This guide explains what the two rules require, what the City of Port Orange handles, and which documents to ask for before you sign. It sticks to what the Florida Statutes and the city actually say. For the rest of the town, start with our Port Orange buyer's guide to neighborhoods and costs, or browse Port Orange homes for sale.

Two Rules, Two Different Jobs

Florida passed two separate requirements for older condominium buildings. They are not the same thing.

The milestone inspection, set by Florida Statute 553.899, is about the building's physical condition. A licensed architect or engineer looks at the structure and reports whether it shows substantial structural deterioration.

The structural integrity reserve study, usually shortened to SIRS and set by Florida Statute 718.112(2)(g), is about money. It estimates how long major parts of the building will last, what replacing or maintaining them will cost, and how much the association should set aside each year to pay for it.

One tells you what shape the building is in. The other tells you whether the association is saving enough to keep it that way. A careful buyer reads both.

Which Port Orange Buildings the Rules Cover

The milestone inspection applies to a building that is three habitable stories or more in height and is a residential condominium under chapter 718 of the Florida Statutes, or a residential cooperative under chapter 719. The reserve study requirement applies to each building that is three habitable stories or higher.

The milestone statute also spells out who is left out. It does not apply to a single-family, two-family, three-family or four-family dwelling with three or fewer habitable stories above ground. So if you are looking at a duplex, a villa or a low-rise townhome community, check how the property is set up before you assume either rule applies. Our guide to townhomes and villas in Port Orange and who owns what walks through the difference between a condominium and other kinds of shared ownership.

The practical step: before you write an offer on a unit in a building three stories or taller, ask the listing agent or the association two questions in writing. Has the building had its milestone inspection, and has the association completed its reserve study? The answers shape everything that follows.

The Milestone Inspection: The Schedule

Under Florida Statute 553.899, the first milestone inspection is due by December 31 of the year the building reaches 30 years of age, counted from the date its certificate of occupancy was issued. After that, another one is due every 10 years.

The statute set earlier deadlines for buildings that were already old when the law took effect. A building that reached 30 years of age before July 1, 2022 had to have its first inspection before December 31, 2024. A building that reached 30 on or after July 1, 2022 and before December 31, 2024 had to have it before December 31, 2025.

There is one local twist that matters on the coast. The statute lets the local enforcement agency decide that local circumstances, with proximity to salt water named as an example, call for the first inspection at 25 years of age instead of 30. Whether that earlier clock applies to a particular Port Orange building is a question for the city's Building Division, not something to assume. Ask in writing, give the building's address, and keep the answer in your file.

The Milestone Inspection: How It Works, Step by Step

The process starts with a notice. Under the statute, once the local enforcement agency determines that a building needs a milestone inspection, it must send written notice to the association by certified mail, return receipt requested. The association then has 14 days to tell unit owners that the notice arrived.

Phase one comes next. It must be completed within 180 days after the owner receives that written notice. Phase one is a visual examination of the habitable and nonhabitable areas of the building, including its major structural components, by a licensed architect or engineer authorized to practice in Florida. If the inspector finds no signs of substantial structural deterioration, phase two is not required.

Phase two is only required if phase one finds substantial structural deterioration. It may involve destructive or nondestructive testing. If phase two is needed, the architect or engineer must submit a phase two progress report, with a timeline for finishing the inspection, within 180 days after the phase one report.

The statute is careful about what counts as a real problem. Surface imperfections such as cracks, distortion, sagging, deflections, misalignment, signs of leakage or peeling of finishes are not substantial structural deterioration on their own, unless the engineer or architect decides they are a sign of it. So a phase one report can list maintenance items and still not trigger phase two. Read the report's conclusion, not just its list of findings.

The inspection also has limits worth knowing. Its stated purpose is not to determine whether the building complies with the Florida Building Code or the firesafety code. It is a structural check, not a full code review.

What the Inspection Report Must Contain

When a phase one or phase two inspection is finished, the architect or engineer must deliver a sealed copy of the report, along with a separate summary of the material findings and recommendations, to the association and to the local building official. Among other things, the report must state whether unsafe or dangerous conditions were observed.

Unit owners get the summary too. Within 45 days after receiving the report, the association must send each unit owner a copy of the inspector-prepared summary, post a copy in a conspicuous place on the condominium property, and publish the full report and summary on the association's website if it is required to have one.

If phase two finds substantial structural deterioration, the law expects action. The statute requires repairs for that deterioration to be commenced within 365 days after the local enforcement agency receives the phase two report.

Two more details help you read the paperwork. The condominium association pays for the milestone inspection for the parts of the building it must maintain under its governing documents. And an architect or engineer who bids on the inspection must disclose in writing any intent to bid on repair work the inspection may recommend, so ask whether the firm that inspected the building is also the firm doing the repairs.

The Reserve Study: What It Covers

Under Florida Statute 718.112(2)(g), a residential condominium association must have a structural integrity reserve study completed at least every 10 years for each building three habitable stories or higher. At a minimum, the study covers the roof, the structure, fireproofing and fire protection systems, plumbing, electrical systems, waterproofing and exterior painting, and windows and exterior doors.

It also covers any other item whose deferred maintenance expense or replacement cost exceeds $25,000, or the inflation-adjusted amount set by the state division, whichever is greater, when failing to maintain or replace that item would harm the items on the main list.

The study is based on a visual inspection of the condominium property. It must be performed or verified by a licensed engineer, a licensed architect, or a person certified as a reserve specialist or professional reserve analyst by the Community Associations Institute or the Association of Professional Reserve Analysts.

The Reserve Study: How to Read It

For each item it covers, the study must state the estimated remaining useful life and the estimated replacement cost or deferred maintenance expense. That annual amount is the number to compare against the association's actual budget.

One rule deserves a close look. The study may recommend that replacement reserves are not needed for an item with an estimated remaining useful life greater than 25 years, although it can still recommend a deferred maintenance amount for that item. That is a legitimate option under the law, and it is also why the line items matter more than the total. Find each major component, read its remaining life, and see whether money is being set aside for it.

Two signatures and two notices follow the study. An officer or director of the association must sign an affidavit acknowledging receipt of the completed study. And within 45 days after receiving it, the association must give each unit owner either a copy of the study or a notice that it is available for inspection and copying on written request.

The Reserve Study: The Deadlines

The statute set a firm calendar for existing buildings.

There is a carve-out for buildings due for a milestone inspection. An association that must finish a milestone inspection on or before December 31, 2026 may complete the reserve study at the same time as the inspection. But the statute adds a hard stop: in no event may the study be completed after December 31, 2026.

The two rules also connect in two other ways. A milestone inspection performed within the past 5 years that meets the statute's requirements may be used in place of the visual inspection part of the reserve study. And after completing a milestone inspection, an association may delay a required reserve study for no more than the 2 consecutive budget years that follow, so it can put its money toward the repairs the inspection recommended. If an association tells you its study is delayed, ask which milestone inspection it is relying on and when that inspection was completed.

What the City of Port Orange Handles

According to the city, its Building Division receives building permit applications for structures ranging from commercial buildings to residential homes and fences, and it reviews construction plans for compliance with the Florida Building Code and local regulations.

For a condo buyer, that office is where to confirm what the city has on file for a building: the certificate of occupancy date, whether a milestone inspection notice was sent, and whether a phase one or phase two report was filed. It is also reasonable to ask which permits, if any, have been opened for repairs to the building.

The city lists these contacts:

• Building Permit, Inspection and Business Tax line: 386-506-5602
• Building Official Al Tischler: 386-506-5627
• Community Development Department, 1000 City Center Circle, Port Orange, FL 32129, lobby hours Monday-Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm

If you are buying near the water, flood risk is a separate question from structural safety. Our guide to Port Orange flood zones and flood insurance covers how to check an address.

The Documents a Resale Buyer Is Entitled To

When you buy a condo from an owner rather than a developer, Florida Statute 718.503(2) gives you a right to a set of documents, at the seller's expense, once you are under contract. They include:

• The declaration of condominium
• The articles of incorporation of the association
• The bylaws and rules of the association
• The annual financial statement and annual budget
• The inspector-prepared summary of the milestone inspection report, if the building has one
• The association's most recent structural integrity reserve study, or a statement that it has not completed one
• The Frequently Asked Questions and Answers document

The timing on a resale is 7 days, not 15. A resale contract must state either that the buyer received these documents more than 7 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, before signing, or that the buyer may cancel by written notice within 7 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, after receiving them. The 15-day cancellation period in the same statute applies to purchases from a developer, not to resales. Mark the 7-day window on your calendar the day the documents arrive, and read the milestone summary and the reserve study first.

A Short Checklist Before You Sign

• Confirm the building's height in habitable stories, and whether the unit is part of a condominium.
• Ask for the certificate of occupancy date, and work out when the building turns 30, or 25 if the city applies the earlier clock.
• Ask whether the association received a milestone inspection notice, and whether phase one, and if needed phase two, are done.
• Read the inspector-prepared summary, especially whether unsafe or dangerous conditions were observed.
• If phase two found substantial structural deterioration, ask for the repair schedule and whether repairs have commenced.
• Get the reserve study, read the remaining useful life and recommended annual reserve for each major item, and compare it with the budget.
• Confirm with the Port Orange Building Division what it has on file for the address.
• Track your 7-day review window from the day the resale documents arrive.

If you are comparing buildings in more than one city, the state rules are the same, so confirm each building's records with that city. Our Daytona Beach condo milestone inspection and SIRS guide and Palm Coast condo milestone and SIRS guide cover those cities. This guide explains what the law says. It is not legal advice, so for a question about a specific contract or building, talk with a Florida real estate attorney and confirm the building's records with the city.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a Port Orange condo need a milestone inspection and a SIRS?

Only if the building is a residential condominium three habitable stories or more in height. For those buildings, Florida Statute 553.899 requires a milestone inspection by December 31 of the year the building turns 30, then every 10 years, and Florida Statute 718.112(2)(g) requires a reserve study at least every 10 years. Ask the Building Division whether the earlier 25-year clock applies to the building's address.

What is the difference between a milestone inspection and a SIRS?

The milestone inspection is a structural check by a licensed architect or engineer. The structural integrity reserve study estimates the remaining life and replacement cost of major building parts and recommends how much the association should save each year.

How long does a condo association have to finish phase one?

Phase one must be completed within 180 days after the owner receives the local enforcement agency's written notice. The association must tell unit owners about that notice within 14 days of receiving it.

When is phase two required?

Only when phase one finds substantial structural deterioration. Cracks, sagging, signs of leakage and peeling finishes do not count on their own unless the inspector decides they are a sign of deeper structural trouble.

What was the last date to complete a reserve study?

An owner-controlled association that existed on or before July 1, 2022 had to finish by December 31, 2025. One that must finish a milestone inspection by December 31, 2026 may do both together, but in no event may the study be completed after December 31, 2026.

How long do I have to cancel a condo resale contract in Florida?

On a resale, the contract gives you either an acknowledgment that you received the documents more than 7 days before signing, or a right to cancel by written notice within 7 days after receiving them, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. The 15-day period applies to purchases from a developer.

Who do I call at the City of Port Orange about a building's records?

The city lists its Building Permit, Inspection and Business Tax line at 386-506-5602. The Community Development Department is at 1000 City Center Circle, Port Orange, FL 32129.

This guide stays inside the City of DeLand. Everything here comes from the city's own building pages, its fee schedules, the county's impact fee office and the Florida Statutes, all read on October 28, 2026. The figures below carry the dates printed on the city's own sheets. The 2026 Impact Fees sheet is marked Effective 12/29/2025.

Who Permits a New House in DeLand and What the City Asks For

The city's Building Division processes all building permits for projects within the city limits of DeLand. If the project is in unincorporated Volusia County, the permit must come from the Building Department of Volusia County. For city versus county, the city page says to go to the Property Appraiser's website.

Florida law requires the permit. Section 553.79 of the Florida Statutes requires a permit before constructing any building in Florida, from the appropriate enforcing agency, on payment of the reasonable fees that agency adopts. The same section says that when a permit is denied or revoked for noncompliance, the agency must identify the specific plan or project features that do not comply. It must also name the code chapters and sections the finding is based on, and give that to the applicant.

DeLand sorts its permits by type. New single family homes are filed under the permit type New Building. The city describes it as construction for a brand new building considered a main structure on the property, including new single family attached and detached dwellings and multifamily structures. Other types cover accessory structures, additions, renovations, demolition, electric, mechanical, plumbing, reroofing, signs and solar.

The code in force is stated on the city's permit pages. The 8th Edition (2023) Florida Building Codes and the 2020 National Electric Code are effective for all permits applied for on or after December 31, 2023. The date is tied to when the application was made.

The city publishes a checklist for a single family residence, townhouse, addition or duplex. The administrative items are specific. An Owner/Builder Disclosure form is signed and notarized in the office if it applies. An updated workers' compensation exemption or certificate is uploaded with the application. A Notice of Commencement is recorded for any improvement with a contract price greater than five thousand dollars, and the checklist says it must be submitted before the first inspection is scheduled.

The plans items follow. The checklist asks for construction plans including truss layouts or conventional framing details, signed and sealed by a licensed professional where the code requires it. It asks for truss packages and layouts with the engineer's seal and for energy calculation forms. It asks for dimensioned site plans that show the setback requirements, a Product Approval Specification sheet, and the septic location with Health Department approval if septic applies. The checklist adds that other plans may be required and gives a building email address and phone numbers for scope questions.

A second city document, the plan checklist for the Florida Building Code one and two family dwellings, goes further into detail. It calls itself a guide only. It says plans with insufficient information will be rejected. It lists two sets of plans sealed by an engineer or architect. It lists two signed and sealed surveys, including the crown of road, the finished floor, the driveway location and the location and dbh of each tree on the parcel. The elevations section has blanks labeled Flood BFE and FFE. If plans are submitted electronically, the document says to submit only one of each item.

The city also sets a rule for the as-built survey. A notice on the Building Permits page is addressed to contractors, engineers and surveyors. It says that for proper lot grading and drainage, the as-built survey must show at least three additional spot elevations along the lot line on each side, at regular intervals, beyond the spot elevations on the approved plot plan. The page says the spot elevations should let the reviewer see whether there are humps or dips that may impede proper stormwater runoff.

Permits are processed by the date received. Permits are reviewed and processed according to the date received. The Plans Examiner addresses any deficiencies and contacts the applicant. The application stays on hold until every request from the plans examiner is satisfied. The city asks that a valid email address or phone number be on the application. After all approvals, the Building Division contacts the applicant to give the cost of the permit.

The city says that in accordance with section 553.79, the status of all building permit applications may be obtained through its Accela Citizen Portal. The city also runs a Development Activity Map. It shows planning applications, building permits, fire permits, code enforcement cases and business applications processed by the city. The page says the map is updated daily and offers alerts for an area of the city.

The city's Permit Exemption page explains the exemption. Under Florida House Bill 803, effective July 1, 2026, owners of single-family homes and their contractors may do qualifying work valued at less than seven thousand five hundred dollars without a building permit. Electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas and structural work does not qualify regardless of value. Neither does any work on property located partially or entirely within a Flood Hazard Area. A project cannot be split into smaller pieces to stay under the threshold, and the exemption applies to a complete single-family residential project. The city requires a written exemption request. Its legal notice says the city has no legal duty to the owner or contractor for work done under the exemptions.

The city also explains why it wants permits pulled. The Building Permits page says permits are necessary to satisfy insurance requirements and to protect health, safety and welfare. It says work done without the proper permits could result in complications when selling a home, including preventing the sale until the work is compliant with current city and building codes. It adds the risk of fines.

An applicant may request private provider plan review and inspections. The city's private provider page says registration became available October 1, 2025 and became required January 1, 2026. It says an applicant may request private provider plan review and private provider inspections, and city inspectors will not conduct inspections when plan review is conducted by a private provider. Early Start Permits are not permitted under a private provider. No work may begin until a building permit is issued, and no inspection report may pre-date the permit issuance date. A Notice to Building Official is required with every new permit. The page tells applicants to review the permit invoice for discounts.

What a New Build Costs the City and the County in Fees

Three separate sets of fees apply. The city charges building permit fees. The city charges its own impact fees and water and sewer development fees. Volusia County charges its own impact fees.

Start with the permit itself. The city charges a non-refundable submittal fee when the application goes in. The residential fee is one hundred dollars and the commercial fee is two hundred dollars. The city says new construction valuation is based on the current rate of the ICC Building Valuation Data Table or the actual value, whichever is greater. Permit fees are paid in full at pickup, and the city accepts cash, check, money order, Visa or Mastercard. The fees page adds that a 3% convenience fee is added to online transactions through the Citizen Portal when a credit card is used, shown as a separate charge before the transaction is completed.

The city's building fees change on October 9, 2026, in response to Florida HB 803. Permit applications without a complete submittal package that have not been accepted for review by September 30, 2026 are processed under the new fees. Applications in review by September 30, 2026 have the current fees applied. The city links the new schedule under the heading Building Fees Effective October 9th 2026.

That schedule sets a residential permit fee for single-family homes, townhouses and duplexes at one dollar and ten cents per square foot. The square footage is the area under roof, and the schedule says that includes porches, garages, carports, interior alterations, additions and detached accessory structures. A zoning review fee may apply. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing are one hundred fifty dollars each. Each required inspection is one hundred dollars.

Plan review has its own line. Residential plan review is ten cents per square foot with a minimum of one hundred dollars. A plan revision review is thirty dollars per page. A reinspection for the first and second inspection is one hundred dollars, and for the third and any later inspection of the same item it is three hundred dollars. An access drive permit is fifty dollars per driveway. The schedule also reduces calculated fees by 25 percent for plan review and for inspection when a private provider is used. A change to a private provider after the permit is issued carries a flat fee of one thousand two hundred dollars.

Next come the city's impact fees. The city's 2026 Impact Fees sheet lists, for a single family dwelling, Fire and EMS at one thousand forty-one dollars, Police at five hundred forty dollars, Government at eight hundred seventy-six dollars and Parks and Recreation at two thousand four hundred eight dollars. The sheet is marked Effective 12/29/2025. The sheet also defines the category. Single family generally includes single family detached housing, town houses, duplexes, residential buildings with fewer than five dwelling units and mobile home units. Multi-family means residential buildings with five or more dwelling units.

The same sheet lists water at three hundred eighteen dollars and seventy-five cents per fixture unit and sewer at three hundred sixty-six dollars per fixture unit. City Ordinance 2026-22 amends section 30-20 of the DeLand Code of Ordinances, which covers development fees, and its effective date section says it takes effect October 1, 2026. Under the ordinance text, one equivalent residential unit is equivalent to 20 fixture units, and all residential units are charged a connection fee equal to one ERU. The ordinance copy marks its changes with underline and strikethrough. The new rates it prints are the same per-unit figures as the impact fee sheet.

When are the city fees due? The city's fees page says building inspection fees and city impact fees, meaning water, sewer, police, fire, government buildings, and parks and recreation, are collected when the permit is issued. The ordinance text for section 30-20 gives a different trigger. It says the development fee for new construction shall be due and payable upon application for water or sewer service, and that the fee is charged separately for water and for sewer. These are two statements from two city documents.

Volusia County's fees are separate from all of that. The county has five growth-related impact fees: Transportation for roads, Education for schools, Parks and Recreation, EMS and Fire Rescue. The county says they pay for new or expanded county roads and facilities needed to serve new residential and non-residential development. The county FAQ says an impact fee is assessed and due from anyone who builds a new residence or commercial building or changes the use of an existing building.

The city says new construction, including additions, must submit a county impact fee application with a copy of the floor plan to the Volusia County Permit Center so the county can calculate the transportation impact fees. The county FAQ describes the route for a project inside city limits. The application goes in through the Connect Live portal, by email to impactfees@volusia.gov or in person at the DeLand office, and the bottom of the application must be signed by city staff before it is uploaded. The county impact fee office is at 123 W. Indiana Ave. in DeLand and its number is 386-736-2700.

Two pages describe the timing. The city's page says Volusia County impact fees can be deferred until the completion of the project. The county FAQ says impact fee payments are due before the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy. The county does not accept partial payments, but it lets a payer pay each use separately and in its entirety. Its example is paying the road impact fees now and the school impact fees later.

State law sets guardrails for impact fees. The Florida Impact Fee Act is section 163.31801. For fees adopted or increased after July 1, 2026, it requires that the calculation rest on a demonstrated-need study that is plan-based. It limits administrative charges for collecting the fee to actual costs. It requires 90 days notice before the effective date of a new or increased fee. It says collection may not be required to occur earlier than the date the building permit is issued. It also says funds must be earmarked for capital facilities to benefit new users.

The Act also limits how fast a fee can rise. An increase of not more than 25 percent must be implemented in two equal annual increments. An increase over 25 percent and up to 50 percent must be implemented in four equal installments. An increase may not exceed 50 percent, and a fee may not be increased more than once every four years. The statute provides a separate path for extraordinary circumstances. It also says a local government that requires any improvement or contribution must credit that contribution against the impact fee dollar for dollar at fair market value, for the same category of public facilities.

