Bolthole Index

Pinellas County, Florida

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Madeira Beach, Florida

Madeira Beach, Florida, in Pinellas County, has its own zoning and requires building permits from its own Building Department12. Occupied RVs and manufactured homes are not allowed on residential lots, apart from temporary shelter after a governor-declared natural emergency34. Septic permits come from the county health department, not the city5.

At a glance

Zoning
City zoning inside Madeira Beach limits (Municode Chapter 110)1
Building permit
Required; issued by the city Building Department2
Septic
Pinellas County health department permits and inspects; tanks are barred in flood hazard areas56
RV living
Only as temporary shelter after a governor-declared natural emergency3
Manufactured homes
Not a permitted use on residential property4
R-1 minimum lot
5,000 sq ft (lots existing by Dec. 9, 2008); 5,800 sq ft (newer lots)7
Permit fee
1% of total project value8

Who to call

Building permits

Madeira Beach Building Department

Building permits and inspections inside Madeira Beach city limits

(727) 391-9951

buildingdept@madeirabeachfl.gov

300 Municipal Drive Madeira Beach, FL 33708

Zoning

Madeira Beach Planning and Zoning

Zoning questions inside Madeira Beach city limits

(727) 391-9951

planning@madeirabeachfl.gov

Septic permits

Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County

Septic (OSTDS) permits and inspections in Pinellas County

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

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Does Madeira Beach have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, lot size and setbacks?

Madeira Beach, Florida adopts and enforces its own zoning code for land inside city limits1. Pinellas County's zoning applies only to unincorporated land, so the city's code governs here9.

In the R-1 single-family district, the minimum lot is 5,000 square feet for lots that existed on or before December 9, 2008 and 5,800 square feet for lots created after that date7. Setbacks in R-1 are 20 feet in front, 25 feet in back on non-waterfront lots (30 feet on waterfront lots), and a combined 15 feet on the sides10. Structures may cover no more than 40 percent of an R-1 lot11.

Accessory structures have their own setbacks in the city code, so ask Planning and Zoning before you site a shed or detached garage10. We could not confirm height limits, minimum dwelling size or accessory dwelling standards.

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

Yes. Madeira Beach requires building permits for the construction or placement of all accessory structures, and its fee schedule covers all construction inside the city2. The city's own Building Department issues them, not Pinellas County12.

Work without a permit is a violation of Florida law and city code, and after-the-fact permits cost five times the normal valuation fees128. The standard valuation fee is 1% of total project value, materials and labor included8. Every project must also meet the city's zoning rules on setbacks, height, lot coverage, parking and landscaping12.

The Florida Building Code applies statewide, so city permits are reviewed against the same code used elsewhere in Florida13. We could not confirm the city's owner-builder rules or inspection steps; ask the Building Department.

How do septic permits work in Madeira Beach?

Florida requires a permit for any new, repaired or replaced septic system14. In Pinellas County the local county health department handles septic permitting and inspections, so the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County, not Madeira Beach, is the office to call155.

Inside flood hazard areas, Madeira Beach's floodplain rules state that septic tanks are prohibited6. We could not confirm the rule outside flood hazard areas, or whether a particular lot is on city sewer; ask the health department and the city Building Department before you count on a septic system.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Madeira Beach?

Madeira Beach does not allow occupied RVs on residential property except as temporary shelter after a governor-declared natural emergency that made the permanent home uninhabitable3. That exception lasts at most 36 months or until a certificate of occupancy is issued, and the RV must be licensed, road-ready, hooked to water and electric, and parked on the property3.

Manufactured homes are not a permitted use on residential property inside the city4. Overnight camping on the city's public beaches is unlawful16. We could not confirm any tiny-home provision; ask Planning and Zoning.

Building a home in Madeira Beach: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district, setbacks and lot coverage with Planning and Zoning17.
  2. Check flood zone status; septic tanks are prohibited in flood hazard areas6.
  3. Apply for building permits through the city Building Department122.
  4. If the plan includes a driveway across the public right-of-way, get a construction permit from the city manager; residential curb cuts may not exceed 24 feet wide, with at most two entrances per lot18.
  5. If you use septic, apply through the county health department15.
  6. Schedule inspections as listed on your permit card12.

