Bolthole Index

Miami-Dade County, Florida

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Homestead, Florida

Inside Homestead city limits in Miami-Dade County, Florida, the city's Development Services Department handles zoning and building permits12. A building permit is required before construction starts3. Septic permits are not a city matter: the county health department does that permitting for Miami-Dade County4.

At a glance

Building permit
Issued by the City of Homestead inside city limits31
Zoning
Yes, the city's own zoning code (Chapter 30)2
Minimum lot, A-2 district
One-half acre per single-family residence5
Minimum lot, AU district
5 acres and 200 feet of street frontage6
Minimum home size, A-2
1,500 square feet7
Building permit fee
2.0% of project value for new residential, plus surcharges8
Septic
County health department; conventional Type 1 systems not allowed for new systems9
Owner-builder
Florida law lets owners act as their own contractor on a home they will live in10

Who to call

Building permits

City of Homestead Building Permits (Development Services)

Building permit applications, plan review and permit issuance inside Homestead city limits

305-224-4400

permits@homesteadfl.gov

100 Civic Court, Homestead, FL 33030

Zoning

City of Homestead Development Services Department, Planning and Zoning Division

Zoning, land-use applications and the Building Safety Division (plans, inspections and building permits) inside Homestead

(305) 224-4529

planning@homesteadfl.gov

100 Civic Court, Homestead, FL 33030

Septic permits

Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County (Onsite Sewage Tanks and Disposal Systems)

Permits and inspects septic systems (onsite sewage treatment and disposal) in Miami-Dade County

786-654-6620

hrsdoh@flhealth.gov

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

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

Yes. Homestead adopts its own zoning in Chapter 30 of the city code, and the Planning and Zoning Division administers it21. The rules differ by district, so look up your parcel's district first.

In the A-2 one-family estate district, each single-family residence needs a building site of at least one-half acre5, and the home must have at least 1,500 square feet of floor area7. A principal residence needs a front yard of at least 50 feet and a rear yard of at least 25 feet11. Buildings, driveways, sidewalks, pools and other hard surfaces together may cover no more than 50 percent of the lot12, and height tops out at 35 feet or three stories13.

In the AU agricultural district, lots for any use need at least 5 acres and 200 feet of street frontage, with exceptions for older platted lots6. Minimum home size in other districts, and tiny-home, accessory-dwelling and RV rules inside Homestead, we could not confirm; ask the Planning and Zoning Division.

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

Yes. The City of Homestead, not Miami-Dade County, issues building permits for land inside city limits31. Miami-Dade County's own permit process covers only unincorporated properties, and each municipality has its own Building Official14.

The city's process starts with an application that includes the property folio number, with notarized signatures3. Completed applications and plans are submitted electronically by email to the city's permit address3. The city says a full plan review cycle is typically 21 days or less, depending on project size3.

Florida law lets an owner act as their own contractor on a one-family or two-family residence for their own use, but the owner must still obtain the permit and sign the application in person10. Whether Homestead adds its own owner-builder conditions we could not confirm; the city's owner/builder affidavit is on its permit forms page3.

What do building permits cost in Homestead?

Homestead's fee schedule sets the building permit and inspection fee for new residential construction at 2.0% of the project's value8. The city also charges an application fee of $288 for a new single-family home or duplex up to 2,000 square feet, and state and Miami-Dade County surcharges are added on top8. Work done without a permit costs two times the fee, plus $110 on Homestead-exempt property8.

Depending on the project, the city may also route plans to Miami-Dade County Fire, the Water and Sewer Department or DERM for review3.

How do septic permits work inside Homestead?

Septic permits in Miami-Dade County come from the county health department, not from the City of Homestead415. Florida law requires a permit for any new, repaired or replaced septic system16.

Miami-Dade County DERM must also review and approve new and total replacement systems, and conventional Type 1 systems are not allowed for new systems anywhere in the county9. Soils point the same way: USDA rates 0% of Miami-Dade County soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and an engineered system rather than a basic tank and field17.

Whether a particular Homestead lot is required to connect to public sewer instead, we could not confirm. Ask the Development Services Department and the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department before you plan on septic.

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

We could not confirm Homestead's rules for living in an RV or tiny home on a residential lot. The city's flood rules limit recreational vehicles in flood hazard areas to fewer than 180 consecutive days or require them to be ready for highway use18. That rule covers flood areas only and does not answer whether you may live in an RV on a lot.

Florida requires that a manufactured home built off site be permitted as of right in any district where single-family detached homes are allowed, though local setback, height and design standards still apply19. Call the Planning and Zoning Division at the number above before buying a lot for an RV, tiny home or manufactured home1.

Building a home in Homestead: the steps, in order

  1. Find your parcel's zoning district and its lot, setback and coverage limits with the Planning and Zoning Division1.
  2. Check septic or sewer: call the county health department about a septic permit, and ask the city and the county Water and Sewer Department whether you must connect to sewer1520.
  3. Submit the building permit application, with notarized signatures and the folio number, and your plans to the city by email3.
  4. Wait for plan review, which the city says typically takes 21 days or less, and pay the permit fee once all reviews are approved3.
  5. Build, and schedule inspections with the city's Building Safety Division1.

What stays with Miami-Dade County, and what to check before you buy in Homestead?

Septic permitting stays with the county health department4. Wells in Miami-Dade County where public water is unavailable need Florida Department of Health approval21. The county's rules for unincorporated land, including its zoning and building permit process, do not apply inside Homestead22; see the Miami-Dade County page for land outside city limits.