Inspections, the Certificate of Occupancy and Related Deadlines

The city has an automated inspection line and an online permit scheduling system, and it lists SelecTXT as another way to schedule an inspection by text. The phone system is open 24 hours a day to schedule and cancel inspections, get results and pay inspection fees. It asks for the permit number and the inspection codes. The caller should not hang up until the system issues a confirmation number. The permit inspection phone number is 386-626-7035. The city also accepts digitally sealed plans for review through ePermitHub.

The city has no stand-alone page for the certificate of occupancy that this guide could find. A note headed Certificates of Occupancy states that a final survey shall be submitted prior to the CO for new single-family homes and commercial buildings, effective May 13, 2025. The same note lists extra documents for commercial buildings, including a county receipt showing impact fees paid in full.

The city states that the Certificate of Occupancy will not be issued until all fees are paid in full. The county states that impact fee payments are due before the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy. The city's Building Permits page says a final survey shall be submitted prior to the CO for new single-family homes, effective May 13, 2025.

Section 553.791 sets a clock inside its private provider section. Subsection 16 says that within 10 business days, or within 2 business days if the permit relates to a single-family or two-family dwelling, after the building official receives a request for a certificate of occupancy and the applicant presents a certificate of compliance and approval of all other required government approvals, including payment of all outstanding fees, the building official shall issue the certificate or give notice of incomplete forms or documents. If no notice is given in that time, the request is automatically granted and deemed issued as of the next business day. The written certificate must then be provided within 10 days. The statute defines the request as a properly completed and executed application. The city has not published a DeLand-specific turnaround that this guide could find.

Under section 95.11, the time for an action founded on the design, planning or construction of an improvement to real property runs from the date the authority issues a temporary certificate of occupancy, a certificate of occupancy or a certificate of completion, or the date of abandonment, whichever is earliest. For a latent defect, the time runs from discovery. In any event the action must be commenced within seven years after that date.

The tax calendar has its own date. Section 192.042 says real property is assessed on January 1 of each year, and that improvements or portions not substantially completed on January 1 shall have no value placed on them. It defines substantially completed to mean the improvement, or a self-sufficient unit within it, can be used for its purpose.

Related guides: Buying New Construction in Volusia County: Builder Contracts, Inspections and Costs, DeLand Taxes, Utilities and the City vs County Line, Volusia County Homestead Exemption: How to File and What It Saves You, Moving to DeLand: Utilities, Trash, Permits, Month 1, Living in DeLand, FL: Neighborhoods, Costs and What to Know.

Bottom Line

A new house in DeLand runs through the city and the county. The city's Building Division permits it. The city collects its own fees. Under the Volusia County FAQ, the county impact fee payments are due before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued, and the city says it will not issue the certificate of occupancy until all fees are paid in full. The city also lists a final survey ahead of the certificate for a new single-family home.

The Building Permits page lists the permit status in the Accela Citizen Portal, and the city's pages describe two timings for city fees: when the permit is issued, and upon application for water or sewer service. The county impact fee application goes through the Connect Live portal, by email to impactfees@volusia.gov, or in person at the DeLand office. The final survey is listed in the city's note on Certificates of Occupancy. On the state side, section 95.11 runs the limit for construction claims from the earliest of a temporary certificate of occupancy, a certificate of occupancy, a certificate of completion or abandonment, and no later than seven years after that date.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide stays with what those sources say. It does not say that a nightly rental is allowed in a DeLand neighborhood, and it does not say that one is banned. The sources below cover what is written and what we did not find. See also: Living in DeLand, FL: Neighborhoods, Costs and What to Know.

What DeLand's code says about lodging

Start with what we searched and what came back. A search of the DeLand Code of Ordinances for "short-term rental" returned two hits. One was Section 33-37, the Medical Services Overlay District, where the match was the phrase "long-term care services." The other was Section 33-12, the definitions section of the Land Development Regulations, where the match was the phrase "on a short term basis" inside the definition of a temporary communication tower. A search for "vacation rental" returned one hit, also Section 33-12, and the text of that section does not contain the phrase "vacation rental."

The Code of Ordinances page also carries a list headed "Adopted Ordinances Not Yet Codified." On October 28, 2026 that list held ten ordinances. They are 2026-22 (development and connection fees), 2026-21 (water, sewer and reclaimed water rates), 2026-19 (construction in rights-of-way), 2026-20 (building codes reinspection fee), 2026-10 (utility service area reference), 2026-08 (micromobility devices), 2026-05 (building code time limitation), 2026-04 (oil and grease), 2026-02 (plats) and 2026-01 (police lobby recording). None of those titles concerns rentals or lodging.

The code defines the following terms: hotel, motel, bed and breakfast homestay and bed and breakfast inn. Section 33-12 defines a hotel as "a building, group of buildings, or other structure kept, used, maintained or advertised under the same management as a place where sleeping accommodations for more than 16 persons or more than eight rooms are supplied for pay to transient guests." The same section defines a motel, tourist court or motor lodge as "a group of attached or detached buildings with individual sleeping units, with automobile storage or parking space provided in connection therewith, designed for use by automobile transients."

Two more definitions follow. The first is the bed and breakfast homestay. The code calls it a bed and breakfast facility which is an accessory use to a single-family dwelling unit. No more than six rooms in the principal residential structure are set aside for guest clients. Breakfast is available on site solely to guest clients at no extra charge. The length of stay of guest clients ranges from one to 30 days. The owner or operator of the principal structure resides on site. The definition adds that a homestay does not include uses such as motels, hotels, community residential facilities, boarding or lodging houses.

The second is the bed and breakfast inn. The code calls it a dwelling unit that is 50 years of age or older. Up to 12 rooms in the principal residential structure are set aside for guest clients. Breakfast is available on site solely to guest clients at no extra charge. The length of stay ranges from one day to 90 days. The owner or operator of the principal structure resides on site. The inn definition also does not include such uses as motels, hotels, community residential facilities, boarding or lodging houses.

The homestay definition states a limit of six rooms and one to 30 days. The inn definition states a limit of up to 12 rooms and one day to 90 days. Both say the owner or operator of the principal structure resides on site. The hotel definition is stated in terms of more than 16 persons or more than eight rooms under the same management. The motel definition is stated in terms of individual sleeping units with parking, designed for use by automobile transients.

Section 33-27.03 states the purpose of the bed and breakfast rules. It says permitting homestays as accessory uses in residential areas, inns as accessory uses in residential areas and inns in commercial areas "is to preserve historic structures and avert commercial development pressures."

Where DeLand's zoning lists lodging uses

Section 33-16.01 says "The purpose of this article is to describe the specific permitted uses allowed in the various zoning districts created herein." The use tables are in Section 33-17. We did not find a sentence in Section 33-16 or 33-17 that states what happens to a use the tables do not list.

Section 33-27.03 gives the district lists in words. Homestays that are an accessory use to a single-family residence may be located in R-R, R-R1, R-1AA, R-1A, R-1B, R-1, R-2, P-1 and PD, provided the use is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and the requirements of the section are met. Inns that are an accessory use to a residential use may be located in R-8, R-12, R-16 and PD. Inns may also be located in BR, C-1, C-2, C-2A and PD.

The use table in Section 33-17 is not identical. In the residential table, "Bed and breakfast homestay, accessory" is marked P in R-R, R-R1, R-1AA, R-1A, R-1B, R-1, R-1C and R-2. It has no mark in R-8 through E-1. "Bed and breakfast inn, accessory" is marked P in R-8, R-12 and R-16. The table shows R-1C and omits P-1 and PD, which the written section lists.

In the commercial table, which covers the P-1, BR, C-1, C-2, C-2A, C-2AC, C-3, C-4 and M-1 districts, "Bed and breakfast inn" is marked P in BR, C-1, C-2 and C-2A. It is marked "C 19" in P-1. "Hotels or motels and associated accessory uses including restaurant and conference facilities" are marked P in BR, C-2 and C-2A. They are marked "C 5" in C-1 and "C 6" in M-1. There is no mark for them in P-1, C-2AC, C-3 or C-4. We did not read the legend for the "C" or the footnotes, so we do not state what they require.

The individual residential district sections list the homestay as "accessory use only (See also section 33-27.03.)" The table and the text differ.

The homestay standards, the business tax receipt and the license

Section 33-27.03 adds standards a homestay must meet, in addition to the definition. All homestays and inns "shall be reviewed and approved as outlined in section 33-132 of the Land Development Regulations," which is a development permit. The standards for a homestay are listed one by one.

No more than six guestrooms are allowed. The use of the structure is subordinate to its residential purposes and shall not change its character. No stove, oven or range is permitted in bedrooms. No living quarters or guestrooms may be located in an accessory building, and that item is subject to the Special Exception process. The entire perimeter is landscaped with at least a Class A landscape buffer, except for any portion of the lot adjacent to commercial zoning. Food service is restricted to guests. A Class B buffer shall screen parking areas unless they are located in the rear of the building. Parking and traffic may not be in greater volumes than normally expected in a residential neighborhood.

Three items carry a Special Exception tag. The first is the accessory-building item above: no living quarters or guestrooms in an accessory building. The second is that homestays are restricted to properties which have at least one side abutting a nonresidential zoning district. The third is that guestrooms are in structures 50 years of age or older. Each of the three is tagged as subject to the Special Exception process.

Inns that are not accessory uses are subject to the relevant residential development and design requirements for the zoning district. No accessory bed and breakfast inn may have more than 12 guestrooms.

Now the city's business paperwork. The city's page on business tax receipts says all businesses located within the City of DeLand are required to obtain a Business Tax Receipt, formerly known as an Occupational License, which must be renewed annually. Renewals are sent by email in July of each year. An email in April asks for an annual declaration of changes such as the number of employees, seats or stations. The homestay standards add that a homestay is subject to all applicable city business tax receipts and all applicable state and local business taxes. The city's contact for questions is 386-626-7007 or building@deland.org.

The state license is the third piece. Section 509.241 of the Florida Statutes says each public lodging establishment shall obtain a license from the state's division. A public lodging license may not be transferred from one place or individual to another. Operating without a license is a misdemeanor of the second degree.

The statutes define the label. Under Section 509.242, a vacation rental is any unit or group of units in a condominium or cooperative, or any individually or collectively owned single-family, two-family, three-family or four-family house or dwelling unit, that is also a transient public lodging establishment but is not a timeshare project. Under Section 509.013, transient occupancy means occupancy that is temporary. The term includes the occupancy of a dwelling unit at a hotel, motel, vacation rental, bed and breakfast inn or timeshare project, unless a written rental or lease agreement expressly states that the dwelling unit is the sole residence of the guest.

The state's Division of Hotels and Restaurants keeps an easily searchable online database of licensed vacation rentals. The division says it gives the address of every vacation rental condo or dwelling currently licensed and that it refreshes daily.

State law, taxes and association rules

Section 509.032(7)(b) provides that a local law, ordinance or regulation may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate the duration or frequency of rental of vacation rentals. The next sentence says this paragraph does not apply to any local law, ordinance or regulation adopted on or before June 1, 2011.

Section 509.032(7)(a) separately says that the regulation of public lodging establishments, including sanitation standards and inspections, is preempted to the state. It also says this does not preempt the authority of a local government or local enforcement district to conduct inspections of public lodging and public food service establishments for compliance with the Florida Building Code and the Florida Fire Prevention Code.

Two taxes may apply to renting living quarters. The first is the state tax. Section 212.03(1)(a) says every person is exercising a taxable privilege who engages in the business of renting, leasing, letting or granting a license to use living quarters in connection with any hotel, apartment house, roominghouse, tourist or trailer camp, mobile home park, recreational vehicle park, condominium or timeshare resort. Section 212.03(1)(c) exempts the rental of facilities intended primarily as a principal or permanent place of residence, and it says the rental of such facilities that primarily serve transient guests is not exempt by that subsection. We do not quote a rate here.

The second is Volusia County's Tourist and Convention Development Tax, which applies to rentals of 6 months or less. The county describes it as a local option transient rental tax collected by Volusia County. Everyone who rents, leases or lets any living quarters for a term of 6 months or less is exercising a taxable privilege. If you rent a bed, room, apartment, house, condo, hotel, motel, recreational vehicle or watercraft for 6 months or less, you are responsible for collecting and remitting this tax. You register online, by email at treasury@volusia.org or by phone at (386) 943-7085.

The county adds its own caution. Its page says "Registration and payment of taxes does not guarantee compliance with other state and local laws. Please contact your city and county zoning departments to determine whether short-term rentals are permitted in your area, and if so, for what duration."

Association documents can restrict rentals as well. For a home in a homeowners association, Section 720.306 says which parcel owners a rental amendment applies to. A governing document or amendment enacted after July 1, 2021 that prohibits or regulates rental agreements applies only to a parcel owner who acquires title after the effective date or who consents. A separate paragraph says an association may amend its governing documents to prohibit or regulate rental agreements for a term of less than 6 months. It may also prohibit the rental of a parcel more than three times in a calendar year. Those amendments apply to all parcel owners.

For a condominium, under Section 718.110(13), an amendment that prohibits unit owners from renting, alters the duration of the rental term or specifies or limits the number of times unit owners may rent during a specified period applies only to unit owners who consent and to unit owners who acquire title after the amendment's effective date.

Section 720.401 requires a disclosure summary before the contract for sale. A prospective parcel owner must be presented a disclosure summary before executing the contract for sale. If it was not provided before the contract, the purchaser may void the contract by written notice within 3 days after receipt of the disclosure summary or prior to closing, whichever occurs first. The right may not be waived and terminates at closing. The section does not apply to associations regulated under chapter 718, 719, 721 or 723.

See also: DeLand Taxes, Utilities and the City vs County Line and Florida Home Insurance for Buyers: 4-Point, Wind Mitigation and Citizens Explained.

Where each source can be reached

The city's Business Tax Receipt page lists 386-626-7007 and building@deland.org for questions. The Volusia County Tourist and Convention Development Tax page lists treasury@volusia.org and (386) 943-7085, and says to register online. The state's Division of Hotels and Restaurants publishes its searchable database of licensed vacation rentals online. For the city's Code of Ordinances, the version we read is Supplement 15, with online content updated June 30, 2026 and codified through Ordinance 2025-17, adopted October 20, 2025.

Also see: Closing Costs in Florida: What Buyers and Sellers Pay in Volusia County and DeLand Flood Zones and Insurance: How to Check an Address.

The bottom line

Our search of DeLand's code found no section that defines or regulates a short-term rental by name. The city's written code defines hotels, motels, bed and breakfast homestays and bed and breakfast inns. The homestay and the inn each have a district list and stated limits. Section 33-27.03 sets homestay and inn standards. Florida law says a local law, ordinance or regulation may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate the duration or frequency of rental of vacation rentals, and that paragraph does not apply to a local rule adopted on or before June 1, 2011. Florida requires public lodging to be licensed, Volusia County collects a tax on rentals of 6 months or less and association documents can restrict rentals.

Volusia County's tax page says to contact the city and county zoning departments with questions on whether short-term rentals are permitted. For homes in DeLand, it does not name those departments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything below comes from the city's Permits & Licensing pages, the city's PDFs, the Volusia County impact fee page and the Florida Statutes. Several of the city documents carry their own dates, and those dates are stated where they matter. The amounts and dates below are the ones printed on the documents on the day they were read.

What the City of Daytona Beach Asks For Before a New Home Permit

The Permits & Licensing office is at 301 S. Ridgewood Ave., Room 127B, in Daytona Beach. The phone number is (386) 671-8178. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The city names a Chief Building Official on that page. It also says the city uses the web-based Intuitive Municipal Services platform, called iMS, for online permit and license services.

Under "Always Check Before Building," the city says to start with zoning to see if what you want to do is feasible and allowed. It adds that a survey should show current structures and should state what FEMA-based flood zone you are in.

The city then lists a minimum set of items to construct a single-family residence. A new home or an addition needs two signed and sealed surveys, and the surveyor of record must dimension the structure onto the survey. The city also requires two site plans and a tree permit form for a new structure or an addition. The city's fee schedule has a line for tree removal or clearance at twenty dollars per tree, up to six hundred dollars.

The plans carry the most detail. The city says new structures and additions need plans showing all elevation views, the footing or monolithic slab, the exterior walls and the interior wall layout. For the slab, the plans show the location, size, steel placement and type, and the strength of the concrete. For the walls, the plans show downrods, window and door locations, lintels, headers, smoke alarms, an ADA accessible bathroom, plumbing fixtures, attic or crawl space access and properly sized rooms.

The roof is handled in two pieces. The roof truss layout must be signed and sealed by the architect or engineer of record. The truss engineering is signed and sealed by the truss manufacturer's engineer. The plans also show typical wall sections and buck details.

Energy calculations are on the list too. The city says that form is usually provided by the mechanical (HVAC) contractor, and that Manual D or J calculations are also required. Window and door specifications must be provided at the jobsite if the form is filled out correctly and shows either the Florida Approval Number or the Miami-Dade NOA. If neither is available, two sets of installation details and manufacturer specifications must be submitted.

The city also publishes a Single Family Home Submittal Checklist. The Single Family Home Submittal Checklist is dated 06/26/2024 in its footer. It begins with the online permit application submittal and a recorded Notice of Commencement. It lists a utility application or a septic tank permit from Volusia County, if applicable. It lists a disclosure statement that applies only to an owner/builder applicant, and a permit authorization of the license holder, if applicable. It lists a recorded warranty deed if the deed differs from what the Property Appraiser's webpage shows. It also lists architectural approval for LPGA and Pelican Bay only.

The checklist describes the survey in detail. The signed and sealed survey shows all proposed improvements with setback measurements for the principal structure, the driveway, the A/C pad and any accessory structures, measured from all property lines. It shows a proposed finish floor elevation, with a minimum of 12 inches above the crown of the road and 1 foot above base flood elevation. It shows elevations at the crown of the road, at all corners including one between each corner, and at mechanical equipment. It shows flow arrows for storm water runoff. It states the flood zone according to the most current FEMA map. A signed and sealed Elevation Certificate is added if the lot is in the 100 year flood zone or is non-FIRM.

The remaining checklist items are these. One copy of the tree permit form goes in with one copy of a landscape plan that shows whether trees are being removed. Construction plans must be designed by a Florida registered engineer to meet section R301 of the 2023 Florida Building Code, 8th Edition, Residential, and must be signed, sealed and verified by a third party. The package includes one set of truss engineering that is signed, sealed and dated, and one completed Product Approval Form, with one complete set of installation specifications on the jobsite. It includes energy forms that are signed and dated, plus one copy of the front page. If applicable, it includes a snapshot of the subdivision plot plan showing the lot and the lots next to it. The checklist closes: "Additional plans, documents, and information may be required."

The city says a Volusia County impact fee statement must be submitted when the permit application package is brought in, and that the statement indicates whether or not the fees have been paid. The city page also has an affordable housing note. If you are requesting expedited processing, notify Permits & Licensing or Planning staff when you submit and state the statutory basis. Staff give higher priority to applications that qualify under the Live Local Act.

Impact Fees and the Other Charges on the City Schedule

The city impact fee schedule for single-family homes has five parts. They are Fire/EMS, General Government, Parks, Police and Roads. The schedule is headed December 1, 2025 to November 30, 2026, even though the file name on the city's site says 2024-2025. The schedule sorts amounts by conditioned square feet, and four of the five parts do not change from one size band to the next.

Those four parts are the same in every band. Fire/EMS is four hundred forty-four dollars and sixty-seven cents. General Government is seven hundred twenty dollars. Parks is one thousand eight hundred twenty-nine dollars. Police is four hundred eighty-two dollars and thirty-three cents. Only Roads moves. It is three hundred fourteen dollars for a home under 1,000 square feet, three hundred fifty-nine dollars for 1,000 to 1,999 square feet, three hundred eighty dollars for 2,000 to 2,999, three hundred ninety-eight dollars for 3,000 to 3,999 and four hundred eight dollars for 4,000 or more.

The totals follow from that. A home under 1,000 square feet totals three thousand seven hundred ninety dollars. A home from 1,000 to 1,999 square feet totals three thousand eight hundred thirty-five dollars. The 2,000 to 2,999 band totals three thousand eight hundred fifty-six dollars and the 3,000 to 3,999 band totals three thousand eight hundred seventy-four dollars. A home of 4,000 square feet or more totals three thousand eight hundred eighty-four dollars. The same schedule lists a multi-family unit at two thousand seven hundred six dollars and eighty-six cents and a mobile home at two thousand seven hundred eighty-eight dollars and sixty-seven cents.

