Bolthole Index

Pinellas County, Florida

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Pinellas Park, Florida

Inside Pinellas Park, Florida, the city's Building Development Division reviews building permits and inspects work1, and the city's own Land Development Code sets zoning2. Septic permits for Pinellas County addresses come from the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County, not from the city3. Outside city limits, Pinellas County's rules apply instead; see Pinellas County.

At a glance

Building permits
Issued and inspected by the city's Building Development Division1
Zoning
City zoning under the Land Development Code, with separate residential and farm districts2
Septic
Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County3
RV living
RV parking allowed in residential districts with conditions; living in one is not confirmed4
Tiny homes
Florida Building Code including Appendix Q Tiny Houses5
Accessory dwellings
Allowed on single-family lots, up to 600 sq ft6
Farm district lots
2.5 acres minimum in F Farm7

Who to call

Building permits

City of Pinellas Park Building Development Division

Building permit plan review, inspections and business tax receipts inside Pinellas Park city limits

727-369-5647

6051 78th Avenue N, Pinellas Park, FL 33781

Zoning

City of Pinellas Park Community Development, Zoning

Zoning questions and pre-development meetings inside Pinellas Park city limits

727-369-5631

plan@pinellaspark.gov

6051 78th Avenue N, Pinellas Park, FL 33781

Septic permits

Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County

Septic (OSTDS) permitting and inspection for 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 Pinellas Park means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Do you need a building permit in Pinellas Park, Florida?

Yes for new construction and covered work: the city's Building Development Division performs permit plan reviews and inspections inside Pinellas Park1, and the city has adopted the Florida Building Code8. Accessory dwelling units and moving a building each have their own city rules; moving a building over a public street needs a city permit and a $50 application fee9. A certificate of occupancy for an accessory dwelling unit is not issued until the principal structure has one10. The city's general permit thresholds and fee schedule are not something we could confirm, so ask the Building Development Division before you start.

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

The City of Pinellas Park Building Development Division issues building permit review and inspections for addresses inside the city, not Pinellas County's unincorporated-area office1. The division works from the Community Development Building at 6051 78th Avenue N, Pinellas Park, FL 33781, and can be reached at 727-369-56471. Zoning questions go to the city's zoning staff at plan@pinellaspark.gov11. A reader inside city limits who calls the county's permit counter in Clearwater has the wrong office; the county serves only unincorporated land.

Does Pinellas Park have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Pinellas Park applies its own zoning to all land inside city limits2. Rules differ by district, so check which one your parcel is in. In the R-1 Single-Family Residential District, lots platted on or after May 20, 1987 need 7,500 square feet12, with setbacks of 25 feet in front, 10 feet on the side and 15 feet in the rear13 and a 35-foot height limit14. In the F Farm District, the minimum is 2.5 gross acres7, the setbacks are 50 feet front, 25 feet side and 50 feet rear15, and the minimum liveable floor area is 1,250 square feet16. R-1 homes need at least 900 square feet on lots platted after 198717.

How do septic permits work inside Pinellas Park?

Septic permitting in Pinellas County is handled by the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County3, and the city's building office does not issue septic permits. We could not confirm whether any particular Pinellas Park address is required to connect to public sewer, so ask the health department and the city's Building Development Division before you plan a septic system. Conventional drain-field soils rate poorly across Pinellas County, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system18. We also could not confirm city rules on private wells.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Pinellas Park?

Pinellas Park allows a recreational vehicle to be parked or stored in a residential zoning district under conditions: the title holder must live in the dwelling, only one such vehicle may sit in the front or secondary front yard, and a current registration decal is required4. Living in the RV is not addressed in the city text we reviewed, and lodging in a parked motor vehicle outside a designated camping area is unlawful, with a fine of up to $500 or up to 60 days19. Tiny houses are covered by the Florida Building Code including Appendix Q, and the zoning district's minimum floor area and dimensional rules still apply5. The city also allows one accessory dwelling of up to 600 square feet on a lot with a single-family detached home6.

Building a home in Pinellas Park: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm your parcel's zoning district with city zoning staff at plan@pinellaspark.gov11.
  2. Check lot size, setbacks and minimum floor area for that district12.
  3. Ask the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County about septic, or the city about sewer connection3.
  4. Apply for your building permit with the Building Development Division, which reviews plans and inspects the work1.
  5. Allow for the city's recent code changes: stem wall construction instead of lot fill, and permits for exterior entry and garage doors1.
  6. Get the certificate of occupancy; an accessory dwelling's certificate requires the main house's first10.

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

Outside Pinellas Park city limits, Pinellas County rules for unincorporated land apply, not the city's. Septic permits are a county health department matter for every address3. Pinellas County's typical home insurance premium is about $4,764 a year20, and its effective property tax rate is about 0.7%21. Confirm the flood zone and the parcel's lot-of-record status before you close; we could not confirm the city's driveway permit or short-term rental rules.

