Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Town of Miami Lakes, Florida

At a glance

Zoning

Yes, town zoning districts under Chapter 13 of the Land Development Code¹

Building permits

Applications go to the town's Building Department, not Miami-Dade County²

Septic permits

Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County; county DERM approves new and replacement systems⁵

Manufactured homes

Not a permitted use in town⁴

Camping

No camping or overnight stays in town parks unless the town authorizes it⁶

Minimum home size (RU-1)

2,000 sq ft⁷

Minimum lot (RU-1)

7,500 sq ft, 75 ft wide⁸

Owner-builder

Allowed in town with a notarized affidavit and conditions²

Who to call

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

Does Miami Lakes have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The Town of Miami Lakes divides the town into zoning districts shown on its official zoning map, administered through Chapter 13 of the Land Development Code¹. Miami-Dade County's own zoning code applies only to unincorporated land, so it does not govern a lot inside Miami Lakes⁹.

The numbers differ by district. In the RU-1 single-family district, the minimum lot is 7,500 sq ft and 75 ft wide⁸. Front and rear setbacks in RU-1 are 25 ft, and a street-side setback is 15 ft¹⁰. A one-story RU-1 home may cover 40% of the lot and a two-story home 35%¹¹. Height in RU-1 tops out at 35 ft and 2 stories¹², and the minimum home is 2,000 sq ft⁷. Waterfront lots measure the rear setback from the water's edge¹⁰. Find your parcel's district on the town's zoning map before relying on any of these figures.

Can you live in an RV, manufactured home or accessory unit in Miami Lakes?

Manufactured homes are the clearest answer: the town's code states that installing a manufactured home is not a permitted use under Article IV of Chapter 13⁴. The town's code also bars camping or overnight stays in town parks unless the town authorizes it⁶. We could not confirm a Miami Lakes rule for living in an RV on private land, so ask the town's Building Department before parking one on a lot.

Accessory buildings are defined to include a secondary residence or servant's quarters unless deed restrictions prohibit it, and in RU-1 an accessory building is capped at 350 sq ft, one story and 15 ft high¹³. We did not find a dedicated accessory-dwelling ordinance, so confirm what is allowed on your lot with the town and your HOA.

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

Inside Miami Lakes, building permits are applied for through the town's own Building Department, at 6601 Main Street, Suite 101². Miami-Dade County's building permit process covers unincorporated land, and the county notes that each municipality has its own Building Official within city limits¹⁴. We could not confirm the town's full list of work that needs a building permit, so ask the Building Department before you start.

New single-family homes and additions also go through Miami-Dade County's electronic submittal for DERM and impact fee review². The department keeps hours of 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday².

Can you build your own home in Miami Lakes as an owner-builder?

The town accepts owner-builder applications, but with conditions. The Building Department requires a complete Owner/Builder Affidavit, and the property must be homestead property². Florida law lets an owner act as their own contractor on a one-family or two-family residence for the owner's own use and occupancy, not offered for sale or lease¹⁵. Check the town's current submittal requirements for the exam and any holding-period letter for new homes.

How do septic permits work inside Miami Lakes?

Septic permits for addresses in Miami-Dade County, including those inside Miami Lakes, come from the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County, which handles permitting and inspection of septic tanks³. Miami-Dade County DERM reviews and approves new and total replacement systems, and conventional Type 1 septic systems are not allowed for new and total replacement systems serving development in the county¹⁶. In soils rated for conventional drain fields, USDA rates 0% of the county's soils as not limited, so expect an advanced system and a site evaluation¹⁷. We could not confirm whether the town adds its own septic rules; ask the Building Department. Where public sewer is available, the county's WASD may require connection¹⁸.

Building a home in Miami Lakes: the steps, in order

1. Find your parcel's zoning district on the town's zoning map and check the district's lot, setback and size rules¹.
2. Get HOA approval if one applies, since the Building Department asks for an HOA letter with residential applications².
3. Apply for septic or sewer: septic goes to the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County³, and sewer connection is evaluated by the county's WASD¹⁸.
4. Submit your building permit application to the Town Building Department at 6601 Main Street, Suite 101².
5. Schedule inspections through the town's eTRAKiT portal².
6. Obtain the Certificate of Occupancy from the town once inspections pass.

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

Septic permits, DERM review and the county health department stay with Miami-Dade County and the state³. Land outside town limits is a different case; for unincorporated land see the Miami-Dade County page. Miami-Dade County's typical home value is $522,601¹⁹, its effective property tax rate is 0.8%²⁰, and a typical home insurance premium is $7,089 a year²¹. Florida Building Code, 8th Edition, is the statewide base code²².

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm the town's own rules for RVs on private land, tiny homes, driveway permits, short-term rentals or permit fees; ask the Town of Miami Lakes Building Department at 305-827-4015².
• Do not use unincorporated Miami-Dade County rules or the county zoning counter for a lot inside Miami Lakes; the county's zoning code covers unincorporated land only⁹.
• The Florida Building Code, 8th Edition, is the statewide code, and Miami-Dade County says the 9th Edition (2026) takes effect December 31, 2026²³.

Sources

1. Miami Lakes LDC Sec. 13-1 Definitions and references (Town of Miami Lakes), quoted and re-checked
2. Town of Miami Lakes Building Department (miamilakes-fl.gov)
3. Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County (Onsite Sewage Tanks and Disposal Systems) (miamidade.floridahealth.gov)
4. Miami Lakes Sec. 4-143 Manufactured homes (Town of Miami Lakes), quoted and re-checked
5. Onsite Sewage Tanks and Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
6. Miami Lakes Sec. 18-65 Camping (Town of Miami Lakes), quoted and re-checked
7. Miami Lakes LDC Sec. 13-426 Development regulations for single-family and two-family districts (Town of Miami Lakes), quoted and re-checked
8. Miami Lakes LDC Sec. 13-426 Development regulations for single-family and two-family districts (Town of Miami Lakes), quoted and re-checked
9. Miami Dade Zoning, quoted and re-checked
10. Miami Lakes LDC Sec. 13-426 Development regulations for single-family and two-family districts (Town of Miami Lakes), quoted and re-checked
11. Miami Lakes LDC Sec. 13-426 Development regulations for single-family and two-family districts (Town of Miami Lakes), quoted and re-checked
12. Miami Lakes LDC Sec. 13-426 Development regulations for single-family and two-family districts (Town of Miami Lakes), quoted and re-checked
13. Miami Lakes LDC Sec. 13-1 Definitions and references (Town of Miami Lakes), quoted and re-checked
14. How to Apply for Permits, quoted and re-checked
15. 2026 Florida Statutes § 489.103, Exemptions (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
16. Onsite Sewage Tanks and Disposal Systems, 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. First Time Sewer Connection, quoted and re-checked
19. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
21. Typical home insurance premium: Bolthole Index county data
22. 61G20-1.001 Florida Building Code Adopted (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
23. 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.