The city also has an Impact Fee Application. The form states that a city building permit application must be submitted before this review. The form asks for the city permit application date and number, the address and the 12-digit tax parcel ID number from the County Property Appraiser. It asks for the intended use, with choices that include single-family, duplex, accessory dwelling unit, townhome or condo, mobile home and apartment. It asks for the number of dwelling units, the number of stories and the square feet, and it says the square feet are measured on conditioned and living space. The form lists the Permits & Licensing office at 301 S. Ridgewood Avenue, Room 127, phone (386) 671-8264.

The city documents fetched for this guide do not say when the city impact fee must be paid, so this guide does not give a deadline for it. The fee schedule says sanitary sewer tap and capital facilities fees are in addition to the plumbing fees, and that water tap and capital facilities fees are in addition to those and are prescribed by the City Commission from time to time. The schedule gives no tap fee amounts.

The county has its own set. Volusia County lists five growth-related impact fees: Transportation (roads), Education (schools), Parks and Recreation, Emergency Medical Services and Fire Rescue. The county says they pay for the cost of new or expanded county roads and facilities needed to serve new residential and non-residential development. The county lists impactfees@volusia.gov as its contact. The city's checklist prints impactfees@Volusia.org. The county page does not state when its fees are due. The city's checklist does. It says Volusia County impact fees are due prior to the certificate of occupancy being issued.

The city fee schedule for 2025-2026 lists the permit-side charges as well. A residential one- or two-family new construction plumbing permit is one hundred seventeen dollars and fifteen cents. The mechanical line for residential one- and two-family new and existing construction is ninety-seven dollars and sixty-five cents. The electrical line for residential one- and two-family new construction is one hundred fifty-six dollars and twenty cents. The application fee is thirty-three dollars and eighty cents. The schedule adds a technology surcharge of 10 percent of the permit fee, and it lists a re-inspection fee of fifty-six dollars and thirty-five cents.

Power has its own lines. The schedule lists Pre-Power 90 days at one hundred ninety-five dollars and twenty-five cents and a Pre-Power 90 day extension at ninety-seven dollars and sixty-five cents. The city's inspection list also has a Pre-Power inspection code, 480.

The buyer's side of a new-home contract has its own statute. Under section 501.1375, an offer or contract between a building contractor or developer and a buyer of a one- or two-family residential dwelling unit must notify the buyer that any deposit, up to 10 percent of the purchase price, will be placed in escrow unless the buyer waives that in writing. The escrow holder can be a savings and loan association, a bank, a trust company, an attorney who is a member of The Florida Bar, a licensed Florida real estate broker or a title insurance company. The contract must carry the conspicuous legend the statute requires. The statute defines "default" as the buyer's failure to close after the certificate of occupancy is issued, or the buyer's failure to comply with other obligations in the contract. See also Buying New Construction in Volusia County: Builder Contracts, Inspections and Costs.

Inspections, the Certificate of Occupancy and the Clocks That Run Through the Build

Section 553.79 makes it unlawful to construct, erect, alter, modify, repair or demolish any building without first obtaining a permit from the appropriate enforcing agency, on payment of the reasonable fees that the agency adopts. The same section sets how long a single-family permit lasts. A building permit for a single-family dwelling expires 1 year after it is issued or on the effective date of the next edition of the Florida Building Code, whichever is later. The statute does not stop a local government from extending a permit past that date. It also lets a local government send a written notice of expiration at least 30 days before the permit expires.

The city's fee schedule has two lines that deal with permit timing. One is a permit renewal for a permit extension before the expiration date, at thirty-three dollars and eighty cents. The other is the expired permit fee, at forty-five dollars and ten cents per inspection, to reinstate an expired permit in order to final the permit. Those are the city's own lines, and the city also publishes a Request for Extension form.

The city's inspection list gives each inspection a three-digit code. For a new home the building codes include 107 Footing, 111 Slab, 135 Framing and 195 Final Building. The plumbing codes include 231 Sewer Connection and 295 Final Plumbing. The mechanical list includes 395 Final Mechanical, and the electrical list includes 480 Pre-Power and 495 Final Electric. A group marked "By Others" includes 610 Final Zoning, 620 Final Landscaping and 630 Final Engineering. The list is marked Revised 3/05/08, so the codes may be out of date, and the city can confirm the current codes.

The same list explains how to schedule. It says to call 386.671.8140 and press option 3, or to use the city's online ePermits permit search. It says inspections can be requested up to 9 p.m. for the following business day, and up to 3 days in advance. The fee schedule adds that after-hours inspections are scheduled upon availability of inspectors, with a two hour minimum on weekdays and a four hour minimum on weekends and holidays.

Some projects use a private provider. The city has a Private Provider Audit page that cites section 553.791(1)(b). It says the city may audit private providers up to four times a year. It says an audit may be performed during construction and that construction work may continue without delay while the audit is completed. Findings are uploaded to the record as an Audit Report. Corrections and inspections are the responsibility of the private provider and the permit holder. Under the statute, a fee owner or contractor who uses a private provider notifies the local building official in writing at permit application, or by 2 p.m. local time, 2 business days before the first scheduled inspection.

The certificate of occupancy has a statutory clock. Under section 553.791, the local building official has no more than 10 business days to issue a certificate of occupancy or certificate of completion, or no more than 2 business days when the permit relates to a one- or two-family dwelling. The clock runs from receipt of the request and the applicant's presentation of a certificate of compliance and approval of all other government approvals required by law, including payment of all outstanding fees. The official either issues the certificate or gives notice of incomplete forms. If no notice comes in time, the request is automatically granted and deemed issued as of the next business day. The written certificate is due within 10 days after that. Under section 553.791, the clock runs from receipt of the request, once the applicant presents a certificate of compliance and approval of all other government approvals, including payment of all outstanding fees. The city's checklist separately says Volusia County impact fees are due before the certificate of occupancy is issued.

The city's fee schedule also lists a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy at two hundred ninety-two dollars and ninety cents and a 90 day extension of it at one hundred seventeen dollars and fifteen cents.

The city has a separate Utility Service Application for water and sewer. It asks whether the property is inside the city limits, whether it has access to a paved street and whether it is residential or commercial. It asks whether the work is new construction or an existing facility, and whether a current building permit has been issued, with the permit number. It asks the size of water required and the type of water service: domestic, irrigation or fireline. The city's checklist separately lists a utility application or a septic tank permit from Volusia County, if applicable.

Several other city forms are listed on the Submittal Forms page, including the Notice of Commencement, the Product Approval form, the Request for Partial Inspection, the Land Survey Affidavit, the Roof Inspection Affidavit, the Stormwater Management Plan and the Workman Comp Affidavit. A Blower Door form is also listed. It is headed as an envelope leakage test report for residential compliance with the 2023 Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation, 8th Edition. The city pages fetched for this guide do not say when the form is required.

Two property tax statutes are covered here. Under section 192.042, which covers improvements not substantially completed on January 1, real property is assessed on January 1, and improvements or portions not substantially completed on January 1 have no value placed on them. The statute says "substantially completed" means the improvement, or some self-sufficient unit within it, can be used for the purpose for which it was constructed. Separately, section 196.011 sets a March 1 filing deadline: a person who holds legal title on January 1 and is entitled to an exemption must file an application with the county property appraiser on or before March 1. This guide does not say that deadline applies to unfinished homes. See also Volusia County Homestead Exemption: How to File and What It Saves You.

The last clock is in the statute of limitations. Under section 95.11(3)(b), an action founded on the design, planning or construction of an improvement to real property runs from the date the authority issues a temporary certificate of occupancy, a certificate of occupancy or a certificate of completion, or from abandonment of construction, whichever is earliest. Latent defect runs from discovery, but in any event the action must be commenced within 7 years after that date. The statute adds that correcting or repairing completed work, whether under warranty or otherwise, does not extend the period. A model home runs from the first recorded deed. When a project has several buildings, each building is its own improvement.

The Bottom Line

A new home in Daytona Beach has two sets of impact fees, the city's and Volusia County's, and the city's checklist says the county's are due before the certificate of occupancy is issued. The city's schedule for December 1, 2025 to November 30, 2026 puts its own single-family total between three thousand seven hundred ninety dollars and three thousand eight hundred eighty-four dollars. The permit package has a long list, from two signed and sealed surveys to engineered plans and truss engineering. The city documents read for this guide do not state when the city impact fee is due. See also Daytona Beach real estate and homes.

Short answers drawn from the city documents and the statutes above.

Frequently Asked Questions

We found no published count of septic systems in Port Orange. We did not source a list of streets without sewer. Dollar amounts for a septic repair, a sewer hookup or the sewer availability charge were not sourced, so none appears here. The city sets sewer charges by resolution and posts a utility rate study.

What the Port Orange code says about sewer and septic

The city's Public Utilities Department operates and maintains the municipal utility system, which includes drinking water, sanitary sewer and reclaimed water. Its service area also includes the Town of Ponce Inlet, Wilbur-by-the-Sea, and portions of Daytona Beach Shores and unincorporated Volusia County. The department's page lists 386-506-5720 for establishing or canceling service and 386-506-5766 for reporting a sewer spill.

Section 74-63 is the connection rule. Connection to the city's sewer collection facilities by a property owner, where service is available within the city limits, is mandatory for each lot or parcel of land except unimproved and unused property. Connections to existing improved properties are not mandatory when the nearest sewer line is more than 100 feet from the closest point of the property.

The same section adds three more points. If an existing improved property is proposed to connect to sewer, all existing and proposed future buildings and all other wastewater generators on the property are required to connect at that time as well. No person is required to cross the private property of another to connect unless there is an appropriate easement or right-of-way. And at the time connection is mandatory, the owner becomes liable for all applicable development fees, connection charges and other fees, charges and deposits set by ordinance or resolution of the city council.

Section 74-64 covers an extension. If the city's sewer collection facilities are expanded or extended to an area where service was previously unavailable, the owner of property in that area must connect, as provided in Section 74-63, within one year of the date the service becomes available. The owner also pays all applicable development fees, connection charges and other fees, charges and deposits. The city's water rule, Section 74-31, sets the water connection tests. Water connection is mandatory where available, it is not mandatory for an existing improved property when the nearest water line is more than 100 feet away, and an expansion starts a one-year clock.

Section 74-73 requires approval by the county health department for septic tanks built in the city. Section 74-69 says every residence and building in which humans reside, are employed or congregated must have a sanitary method of disposing of human excrement, and it names two: either a sanitary water closet that is connected with the city sewer, or an approved type of septic tank or related systems. Section 74-73 is titled "Septic tanks to be county-approved." It says no septic tank other than those approved by the county health department shall be constructed within the corporate limits of the city. Section 74-72 makes it unlawful for an owner or lessee to permit the disposal of human excrement on any property except in a sanitary water closet where sewerage lines are available.

Section 74-70 covers building and remodeling. No person shall build or remodel any structure used for human habitation or occupancy within the city which is within 100 feet of a city sanitary sewer line unless it is provided with water-carried sewerage facilities that are designed and constructed to connect to the city's sewer collection system.

There is a written exemption process in Section 74-66. In unique and extraordinary circumstances an owner may be exempted from connecting. The owner files a written request with the city manager stating the basis. Requests other than for a single-family dwelling must come with a statement from a professional engineer. Every request must clearly show three things. First, there is no practical means of connecting the property without extraordinary engineering and construction costs. Second, the cost of connecting is cost prohibitive to an owner who has a practical alternative means of disposing of the wastewater. Third, the long-term costs to the city of maintaining facilities or servicing the property if connected will likely exceed the revenues from the owner.

The code then lists what does not count. A simple booster pump on an owner's sewer line, or a lift station to serve a single-family dwelling or a multifamily project, or similar requirements, do not constitute exemptions. The city engineer reviews, and the city manager submits a recommendation to city council. An exemption is at the absolute discretion of the city council, and it may be reviewed and rescinded at any time. No exemption may be requested or granted based solely on the economic hardship imposed by the mandatory connection requirement.

Charges, permits and who owns which pipe

The code spells out money questions in general terms. Section 74-77 says there is no sewer connection charge for a connection made at the same time as construction of sewer mains when the work is developer installed. If a service connection is required after the main is built, or the city pays for a service connection with a line extension, the city may provide materials or labor to bring the service main to the property line, and a minimum charge per sewer connection applies. The actual charge may be greater than the minimum if the city's actual cost is greater.

Section 74-78 sets the monthly charges. All monthly charges for sewer service are set by resolution of the city council. A monthly minimum charge, called an availability charge, is assessed for sewer that is available but not yet connected. The code adds that the minimum monthly sewer charge is not suspended during vacation periods or during periods when a property is vacated. Water measured through potable irrigation meters is excluded from the computation of the monthly sewer charge, and sewer rates are not applied to water measured through irrigation meters.

Section 74-67 covers a request for service beyond the present collection system. The person requesting the service pays all costs of the extension before construction, including the costs of any pumping stations required. Extensions need plans and specifications prepared by a registered engineer and approved by the city manager or designee. The city also publishes a development fee schedule for water and sewer next to its fire, transportation, parks and police impact fees. The city's page says those fees ensure that new development helps support the services and infrastructure it will need.

The code requires permits for work on the city's system. Section 74-76 makes it unlawful to tap, cut or use any line or part of the city's sewage collection facilities without a written permit from the city and payment of all rates and charges. Section 74-81 says no person other than an authorized city employee may enter any public sewer or make connections to it without a written permit from the city. Section 74-71 covers old plumbing. When an owner or plumber plans to connect old plumbing to the city sewer main, they must notify the city plumbing inspector, who inspects the old plumbing and tells them what alterations are necessary. Anyone who connects without the plumbing inspector's approval is subject to the penalties for violation of the article.

Section 74-74 assigns the house sewer. The property owner is responsible for maintaining and keeping clean the sewer pipe leading from the plumbing system to the city sewer system. That pipe ends at a cleanout normally located near the edge of the utility easement or right of way. Where there is no cleanout, the city sewer system begins at the edge of the utility easement or right-of-way. The city's own FAQ addresses repairs. The city says to contact a local plumbing company for repairs to a damaged lateral that is more than 15 feet from the edge of the paved street or damaged between the house and the clean-out. In other instances the city says to call its Wastewater Collection Division at 386-506-5795.

State rules for septic systems

Section 381.0065 of the Florida Statutes (2025) defines when a sewerage system is "available" for purposes of that section. A sewerage system is "available" when it is capable of being connected to the plumbing of a residence, is not under a Department of Environmental Protection moratorium, and has adequate permitted capacity. For a single-family residence with an estimated flow of 1,000 gallons per day or less, there is one more test. A gravity sewer line, or a low pressure or vacuum collection line in areas approved for it, must exist in a public easement or right-of-way that abuts the property line. The statute defines "Department" in that section as the Department of Environmental Protection. The Port Orange code in Section 74-73 still refers to the county health department. We note both wordings and leave it at that.

Section 381.00655 sets the state connection clocks. The owner of a properly functioning septic system, excluding an approved graywater system, must connect to an available publicly owned sewerage system within 365 days after written notification from the sewerage system owner that it is available. At least one year before the system becomes available, the sewerage system must notify affected owners of the anticipated availability and tell them they will be required to connect within one year of actual availability. The owner may prepay the amortized value of required connection charges in equal monthly installments over a period not to exceed two years from the date of the initial notice.

A 90-day clock applies to a system that needs repair or modification to function in a sanitary manner. The owner of a system that needs repair or modification to function in a sanitary manner must connect to an available sewerage system within 90 days after written notification from the Department of Environmental Protection. In hardship cases the department may approve an extension of not more than 90 days, and it may approve only one. The statute also lets a publicly owned sewerage system, with the department's approval, waive mandatory connection if it decides connection is not required in the public interest due to public health considerations.

Several state rules attach to the septic system itself. If the siting, location and installation conditions or repair information remain the same, a construction or repair permit for a system may be transferred to another person. The new owner files, within 60 days after the transfer of ownership, an amended application with corrected information and proof of ownership. The statute says a fee is not associated with processing that information. A person may not contract to construct, modify, alter, repair, service, abandon or maintain any portion of a system without being registered under part III of chapter 489. An owner who personally performs construction, maintenance or repairs on a system serving his or her own owner-occupied single-family residence is exempt from the registration requirement but remains subject to all permitting requirements.

The statute also speaks to occupancy. A building may not be occupied, and no municipality or agency may authorize occupancy, until the department approves final installation of the system. A municipality or political subdivision may not approve a change in occupancy or tenancy of a building that uses a septic system until the department has reviewed the use of the system with the proposed change, approved it and amended the operating permit.

Bedrooms matter in the statute. A bedroom is a room that can be used for sleeping and that, for site-built dwellings, has a minimum of 70 square feet of conditioned space, is located along an exterior wall, has a closet and a door or an entrance where a door could reasonably be installed, and has an emergency means of escape and rescue opening to the outside under the Florida Building Code. The statute says an existing-system inspection, or a modification, replacement or upgrade of a system, is not required for a remodeling addition or modification to a single-family home if a bedroom is not added. The addition may not cover any part of the existing system or encroach on a required setback or the unobstructed area. The local health department reviews a floor plan and site plan from the remodeler. If it has not finished within seven business days after receiving the plans, the project is approved for the purposes of that paragraph.

One more state rule gets mentioned in Volusia County, so we checked it. Volusia County's Environmental Management page says that effective June 27, 2025, the Department of Environmental Protection implemented a Final Order for Basin Management Action Plans, with septic policies in the Volusia Blue, DeLeon and Gemini Springs areas. Inside those boundaries, a new conventional septic system on a lot of one acre or less is prohibited where central sewer is available. The state's Volusia Blue Spring plan covers portions of DeBary, DeLand, Deltona and Lake Helen, all of Orange City, and a portion of unincorporated Volusia County. The order's text does not contain the words "Port Orange." The Volusia County page says no prohibitions currently exist for conventional systems on lots greater than one acre within the plan boundaries.

The Port Orange Public Utilities Department lists 386-506-5770 for drinking water questions and 386-506-5785 for reclaimed water questions. The city FAQ lists 386-506-5795 for the Wastewater Collection Division, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and says to call 386-756-5380 or 386-506-5785 at other times. The city FAQ also says grease, oils, glass, plastics, antifreeze, pesticides and other listed items should not be disposed of in the sanitary sewer system.

Section 381.00655 also addresses connection fees. The local governing body may provide that a connection fee charged by an investor-owned sewerage system may be paid without interest in monthly installments, not to exceed five years from availability, if it determines the owner has demonstrated financial hardship.

Bottom line

The Port Orange code requires connection to city sewer where it is available, with a 100-foot limit for existing improved properties, a one-year clock when lines are extended and an exemption only in unique and extraordinary circumstances that city council can rescind at any time. The state adds its own definition of "available," a 365-day clock and a 90-day clock for a system that needs repair or modification to function in a sanitary manner. Section 74-69 names an approved type of septic tank as one sanitary method. For Port Orange, the city publishes its code and utility pages, the county publishes its BMAP septic page, and the state publishes the statutes we cited.

Related guides: Port Orange, Florida: A Buyer's Guide to Neighborhoods and Costs, Port Orange Impact Fees: What a New-Build Buyer Pays, Port Orange Utilities and Reclaimed Water for New Owners, Moving to Port Orange: Utilities, Trash and Permits.

Here are answers to eight questions drawn from the city code, the statutes, and the city, county and state pages we read.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide draws on the City of Flagler Beach website, the Flagler County emergency management page, state pages from the Florida Division of Emergency Management and the Florida Statutes. It covers evacuation zones, alerts, hurricane history as the City reports it, flood and wind protection, permits, insurance paperwork and three Florida statutes. It includes a section on what could not be confirmed. See also: Buying a Home in Flagler Beach: What to Know About Florida's Small Beach Town.

Evacuation zones, alerts and who to call

Flagler County publishes a page called Hurricane Evacuation Planning Zones. The county says its map identifies whether an address is within a zone that may be evacuated for a hurricane. The county also says that if evacuation orders are issued, a different map will be available that identifies the neighborhoods being evacuated. The City of Flagler Beach lists the county's evacuation zone map first on its Important Maps page. This guide does not state a zone for any Flagler Beach street, because the county map is interactive and could not be read for this article.

The State of Florida runs a second tool called Know Your Zone. The state says to know whether you live in an evacuation zone, a low-lying flood prone area, a mobile home or an unsafe structure. It describes the colored zones on its map as flood zones. The state says Zone A is typically the most vulnerable and the most likely to evacuate first. It says Zone E is most likely to evacuate last. It also says that not all evacuation zones are always ordered.

The state's page states that the greatest threat to life from a hurricane is storm surge flooding. It tells anyone in an ordered evacuation zone, a low-lying flood area or a mobile home to follow all evacuation orders. It says that if you are not in an ordered zone, a low-lying flood prone area, a mobile home or an unsafe structure, it may be safer to stay in your home. If no order is issued for your area and your house is not in an evacuation zone, the state says you may consider sheltering in place. It adds that you should know your home's ability to withstand strong winds and heavy rain.

