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SlowBro's avatar
SlowBro
Explorer III
Jun 16, 2023

Counties in Florida that allow full-time on own property?

We're in Putnam County FL on a relative's property but found out after we moved in that I was misreading the county zoning ordinances and we really aren't permitted to live here full-time.

I've not found any FL counties that allow living full-time on your own property except a rumor that Taylor County allows up to four on one lot. I need to call them to find out.

What other counties can we consider?
  • joelc's avatar
    joelc
    Explorer III
    Not in FL, but in N.C. We have 1 acre set up for RV and live on it. In reality we are supposed to be here 6 mo on and 6 mo. off, but our neighbors don't care and no one has policed us as yet. The land has to be 1 acre, agriculture zoned. Each county is different.The county next to us will almost allow anything.
  • We were looking to do this 3 years ago and found nothing. We even found land with a building we wanted to use, but could not live there fulltime with/without a building or even if we built something there. I have heard of the 5-acre rule in other states, but not Florida. I, too, heard a 2 counties in Florida that allowed it but never found it myself.

    We elected to buy in a motorhome community which allowed us our 2 RV's, a 40' and a 22', 2 cars and a trailer. Down to just one RV now.

    Dale
  • So far as I know you can buy a minimum of five acres and add power, water well and septic tank and you are good to go. The land prices make this tough in the peninsula in many counties. Rural counties are cheaper including most of the panhandle. Local zoning can be an issue.
    You mat have to say you are living in the RV while building a house.
  • In Putnam you can live in an RV for 60 days and must have a permit to build first.
  • Just went thru that this past season. Some will tell you that you can do, as long as no one complains. Highlands County has lots of zoning rules, but no one enforces them, but we didn't want to take the chance of getting kicked out mid-snowbird season with no place to go. So booked another year in the park we've been in for 10 years now.
  • The obvious answer to me is to incorporate and open a 1 or 2 spot private RV park. You obviously can stay at an RV park full-time as probably over a million people do so, so file articles of incorporation and open a very small park where you and possibly a friend can stay.

    • valhalla360's avatar
      valhalla360
      Navigator

      Lots of complications with this idea:

       - If there is zoning, you can't do this in a residential area unless you get it rezoned.

       - Your property is now commercial, so no lower homestead tax rates. Businesses pay far higher tax rates.

       - You have to pay for periodic inspections and testing (ie: your water supply). 

      Probably simpler to get 40 acres in the middle of no where and hope your neighbors don't rat you out.