Watch-outs

  • The city's Land Development Code changed in May 2024: stem wall construction is required instead of lot fill, and permits are required for exterior entry and garage doors1.
  • Lodging in a parked motor vehicle outside a designated camping area is unlawful in Pinellas Park, so confirm with the Building Development Division before living in an RV on a lot19.
  • We could not confirm the city's general building permit thresholds, fee schedule, owner-builder rules or driveway permit process; call the Building Development Division at 727-369-56471.

Sources

  1. City of Pinellas Park Building Development Division (pinellas-park.com)
  2. Pinellas Park LDC Sec. 18-1506.4 F Farm District dimensional regulations (Pinellas Park), quoted and re-checked
  3. Onsite Sewage Disposal and Septic Tanks, quoted and re-checked
  4. Pinellas Park LDC Sec. 18-1530.15 Vehicle restrictions (Pinellas Park), quoted and re-checked
  5. Pinellas Park LDC Sec. 18-901 Standard codes adopted (Pinellas Park), quoted and re-checked
  6. Pinellas Park LDC Sec. 18-1530.28 Accessory dwelling units (Pinellas Park), quoted and re-checked
  7. Pinellas Park LDC Sec. 18-1506.4 F Farm District dimensional regulations (Pinellas Park), quoted and re-checked
  8. Pinellas Park LDC Sec. 18-901 Standard codes adopted (Pinellas Park), quoted and re-checked
  9. Pinellas Park LDC Sec. 18-1530.28 Accessory dwelling units (Pinellas Park), quoted and re-checked
  10. Pinellas Park LDC Sec. 18-1530.28 Accessory dwelling units (Pinellas Park), quoted and re-checked
  11. City of Pinellas Park Community Development, Zoning (pinellas-park.com)
  12. Pinellas Park LDC Sec. 18-1509.4 R-1 dimensional regulations (Pinellas Park), quoted and re-checked
  13. Pinellas Park LDC Sec. 18-1509.4 R-1 dimensional regulations (Pinellas Park), quoted and re-checked
  14. Pinellas Park LDC Sec. 18-1509.4 R-1 dimensional regulations (Pinellas Park), quoted and re-checked
  15. Pinellas Park LDC Sec. 18-1506.4 F Farm District dimensional regulations (Pinellas Park), quoted and re-checked
  16. Pinellas Park LDC Sec. 18-1506.4 F Farm District dimensional regulations (Pinellas Park), quoted and re-checked
  17. Pinellas Park LDC Sec. 18-1509.4 R-1 dimensional regulations (Pinellas Park), quoted and re-checked
  18. 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
  19. Pinellas Park Code Sec. 2-1008 Recreation activities, proper use of facilities (Pinellas Park), quoted and re-checked
  20. Typical home insurance premium: Bolthole Index county data
  21. Effective property tax rate: 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 Pinellas Park

Pinellas Park’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Accessory dwelling units and building moving inside Pinellas Park city; general permit thresholds not opened

    • Building moving permit application fee $50
    • Structures 8 ft wide or less and 35 ft long or less, travel trailers, and mobile homes meeting Florida requirements are exempt from the moving permit

    building moving permit application fee: 50 USD

    “it shall be unlawful for any person to move, or cause to be moved, over or upon any public street or right-of-way, any building until a permit for same has been approved and issued by the city”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Pinellas Park city

    • Includes Residential Appendix Q Tiny Houses
    • Variations and amendments promulgated by the Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board under Chapter 75-489, Laws of Florida
    “The Florida Building Code as mandated by the State of Florida, including Residential Appendix Q Tiny Houses”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Accessory dwelling units and their principal structures inside Pinellas Park city

    • Certificate of occupancy for the principal structure required before ADU CO
    “a certificate of occupancy for an accessory dwelling unit shall not be issued without a certificate of occupancy for the principal structure.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    All land inside Pinellas Park city limits

    “Lot Width: Two hundred (200) feet, except corner lots must be two hundred twenty-five (225) feet.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Pinellas Park city

    • 800 sq ft for lots platted before May 20, 1987; 900 sq ft for lots platted on or after that date

    minimum liveable floor area (platted before 1987-05-20): >= 800 sq ft · minimum liveable floor area (platted on/after 1987-05-20): >= 900 sq ft

    “1. for lots platted prior to may 20, 1987: eight hundred (800) square feet.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Pinellas Park city

    • 6,000 sq ft (60 ft width, 80 ft on corner, 90 ft depth) for lots platted before May 20, 1987
    • Lots of record before Dec 10, 1970 not meeting requirements may still be used for permitted or conditional use

    lot area (platted on/after 1987-05-20): >= 7500 sq ft · lot width (platted on/after 1987-05-20): >= 75 ft (90 ft on a corner) · lot depth: >= 90 ft