The City says it participates with Flagler County Emergency Management in disaster preparedness. It says a Disaster Preparedness Guide is available at County and City government buildings. According to the City, the guide has an evacuation map, a detachable card with important emergency numbers and information on how to plan before, during and after an emergency.

Alerts come through ALERTFlagler. The City describes it as an emergency communications network chosen by Flagler County. People who enroll can receive emails or phone calls, depending on the options they choose, about warnings in targeted geographic areas. The City describes signing up as easy and quick. The City's Emergency Alert page lists a Code Red icon, which is for being notified by the local emergency response team, and an ALERTFlagler sign-up link on the Everbridge member site.

The City's Emergency Alert page says emergency ordinances, declarations and orders that the City adopts are posted in two places. They are posted in the News section of the City home page and on the Emergency Alert page itself.

The City lists phone numbers for the agencies that serve it. In an emergency, call 911. The Flagler County Emergency Operations Center is in Building 3 behind the Government Services Building at 1769 E. Moody Boulevard in Bunnell. The county's administration phone is 386-313-4200 and the 24-hour Sheriff's Center is 386-313-4911. The county's emergency management page also lists the email address eoc@flaglercounty.gov. For the City, the Flagler Beach Police Department is at 240 S. Flagler Avenue and its non-emergency number is 386-517-2020. The Fire Department is at 320 S. Flagler Avenue, 386-517-2010. Public Works is at 105 S. 2nd Street, 386-517-2000. The City says its police, fire and public works departments stand at the ready to assist before, during and after emergency events like hurricanes, floods and other disasters.

The City also names the broadcast channels to use in a declared emergency. On television it lists channel 2 (NBC Orlando, WESH), channel 6 (CBS Orlando, WKMG), channel 9 (ABC Orlando, WFTV) and channel 35 (FOX Orlando, WOFL). On radio it lists AM 1150 WNDB, AM 1550 WNZF, FM 92.7 Beach, FM 93.1 WKRO, FM 98.7 KIX Country and FM 103.3 WVYB.

The City's Flood Warning page points to two tracking tools. One is the National Weather Service site, where you can enter a city or zip code for local conditions, a seven-day forecast and a link to the Hazardous Weather Outlook. The other is the St. Johns River Water Management District, which has rain and stream gauges. The City names the nearest two. One measures rainfall at Mosquito Control near I-95 and Palm Coast Parkway. The other measures water level at Bulow State Park. The City says the data is uploaded every two hours, and that daily totals are not available to the public until the following day.

The City's Flood Hazard page says hurricanes generally approach Flagler Beach either from the Caribbean Sea up the Atlantic coast or across the Florida peninsula from the Gulf of Mexico. It also reports numbers from a private, non-governmental site, hurricanecity.com, whose records date to 1871. As the City reports that site, the longest gap between storms in Flagler Beach was 18 years, from 1982 to 2001. The ratio of tropical storms to hurricanes is 69 to 31. The city gets brushed or hit, on average, every 2.73 years. These numbers come from hurricanecity.com, a private, non-governmental site, as the City's page reports it.

The state's page gives the hurricane season as June 1 through November 30. It encourages Floridians to have at least seven days of supplies, including food, water, medicine and batteries. The state's page notes that Hurricanes Helene and Milton made landfall in Florida in 2024, within two weeks of each other.

On shelters, the state says Florida has two types, general population shelters and special needs shelters. It says not every person with a disability is eligible for a special needs shelter. The state also says that the best place to shelter for every Floridian is outside the evacuation area, in a safe and secure structure, with family and friends. It recommends that an emergency plan list area and regional shelters with directions, and that you choose several destinations in different directions. For a general population shelter, the state says to bring your own supplies, such as bed linens or blankets. This guide does not say which shelters serve Flagler Beach, because that could not be confirmed.

Flood and wind protection on the house itself

The City's Wind Mitigation page defines mitigation as any activity taken to reduce the risk and vulnerability of people and infrastructure to damage and injury. It gives examples for a building. These are wood or metal shutters and impact resistant glazing for windows, beams added to house and garage doors, hurricane clips and straps for roof structures, and tie downs that anchor mobile homes. The City points to a 20-page wind mitigation booklet on the Florida Disaster website.

The City's Property Protection Measures page sorts flood protection into three types, which it calls Emergency, Dry and Wet. Emergency floodproofing is non-permanent. The City names sandbags, earth-fill retaining walls and stop log barriers. The page says these are intended for use when a flood warning has been issued. It also says materials need to be acquired, stored and maintained, and that labor and equipment for installation need to be set up in advance.

Dry floodproofing is designed to keep water from entering a building that is below the Base Flood Elevation. The City says this generally means elevating the building on piers, piles or posts. A building can also be raised on solid foundation walls, which the City says is recommended for areas of low to moderate water depth and velocity. The page states that solid foundation walls are not allowed in the V Zone, also known as the Coastal High Hazard Zone, where wave heights equal or exceed three feet. It also names two other options. One is to relocate the structure to a place above the Base Flood Elevation. The other is to demolish it and rebuild to modern code.

Wet floodproofing works the other way. The City says it lets water enter the building so that the water levels inside and outside equalize. That greatly reduces hydrostatic pressure, including buoyancy. The City says this is done with openings in the foundation, generally one square inch for each square foot of interior space. The City states that wet floodproofing does not protect contents. It says it is practical only for enclosures below raised buildings.

The same page names a FEMA manual, the Homeowner's Guide to Retrofitting, Six Ways to Protect Your Home from Flooding, from 2009, numbered FEMA P-312. A copy is at City Hall for loan.

The City states that construction in the City, regardless of flood zone, requires a Flagler Beach building permit. The City Commission passed new floodplain requirements, Ordinance 2015-03, on February 26, 2015. The City says it was written in conjunction with the Florida Building Code. The City lists the Building Permit Department at 116 South 3rd Street, phone 386-517-2005. To report illegal floodplain development, the City lists its Code Enforcement Officer at 386-517-2000, extension 249. That page also carries a public notice titled SWIFT Grant (Home Elevation). This guide did not read the notice, so it says nothing more about it.

The City's Building Plan Reviews and Inspections page says a building permit is required for all projects to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure. Permits are also required for electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems regulated by technical codes. The City lists exceptions for cosmetic work, such as carpeting, wood flooring, tile, cabinet replacement and residential painting. Required inspections are listed on every permit. You can schedule an inspection by calling 386-517-2000, pressing 3 for the Building Department and then 6 for Inspections. You can also use the Online Inspection Portal. The City says inspections scheduled before 4:30 p.m. may be performed the following business day. The Chief Building Official is in the office from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. each business day.

The Florida Statutes add two rules that apply to roofs and openings. Section 553.844 says that for site-built single-family residential structures, a roof replacement must incorporate secondary water barriers and the strengthening or correcting of roof-decking attachments and fasteners. For a building in the wind-borne debris region with an insured value of three hundred thousand dollars or more, a roof replacement must also incorporate roof-to-wall connection techniques. The statute says just valuation applies if the building is uninsured. The statute states that roof-to-wall connections are not required unless evaluation and installation at gable ends or all corners can be completed for 15 percent of the cost of roof replacement.

The same section covers opening protection. Permit-required work applied for on or after July 1, 2008, with an estimated cost of fifty thousand dollars or more, must include opening protections as required for new construction in the wind-borne debris region. That applies where the insured value is seven hundred fifty thousand dollars or more, or the just valuation is that much if the building is uninsured. The statute excludes roof covering replacement or repair work associated with preventing degradation of the residence. It also says that if a roof built, repaired or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or a later edition is 25 percent or more repaired, replaced or recovered, only the repaired, replaced or recovered portion must be brought to the code.

Flood insurance, disclosure and paperwork on a purchase

The City's Flood Insurance page says most homeowners' insurance policies do not cover flood. The state's flood insurance page says the same and tells readers to check their policy. The City says coverage generally does not take effect until 30 days after purchase. The state says many policies take upwards of 30 days to take effect.

The City's page says flood insurance is mandatory for a home with a federally backed mortgage in the Special Flood Hazard Area, which it lists as zones A, AE, V and VE. It says flood insurance is available to anyone. It reports that nearly 25 percent of National Flood Insurance Program claims are for policies outside the mapped high-risk areas, and it says that statistic was updated in 2013. The City lists the factors that go into a premium. They are the amount of coverage, the deductible, the age of the building, its occupancy, the design of its foundation, its elevation and its flood zone. The state adds that private providers may have higher limits or broader coverage than National Flood Insurance Program policies. Related: Flagler Beach Flood Zones and Flood Insurance for Buyers.

The City states that it was accepted into the National Flood Insurance Program on May 15, 1985 and became a member of the Community Rating System on October 1, 1995. The page says Flagler Beach achieved a Class 6 rating on May 1, 2012. It says that equates to a 20 percent discount on policies in the Special Flood Hazard Area and a 10 percent discount on policies outside it. The page says each CRS class improvement reduces premiums by 5 percent. The rating date on that page is 2012.

The state's flood insurance page makes two points about federal help. It says that without a Presidential Disaster Declaration you will not receive federal assistance. If your area is declared, the page says the average payout from FEMA's Individuals and Households Program is only about five thousand one hundred dollars in Florida. It says National Flood Insurance Program claim payments average around twenty-nine thousand dollars. Those are the state's figures as printed on its page.

The City's FIRMs and Floodplains page says where flood maps can be viewed and how to request a Floodplain Determination for an address or parcel. The City says flood maps are available for public view at City Hall, at the Engineering Department off 2nd Street or the Building Department counter off 3rd Street, and at the City Library on South 7th Street. It says a Certified Floodplain Manager on staff can supply a Floodplain Determination for a specific address or parcel number. You request the form from the Engineering Department at 386-517-2400, extension 248. The page says FEMA's Map Service Center can produce a site-specific FIRMette, and it lists Flagler Beach's community number as 120087. That page shows maps dated July 17, 2006 and mentions new maps projected for 2016, so the page itself is dated. This guide does not state which map is current.

The same page explains the Elevation Certificate. It certifies the elevation of a building and its utilities relative to the adjacent grade. Its main purpose is to determine the proper flood insurance rate for a property. It must be prepared, signed and sealed by a land surveyor, engineer or architect authorized by law. The City says a new certificate is not required each time a property is sold. Unless the building footprint has changed, a certificate from a previous owner is transferable. The City says it is required to keep copies of Elevation Certificates for all new and substantially improved buildings, and you can call the City to ask whether a Finished Construction certificate is available for an address. The City says it cannot recommend a company to prepare one.

Florida law adds a flood disclosure. Section 689.302 of the Florida Statutes requires a seller to complete and provide a flood disclosure to a purchaser of residential real property at or before the time the sales contract is executed. The form states that homeowners' insurance policies do not include coverage for damage resulting from floods. It also says the buyer is encouraged to discuss separate flood insurance with the buyer's insurance agent. The seller then marks three items. The first is knowledge of any flooding that has damaged the property during the seller's ownership. The second is whether a flood claim was filed with an insurance provider, including the National Flood Insurance Program. The third is whether the seller received assistance for flood damage, including from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. For this disclosure, the statute defines flooding as the overflow of inland or tidal waters, the unusual and rapid accumulation of runoff or surface waters from an established water source such as a river, stream or drainage ditch, or sustained periods of standing water resulting from rainfall.

Section 627.711 covers wind discounts. It requires an insurer to notify an applicant or policyholder of a personal lines residential property policy, at issuance and at each renewal, of the availability and range of each premium discount, credit, other rate differential or reduction in deductibles for properties with fixtures or construction techniques shown to reduce windstorm loss. The statute also sets out a uniform mitigation verification inspection form that all insurers use when policyholders submit it for wind discounts. An insurer must accept the form when it is signed by a licensed home inspector who has completed at least three hours of approved hurricane mitigation training and passed a proficiency exam, a certified building code inspector, a licensed general, building or residential contractor, a licensed professional engineer or a licensed professional architect. An insurer must also accept the form from any other individual or entity the insurer recognizes as qualified. The person who signs must inspect the structures personally, with limited exceptions for direct employees of engineers and contractors. The statute bars an inspector from offering or delivering compensation to an insurance agency, agent or employee for a referral. See also: Florida Home Insurance for Buyers: 4-Point, Wind Mitigation and Citizens Explained.

Safety rules the City publishes and what this guide could not confirm

The City's Flood Safety page gives a short list of rules. It says to have water, non-perishable food and medicines to last a week. It says to keep spare lanterns, flashlights and batteries on hand and to keep vehicle gas tanks full. For homes with gas utilities, the City says not to use gas until the gas company says it is safe. It says to be alert for gas leaks, and not to smoke or use candles, lanterns or open flames unless the gas has been turned off and the area aired out.

On electricity, the City says that if flood water soaked your electrical appliances, you should turn off your electricity until they dry out thoroughly. It says some appliances, such as television sets, can keep an electrical charge and shock you even after they are turned off. It says not to use wet appliances or motors unless they have been taken apart, cleaned and dried.

The City's page says CO exhaust kills. It says to use a generator or other gasoline-powered machine outdoors, and the same for camping stoves. It calls charcoal fumes especially deadly and says to use charcoal only outdoors. The state's generator page adds that generators produce deadly, invisible carbon monoxide. It says to operate a generator outdoors, far from windows, doors and vents, and never in a garage or basement. The state says to keep the generator dry with a canopy or cover while keeping airflow, and to turn it off and let it cool for at least 20 minutes before refueling. It says to use heavy-duty outdoor-rated extension cords in good condition, to ground the generator and not to overload it. It also says to install battery-operated carbon monoxide detectors.

On the road, the City says not to go near downed power poles or wires. It says the road bed under flood waters may be damaged, and it states in capital letters never to drive around a barricade to cross a flooded street. The City says it takes only two feet of water to carry away a vehicle, including pickups and SUVs. If a vehicle stalls, the City says to get out and go to higher ground. It says six inches of flowing water can knock an adult off his feet, and that anyone who must walk through flood waters should tap ahead with a long stick or pole. It also lists things to watch for on foot. They are electrical wires, broken bottles, nails, slippery stairs and small animals, especially snakes.

Several things could not be confirmed for this guide. It states no evacuation zone for any Flagler Beach street, and it does not say which bridges or shelters serve the city. It did not read the City's Land Development Regulations or flood ordinance text, so it gives no freeboard figure and no lowest-floor rule. It did not read Ordinance 2015-03. It states no current flood map date, no current Community Rating System class and no current National Flood Insurance Program limits, because the City pages carry dates from 2006, 2012 and 2014. It gives no insurance premium or discount figure beyond what the City's page states about the rating system.

Bottom line. The City says Flagler Beach is exposed to flooding from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. Most homeowners' policies do not cover flood. A flood policy generally takes 30 days to take effect. The City can be called to ask whether a Finished Construction Elevation Certificate is available for an address.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide draws on Ponce Inlet's own pages, Volusia County pages, state pages and the Florida Statutes. It covers evacuation levels, the Town's alert system, public shelters, the Town's permit rules, the Town's post-disaster buildback program, and three Florida statutes that the sources cover, one of which (s. 689.302) requires a flood disclosure at or before the time a sales contract is executed. It also lists what could not be confirmed. See Living in Ponce Inlet, FL: Homes, Costs and What to Know.

Evacuation levels, alerts and shelters

The county's evacuation plan page calls storm surge the most deadly of hurricane hazards. It describes storm surge as salt water flooding that rushes over coastal and river areas and destroys homes and businesses. The same page states that surge can reach seven feet above sea level in a category 1 hurricane and as much as 28 feet above sea level in a category 5 hurricane. The evacuation levels are tied to that flooding.

The State of Florida's Know Your Zone page uses colored zones A to F. The state says Zone A is typically the most vulnerable and the most likely to evacuate first. It also says not all evacuation zones are always ordered. The state describes the colored zones on its map as flood zones, and it asks you to find whether your address is in one of the colored zones. This guide does not state a level for any Ponce Inlet street, because the county and state maps were not read for this article.

The county's plan says that if you live in a mobile home or recreational vehicle, you must evacuate for all evacuation levels regardless of where you are. It says these structures are extremely vulnerable to hurricane winds. Mobile homes have flat sides and are lightweight, so the construction does not allow proper transfer of wind load into the foundation and ground. The county asks owners to maintain tie-down straps and anchors and to check the straps for rust or corrosion.

The county's page states that failure to obey an evacuation order is a violation of Florida law. The state's page adds a second point for people who are not ordered out. If an order is not issued for your area and your house is not in an evacuation zone, the state says you may consider sheltering in place. It says that if you are in an ordered evacuation zone, a low-lying flood-prone area or a mobile home, you should follow all evacuation orders. It also says the homeowner is responsible for knowing whether the home is strong enough, and that homes built after 2002 generally include features that make them more resilient to hurricanes.

The county gives a short list for people who leave. Know where you are going, whether that is family, friends, a hotel or motel, or a public shelter. Take a map showing two routes to reach your destination. Notify family, friends and caregivers of your location. Secure your home and property, take your emergency supplies, and do not delay. The same page lists steps for people who stay. Check your disaster supply kit, stay in your designated safe room, and stay away from windows and glass doors. Turn off the electricity at the main fuse or breaker box if flooding threatens. Run a generator outside the house and connect appliances directly to the generator. The county states that back-feeding generators have killed power company line workers.

The county also describes how bridges behave. When an evacuation is ordered, the east-bound lanes of the bridges close to traffic. The west-bound lanes remain open until sustained winds exceed 39 miles per hour. At that point all lanes are closed. This guide does not name any bridge.

The Town runs its own alert system. Alert Ponce Inlet is the Town's official emergency notification system, powered by Everbridge. The Town says it will no longer be using Code Red as of September 30, 2026. The system sends hurricane and severe weather alerts, evacuation notices, boil water advisories, police and public safety emergencies and other critical emergency notifications. A registrant can choose text messages, email, landline calls or mobile calls, and picks a primary contact method. If the alert is not acknowledged, the system keeps contacting the registrant through the other selected methods until the message is acknowledged.

Registration follows the Town's steps. Click the registration link on the Town's page, select Set Up New Account, and enter an email address or phone number. Verify it, and check spam or junk for the code if it does not arrive. Complete the form and enter a location name, such as Home. Select notification preferences and submit. The Town says to contact the Office Manager at the Fire Department at 386-322-6720 for help. The county's flood brochure, which the Town links, also asks residents to sign up for AlertVolusia and lists other ways flood notices arrive, including NOAA weather radio, reverse 911 and door-to-door knocks from first responders.

Shelters work on demand. The county says Volusia County has many public shelter locations that open according to each disaster, that not all shelters open at once, and that shelters open based on demand. To stay informed it points to the county emergency preparedness app, www.volusia.org/PIN and Emergency Management on Facebook and Twitter. The Citizens Information Hotline is 866-345-0345, and the county says it is only activated during an emergency. Evacuees may need to stay at a shelter for 24 to 72 hours. General population shelters do not provide cots, and the county recommends a beach chair and sleeping pad.

The county's special needs shelter program has its own rules. The county runs a Special Needs Shelter program, and people who need the service should register with Volusia County Emergency Management. The county says hospitals are not shelters. Special Needs Shelters are not for people who need 24-hour dedicated care, a hospital bed, a ventilator, other complex care, or isolation patients.

The Town's flood page says flooding can happen anywhere and points to FEMA's Map Service Center to find a property's zone. The Town directs questions about historical flooding, localized drainage issues, repetitive loss areas and topographic issues to the Planning & Development Department, Building Division, at 386-236-2185, and says the Chief Building Official and Certified Flood Plain Manager is also available for site visits. The county adds that every property in Volusia County is in a FEMA flood zone, that the county has no authority to assign zones, and that 25 percent of flood claims come from outside high-risk flood zones. See Ponce Inlet Flood Zones and Flood Insurance Guide.

Permits, repairs and rebuilding in Ponce Inlet

The Town has adopted the Florida Building Code and the State Model Floodplain Management Code. Its permit handout lists work that requires a permit, and the list includes re-roofs, exterior door and window replacement, screen enclosures, generators, storm shutters, docks and seawalls, fences and walls, and pools. The Town calls the list not all-inclusive. The Town's handout states that insurance companies provide favorable rates for towns that provide plan review and building inspections for all construction-related activity that follows nationally recognized building codes.

Over-the-counter permits have a location limit. The Town says they can be used only for mechanical, electrical and plumbing work that does not require plan review, in the same exact location, and for properties not in a special flood hazard area. The Town states that this excludes most properties in Town located west of S. Peninsula Drive. Complete applications that qualify usually take about 15 to 20 minutes to enter, process and print.

Emergency repairs have their own track. The Town says emergency repairs can be performed immediately, and its examples are loss of electrical power, loss of air-conditioning and heat, and roof leaks caused by acts of nature. The owner or contractor proceeds at once. They must contact the Building Permit Department the next business day. They must apply for a building permit within one business day after the repair. The repair must comply with the applicable codes, and the inspections must be performed and passed.

