buying.

In AG, lots need 300 feet of width and 300 feet of depth12, and setbacks are 50 feet front, 25 feet side and 50 feet rear13. Mobile and manufactured homes are allowed as single-family dwellings in AG but prohibited in R-16. R-1 height tops out at 40 feet or two stories14; AG allows 50 feet15.

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

The City of Belleview Building Division issues building permits for construction and improvements inside city limits, reviews plans, inspects work at stages and issues certificates of occupancy1. Florida's statewide building code applies in the city without separate local adoption16.

The city's page notes that Florida's HB 803 created two new building permit exemptions for single-family properties and that city permitting fees changed with it in July 2026; zoning permits are still required for some of that work, such as fences and flatwork1. We could not confirm the city's exact list of exempt work, its owner-builder process or its fee amounts, so call the Building Division before assuming a project is exempt.

Florida law sets review timeframes for complete applications: 30 business days for structures under 7,500 square feet17. Marion County's building permit rules cover only unincorporated land, not addresses inside Belleview; see the Marion County page for land outside the city.

How do septic permits work inside Belleview?

Septic permits for every address in Marion County come from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which took over permitting and inspections from the county health department318. Applicants complete form DEP4015 with a site plan and building floor plan, and a site evaluation of soil and topography is required before approval19.

Marion County's soils are tough on conventional drain fields: only 5.7% of the county's soils rate "not limited" for them in the USDA survey, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system20. We could not confirm whether a given Belleview lot has city sewer available. If it does, Florida law requires a properly functioning septic system to connect within 365 days after written notice that sewer is available21. Ask the Building Division or Development Services whether sewer reaches your address.

Can you live in an RV on your land in Belleview?

Only temporarily. Belleview allows occupancy of an RV on residential property inside the city under a temporary permit granted by the development services director, and only on a determination of necessity such as repairs, illness or family hardship5. Permits are valid for the period requested, not to exceed 90 days, and a longer stay requires a special exception5.

Water and sewer hookups to RVs are expressly prohibited, all waste must be self-contained, and the RV needs valid registration and a plate5. Living in an RV full time on a Belleview lot while you build is therefore not something the city's code allows without that special exception. Statewide rules about RV parks and camps do not answer this question for private lots22. Outside city limits, Marion County's own rules apply.

Building a home in Belleview: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel is inside Belleview city limits by calling the Development Services Department at 352-245-702110.
  2. Find the zoning district, then check lot size, setbacks and home size against it, for example 7,500 square feet and 600 square feet of living area in R-187.
  3. Get the septic site evaluation and apply to the Florida DEP Onsite Sewage Program, unless sewer is available at the lot19.
  4. Apply to the Building Division for a building permit and plan review1.
  5. Arrange the staged inspections and request the certificate of occupancy from the Building Division1.

What stays with Marion County, and what should you check before buying in Belleview?

Septic permits come from the state DEP for all of Marion County3, and Marion is among the counties where a county health department is delegated to handle well permitting23. A well permit is required from the appropriate water management district or its delegate before drilling9.

Marion County's effective property tax rate is 0.8%24, and its median property tax bill is $1,659 a year25. The county's typical home value is $273,51326. We could not confirm who handles floodplain questions for lots inside the city, so ask Belleview Development Services about flood zone status before buying10.

Watch-outs

  • Belleview changed its permitting fees on July 1, 2026 under HB 803, so fee figures from older sources may be out of date1.
  • Zoning permits are still required for fences and concrete or flatwork even where HB 803 exempts the building permit1.
  • We could not confirm the city's owner-builder process, septic rules inside the city, or tiny-home treatment; call the Building Division or Development Services at 352-245-702110.