What stays with Pinellas County, and what to check before you buy

Septic permits stay with the county health department rather than the city5. The county's own building and zoning rules cover only unincorporated land; for property outside Madeira Beach limits, see the Pinellas County page19.

Pinellas County's effective property tax rate is 0.7%20, and typical home insurance runs about $4,764 a year21. Conventional drain fields rate poorly in Pinellas County soils, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system if septic is allowed at all22.

Watch-outs

  • Pinellas County's building and zoning rules do not apply inside Madeira Beach; call the city Building Department, not the county permit counter2.
  • Septic tanks are prohibited in Madeira Beach flood hazard areas, so confirm your lot's flood zone and sewer availability before buying6.
  • Manufactured homes and occupied RVs are not allowed on residential lots, with only the post-emergency shelter exception43.

Sources

  1. Madeira Beach Code Sec. 110-180 R-1 minimum building site area (Madeira Beach), quoted and re-checked
  2. Madeira Beach Code Sec. 110-473 Building permits required (Madeira Beach), quoted and re-checked
  3. Madeira Beach Code Sec. 94-103 Manufactured homes and recreational vehicles (Madeira Beach), quoted and re-checked
  4. Madeira Beach Code Sec. 94-103 Manufactured homes and recreational vehicles (Madeira Beach), quoted and re-checked
  5. Onsite Sewage Disposal and Septic Tanks, quoted and re-checked
  6. Madeira Beach Code Sec. 94-130 Underground tanks (Madeira Beach), quoted and re-checked
  7. Madeira Beach Code Sec. 110-180 R-1 minimum building site area (Madeira Beach), quoted and re-checked
  8. Madeira Beach Code Appendix A Art. II Q Building Permit Fee Schedule (Madeira Beach), quoted and re-checked
  9. Zoning & Land Use - Pinellas County, quoted and re-checked
  10. Madeira Beach Code Sec. 110-181 R-1 setbacks (Madeira Beach), quoted and re-checked
  11. Madeira Beach Code Sec. 110-183 R-1 maximum lot coverage (Madeira Beach), quoted and re-checked
  12. Madeira Beach Building Department (madeirabeachfl.gov)
  13. Florida Statutes § 553.73 — Florida Building Code (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. OSTDS Construction Application (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County (pinellas.floridahealth.gov)
  16. Madeira Beach Code Sec. 42-35 Camping (Madeira Beach), quoted and re-checked
  17. Madeira Beach Planning and Zoning (madeirabeachfl.gov)
  18. Madeira Beach Code Sec. 58-33 Construction permit; application (Madeira Beach), quoted and re-checked
  19. Building Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Typical home insurance premium: Bolthole Index county data
  22. 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

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 Madeira Beach

Madeira Beach’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Accessory structures inside Madeira Beach city; fee schedule covers all construction

    • Chickees built by the Miccosukee or Seminole tribes are exempt from the Florida Building Code but still need a permit for planning and zoning purposes.
    “building permits are required for the construction or placement of all accessory structures.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Madeira Beach city limits

    “the minimum building site area requirements in the r-1, single-family residential district are as follows”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district inside Madeira Beach city

    • Lots existing on or before December 9, 2008: 5,000 sq ft; lots created after: 5,800 sq ft.
    • Minimum width 50 feet; minimum depth 80 feet.
    • Maximum density 7.5 dwelling units per acre.

    minimum lot size, lots existing on or before 2008-12-09: >= 5000 sq ft · minimum lot size, lots created after 2008-12-09: >= 5800 sq ft · minimum width: >= 50 ft · minimum depth: >= 80 ft

    “lots existing on or before december 9, 2008: 5,000 square feet. lots created after december 9, 2008: 5,800 square feet.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district inside Madeira Beach city

    • Rear yard: 30 feet on waterfront lots, 25 feet on non-waterfront lots.
    • Side yard: total of 15 feet with a minimum of seven feet on either side.
    • Accessory structures have separate setbacks in Sec. 110-476.