Some small jobs may not need a permit. The Town's list of work that may not require a permit includes roof repairs of less than 100 square feet total area, replacement of window and pool enclosure screening, fascia and soffit up to 30 linear feet, gutters and downspouts, and minor repair of small areas of siding up to 100 square feet. The Town states that replacing the entire outside condenser unit or interior air handler requires a permit. It says to check with the Building and Permitting Division at 386-236-2181 or 386-236-2182, Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Inspection requests go to the hotline at 386-236-2188 or online and must be received by 4:00 PM the day prior.

Effective July 1, 2026, CS/CS/HB 803 creates two permit exemptions for single-family residential properties. The first covers work valued at less than seven thousand five hundred dollars. It does not cover electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas or structural work. It does not cover any work on a property located partially or entirely within a flood hazard area as defined by the Florida Building Code. A project may not be split into smaller projects to stay under the threshold. The request is made in writing with the owner's notarized signature and a copy of the written contract or other documentation of the nature and value of the work.

The second exemption concerns temporary hurricane and flood protection walls or barriers. The Town says it applies only to properties that are not in a Special Flood Hazard Area. Five conditions must all be met. The wall or barrier is non-load-bearing and non-habitable. It is on the residential property of a single-family dwelling, two-family dwelling or townhouse. It is built to mitigate or prevent storm surge or floodwaters from entering a structure or property. A contractor licensed under Part I of Chapter 489, Florida Statutes, installs it. It complies with local zoning, drainage, easement and setback requirements. If any condition is not met, a permit is required. Requests can be made in person at 4300 S Atlantic Avenue, by email, or through the electronic portal, and the Town's number for questions is 386-236-2182. The Town's page states that the Town has no legal duty to the owner, contractor, or their successors or assigns for any work performed under this exemption.

Ponce Inlet also runs a Residential Post-Disaster Buildback Program. The Town's frequently asked questions document says the registration lets lawfully permitted, non-conforming residential structures damaged by a terrorist act, accidental fire or natural disaster be reconstructed. It states that the program guarantees the right to rebuild the home the same way it was built. Registration is optional. The documents are marked "Revised 2017." Town Planning and Development is at 386-236-2181.

The Town lists who may want to consider registering. The list includes a residence or condominium building taller than 35 feet and a residence built or permitted before May 1, 2005, the date the Town's Floor Area Ratio and special height setback requirements took effect. It also includes a multi-story residence built close to the front and side setbacks, a large house on a small lot, and a waterfront property, where setback measurement may have changed over the years. Only the owner registers, not a renter. A condominium association may submit one application for the whole building. Someone can apply for an owner who is out of town with notarized authorization.

The program covers the principal residential structure and attached structures such as decks, carports and screen pool enclosures. It does not cover detached accessory structures such as docks, sheds, above-ground pools or detached garages and carports. The Town charges no fee. The applicant records the issued certificate with the Volusia County Clerk of Court. The recording fees are set by the Clerk. The certificate takes effect once it is recorded and a copy is given to the Town. The Town says review should take no longer than 45 days and that staff notify the applicant within five business days if more information is needed.

The submission checklist asks for the latest deed, an affidavit of authorization if the applicant is not the owner, and a property survey. For multi-story structures it asks for floor plans and photographs of all four sides. For properties in a flood zone it asks for the most recent elevation certificate. For homes below base flood elevation, the Town's document states that federal law requires damaged homes to be rebuilt above the floodplain, and that the buildback provisions only guarantee the same footprint, setbacks and floor area. A building already above the 35-foot limit may be rebuilt above 35 feet, measured from the new finished grade above base flood elevation, without losing habitable space. A building not above 35 feet cannot exceed the limit after being raised.

The county lists what to pack for a shelter stay. Items include special dietary food, snacks, water, bedding, ear plugs, extra clothing, medications and medical supplies, toiletries, a flashlight and batteries, and something to pass the time. For people with only minutes to pack, the county lists prescription medications, eyeglasses and dentures, a flashlight, batteries, a radio, a first aid kit, bottled water, a change of clothes, a sleeping bag or bedroll and pillow for each household member, and car keys and keys to the place you may be going.

The county's flood page gives a zone table. Zone AE and A are high risk with a 1 percent annual chance of flooding and base flood elevations established. Zone VE is high risk coastal, with a 1 percent annual chance plus coastal wave action. Zone AH and AO are moderate to high risk, with shallow water, ponding or drainage channels. Shaded Zone X is moderate risk with a 0.2 percent annual chance. Unshaded Zone X is low risk, described as minimal flood risk but not zero. Zone D is unknown. The county adds that flood risk also depends on elevation versus Base Flood Elevation, proximity to water, drainage and ground saturation.

The Town's flood page says that in a special flood hazard area, substantial improvements must meet current Florida Building Code standards and the local floodplain ordinance. It defines them as repairs equal to or greater than 50 percent of the home's market value, not including the value of the property. The page says to get a permit before work and use a licensed contractor, and that an Elevation Certificate will be required and may be on file at your local government office.

The Town also has pages for the period after a storm. Its Hurricane Milton Recovery page lists tree trimming, hiring a contractor, solicitors and getting an owner/builder permit. The Town has separate pages titled FEMA Assistance Hurricane Milton and Small Business Administration Loans. On tree work, the Town's flyer says removing a tree entirely requires a permit, and that no permit fee is charged if the trees are already dead or have caused or are likely to cause damage to buildings or structures. Trimming branches does not require a permit if it is not excessive to the point of killing the tree. A contractor must remove the limbs from the property. Roadside trimmings cannot be greater than three feet in length or weigh more than 40 pounds, and they cannot block the sidewalk or street. For a large debris pile, the flyer says to contact Waste Pro at 386-788-8890.

The Town's contractor flyer advises caution about door-to-door solicitors offering to expedite permits or requesting large upfront payments. Its tips are to hire licensed contractors and verify licenses, get written estimates and check references, ensure contractors have insurance, use a detailed written contract, get guarantees in writing, have work inspected, and make final payments only after satisfactory completion. Unlicensed activity is reported at 386-236-2181. The Town's solicitor flyer says all door-to-door solicitors must have a solicitation permit and background check and carry the original permit. Their hours are between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with no soliciting on Sunday. The Police Department non-emergency line is 386-248-1777.

The Town's owner/builder flyer says owners acting as their own contractor must provide direct on-site supervision. If you pull an owner/builder permit for an unlicensed contractor, you must deduct F.I.C.A. and withholding tax and provide workers' compensation. Without workers' compensation insurance, the flyer says you could be held liable for injuries on your property and not be covered under your homeowners insurance policy.

The Town's Resilient Ponce Inlet page says Town Council adopted a Stormwater Utility on July 16, 2026, and that the Final Adaptation Plan was adopted June 19, 2026. The highest-priority capital projects identified April 9, 2026 are the Stormwater Backflow Prevention Program, the Septic-to-Sewer Conversion Project, South Atlantic Avenue Swale Regrading and Expansion, Store More Water Where We Can, Beach Street Conveyance Upgrades, and Bay Harbour Drive to Beach Street Conveyance Upgrades. The Town will now pursue funding opportunities, including grants. The Watershed Master Plan, approved by FDEP in December 2024, evaluates four types of flooding, stormwater, tidal, storm surge and compound, under current conditions and future projections for 2040, 2070 and 2100.

State law on roofs, wind discounts and flood disclosure

Section 553.844 of the Florida Statutes sets roof rules for site-built single-family structures, and the current statutes display it. Subsection (3)(a) says a roof replacement must incorporate secondary water barriers and the strengthening or correcting of roof-decking attachments and fasteners. Subsection (3)(b) applies in the wind-borne debris region. It says that where the insured value is three hundred thousand dollars or more, or the just valuation for taxation if the building is uninsured, a roof replacement must incorporate roof-to-wall connection techniques. Subsection (2)(b)3 says the cost of the roof-to-wall retrofit is intended not to exceed about 15 percent of the reroofing cost. It also says roof-to-wall connections are not required unless the evaluation and installation can be completed for 15 percent of the cost of the roof replacement.

Subsection (3)(c) says that permit-required work applied for on or after July 1, 2008 with an estimated cost of fifty thousand dollars or more must include opening protections as required for new construction in the wind-borne debris region, where the insured value or just valuation is seven hundred fifty thousand dollars or more. Roof covering replacement or repair is excluded from that rule. Subsection (5) says that if a roofing system or roof section was built, repaired or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or a later edition, and 25 percent or more of it is being repaired, replaced or recovered, only the repaired, replaced or recovered portion must be constructed under the code in effect.

Section 627.711 covers wind discounts. Subsection (1) says an insurer shall clearly notify the applicant or policyholder of any personal lines residential property insurance policy, at issuance and at each renewal, of the availability and range of each premium discount, credit, other rate differential or reduction in deductibles for fixtures or construction techniques demonstrated to reduce windstorm loss. Subsection (2)(a) says the uniform mitigation verification inspection form is used by all insurers when submitted by policyholders for wind discounts. An insurer shall accept the form when it is signed by a licensed home inspector who has at least three hours of approved hurricane mitigation training and has passed a proficiency exam, a certified building code inspector, a licensed general, building or residential contractor, a licensed professional engineer, a licensed professional architect, or any other individual or entity the insurer recognizes. Subsection (3) says the person signing must inspect the structures personally, not through employees or other persons.

Section 689.302 covers flood disclosure. A seller must complete and provide a flood disclosure to a purchaser of residential real property at or before the time the sales contract is executed. The form states that homeowners' insurance policies do not include coverage for damage resulting from floods, and that the buyer is encouraged to discuss separate flood insurance with the buyer's insurance agent. The seller checks three items. The first is knowledge of any flooding that damaged the property during the seller's ownership. The second is whether a flood claim was filed with an insurance provider, including the National Flood Insurance Program. The third is whether the seller received assistance for flood damage, including from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The statute defines flooding as the overflow of inland or tidal waters, the unusual and rapid accumulation of runoff or surface waters from any established water source such as a river, stream or drainage ditch, or sustained periods of standing water resulting from rainfall.

The county's flood brochure, which the Town links, makes a point about timing. Most flood insurance policies take 30 days to become effective, and some flood insurance policies are transferable when buying and selling a home. The county adds that flood damage is not covered by standard homeowners or renters insurance. The Town lists boathouses, docks and seawalls among permit-required work. See Ponce Inlet Waterfront Homes: Docks, Seawalls, Flood Rules.

Some questions could not be answered from the sources read for this guide. The evacuation level of any Ponce Inlet address, the bridges that serve the Town, the text of the Town's flood ordinance, and which properties sit seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line were not confirmed.

The bottom line is short. This guide did not read the state or county evacuation maps. Alert Ponce Inlet is the Town's official emergency notification system. FEMA's Map Service Center shows a property's flood zone, and the Building Division at 386-236-2185 takes questions on historical flooding and drainage. The Town lists roofs, windows and storm shutters among permit work. Section 689.302 requires the seller's flood disclosure at or before the time the sales contract is executed. See Ponce Inlet.

Frequently Asked Questions

This is a local guide. It stays inside the City of Palm Coast in Flagler County. It names no builders and quotes no home prices. It gives one fee figure, forty dollars for a re-inspection or a revision, from the city's new builder Q&A, stamped 9/2020 (called the Q&A below), and no impact fee or water and sewer amounts. The city's fee documents are dated, and the ones we found have changed since they were written. The article names the fees the city lists and says when each falls due. The city's own pages are the source for the process, and Florida Statutes are the source for the state rules at the end. Related guides: Is Palm Coast a Good Place to Live? An Honest Look for Buyers and Buying New Construction in Volusia County: Builder Contracts, Inspections and Costs.

How a Palm Coast permit works before the first shovel

The city's Building Services contact can be reached at 386-986-3780 or at Buildingdivision@palmcoastgov.com. The city's permit portal page lists the City of Palm Coast at 160 Lake Avenue, Palm Coast, FL 32164, with office hours Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The city's Building page cites Florida Building Code section 105.1. As the city puts it, that section requires anyone who undertakes construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, demolition or change of occupancy of a building to first obtain the necessary permits from the building official. The same section covers installing, altering or replacing an electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system. Section 553.79(1)(a) of the Florida Statutes makes it unlawful to construct, erect, alter, modify, repair or demolish any building in the state without first obtaining a permit from the appropriate enforcing agency, upon payment of the reasonable fees that agency adopts.

Palm Coast runs its permits through an online portal. The city's Single Family Residence entry says the permit must be submitted through the city's online permitting process. The portal page lists what a user can do there. A registered user can submit permit applications, view plan reviews and comments, submit corrections and revisions, pay fees, print documents, the job card and the permit, schedule inspections and view the results. The portal also takes the notice of commencement, roofing affidavits and termite certificates. The portal also lets users view permits by address.

The city's page says the progress of a project can be followed on the website.

Who can apply? The city's page says that to make application for a permit you must be registered in the city's database. The city offers a contractor registration form, and it says its contractor database can be searched to see whether a contractor is registered. Once registered, a contractor can create an account for the online permitting system.

On the question of which approvals are needed before applying, the Q&A says: "There are no prior approvals needed." The submittal itself brings in other departments. The Q&A lists Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fire, Planning and Zoning, Utility, Engineering and Stormwater, and Environmental, among others. All agencies review the submittal at the same time and electronically.

The Q&A describes what comes out of that review. The locates for the water and sewer hook-up are identified on the survey. The water and sewer capacity and impact fees are determined. A swale and culvert diagram is designed. The Q&A adds that if the information needed to design the swale and culvert is not on file, the swale design is provided later through the online portal. The city's Single Family Residence entry gives a time for that. If a swale plan is required, it will be provided within 2 months following issuance of the building permit and will be available online.

The city's page says the processing time for the permit is usually 5 business days. If additional information is required, the applicant receives an email with the details. The city says revisions may be submitted once all outstanding reviews are completed. It does not accept submittals during an open review cycle. Communication runs by automated email, and the city's page says to verify the city has your correct email address on file.

One permit covers the trades. The Q&A says sub-contractors do not need separate permits. Mechanical, electrical, plumbing and roofing sub-contractors are identified on the one permit, and the fees and inspections are all inclusive on that permit.

What goes into the application for a single-family house

The city's Single Family Residence entry lists what is required to apply.

The first group is the plans. The list names the permit application generated through the portal and signed and sealed construction drawings. It names an engineered truss or roof framing plan signed and sealed by the home's design engineer. The city says roof framing may be a deferred submittal, with a request on letterhead. Plans submitted electronically must be sealed with a digital signature, and the city says it will not accept photocopies of a signed and sealed document.

The second group is the product and energy paperwork. The list calls for a product approval specification sheet, electrical load calculations, a color and material sheet, and energy calculations. The front page of the energy calculations, with the preparer's signature and Florida seal, is uploaded as a separate document. A roofing worksheet and a paver driveway detail sheet are also on the list.

The third group is the lot. The list asks for a geotechnical investigation report, and the city says that report is not required for new private subdivisions. It asks for proof of ownership, either a recorded deed or a property appraiser printout. A construction lien law affidavit signed by the property owner is on the list, and the city says it is not required if the contractor is the property owner. There is an application for water and sewer. If the property is within an A zone, an elevation certificate is on the list.

The fourth group is the site documents. The city names a locate survey or site plan, and says a separate site plan is submitted for the utility review. That separate plan is required for scattered lots. The list also names a site plan, a survey, and a grading and drainage plan prepared by a Florida licensed professional engineer. The plan is prepared by an engineer, not a surveyor. A BMP pre-construction form, a landscape plan and a topographic survey complete the group. On a saltwater canal lot, the city adds that a grade elevation profile drawing is required.

The notice of commencement is the last item. The city's page says it is required for any improvement greater than five thousand dollars. It is filled out and recorded with the Flagler County Clerk's office in Bunnell. The city says it is not required at permit issuance but is required prior to any inspections. The city's checklist asks for a certified copy of the notice of commencement.

The landscape plan has numbers in it. The city's page says residential homes provide a foundation planting of 16 shrubs on interior lots, with eight in front of the home and four on each side. For trees, the city's page says one tree is required for every 2500 square feet, with calculations rounded to the nearest whole number. Existing trees must be within the property lines to get credit. Palms may be substituted for canopy trees, but the city says they may make up no more than 50 percent of the tree requirement. The city refers readers to its Technical Manual for landscaping requirements.

Two site conditions get their own handling. The first is the PEP tank. The Q&A describes a PEP tank as a pre-treatment effluent pumping system. It accounts for half of the wastewater collection system, with the other half being gravity sewer. The Q&A says it is similar to a septic tank, but instead of an on-site drain field the gray water is pumped into the wastewater collection system. The city installs the PEP tank, and the city owns and operates it. The Q&A lists the sections of Palm Coast with PEP tanks as 23, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 37, 59, 60, 63, 64 and 65, and it points to a city PEP tank map. The Q&A says the City of Palm Coast supplies water and sewer. The Q&A says that only in very rare cases would a piece of property require a septic system.

The city's Single Family Residence entry says that if the lot requires a PEP tank, the electrical panel must be located on the side of the home where the PEP tank is indicated. A revision is not required if the proposed panel is on the opposite side. The city says that can be a change made in the field without paperwork approval. The Q&A says the tank can be requested when the home is at the finished framing stage, through the permitting system. The tank site must be clear of construction debris such as dumpsters, porta-lets and temporary power poles. Trees cannot be located within the tank site, and a clean-out must be installed on the sewer stub-out by the house as a reference point.

The second condition is gopher tortoises. The Q&A says that if a site has been identified as a possible location for gopher tortoises, a field inspection is conducted during the permit review. If no gopher tortoise or burrows are found, the inspection is approved and the permit may be issued. If tortoises or burrows are found, the Q&A says it is the contractor's responsibility to hire a private authorized gopher tortoise agent to start permitting and relocation.

The Q&A also sets a rule on timing for clearing. It says you cannot begin to clear or remove any trees until the building permit for the home has been issued. Erosion control measures are required to be in place.

The Q&A says the city uses a swale system. Swales are the broad, shallow channels along roads, driveways and parking lots, designed to keep water off the road, and the Q&A calls them a key part of the stormwater drainage system. The city's Technical Manual gives the design standards for a lot. The Q&A says the permit is made ready prior to the swale design so that construction can begin, and the swale sheet is uploaded for download before that part of the construction.

Impact fees and the other fees, and when each one is due

The Q&A says no fees are due at the time of permit submittal. All fees are collected at the time of permit issuance.

Impact fees have their own rule. The Q&A says the transportation, fire and parks impact fees may be waived until issuance of the certificate of occupancy. When they are paid at permit issuance, the Q&A says a 3 percent discount is given. It also says the applicant needs to tell the city if they choose not to pay at permit issuance.

Which impact fees exist? The city's Summary of Application and Impact Fees, which carries the line "Updated November 17, 2022," lists six under its Type 1 heading. They are the park system impact fee, the fire and rescue system impact fee, the educational facilities impact fee, the Flagler County library impact fee, the transportation impact fee, and the Flagler County law enforcement and emergency medical service impact fee. The summary lists the park and fire fees per dwelling unit. It lists the educational facilities fee by housing type, with single family and duplex, multi-family and mobile home each shown separately. The summary says the library fee and the law enforcement and emergency medical service fee are collected on behalf of Flagler County.

A Contractors Newsflash dated September 12, 2024 says the Fire and Parks impact fees increase for permits applied for on or after October 1, 2024. A Contractors Newsflash dated September 12, 2024 says the fire and parks impact fees increase for new residential and commercial construction, effective for permits applied for on or after October 1, 2024. This guide does not repeat any fee amount from the 2022 summary. Building Services can be reached at 386-986-3780.

Building permit fees are a separate group. The Q&A says each permit is assessed an administrative fee, a plan review fee and inspection fees. Additional fees may include zoning, stormwater and engineering fees, and state surcharges. The city has a fee calculator that gives an estimate. The Q&A says the calculator excludes impact fees and water and sewer fees.

A second Contractors Newsflash, dated July 23, 2025, says that effective October 1, 2025, building permitting fees will remove the current reduction adjustment from the base fee of 10 percent. The city says the fee schedule was adopted by City Council in 2021 and that the budget and fee schedule are monitored regularly.

Re-inspections and revisions are each charged forty dollars. The city's page and the Q&A, stamped 9/2020, both say re-inspections and revisions are each charged forty dollars. The page says the re-inspection fees do not have to be paid during construction. The Q&A says the re-inspection and revision fees are due prior to the issuance of the certificate of occupancy.

Water and sewer connection is its own schedule. The city's page says water and sewer fees will be collected at the time of permit issuance, and the application for water and sewer is part of the required documents. The Q&A says the Customer Service Department determines the connection fees for the particular lot during the review. It says an amount can be requested before permitting through an online request. The contact the Q&A gives for water and sewer capacity fees is Customer Service at 386-986-2360.