Before you buy, check flood hazard status: Homestead applies floodplain development permits and inspects development in flood hazard areas18. County-wide figures give context: typical home insurance runs about $7,089 a year in Miami-Dade County23, and the effective property tax rate is 0.8%24.

Watch-outs

  • The Florida Building Code 9th Edition (2026) takes effect December 31, 2026, and permit applications submitted on or after that date must comply with it, according to Miami-Dade County25.
  • We could not confirm Homestead's rules on owner-builder permits, accessory dwellings, tiny homes, short-term rentals, driveways and wells inside city limits; ask the Planning and Zoning Division and the building permit office13.
  • Lot-size, setback and height figures above apply only to the A-2 and AU districts; other districts have different rules7.

Sources

  1. City of Homestead Development Services Department, Planning and Zoning Division (homesteadfl.gov)
  2. Homestead Code Sec. 30-98 A-2 regulations (Homestead), quoted and re-checked
  3. City of Homestead Building Permits (Development Services) (homesteadfl.gov)
  4. Onsite Sewage Tanks and Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
  5. Homestead Code Sec. 30-98 A-2 regulations (Homestead), quoted and re-checked
  6. Homestead Code Sec. 30-392 AU lot area and width (Homestead), quoted and re-checked
  7. Homestead Code Sec. 30-98 A-2 regulations (Homestead), quoted and re-checked
  8. Homestead Code Sec. 6-52 Building permit and related fees (Homestead), quoted and re-checked
  9. Onsite Sewage Tanks and Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
  10. 2026 Florida Statutes § 489.103, Exemptions (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Homestead Code Sec. 30-98 A-2 regulations (Homestead), quoted and re-checked
  12. Homestead Code Sec. 30-98 A-2 regulations (Homestead), quoted and re-checked
  13. Homestead Code Sec. 30-98 A-2 regulations (Homestead), quoted and re-checked
  14. How to Apply for Permits, quoted and re-checked
  15. Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County (Onsite Sewage Tanks and Disposal Systems) (miamidade.floridahealth.gov)
  16. OSTDS Construction Application (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. 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
  18. Homestead Code Sec. 6-307 Inspections (flood) (Homestead), quoted and re-checked
  19. Florida Statutes § 553.385, Zoning of off-site constructed residential dwellings; parity (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. First Time Sewer Connection, quoted and re-checked
  21. Potable Water Supply Permit, quoted and re-checked
  22. Homeowners General Permit Information, quoted and re-checked
  23. Typical home insurance premium: Bolthole Index county data
  24. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  25. Homeowners General Permit Information, 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 Homestead

Homestead’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Homestead city limits; Chapter 30 Zoning of the city code

    “The following regulations shall be applicable in the A-2 one family, one-half acre estate district:”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    A-2 one family, one-half acre estate district, inside Homestead city

    • Other districts not resolved.

    minimum floor area: >= 1500 sq ft

    “Floor area requirements. The minimum floor area shall be fifteen hundred (1500) square feet.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    AU agricultural district, inside Homestead city

    • Exceptions for lots platted or deeded before the effective date (1 acre/150 ft frontage; 10,000 sq ft/100 ft for pre-Feb 13, 1951 lots), poultry raising of 100 or more needs 2.5 acres, and certain rezoned lots.

    minimum lot area: >= 5 acre (prior-platted lot exceptions) · minimum street frontage: >= 200 ft (150 ft for qualifying older lots)

    “Lots for any use in AU district shall contain a minimum of five (5) acres, and have a minimum street frontage of two hundred (200) feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — A-2 one family, one-half acre estate district, inside Homestead city
      “The minimum building site area shall be one-half acre in area for each single family residence.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    A-2 one family, one-half acre estate district, inside Homestead city

    • Side yard is 10 percent of average tract width.
    • Secondary building in rear yard: 10 ft from principal building and 10 ft from rear lot line.
    • Six-foot minimum rear setback for solid roof screened patio with three open sides.

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

    “every principal residential building shall provide a rear yard of a minimum depth of twenty-five (25) feet to the rear lot line.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    A-2 one family, one-half acre estate district, inside Homestead city

    maximum lot coverage: <= 50 percent

    “Total lot coverage by buildings, driveways, sidewalks, swimming pools and all other impervious surfaces shall not exceed fifty (50) percent of the lot area.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    A-2 one family, one-half acre estate district, inside Homestead city

    maximum height: <= 35 ft (or 3 stories)

    “The maximum building height shall be three (3) stories or thirty-five (35) feet.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in flood hazard areas inside Homestead city

    • Manufactured homes in flood hazard areas must be elevated and anchored per FBC R322.2.
    • Recreational vehicles in flood hazard areas limited to fewer than 180 consecutive days or ready for highway use (Sec. 6-314).
    “Development for which a floodplain development permit or approval is required shall be subject to inspection.”
  • Permit feesPublished

    Building permit fees inside Homestead city

    • New residential construction fee is 2.0% of value; application fee for new single-family or duplex up to 2,000 sq ft is $288; additional state surcharges and Miami-Dade County surcharge apply; work without permit costs two times fee plus $110 for Homestead-exempt property.

    new residential building permit and inspection: 2 percent of value

    “building permit and inspection — 2.0% 2.0% of the value”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Homestead or Miami-Dade County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder inside Homestead city
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private residential land inside Homestead city
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Homestead city
  • Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Homestead city
  • Manufactured homes — Manufactured homes inside Homestead city
11 more unanswered
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • 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 Homestead publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Miami-Dade County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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