    front yard: >= 20 ft · rear yard non-waterfront: >= 25 ft · rear yard waterfront: >= 30 ft · total side yard: >= 15 ft (minimum seven feet on either side)

    “front yard: 20 feet measured from the right-of-way line to the structure (2) rear yard: waterfront lots: 30 feet. non-waterfront lots: 25 feet. (3) side yard: total side setback of 15 feet with a minimum of seven feet on either side.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Residential use in the R-1 single-family residential district inside Madeira Beach city

    • Floor area ratio 0.80 for residential use.
    • Public parks FAR 0.25; public service facilities FAR 0.40.

    maximum area covered by structures: <= 40 percent of lot · floor area ratio, residential: <= 0.8 FAR

    “the maximum area of a lot or parcel to be covered by structures shall be 40 percent of the total area.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Occupied recreational vehicles on residential property inside Madeira Beach city

    • Permitted only as temporary shelter after a governor-declared natural emergency in which the permanent residence was rendered uninhabitable.
    • The RV must be fully licensed and ready for highway use, connected to water and electric utilities, and parked on the subject property.
    • Maximum stay is 36 months after the declaration or until a certificate of occupancy is issued on the permanent structure, whichever comes first.
    • The resident must live in the RV and make a good faith effort to rebuild or renovate.

    maximum temporary shelter duration: <= 36 months (ends earlier when a certificate of occupancy is issued)

    “permitted uses and special exceptions do not include manufactured homes or occupied recreational vehicles unless used for a temporary shelter on residential property following a declaration of state of emergency issued by the governor for a natural emergency”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Overnight camping on public beaches inside Madeira Beach city

    • Covers public beaches only; camping on private land was not found.
    “It shall be unlawful to camp overnight on public beaches in the city.”
  • Manufactured homesProhibited

    Manufactured homes on residential property inside Madeira Beach city

    • Stated in the floodplain chapter by reference to chapter 110, Zoning.
    • Exception only for RVs used as temporary emergency shelter; the exception does not apply to manufactured homes.
    “in accordance with chapter 110, zoning, permitted uses and special exceptions do not include manufactured homes”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Underground septic tanks in flood hazard areas inside Madeira Beach city

    • Applies to flood hazard areas; the rule outside flood hazard areas was not found.
    “Underground tanks in flood hazard areas shall be anchored to prevent flotation, collapse or lateral movement resulting from hydrodynamic and hydrostatic loads during conditions of the design flood, including the effects of buoyancy assuming the tank is empty. Septic tanks are prohibited.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Driveways and paving work within the public right-of-way inside Madeira Beach city

    • Permit comes from the city manager; a charge applies.
    • Residential driveway curb cuts may not exceed 24 feet in width (Sec. 58-32).
    • Maximum two driveway entrances per lot (Sec. 58-32).

    maximum residential driveway width: <= 24 ft

    “no curb shall be lowered, altered, or removed to permit the construction of a driveway in any residential district within the city where such driveway shall exceed a width of 24 feet.”
  • Permit feesPublished

    Building permits inside Madeira Beach city

    • Plan review deposit of 25% of total permit fees for projects valued at $30,000 or more, non-refundable.
    • Florida surcharge of 2.5% per permit, minimum $4.
    • Zero percent valuation fee for Hurricane Helene and Milton repair permits until March 26, 2026, only if the property has not been sold since September 26, 2024.
    • After-the-fact permits cost five times the permit valuation fees.
    • Certificate of Occupancy or Completion: $50.

    valuation fee: 1 percent of total project value (0% for qualifying Helene/Milton repair permits until 2026-03-26)

    “valuation fee: one percent (1%) of the total project value, which includes both materials and labor and other related fees).”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Madeira Beach or Pinellas County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permits inside Madeira Beach city
  • Inspections — Construction inspections inside Madeira Beach city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy inside Madeira Beach city
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Madeira Beach city
  • Building height — Principal buildings in R-1 inside Madeira Beach city
9 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • 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 Madeira Beach publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Pinellas County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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