The 2022 summary describes what a single-family connection schedule includes. It lists a contribution in aid of construction for water and for sewer, main extension fees, and installation fees. The installation fees include the water tap, meter installation, sewer connection inspection, meter deposit and turn on fee. Optional irrigation meter fees are listed separately. The summary's note says the schedule is for single-family platted lots where water and sewer mains have been installed and service is available. It says that for unplatted lots, reserve parcels or undeveloped property, additional fees or main extensions will be required.

The Q&A says the utility application has a box to check for a second meter for irrigation. The fees are determined during the review. The water meter itself is requested through the permitting system once the permit is issued. The Q&A lists the requirements: the permit issued, the lot cleared, vegetation cleared in a 5 foot diameter around both front survey pins, and obstructions removed. If a secondary irrigation meter has been requested, the Q&A says the domestic and irrigation meter are installed at the same time.

Inspections, surveys and the certificate of occupancy

The city's page says the permit remains active for six months from the date of issuance, and then for six months from each passing inspection. If the permit expires without the required inspections, the page says a new permit will be required.

The Q&A explains how inspections are requested. They can be scheduled around the clock through the online portal or through the automated phone line at 386-986-4747. Inspections requested by 7:00 a.m. are done the same day. Anything requested after 7:00 a.m. is done the following day. When an inspector is assigned, the Q&A says an automatic email gives the inspector's name and phone number, and the inspector can provide a two hour time frame.

Several inspections are named in the Q&A. An early power inspection is automatically added to the list. A temporary power pole inspection is optional. When the electric inspection is completed, an automatic email is sent to Florida Power and Light. A cross connection inspection is required for new residential construction. The Q&A says it is meant to ensure that a cross connection to the potable water supply is not present, and it lists reuse and reclaimed water, wells and irrigation lines as examples.

The city's page says a formboard survey must be submitted prior to any vertical construction. The Q&A says the foundation survey is reviewed by Zoning and Engineering. They look at the finished floor elevation, which is compared with the proposed elevation and the minimum requirements. They look at the setbacks from the closest point of the structure to the front, rear and side yard property lines. Once the survey is approved, the Q&A says the inspection area for the foundation survey is released and further inspections can be requested.

The final survey comes at the other end. The city's page says a final survey is required prior to all final inspections. The Q&A says that when it is submitted, staff schedule a final survey inspection and Engineering and Stormwater review it. When it is approved, a field survey inspection is scheduled and the inspector visits the site to verify the grade matches the survey and meets the minimum requirements. The city's page also lists a final lot grading and drainage certification. It is submitted at completion of the home and after installation of all required landscaping, on a city form. It is prepared and signed and sealed by the Florida licensed professional engineer who prepared the lot grading and drainage plan.

Now the certificate of occupancy itself. The city's page lists what is required before it is issued. A termite certificate is required. A Blower Door Test form is required. The page says that prior to the certificate of occupancy, all fees must be paid, and a termite certificate, blower door test and duct leakage report must be submitted.

The Q&A gives the longer list and the timing. It says the certificate of occupancy is issued automatically when these items have been completed: all inspections approved, an approved blower door test submitted, the final termite certificate submitted, all outstanding fees paid, the final elevation certificate submitted and approved if it applies, and any special circumstances specific to the permit resolved. The Q&A says the certificate will be issued automatically overnight when all of that has been met. It adds that you may email or call to request it earlier and the city will issue it manually.

What Florida law says about builders, deposits, assessment and claims

Florida law sets the limitation period from the earliest of a temporary certificate of occupancy, a certificate of occupancy, a certificate of completion, or abandonment of construction (for a latent defect, from discovery). Section 95.11(3)(b) of the Florida Statutes covers an action founded on the design, planning or construction of an improvement to real property. The time runs from the date the authority having jurisdiction issues a temporary certificate of occupancy, a certificate of occupancy or a certificate of completion, or the date of abandonment of construction if not completed, whichever date is earliest. For a latent defect, the time runs from discovery. In any event, the action must be commenced within 7 years after that date.

The statute adds two more points. If the construction is performed under a duly issued building permit and a certificate of occupancy has been issued, the correction of defects to completed work or repair of completed work, whether performed under warranty or otherwise, does not extend the time. If the home is used as a model home, the time begins on the recorded deed first transferring title to another party.

Section 558.004 sets a notice step before a lawsuit. Section 558.004(1)(a) says the claimant shall, at least 60 days before filing any action, serve written notice of claim on the contractor, subcontractor, supplier or design professional, as applicable. For an action involving an association representing more than 20 parcels, the statute says at least 120 days.

Section 553.835(4) limits one kind of claim. It says there is no cause of action based on the doctrine of implied warranty of fitness and merchantability or habitability for damages to offsite improvements. The section does not alter or limit other causes of action based on contract, tort or statute. Its list of offsite improvements includes a street, road, driveway, sidewalk, drainage, utilities, or any other improvement or structure located on or under the lot that does not immediately and directly support the fitness, merchantability or habitability of the home itself.

Deposits have a rule too. Section 501.1375(2) says that in a contract between a building contractor or developer and a prospective buyer of a one-family or two-family residential dwelling unit, the buyer must be notified that any deposit, up to 10 percent of the purchase price, shall be deposited in an escrow account unless the buyer waives that in writing. The contract must carry a conspicuous legend saying so. The statute excludes a person who sells or constructs fewer than 10 units per year statewide. It defines default as the buyer's failure to close after issuance of the certificate of occupancy, or the buyer's failure to comply with other obligations under the purchase contract.

The same section lets a builder use escrowed money for construction. Subsection (4) says that after notification to the buyer, the builder acquires a surety bond payable to the buyer in the amount of the escrow deposit, if one is readily available. After that, the escrowed funds are released to the builder for construction purposes only. Subsection (5) says a master surety bond is an alternative.

Section 192.042(1) says real property is assessed on January 1 of each year. It says improvements or portions not substantially completed on January 1 shall have no value placed on them. The statute defines substantially completed as meaning that the improvement, or some self-sufficient unit within it, can be used for the purpose for which it was constructed.

The Q&A also says the city uses the latest edition of the Florida Building Code and, as of its 9/2020 stamp, has no local amendments.

Bottom line

The city's page says the permit review usually takes 5 business days. The Q&A says no fees are due at permit submittal and all fees are collected at permit issuance, and that the transportation, fire and parks impact fees may be waived until issuance of the certificate of occupancy, with a 3 percent discount when paid at permit issuance. The Q&A says the certificate of occupancy is issued automatically overnight once the listed items are complete. Building Services can be reached at 386-986-3780. This guide covers a single-family house in Palm Coast.

The questions below restate what the city's pages and the statutes say.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything below was read on October 28, 2026 from the City of Palm Coast's own web pages. It states only a few fees, taken from the city's service fee sheet. It leaves out utility rates because the Utility Rates page could not be found when it was read, and it leaves out deposit amounts because no page read for this guide stated one. Related reading: Is Palm Coast a Good Place to Live? An Honest Look for Buyers and Palm Coast Property Tax Bill, Line by Line.

Setting up city water, sewer and trash

Palm Coast Utilities provides drinking water, wastewater treatment and reclaimed water for the community. The city's Customer Service page describes new utility service as setting up water, sewer and trash, and it says you can also cancel service or transfer service. The same page carries a card for a utility payoff request, which it ties to people ready to build a new home. The city says all of those requests will be returned within 2 business days.

The application itself lives on the city's New Service Application page. That page says you can request new service, turn off service, or apply for a 72 hour inspection. It also states "You must be signed in to apply for new service" and offers two buttons, one to create an account and one to sign in. The city adds that the same account can be used to create and monitor cases and to view utility information.

The city's fee sheet lists a transfer fee of twenty-five dollars and describes it as a fee applied for new accounts, account changes or transfers, to cover administrative costs. It lists a lien search fee of thirty dollars and describes it as the administrative fee to ensure all city fees are reported correctly. It also lists a late fee equal to 1.5 percent of the bill or ten dollars, whichever is greater. The sheet also lists other charges, including a premise visit fee and a meter testing charge.

Deposits follow a rule the city states in two places. Deposits are held on file for 23 months. If you have no late fees within the last two years, you may request your deposit returned or applied to your utility bill. If you move out of the property, the deposit is applied automatically to your final bill, and if a credit is showing, a check is mailed to you. To make the request, you complete a case through the city's Palm Coast Connect site at palmcoast.gov/connect. The pages read for this guide do not state what a deposit costs.

The city offers a one-time leak credit and says your consumption needs to be four times higher to be eligible. It also offers a one-time pool credit.

Paying the bill has several routes, and the cost of each is posted. AutoPay needs an account with a zero balance, begins with your next billing cycle, and needs your full account number and registration through the secure customer portal. A checking account draft has no processing fee. A credit card draft carries a processing fee of one dollar and ninety-five cents per month when the payment is drafted. You can also pay by phone at 386-986-2360, which the city says is available 24/7 through an automated system, using a bank account, credit card or debit card. Or you can pay through your bank's bill pay service, giving your full account number and the mailing address, City Hall, 160 Lake Avenue, Palm Coast, FL 32164. A one-time payment needs only the full account number.

The city's fee structure effective June 1, 2025 lists the rest. Online utility payments by credit card, debit card or digital wallet cost one dollar and ninety-five cents per transaction. Online payments from a checking account through ACH or eCheck cost forty-three cents per transaction. An in-person credit or debit payment at Customer Service carries a fee of 3.5 percent with a minimum of two dollars and fifty cents. The city lists no service fees for cash, personal or company checks, money orders, or bill pay started through your bank. It says the card fees are charged by third-party payment processors and passed through at cost.

The city's Customer Service page says that only residents within the City of Palm Coast limits receive trash services. The same page links to Utility Service Rates Inside City Limits and Utility Service Rates Outside City Limits.

Trash, recycling and yard waste: the weekly pattern

The City of Palm Coast contracts with FCC Environmental for garbage collection, recycling, yard waste, bulk trash and white goods removal. The city says items for collection must be placed in the collection area, within five feet of the driveway.

The garbage page has a street lookup for the collection schedule. On the city's Garbage Collection page, you enter your street name without the house number. The page says to try it without the suffix if needed, for example "Eric" instead of "Eric Trail". The page also links a 2026 holiday schedule and a link labeled "My garbage didn't get picked up?".

Residents have two service collection dates each week. Service day one collects normal household waste. Service day two collects normal waste and bulk items less than three cubic yards. The city says trash receptacles are purchased by the resident. A container should be between 10 and 35 gallons and should not exceed 60 pounds at the time of removal. Up to four receptacles may be set out on your service day, and bagged items must be placed in cans.

Timing is set by Palm Coast Code Chapter 41, as the city's garbage page describes it. Waste containers may be placed out no earlier than 6:00 PM on the day before a scheduled collection day. They must be removed no later than 6:00 AM on the day after the containers are emptied. Except when placed for collection, containers must be screened from the right-of-way. The same page states that no littering or debris disposal is allowed on private or public property.

Recycling is single-stream and collected weekly. The city says cans and bottles should be rinsed out thoroughly to prevent contamination, and that only recyclable items may go in the recycle bin. FCC takes all the recycling it collects to GEL Recycling. The city also cautions that an item listed as recyclable is not always accepted and that certain steps may be required for certain items. A new resident can ask for an initial bin through a New Resident Recycling Bin Request on the city's garbage page.

Yard waste has its own rhythm. It is collected curbside each Wednesday. It must be tied in a bundle, neatly stacked, or placed in a can or bag. No piece may exceed five feet in length or six inches in diameter, and no can or bag may exceed fifty pounds. The total accumulation should not exceed two cubic yards. If the amount is over the limits, you receive a tag and pay the hauler directly to have it picked up. The city also says that under city ordinance, waste generated by a contractor, including a lawn service or tree trimmer, must be removed by the contractor at their own expense.

Bulk trash can include furniture, mattresses, televisions, dishwashers, stoves, washers and dryers. It is picked up weekly on your second trash day, and the city asks you to keep it to three cubic yards. White goods such as refrigerators and hot water heaters go curbside too. Refrigerator and freezer doors must be removed. The city says to allow one to five days for pickup and to call Customer Service for arrangements, and the garbage page also links Schedule White Goods Pick-Up.

On hazardous waste, the city's garbage page says the Flagler County Recycling and Household Hazardous Waste drop-off site has closed. Flagler County is telling residents to safely store any hazardous materials until an amnesty day. The first amnesty day is anticipated to occur in January 2027.

Water: sprinklers, the tap and the meter

In a notice dated Friday, May 15, 2026, the City of Palm Coast reported that the St. Johns River Water Management District had issued a Phase III Extreme Water Shortage Order affecting Flagler County. Under that order, landscape irrigation is limited to one day per week by address, for all water users including private well users. Odd-numbered addresses water on Saturday. Even-numbered addresses water on Sunday. Non-residential properties water on Tuesday. Irrigation is prohibited between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

The notice lists exceptions and extras. Residents with a retail reclaimed meter are not impacted. The District also limited what the city calls aesthetic water uses, such as pressure washing and washing vehicles, boats and mobile equipment. The city said additional restrictions could be implemented if conditions worsen. The city's Customer Service page, read on October 28, still carried a banner saying the District had implemented Phase III restrictions limiting landscape irrigation to one day per week across Flagler County. The District's site could not be read for this guide.

The city also publishes plain facts about the water itself. Its FAQ says the city uses two treatment processes. Water Treatment Plant 1 is a conventional lime softening facility, fed by shallow aquifer wells that average 60 to 90 feet in depth. Water Plants 2 and 3 are nanofiltration plants, which the city describes as membrane softening. The average hardness is about 100 milligrams per liter, which the city says is about 6 grains per gallon. The city does not add fluoride, and the fluoride naturally present averages about 0.061 milligrams per liter. For disinfection, the city says it uses monochloramine and not chlorine.

The city's FAQ says chlorine and chloramines are toxic to fish, and it includes turtles, reptiles and amphibians in that warning. The disinfectant must be removed before adding water to fishbowls and aquariums. The FAQ says to check that a neutralizing product lists both chloramines and chlorine.

The city says a precautionary boil water notice, delivered as a green tag on your door, follows a loss of pressure from a main break or another issue. Analysis of water samples usually takes around 24 to 48 hours. When the water is safe, the city notifies customers with a rescind notice. If the advisory continues beyond 48 hours, a new door tag is issued. The city's utility page offers boil water notices.

According to the city's FAQ, the property owner or resident is responsible for all on-site water lines beginning at the discharge side, the point of delivery, of the domestic and irrigation backflow preventer when one is present, or of the domestic and irrigation meter. A water softener or whole-house filter inside the home is the customer's responsibility as well. The FAQ says a home treatment unit that is not maintained properly can allow bacteria to grow in the unit.

To report a concern or create a case, the city points you to Palm Coast Connect. Useful numbers from the city's quick contact list are Customer Service at 386-986-2360, Animal Control at 386-986-2520, Building Services at 386-986-3780 and Code Compliance at 386-986-3764. Also see Palm Coast Flood Zones: What to Check Before an Offer.

Permits for projects on the property

Florida Building Code 105.1, as the city's Building Services page quotes it, says anyone undertaking construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, demolition or change of occupancy of a building or structure must first obtain the necessary permits from the building official. The same section covers installing, altering, repairing, removing, converting or replacing any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system. The city says this includes additions, alterations, re-roofs and even some repairs. Building Services is at 386-986-3780 and Buildingdivision@palmcoastgov.com.

The city's permit pages describe an online permitting portal, used for inspections. Roof permits can be submitted through the portal or in person. Inspections can be scheduled through the portal or by calling the automated inspection system at 386-986-4747. The plan reviewers can be reached at 386-986-3782. Documents printed from the portal must be at the site when the inspector arrives. A permit remains active for six months from the date of issuance, and if it expires without the required inspections, a new permit is required.

On fences, the city says a permit is no longer required to install a fence on residential property, but the property owner must acknowledge the City Land Development Code before proceeding. That route is only for residential zoned properties for one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses. A fence that does not meet the regulations, including height limits, is not eligible and needs a building permit. The route does not apply to walls, and a permit is required for a wall. The owner must complete the online acknowledgement, and the contractor may not do it on the owner's behalf. The city's Zoning Division answers at 386-986-3751. If a property is governed by a homeowners association or has its own architectural regulations, the city says getting that approval is your responsibility, and those rules may be more stringent than the city's code.

Several common projects have their own timing on the city's pages. A water heater permit is issued within 24 hours of application, and the city says a plumbing permit does not include water heaters. A window or door permit is only for replacement where the size does not change and nothing structural is altered, and it is usually ready within 24 hours. Doors and windows must have the Florida Product Approval sticker affixed, and the city says not to remove it before the inspection. A roof permit is usually ready the same or next day, a separate permit is required for new skylights, and the city says a homeowner may not self-certify the roofing affidavit. Same-day roof inspections may be requested up to 6:59 a.m.

For a water heater, the city lists proof of property ownership, which can be a recorded deed or a property appraiser printout, plus a construction lien law affidavit for jobs greater than five thousand dollars. It also lists a notice of commencement, required for any improvement greater than five thousand dollars. The city says the notice is recorded with the Flagler County Clerk's office in Bunnell. It is not required at the time the permit is issued, but it is required before any inspections.

Outdoor projects carry their own lines. The city says a permit is required for all decks in Palm Coast, regardless of area, height above the ground and whether the deck is attached or detached. A deck permit review is usually completed within five business days. Residential accessory structures, which the city lists as pergolas, gazebos, decks and detached patio covers, also require a permit, and the city's design wind speed is 120 miles per hour. A shed greater than 120 square feet has its own permit type, and the city refers shed owners of 120 square feet or less to a separate category. A driveway permit is usually ready in two to five days. If the project requires moving the water meter pit, the city says to contact the Utility Department before applying, and a plumber is required to connect from the private side to the public system, in addition to the relocation cost.

Concrete and pools add a survey step. A non-structural patio or slab permit is usually ready within one day, and a final topographic survey is required for concrete or flat work greater than 300 square feet. A swimming pool permit is usually ready within five days, and a final survey including drainage is required before the final inspection, which the city compares to the approved drainage pattern. The city says no permit is needed for a portable spa and a permit is required for a non-portable spa. It defines a swimming pool as a structure in a residential area intended for swimming or recreational bathing that contains water over 24 inches deep, including hot tubs and non-portable spas.

On the contractor side, the city's pages say applicants for a mechanical permit must be registered in the city's contractor database, and hurricane shutter contractors must be registered too. Residential electrical permits are usually ready in one to three days and plumbing permits in one to two days. A generator permit review is usually completed within five business days. The city's Homeowners Permitting heading reads "Pulling Owner/Builder Permits is Risky Business". It says that if you do not intend to do the work yourself and have been asked by someone without a contractor's license to pull the permit, you are at risk of harm both by penalty and injury. Garage doors must also be approved by the State of Florida through its Product Approval Process, and the approval number should be affixed on the door.

Lot work follows the same pattern. A seawall permit is usually ready in three to five days. On a vacant lot, only a portion of the lot can be cleared, and a pre-clearing inspection is required first. A lot clearing permit is usually ready within one week. Building Services can be reached at 386-986-3780 or Buildingdivision@palmcoastgov.com.

The bottom line

The city's New Service Application page says you must be signed in to apply. The city's fee sheet lists a transfer fee of twenty-five dollars. The pages read for this guide do not state a deposit amount. The city's main number is 386-986-2360. The garbage page has a street lookup for the collection schedule, yard waste is collected on Wednesday, and Flagler County is telling residents to store hazardous materials until the amnesty day anticipated in January 2027. The city's May 15, 2026 notice limits landscape irrigation to one day per week, odd-numbered addresses on Saturday and even-numbered addresses on Sunday. Building Services at 386-986-3780 answers building questions. For a driveway that needs the water meter pit moved, the city says to email a proposed site plan to customer-service@palmcoastgov.com, and technical driveway questions go to the Construction Management and Engineering Division at 386-986-3794. For residential one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses, a fence that meets the rules uses the owner's online acknowledgement instead of a permit. A fence that breaks the height or other rules, and any wall, needs a building permit. See also Palm Coast.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything here comes from the City of Deltona's pages, Volusia County's impact fee pages and the Florida Statutes, read on October 28, 2026. The statutes cited are as the city's pages cite them or as read from the state statute text. It names no builders, no neighborhoods and no sale prices.

See also: Buying New Construction in Volusia County: Builder Contracts, Inspections and Costs

Who permits and inspects a new home in Deltona

The Building Services Division is at 2345 Providence Boulevard, Deltona, FL 32725. The division page lists the phone numbers 386-878-8650 and 386-878-8660. Its contact box lists hours of Monday through Friday, with in-person service from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM and phone support from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The introduction on the same page gives 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM for Monday through Friday. The page lists two sets of hours.

The division describes its job this way. It helps residents, contractors and businesses safely build, improve and maintain properties. It provides permitting, plan review and inspections so that projects meet the Florida Building Code, the National Electrical Code and local regulations. Its listed services are building plan review, permit processing, construction inspections and code compliance support.