    “lot area: seventy-five hundred (7,500) square feet. (b) lot width: seventy-five (75) feet, except on a corner ninety (90) feet is required. (c) lot depth: ninety (90) feet.”
    2 more reviewed findings on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-1 Single-Family Residential District, lots platted on or after May 20, 1987, inside Pinellas Park city

    • Earlier-platted lots: front 20, side 10/6, rear 15 ft (10 ft abutting alley)
    • Corner lot and nonconforming lot adjustments apply

    front yard: >= 25 ft · side yard: >= 10 ft · rear yard: >= 15 ft

    “2. for lots platted on or after may 20, 1987, the following shall apply: (a) front yard setback: twenty-five (25) feet. (b) secondary front yard setback: twenty-five (25) feet. (c) side yard setback: ten (10) feet. (d) rear yard setback: fifteen (15) feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    R-4 Duplex Residential District inside Pinellas Park city; single-family districts R-1 to R-3, RR, RE and F list coverage caps only for nonresidential uses

    • Nonresidential: 65% in RLM, 75% in RM or CRD
    • Minimum open space 30% for residential use in RE and F districts

    maximum lot coverage, residential uses: <= 60 percent

    “MAXIMUM LOT COVERAGE. Residential Uses: Sixty (60) percent.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    F Farm District inside Pinellas Park city

    • Farm structures may exceed 35 ft; any structure over 50 ft must be set back at least 75 ft from the nearest residential zoning district

    maximum height, principal structure: <= 35 ft (farm structures may exceed)

    “maximum building height. thirty-five (35) feet for the principal structure. a farm structure may exceed”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational vehicles on residential lots inside Pinellas Park city

    • RV may be parked or stored in residential districts; title holder must be a permanent resident of the dwelling unit
    • Only one such vehicle in the front or secondary front yard
    • Current registration decal required
    • Repair or construction of an RV prohibited in residential districts
    • No parking on public right-of-way 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
    • Lodging in parked motor vehicles outside designated camping areas is unlawful (Sec. 16-115)
    • Occupancy as a dwelling is not expressly addressed in the opened text
    “any recreational vehicle, boat, boat trailer, or utility trailer may be parked or stored in any residential zoning district, subject to the following conditions:”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Camping and overnight lodging in vehicles inside Pinellas Park city

    • Overnight camping in city parks only in areas provided for it
    • Lodging in parked motor vehicles prohibited outside designated camping areas; fine up to $500 or up to 60 days
    “it shall be unlawful for any person to lodge in, on, or about any parked motor vehicle, as the same is defined in f.s. § 320.01(1), in any public or private street, public or private park area, public or private way, right-of-way, public or private parking lot or other property within the limits of the city of pinellas park which is not a designated camping area.”
  • Tiny homesLimited

    Tiny houses inside Pinellas Park city

    • Must comply with Florida Building Code including Residential Appendix Q Tiny Houses
    • Zoning district minimum liveable floor areas and dimensional rules still apply
    “The Florida Building Code as mandated by the State of Florida, including Residential Appendix Q Tiny Houses”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes inside Pinellas Park city

    • City has T-1 Manufactured Home Subdivision and T-2 Manufactured Home Park districts
    • Rezonings to T-1 prohibited except per Sec. 18-1515.6
    • Park expansion must comply with new park requirements
    “(Rezonings to "T-1" are prohibited except as provided in Section 18-1515.6”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    Accessory dwelling units on lots with a single-family detached dwelling inside Pinellas Park city

    • One ADU per lot of record
    • Maximum 600 sq ft air-conditioned area
    • Detached height 25 ft; detached rear setback 10 ft
    • One additional off-street parking space
    • Deed restriction prohibiting separate sale recorded before CO
    • 10 ft separation for detached units
    • Deed restrictions and HOA declarations not overridden

    maximum ADU size: <= 600 sq ft

    “the air-conditioned area of an accessory dwelling unit shall be no more than six-hundred (600) square feet.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Platting of lots in R-1 districts inside Pinellas Park city

    • All abutting properties zoned R-1
    • Interior substandard lots at least 6,000 sq ft and 60 ft wide; corner lots 7,200 sq ft, 80 ft wide, 90 ft deep
    • City Council considers character, adequacy of facilities, traffic
    • Conditions may not be waived
    “The City may authorize the platting of substandard size lots under the following conditions”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permits inside Pinellas Park city
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Pinellas Park city
  • Who permits septic — Septic systems inside Pinellas Park city
  • Septic permit — Septic permits inside Pinellas Park city
  • Septic inspection — Septic inspection inside Pinellas Park city
8 more unanswered
  • 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 Pinellas Park publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Pinellas County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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