Sources

  1. City of Belleview Building Division (belleviewfl.org)
  2. Belleview Code Sec. 134-245 Single-family residential (R-1) (Belleview), quoted and re-checked
  3. Program Transfer, quoted and re-checked
  4. Belleview Code Sec. 134-246 Two-family residential (R-2) (Belleview), quoted and re-checked
  5. Belleview Code Sec. 134-624 Travel trailers as accessory uses (Belleview), quoted and re-checked
  6. Belleview Code Sec. 134-261 Agriculture (AG) (Belleview), quoted and re-checked
  7. Belleview Code Sec. 134-245 Single-family residential (R-1) (Belleview), quoted and re-checked
  8. Belleview Code Sec. 134-245 Single-family residential (R-1) (Belleview), quoted and re-checked
  9. Water Well Contractor Licensing and Permitting (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. City of Belleview Development Services Department (belleviewfl.org)
  11. Belleview Code Sec. 134-245 Single-family residential (R-1) (Belleview), quoted and re-checked
  12. Belleview Code Sec. 134-261 Agriculture (AG) (Belleview), quoted and re-checked
  13. Belleview Code Sec. 134-261 Agriculture (AG) (Belleview), quoted and re-checked
  14. Belleview Code Sec. 134-245 Single-family residential (R-1) (Belleview), quoted and re-checked
  15. Belleview Code Sec. 134-261 Agriculture (AG) (Belleview), quoted and re-checked
  16. Florida Statutes § 553.73, Florida Building Code (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. F.S. 553.792 — Building permit application to local government (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Florida Department of Environmental Protection — Onsite Sewage Program (floridadep.gov)
  19. Onsite Sewage FAQ - Permitting, quoted and re-checked
  20. 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
  21. flsenate.gov (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Florida Statutes Chapter 513: Mobile Home and Recreational Vehicle Parks (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Well Construction in Florida (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  26. Typical home value (Zillow): 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 Belleview

Belleview’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Belleview city limits

    “these r-1 districts are intended to be single-family residential areas with low population densities.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts (R-1, R-2, AG and others) inside Belleview city

    • Full district list not read; only R-1, R-2 and AG sections reviewed.
    “the following zoning district categories are established: (1) residential districts: a. single-family, r-1. b. single-family and duplex, r-2.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district

    living area: >= 600 sq ft

    “(4) Lot area - 7,500 square feet. (5) Lot width - 75 feet. (6) Living area - 600 square feet.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    AG agriculture district

    • No minimum area stated in section; width and depth given

    lot width: >= 300 ft · lot depth: >= 300 ft

    “(1) lot width: 300 feet. (2) lot depth: 300 feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    AG agriculture district

    • Accessory buildings housing livestock at least 75 feet from front property line

    front yard: >= 50 ft · side yard: >= 25 ft · rear yard: >= 50 ft

    “(3) setback, front yard: 50 feet. (4) setback, side yard: 25 feet. (5) setback, rear yard: 50 feet. (6) setbacks for accessory buildings housing livestock shall be at least 75 feet from the front property line.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district

    • Appendix A footnote: impervious area may be increased up to 70 percent if stormwater criteria met and approved by staff

    lot cover: <= 30 percent (may be increased per stormwater criteria) · max floor area ratio: <= 0.4

    “(7) lot cover - 30 percent. (8) maximum floor area ratio - 0.40.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    AG agriculture district

    • Silo may not exceed 100 feet

    height: <= 50 ft (silo up to 100 ft)

    “(7) height limitation: maximum of 50 feet, with the exception of a silo which shall not exceed 100 feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

    Occupancy of an RV on residential property inside Belleview city

    • Permit issued only on determination of necessity (repairs, illness, family hardship)
    • Water and sewer hookups to RVs are expressly prohibited
    • All waste must be self-contained
    • More than 90 days requires a special exception under section 134-202
    • RV must have valid registration and plate

    temporary occupancy permit max: <= 90 days (special exception for longer)

    “development services permits granted by the development services director shall only be valid for the time period requested, not to exceed 90 days.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile/manufactured homes inside Belleview city; allowed in AG (and RMH/R-4 per schedule), prohibited in R-1

    • R-1 prohibits mobile homes
    • AG permits mobile and manufactured homes as single-family dwellings
    “single-family dwellings including mobile and manufactured homes and customary accessory uses incidental thereto.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permits inside Belleview city
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Belleview city
  • Building code adopted — Building code inside Belleview city
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Belleview city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Belleview city
13 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Belleview publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Marion County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Marion County: county rules, score and offices