Section 553.79 of the Florida Statutes says it is unlawful for any person, firm, corporation or governmental entity to construct, erect, alter, modify, repair or demolish any building in the state without first obtaining a permit from the appropriate enforcing agency. The statute allows that agency to charge reasonable fees that it adopts. Deltona's FAQ states the rule for the city. The city's FAQ says a permit is required when the owner or authorized agent intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change occupancy of a building or structure, or to install or change electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems regulated by the Florida Building Code and/or the National Electrical Code. The city says doing work without a permit can lead to fines, failed inspections or having to redo the work.

Permits are handled in an online self-service portal. The division page says you can apply for permits, check application status, upload documents and pay fees and invoices there. It says the portal is available around the clock for permits submitted after July 16, 2019. For visits in person, the division offers a virtual waiting line during business hours. You can join up to 30 minutes before you arrive, and you are notified when it is your turn.

Who can apply for a permit? The city's FAQ names two groups. One is a licensed contractor or the contractor's authorized permit runner. The other is the owner of a non-rented property that will not be for sale or rent for a full year after final inspections, which the city calls an owner-builder and ties to Florida Statute 489.103. The FAQ adds that if you do the work yourself, you are fully responsible for meeting code requirements. The permitting forms page also lists an Owner Builder Disclosure form and a form called Change of Sub-contractor.

The city's FAQ says the current code is the 2023 Florida Building Code, 8th Edition. The state's building commission site says the effective date of that edition is December 31, 2023. The same site lists materials related to a 2026 update. The city's residential checklist names the 2023 8th Edition, the 2020 National Electrical Code and FPC 8th Edition.

Inspections follow their own routine. You schedule them with the city's automated system at 386-575-6900. You need the permit number, the confirmation number and the three-digit inspection IVR number. The city FAQ says most inspections are scheduled for the next business day. On the day of an inspection you can log into the portal, search by permit number or address, and see your assigned inspector and that person's contact information.

The permit card must be posted and visible from the street. The approved plans must be on site. The work must be ready to inspect. The FAQ says that if the inspector cannot see your permit or access the work, it will fail. Inspections are required at different stages of a project, before covering work such as framing or wiring, and at final completion.

Permits also run on a clock. The city says expiration dates are traditionally set 180 days after permit issuance, and that the clock resets on the day of each passed inspection. If a permit expires, you may need to reapply or pay additional fees. On timing, the FAQ says small jobs take a few days and larger projects take several weeks or more because plan review is required.

What the city's new home checklist asks for at each stage

Deltona publishes a document called the Residential New Construction Checklist. The permitting forms page lists it as Single Family Residential. The copy read for this guide is marked Revised 1/2024. The checklist says incomplete or emailed applications will not be accepted. It lists permitting@deltonafl.gov and 386-878-8660 as the contact.

The checklist lists items at application, before issuance of the permit and before a certificate of occupancy.

At application, the checklist asks for a signed building permit application that lists subcontractors for each trade. It asks for a non-refundable submittal fee and a plan review fee. It asks for one set of signed and sealed plans, designed by a Florida registered architect or engineer. Separately, the checklist, revised 1/2024, names the 2023 Florida Building Code 8th Edition, the 2020 National Electrical Code and FPC 8th Edition. If trusses are used, it asks for sealed truss engineering and layout. It asks for energy calculations that include Manual J, Manual D and Manual S.

The site documents come next. The checklist asks for a survey of existing conditions, signed and sealed by a Florida licensed surveyor and mapper. It asks for a plot plan of the proposed development. The plot plan must meet the city's Residential Lot Grading and Driveway Design Guidelines. A Wetland Alteration Permit is required when development is within or adjacent to a wetland area. A Tree Removal Permit Application is listed too, or a Certificate of Compliance if no protected trees of 6 inches DBH or larger will be removed within the required zoning yard setbacks.

The remaining application items are product approvals and utilities. The checklist asks for Florida product approvals for windows, mullions, sliding glass doors, the garage door and entry doors. It asks for a septic permit with a soil analysis sheet and a survey showing the septic location, or proof of sanitary sewer. It also asks for a City Right of Way Use Permit for the driveway.

One line on the checklist names roads. If the job site is on a county-maintained road, a Volusia County Use Permit is required. The checklist lists these county roads: Doyle Road, also called CR 4162 and Debary Avenue, Providence Boulevard, Howland Boulevard, Enterprise-Osteen Road, Graves Avenue, Enterprise Road, also called CR 4156, Lake Helen Osteen Road, Lake Shore Drive and Saxon Boulevard.

Before the permit is issued, the checklist adds more. If the lot is in a flood zone, an Elevation Certificate is required with the construction drawings. A copy of the recorded Notice of Commencement is required. The checklist also asks for proof of potable water in the form of the paid water receipt from the water utility company, the Volusia County Impact Fee Application, the permitting fees and the city impact fees. The checklist says the impact fee application "needs to be reviewed and signed by staff here prior to taking to Volusia County".

The checklist also asks for proof of a contract with Waste Pro for solid waste disposal. It states that the City of Deltona has an exclusive contract with Waste Pro for all solid waste disposal and that roll-off dumpsters must be obtained through that company. It lists 386-574-0723 as the contact. On the utility side, the city's water and wastewater utility says the deposit depends on the meter size and the type of service available at the location. The utility's page links a deposit and fee schedule for residential accounts.

The Notice of Commencement deserves its own paragraph. The city's FAQ describes it as a legal document filed with the county for larger projects. It identifies the owner, contractor and lender. The FAQ says Florida Statute 713.13 requires it, that it must be posted at the job site, and that it is effective for one year from the date of recording unless another date is specified. The city's lien law page reproduces section 713.135. That text says the permit card must carry a warning that failing to record a Notice of Commencement may result in paying twice for improvements to the property. It says the notice must be recorded and posted on the site of the improvement before the first inspection. The applicant must file a copy with the issuing authority before the first inspection if the direct contract is greater than five thousand dollars. Without that copy, the authority or a private provider may not perform or approve later inspections. The same paragraph does not require recording before the permit is issued.

Impact fees, assessments and the certificate of occupancy

Deltona's own impact fees are set under Chapter 94 of its Code of Ordinances, according to the city's Impact Fees page. That page lists five fees: Fire/Rescue, Park, Complete Streets, Law Enforcement and Municipal. They are charged per 1,000 square feet and vary by land use. Single family, multi-family, retail, office, hotel or motel, institutional and industrial uses each have a row. The page says the schedule does not apply to accessory uses.

Two schedules are posted on that page. One is labeled effective October 1, 2026, and the other effective October 1, 2027. The history line at the bottom of the page ends with Resolution No. 2026-53, dated 9-9-26. In the single family row, all five figures on the 2027 schedule are higher than the matching figures on the 2026 schedule. This guide does not print the amounts.

The city also posts a second page under Building Services, called Impact and Special Assessment Fees. It lists a shorter set of impact fees, including fire and law enforcement fees per square foot, a park fee and a transportation fee. Its figures do not match the Impact Fees page, and it shows no effective date. The article takes no impact fee amounts from it. The same page lists two annual assessments. The Solid Waste Assessment is two hundred sixty dollars annually and the Stormwater assessment is one hundred ninety dollars annually.

Those two assessments are collected through the property tax bill for the fiscal period of October to September. The city page explains the first year this way. When a house is first built, the city charges for the months of service from the date of the certificate of occupancy to the first full billing through the property tax roll. A table on that page gives the amount by the month the certificate of occupancy was issued for residential units, with an amount for each month. A certificate issued in October carries the full annual amount of each, 260.00 for Solid Waste and 190.00 for Stormwater in the table. A certificate issued in September carries 21.66 for Solid Waste and 15.83 for Stormwater. The checklist lists Solid Waste Assessment Fees among the items due before a certificate of occupancy.

Volusia County adds a second set. The county page lists five growth-related impact fees: Transportation for roads, Education for schools, Parks and Recreation, Emergency Medical Services and Fire Rescue. It says they pay for new or expanded county roads and facilities. The city's Impact Fees page states that additional impact fees from Volusia County may apply, and it links to the county's schedule and the county school board's fee schedule.

The county's FAQ, updated January 16, 2026, covers the mechanics for a project inside city limits. An application can go in on the county's Connect Live portal, by email to impactfees@volusia.gov or in person at the DeLand office at 123 W. Indiana Avenue, Room 200. A completed application is uploaded to Connect Live. The county says the bottom of the application must be signed by city staff before it is uploaded. The city checklist says the same thing, that city staff review and sign the form first.

Who pays? The county says an impact fee is assessed and due from anyone who builds a new residence or commercial building or changes the use of an existing building. When is it due? The county says payments are due before the issuance of a certificate of occupancy. You can pay online through Connect Live if you are a registered user and are listed as the applicant on the permit. You can also pay at the Treasury and Billing office in the Historic Courthouse, 125 W. New York Avenue, Room 120, DeLand. The county does not accept partial payments, but it lets you pay each use separately in its entirety. The county's phone number for impact fees is 386-736-5924.

The Building Services Division page also covers requests for certificates of completion. A property owner listed on the permit visits in person with a valid ID. Anyone who is not an owner submits a public records request through the City Clerk. The pages read for this guide do not state a number of days the city takes to issue a certificate.

The checklist's third stage is the list of what must be done before a certificate of occupancy. All required inspections must pass. A Blower Door Test Form must be completed before the final building inspection. The septic final, or the sewer equivalent, must be obtained, and the checklist points to the Volusia County Health Department in DeLand at 386-822-6250 for the result. A final Elevation Certificate is required if the lot is in a flood zone. A final as-built survey showing drainage is required, with a minimum of three elevation shots on each side. Re-inspection fees, the county impact fee receipt, a Sidewalk Fund Fee if the sidewalk is not installed and the Solid Waste Assessment Fees complete the list.

Section 553.791 sets a timetable for the local building official to issue a certificate of occupancy or give notice of incomplete forms. Under it, the local building official has no more than two business days for a single-family or two-family home to issue the certificate or give notice of incomplete forms. That clock starts after the request, the certificate of compliance and approval of all other government approvals required by law, including payment of all outstanding fees. If the official gives no notice in time, the request is automatically granted and deemed issued as of the next business day, and the written certificate is due within 10 days. The Deltona pages read for this guide do not mention a private provider option.

Section 192.042 says real property is assessed on January 1 and that improvements not substantially completed on that date have no value placed on them. It defines substantially completed as the improvement, or some self-sufficient unit within it, being usable for its purpose. Section 95.11(3)(b) sets four years for an action founded on the design, planning or construction of an improvement, running from the earliest of a temporary certificate of occupancy, a certificate of occupancy, a certificate of completion or abandonment of construction. For a latent defect, time runs from when the defect was or should have been discovered. In any event the action must start within 7 years of that earliest date.

Chapter 558 adds a notice step. Section 558.004 says a claimant must serve written notice of claim at least 60 days before filing an action over a construction defect, and at least 120 days for an association representing more than 20 parcels. It also says that notice does not toll any statute of repose period under chapter 95. Section 553.835 says there is no implied warranty cause of action for damages to offsite improvements, and it leaves contract, tort and statutory claims in place.

Deposits have their own statute. Section 501.1375 says a builder or developer of one-family or two-family homes must tell the buyer that any deposit, up to 10 percent of the purchase price, will be held in escrow unless the buyer waives that in writing. The contract must carry a conspicuous legend. The statute defines default as the buyer's failure to close after issuance of the certificate of occupancy, or failure to comply with other buyer obligations. It applies to a builder or developer who sells or constructs 10 or more units a year statewide.

See also: Deltona Flood Zones and Flood Insurance: Check an Address, Deltona Septic vs Sewer: What Buyers Must Check and Your Deltona Property Tax Bill Line by Line (2026).

The bottom line

A new home in Deltona is permitted by the city, charged impact fees by the city and the county, and closed out with a certificate of occupancy. The city's Residential New Construction Checklist lists what is due at application, before the permit and before the certificate. The county says its impact fees are due before the certificate. The city posts two impact fee pages whose figures do not match. Section 95.11(3)(b) runs from the earliest of a temporary certificate of occupancy, a certificate of occupancy, a certificate of completion or abandonment. See also: Deltona and Living in Deltona, FL: Neighborhoods, Costs and What to Know.

The questions below pull out the details from the city and county pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

It names no builders and ranks nothing. The impact fee ordinance the city has posted for the 2027 fiscal year is a redline draft, so this guide gives no amounts. The city's Land Development Code was read as a posted PDF. The city and county pages and the Florida Statutes on the Legislature's site were read on October 28, 2026. The Florida Building Code section on certificates of occupancy could not be read, and the R322.2.1 citation below comes from the city's flood page.

The city permit: who issues it and what the application asks for

Start with the office. The Building Division of the City of Edgewater does plan reviews, gives building code interpretations, issues building permits and performs inspections during all phases of construction, including single-family residences. It also issues Certificates of Occupancy once the project is complete. The city's page says all of its inspectors are licensed in accordance with state law.

Florida law sets the baseline. Section 553.79(1)(a) of the Florida Statutes makes it unlawful to construct, erect, alter, modify, repair or demolish any building in the state without first obtaining a permit from the appropriate enforcing agency, on payment of the reasonable fees that agency has adopted. The same paragraph lets the agency revoke a permit if it determines the work violates or does not conform to the Florida Building Code.

The city enforces the 8th Edition (2023) Florida Building Codes and the 2020 edition of the National Electric Code. The Building Division accepts every permit application type by email at BuildingDept@Cityofedgewater.org. Plans sent that way must be signed and sealed digitally. A person with a permit number can log in at any hour, any day, to pay permit fees, schedule an inspection, reschedule or cancel one and obtain inspection results. The phone line is 386-427-3279, option 2, and it asks for the permit number and the inspection code. A live representative is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding legal holidays.

Contractor licensing runs through Volusia County. The city uses the county's Contractor Licensing Program, called Volusia County Connect Live. A contractor who is registered and up to date there does not register separately with Edgewater. A contractor who is not registered there submits a copy of the state license, workers compensation coverage and liability coverage with every permit application.

The city's New Construction Permit form shows what a file for a new house contains. The classes of work include Single-Family, Single-Family Reconstruction, Single-Family Remodel, Townhouse, Duplex and Triplex, along with mobile home, commercial and warehouse classes. The form asks whether the applicant is the owner or a contractor. It asks whether a Notice of Commencement is required. It also asks whether the applicant plans to use private provider inspections or plan review.

The form then asks for the project address and parcel ID, a description of the work and the job cost. It asks for the model of house, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, which side the garage is on and the total square feet of the proposed structure. It asks for the name and license number of the mechanical, electrical, plumbing and roofing subcontractors.

Two more lines concern the ground. The form asks for the proposed finished floor elevation. It also asks for the fill material and the fill volume in cubic yards, whether fill or dirt has been brought to the property and whether the applicant has received a site Violation Notice.

The site plan has its own list. The form says it shall show the location of proposed fill by length, width and height, any existing or proposed drainage improvements such as a pond, pipe or swale, existing structures with dimensions and property line setbacks, streets and roadways, easements, bodies of water, trees within the fill area, arrows showing the direction of drainage flow, a north arrow, the flood zone delineation line and the wetland delineation line. On easements the form says do not encroach into drainage easements with new fill.

The form also carries a Notice of Deed Restrictions. The applicant acknowledges that the property might be subject to deed restrictions and, as owner or authorized agent, is responsible for determining, before adding fill, whether the fill violates them. It carries a Historic Tree Affidavit and a Home Owner Affidavit, both described below.

Lot rules, trees, fill and stormwater

Table V-1 of the Land Development Code, as posted with the 2024-O-34 stamp, sets the site dimensions by district. For R-3 Single Family Residential the table lists a minimum lot of 8,625 square feet, a width of 75 feet and a depth of 115 feet. The front yard is 30 feet, the rear yard 20 feet and the side yard 10 feet. Maximum height is 26 feet, maximum building coverage is 30 percent, maximum impervious coverage is 60 percent and the minimum floor area is 1,000 square feet.

The city's Build Responsibly page says any development in a floodplain, including fill dirt, new construction and remodeling, requires a permit. New residential construction in a special flood hazard area must sit above FEMA's base flood elevation. The Florida Building Code requires the building to be raised an additional 1 foot above that elevation, under section R322.2.1.

Trees come next. The Historic Tree Affidavit on the permit form defines historic trees as specimen trees reaching 36 inches in diameter at breast height, measured 4.5 feet from the ground, with the exception of the Laurel Oak. A historic tree comes out only on approval of a Tree Removal Permit granted by City Council or under section 163.045 of the Florida Statutes. Single-family and duplex lots shall have a minimum of one tree per 1,500 square feet of lot area. If there is a tree of 36 inches or larger, the city requires a tree survey with the building permit. Section 21-55.07(h) of the code says no existing or replacement trees shall be removed after a Certificate of Occupancy is issued.

The stormwater section gives worked numbers. The city's Right of Way, Stormwater and Fill Application says the first one-half inch of runoff from the entire site must be maintained on lots under 10,890 square feet, which is one-quarter acre. One inch of runoff must be retained on lots over that size. Retention areas must be maintainable, no more than six inches deep, with side slopes of 6:1 or flatter, and they must be sodded. The form gives a worked example. A 10,000 square foot lot multiplied by 0.0415 gives 415 cubic feet, which is 830 square feet of retention area at a depth of six inches. A 21,780 square foot lot multiplied by 0.083 gives 1808 cubic feet, rounded up, which is 3,616 square feet.

Other stormwater lines on the same form are short. Rain gutter downspouts must discharge to a retention area. Driveways and sidewalks must slope to a retention area. All disturbed areas must be sodded. Properties in areas with a designated storm water system, which the form names as the Florida Shores areas, must grade toward the City right-of-way where possible. No storm water shall run off to adjacent property owners, and erosion control measures are required during and after construction.

Driveways have their own inspection steps. A driveway in the public right-of-way must not block drainage. On an unpaved road it must extend approximately 15 feet beyond the property line. On a paved road it must meet the street. An inspection is required before the pour. A paver driveway in the right-of-way needs a release or hold harmless agreement, and recording fees are extra. Elevation grade stakes must be set by the Stormwater Department before grading, and the number on the form is 386-424-2400, extension 4007. The same number is for the final inspection, which the form says to request at least one working day in advance. The form notes a re-inspection fee of forty dollars, payable before rescheduling, and tells applicants to call 811 before digging.

Notice of commencement, owner-builders and utilities

The city form says that for direct contracts of five thousand dollars or greater, a current certified copy of the recorded Notice of Commencement must be submitted to the city. Section 713.02(5) of the Florida Statutes, as it reads on the Legislature's site today, says an improvement with a direct contract price of twenty-five hundred dollars or less is exempt from the other provisions of that part of the chapter, except section 713.05. The two figures are not the same.

The statute explains what the notice does. Section 713.13 says an owner or the owner's authorized agent, before actually commencing to improve real property, shall record a notice of commencement in the clerk's office and post either a certified copy or a notarized statement that it has been filed for recording. The notice is effective when it is filed in the clerk's office. The owner must sign it, and no one else may sign in the owner's place. If the improvement is not commenced within 90 days after recording, the notice is void. The statutory form expires one year after recording unless a different date is written in.

The statutory form also carries a warning. It says payments made by the owner after the notice expires are improper payments. It says a notice of commencement must be recorded and posted on the site of the improvement before the first inspection.

The Home Owner Affidavit on the city form says an owner may build or improve a one-family or two-family residence or a farm outbuilding for the owner's own use or occupancy. It may not be built or substantially improved for sale or lease. If a building the owner built is sold or leased within one year after construction is complete, the law presumes it was built for sale or lease, which violates the exemption. The owner must provide direct, onsite supervision.

Utilities are a separate application. Section 21-51.02(b) of the Land Development Code says all new development shall connect to the City's water and sewer system. Temporary package plants may be permitted if City-owned water and sewer improvements are planned. Under paragraph (c), all new development shall connect to the reclaimed water system if it is available, and drylines may be required for future reclaimed service. Paragraph (j) says all utility lines in new residential developments shall be installed underground.

The city's Water and Wastewater Service Application asks whether the applicant is an owner or a contractor and whether the request is for a new service or a change. It asks for the construction type, with single-family residential as one choice. It asks which services are requested, from water, wastewater, reclaimed water or irrigation only. It asks for the parcel ID, the subdivision, the building square feet and the fixture count. Meter size runs from three-quarter inch up to 8 inch. Reclaimed water alone, for a parcel that already has water and sewer, goes through Utility Customer Service at City Hall, 104 N Riverside Drive.

The Table V-1 footnotes add two setback notes. The yard columns carry "50 feet upland from mean high water line" and "25 feet upland from wetlands vegetation". Abandoned or non-developed streets in Florida Shores require a ten foot side corner setback. For R-2 the table lists a minimum lot of 10,000 square feet, 80 feet wide and 125 feet deep, with setbacks of 30, 20 and 10 feet, a height of 26 feet, 30 percent building coverage, 60 percent impervious coverage and a minimum floor area of 1,200 square feet. For R-1 it lists 12,000 square feet, 100 feet wide and 120 feet deep, with a front yard of 40 feet, a rear yard of 30 feet, a side yard of 10 feet, the same 26 foot height, 30 and 60 percent coverage and a minimum floor area of 1,300 square feet.

Impact fees: what the city lists and what the county collects

Impact fees in Edgewater involve both the city and Volusia County. Start with the city. Section 21-51.02(f) of the Land Development Code says all development shall pay the adopted City and County impact and development fees. The city's FY2027 impact fee ordinance is posted as ordinance 2026-O-17, and the posted copy is a redline. Struck-through and underlined numbers run together, the signature date is blank and so is the effective date. Because the posted copy is a redline draft, this guide gives no amounts.

The posted draft still contains the following provisions. It says the Florida Impact Fee Act, section 163.31801 of the Florida Statutes, imposes requirements on how impact fees are adopted, collected and used. It says the city's water and sewer capital charges are assessed as connection fees, and that under section 163.31801(12) the Act does not apply to water and sewer connection fees. Table 21-888 sets single-family detached at 1.0 equivalent residential unit per dwelling unit, and the capital charges are stated per gallon of capacity or per ERU. The stormwater impact fee is set per equivalent dwelling unit for residential establishments.

A separate section covers other city services. It says development that intends to create or intensify usage pays for the impact on City services. It lists five: Fire Rescue and Emergency Medical Support, Law Enforcement, General Government Buildings, Parks and Recreation, and Multi-Modal Transportation. Table 21-999, headed City of Edgewater Impact Fee Schedule, has one line for single-family and multi-family dwellings, counted per dwelling unit, with a column for each of those five services.

The draft also says the following. After the water and sewer capital charges are paid, the city may review actual consumption within 24 months after service starts. If consumption reflects a greater demand than the capacity paid for, the draft lets the city increase the total capital charges collected. Consumers outside city limits pay a 25 percent surcharge until July 1, 2029. A section on Individual Impact Assessment lets a feepayer who believes the impact is less than the fee ask for an assessment.

Now the county. Volusia County's impact fee page says the program finances new roads, schools, parks, fire services and emergency medical services necessitated by new development. The county has five growth-related impact fees: Transportation, Education, Parks and Recreation, Emergency Medical Services and Fire Rescue. The page was updated January 16, 2026. In the county's FAQ, an impact fee is assessed and due from anyone who builds a new residence or commercial building or changes the use of an existing building.

The county's timing line is short. The FAQ says impact fee payments are due before the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy. For a project inside city limits, an application goes through the Connect Live portal, by email to impactfees@volusia.gov or in person at the county office in DeLand. The completed application must be uploaded, and the bottom of the application must be signed by city staff before it is uploaded. Payment can be made online through Connect Live, but the payer must be a registered user and must be listed as the applicant on the permit. It can also be made at the Volusia County Treasury and Billing office in the Historic Courthouse at 125 W. New York Ave., Room 120 in DeLand, or by check payable to County of Volusia.

The county FAQ says impact fee payments are due before the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy. Separately, for impact fees adopted or increased after July 1, 2026, section 163.31801(4)(e) says collection may not be required earlier than the date the building permit is issued for the property. A local government must give at least 90 days notice before a new or increased impact fee takes effect, and new or increased fees may not apply to permit applications already submitted before the effective date, unless the result reduces the total cost to the applicant.

The certificate of occupancy and what follows it

The Building Division issues the Certificate of Occupancy once the project is complete. Two items in the Land Development Code are tied to it by name. Section 21-54.02(f) says all new development must sod all disturbed areas of the lot before the Certificate of Occupancy is issued, in accordance with all applicable regulatory agency requirements. Section 21-55.07(h) bars removal of existing or replacement trees after the certificate is issued. The county's impact fee payments are due before it, as shown above.

The permit form's upload fields are Product Approval Application, Survey, Truss Layout, Truss Engineering, Energy Calcs and Building Plans, plus miscellaneous building items. Survey, Truss Layout, Truss Engineering, Energy Calcs and Building Plans are marked required, and files must be pdf or zip.

Property tax has a state rule tied to completion. Section 192.042(1) of the Florida Statutes says real property is assessed on January 1 of each year, and improvements or portions not substantially completed on January 1 have no value placed on them. The statute defines substantially completed to mean that the improvement, or some self-sufficient unit within it, can be used for the purpose for which it was constructed.

At the county, partial payments are not accepted. A payment can be made for each use separately in its entirety, for example road impact fees now and school impact fees later. The county's impact fee office is at impactfees@volusia.gov, (386) 736-5924, 123 W. Indiana Ave., Room 200, DeLand.

Section 163.31801 has more limits. Under (4)(c), administrative charges for collecting impact fees are limited to actual costs. Under (5)(a), a local government that requires an improvement or contribution must credit it dollar-for-dollar at fair market value against the impact fee for that category of facility. Under (6)(b), an increase of not more than 25 percent of the current rate is implemented in two equal annual increments. Under (6)(d), an increase may not exceed 50 percent of the current rate. Under (6)(e), a fee may not be increased more than once every 4 years. Under (10), impact fee credits are assignable and transferable within the same impact fee zone or district or an adjoining one in the same jurisdiction.

A building permit may be closed by the enforcing agency six years after it was issued, even without a final inspection, if no apparent safety hazards exist, under section 553.79(16)(c) of the Florida Statutes. A property owner may close a permit by keeping the original contractor, by hiring a different appropriately licensed contractor or by acting as an owner-builder. Under section 553.79(17)(a), an agency may not deny a permit to, issue a notice of violation to or fine an arms-length purchaser for value solely because a permit applied for by a previous owner was not closed. The agency keeps its rights against the owner and contractor listed on the permit.

The Florida Building Code's own wording on certificates of occupancy was not available to read on the day this guide was checked, so this guide does not describe the inspection list behind the certificate. The city says its Building Division issues the certificate and that inspectors work through all phases of construction. The county says its impact fees are due before the certificate.

Related guides: Edgewater Flood Zones and Flood Insurance: Check an Address, Edgewater Canal and River Lots: Permits, Utilities, Flood, Moving to Edgewater, FL: Utilities, Trash and Permits, Edgewater Property Tax Bill: 2026 Lines Explained, Buying New Construction in Volusia County: Builder Contracts, Inspections and Costs, Living in Edgewater, FL: Neighborhoods, Costs and What to Know.

Bottom line. The city Building Division issues the permit, inspects the work and issues the Certificate of Occupancy. Volusia County's impact fees are due before that certificate. The city's own impact fee schedule for the 2027 fiscal year was only available as a redline draft, so this guide gives no amounts. See Edgewater.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide covers rules published by the City of Daytona Beach, with county and state sources marked where they are used. It draws on the city's emergency, flood protection and permitting pages, Volusia County Emergency Management, the state's Know Your Zone page, Florida Statutes and the state's four-point inspection guide.

Evacuation questions, bridges and shelters

The city's evacuation page says to evacuate if you live in a storm surge zone, a low-lying or flood-prone area, a mobile home or recreational vehicle, or if you require a respirator or other electric-dependent medical equipment. It says not to if you live in a sound structure and none of those categories apply. The page links the Volusia County hurricane evacuation zones PDF map and Volusia County's website.

Storm surge is the most deadly of hurricane hazards, according to the city page. The city says surge can reach seven feet above sea level in a category 1 hurricane and as much as 28 feet above sea level in a category 5 hurricane.

The levels themselves are described in different ways. The city page says officials may order one of five evacuation levels, matching the five hurricane categories. The Volusia County page says officials may order one of three levels, written A, BC or DE. The state's Know Your Zone page uses zones A through F. It says Zone A is generally the most vulnerable and is evacuated first, and Zone F is generally evacuated last. The state also says not all zones are always ordered.

Some structures are covered by a blanket rule. The city and the county both say that a mobile home, manufactured home or recreational vehicle must evacuate for all evacuation levels regardless of where it sits. The county explains that these structures have flat sides and are lightweight, and that this type of construction does not allow the wind load to transfer through the supports into the foundation. Both say tie-down straps and anchors should be maintained and checked for rust or corrosion. The city and county pages say failure to obey an evacuation order is a violation of Florida law.

Condominium owners get their own line. The city says residents of condominiums should follow the evacuation instructions given to people in single-family homes. It adds that even if a condominium is not damaged severely, you may be without power for days.

The city and county list these steps for leaving. Know where you are going, whether that is family, friends, a hotel or motel, or a public shelter. Take a map showing two routes to reach the destination. Notify family, friends and caregivers where you will be. Secure your home, take your emergency supplies and do not delay. The state's Know Your Zone page adds that the safest and easiest option may be to stay with friends or family who live outside the evacuation zone.

The bridge rule comes from the county. When an evacuation is ordered, the east-bound lanes of bridges close to traffic. The west-bound lanes stay open until sustained winds exceed 39 miles per hour, and then all lanes close.

Staying home has its own instructions. The county and city say to stay in your designated safe room. They say to stay away from windows and glass doors. If flooding threatens, they say to turn off the electricity at the main fuse or breaker box. Generators belong outside the house, and appliances should connect directly to the generator. The city and county say not to connect to the fuse box or incoming power line, because back-feeding has killed power company line workers.

The state says that if you are not in an ordered evacuation zone, a low-lying flood-prone area, a mobile home or an unsafe structure, it may be safer to stay in your home. It also says the homeowner is responsible for knowing whether the home is strong enough to withstand a hurricane. The state notes that homes built after 2002 generally include features that make them more resilient to hurricanes. It names one precaution as the most important: protect the areas where wind can enter.

Volusia County has many public shelter locations that can be opened according to each disaster, and not all open at once. They open based on demand. The county says evacuees may need to stay 24 to 72 hours and that general population shelters do not provide cots, and a beach chair and sleeping pad are recommended. Hospitals are not shelters. The county's People and Pet shelter, where people and pets share a location, is at the Fairgrounds only. The Citizens Information Hotline is 866-345-0345 and is activated only during an emergency. Directions to open shelters are in the county Emergency Management app. The school board and Votran provide free rides to general public shelters from regular Votran bus stops, and the Votran number for Daytona Beach is 386-322-5100.

Flood: surge, rain and the area the city calls the bowl

The city describes Daytona Beach as a coastal community subject to flooding from the Atlantic and Halifax Rivers by storm surge. The city says surge combined with tides can push stormwater upstream into low-lying areas that would normally drain to the Halifax River. Volusia County adds a countywide fact. Based on the Multi-Jurisdictional Local Mitigation Strategy, out of thirteen individual hazards, flooding is the most frequent and costly natural hazard in the Volusia County area.

The city also records a flood event in May 2009. In that unnamed event, the city says, 790 structures flooded. The Nova Canal overtopped its banks and backed up through the drainage system outfalls. The city identifies the Florida Department of Transportation's Nova Canal, on the east side of Nova Road, as the major cause of flood damage in the topographically low area generally bounded by Nova Road, Orange Avenue, U.S. 1 and Beville Road. The city's own name for that area is "the bowl."

The city makes these flood insurance statements. Homeowner's insurance policies do not cover damage from rising water. Flood insurance has a 30-day waiting period before it takes effect. The city's National Flood Insurance Program notice says FEMA has launched an online service that lets owners receive quotes and buy NFIP policies directly online, without an agent. The city lists floodsmart.gov and the NFIP number, (877) 336-2627, for help finding a provider.

The city says to call the Utilities Engineering Division at (386) 671-8807 about a letter certifying the flood zone. A letter from the city certifying the zone assigned to a property is available on request. A copy of an elevation certificate is also available for structures built within a Special Flood Hazard Area after 1986, if one exists. The city says there is no charge for these services for property owners, that in most cases only the street address is needed, and that it tries to return calls within 24 to 48 hours. The city also offers an interactive flood zone map. For a flooding problem inside the city, the city lists Utilities Dispatch at 386-671-8815.

The map letters carry specific meanings, according to the city's FEMA zone table. An AE zone shows base flood elevations. Zone VE is the coastal area subject to a velocity hazard from wave action, where base flood elevations are provided. A shaded Zone X, or Zone B, is an area of moderate flood hazard between the limits of the 100-year and 500-year floods. An unshaded Zone X, or Zone C, is an area of minimal flood hazard above the 500-year level. Volusia County labels inland high-risk zones A or AE and coastal high-risk zones with additional storm surge risk VE. The county lists its current flood risk products as effective February 19, 2014, September 29, 2017 and August 7, 2018. The city's Flood Protection page says the Daytona Beach maps were last updated in 2017.

The city says the maps show areas expected to be covered with water when 11 inches of rain falls in one day, an event with a 1 percent chance of happening in any given year. The county says a 100-year flood is the flood elevation that has a 1 percent chance of being equaled or exceeded each year, and that it is not the flood that will occur once every 100 years. The county also says its own map is not survey accurate and recommends independent verification. For FEMA's own lookup, the county points to msc.fema.gov/portal/search.

The city's flood safety page gives two figures. It says six inches of swiftly moving water can sweep you off your feet, and that most cars can be swept away by less than two feet of moving water. It lists an emergency kit with at least three days of food and water, a flashlight, batteries, cash and first aid supplies. It also says to photograph damage for insurance purposes.

Roofs, permits and Florida statutes

Start with what Florida Statutes say. Section 553.844 sets roof replacement requirements for site-built single-family homes. A roof replacement must incorporate a secondary water barrier and roof-decking attachment and fastener techniques. For a building in the wind-borne debris region with an insured value of 300,000 dollars or more, or a just valuation of 300,000 dollars or more if it is uninsured, a roof replacement must also incorporate roof-to-wall connection techniques. The legislature states its intent that the cost of those connection retrofits not exceed approximately 15 percent of the cost of reroofing. The statute also says that if a roof was built, repaired or replaced under the 2007 Florida Building Code or a later edition, and 25 percent or more of it is repaired, replaced or recovered, only that portion has to meet the code in effect.

The state's four-point inspection guide covers the insurance side. It says a four-point inspection is commonly required by Florida insurers when issuing or renewing a policy, and that it covers the roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems. It also says an insurance company may require documentation confirming at least five years of remaining useful life for roofs older than 15 years if they are shingle, or 20 years if they are tile or metal. Section 627.711 adds a rule about wind discounts. Insurers must notify the applicant or policyholder, at issuance and at each renewal, of the available wind premium discounts, credits and deductible reductions. The uniform mitigation verification inspection form must be accepted when it is signed by a licensed home inspector with at least three hours of hurricane mitigation training, a certified building code inspector, a licensed general, building or residential contractor, a licensed professional engineer or a licensed architect. The person signing must inspect the structure personally.

The sale itself has a flood step in Florida law. Section 689.302 requires the seller to complete and give the purchaser a flood disclosure at or before the time the sales contract is executed. The form states that homeowners' insurance policies do not include coverage for flood damage. The seller then states whether they have knowledge of flooding that damaged the property during their ownership, whether they filed a flood damage claim with an insurance provider including the National Flood Insurance Program, and whether they received assistance for flood damage, including from FEMA. The statute defines flooding to include the overflow of inland or tidal waters, the rapid accumulation of runoff or surface waters from an established water source, and sustained standing water from rainfall.

The city's Post-Storm Recovery Permitting Guide explains what happens after a storm. After a declared state of emergency, the city says it will activate a post-storm permitting center at 301 S. Ridgewood Avenue or an alternate location. It says it will keep at least 40 hours per week of public-facing permitting services as soon as conditions allow, and it will use expedited review and inspection for storm-related repairs. The guide lists the repairs that require a permit: roof replacements or substantial roof repairs, structural repairs, electrical service restoration or replacement, HVAC equipment replacement, window and door replacement, fence replacement, water heater replacement, screen enclosure repairs or rebuilds, and drywall removal or replacement. It lists repairs that do not require a permit: tarping of roofs, debris removal, minor cosmetic repairs such as paint or carpet, and tree removal for storm-related dead or damaged trees.

The guide also lists how to apply. Applications go online at DaytonaBeach.ims16.com or in person at the Building Department, 301 S. Ridgewood Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32114. The required documents are a permit application, an Owner Builder Affidavit if you qualify as an owner builder, and plans, specifications, a site plan or other application documents. The expedited categories are roofs, electrical service reconnects, water damage-related HVAC replacements, and window and door replacements. The guide says expedited review is completed in one to three business days for essential repairs, and inspections are scheduled within 24 to 48 hours of the request, weather permitting. It adds that a permit fee deferment is possible if the City Commission activates it. The Permits and Licensing Department number is (386) 671-8178.

Flood rules attach to repairs as well. In a Special Flood Hazard Area, a building that is substantially damaged or improved must meet the FEMA Base Flood Elevation plus one foot of freeboard, as required by the Florida Building Code, along with the latest Florida Building Code and local amendments. The city says compliance with these rules provides a discount on flood insurance rates for all property owners within the city. Volusia County states a related threshold. Improvements or repairs equal to or greater than 50 percent of a home's market value must meet current Florida Building Code standards and comply with the local floodplain ordinance. The county says an Elevation Certificate may be on file with Building and Code Administration, at 386-626-6591.

The city is waiving permit and inspection fees for commercial and residential projects through January 31, 2027. The city lists new construction, interior renovations, roof replacements, electrical and fire suppression upgrades, fences, doors, windows, driveways and air conditioning units as eligible. It says this is the sixth time since 2020 that it has waived fees. Applications are available online, and the city also lists 386-671-8140 for Permits and Licensing.

A state program covers beach construction. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection runs the Coastal Construction Control Line program, which regulates structures and activities that can cause beach erosion, destabilize dunes, damage upland properties or interfere with public access. Adopting a line establishes an area of jurisdiction with special siting and design criteria. The department says those criteria may be more stringent than elsewhere because of the greater forces expected in the seaward beach zone during a storm. The department offers help locating the line at 850-245-8570. Which Daytona Beach properties fall under it is not stated on the pages cited here.

Preparation includes signing up for alerts. The city says to register at www.codb.us/alerts and states that you will only receive emergency notifications if you are signed up. The city's alert categories include boil water notices, Amber and Silver alerts, evacuations and road closures. The city posts storm information on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Nextdoor, and it recommends monitoring local television and radio. Its Emergency Operations Center sits within the Police Department headquarters, and Fire Department and Police Department personnel manage it. The city's Hurricane Preparedness Guide is a booklet with notification information, safety tips, evacuation zone information and a removable supply checklist with important phone numbers. It is available at www.DaytonaBeach.gov/StormGuide.

The city also repeats the National Weather Service definitions. A Hurricane Watch is issued when a tropical cyclone with winds of 74 miles per hour or higher poses a possible threat, generally within 48 hours. A Hurricane Warning is issued when sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or higher are expected in 36 hours or less. Either one may come with storm surge, coastal flooding or river flooding. A watch does not mean hurricane conditions will occur. A warning can stay in effect when dangerously high water continues even though winds may be less than hurricane force.

Related guides: Florida Home Insurance for Buyers: 4-Point, Wind Mitigation and Citizens Explained | Daytona Beach Condo Milestone Inspections and SIRS Guide | Daytona Beach Flood Zones: How to Check Any Address | Daytona Beach Neighborhoods: Beachside, Mainland, Golf and 55+ Communities.

Bottom line

The main points in this guide come from the city, county, state and statute pages listed in this guide's sources. The county evacuation zone map is linked from the city's evacuation page. The level for a given street was not verified for this guide. The city's Utilities Engineering Division can provide a letter certifying the flood zone, at no charge to property owners. The city's Post-Storm Recovery Permitting Guide lists how to apply online at DaytonaBeach.ims16.com or in person at the Building Department. The seller's flood disclosure under section 689.302 states what the seller knows about flooding, claims and assistance.

For property in Daytona Beach, the city says homeowner's insurance policies do not cover damage from rising water. Flood insurance takes 30 days to start, according to the city.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide restates what those official sources say. It covers evacuation and the bridges, what the city reports about its own flooding after hurricanes, what the building code and state law say about roofs and openings, and the shelter and alert systems the county runs. See also: New Smyrna Beach Flood Zones & Flood Insurance Guide.

Evacuation levels, zones and the bridges

Volusia County Emergency Management publishes an evacuation plan page. The county page says to evacuate if you live in the hurricane evacuation zone. It says to evacuate if you live in a low-lying, flood prone area, including homes along river basins. It also says to evacuate if you live in a mobile home, substandard housing, a recreational vehicle or a campsite. The county page states that failure to obey an evacuation order is a violation of Florida law.

The county page says that mobile homes have flat sides and are lightweight, which does not allow the proper transfer of wind load through the supports into the foundation and ground. It says that if you live in a mobile home or recreational vehicle you must evacuate for all evacuation levels regardless of where you are. The page asks owners to seek shelter elsewhere when a major storm threatens, to regularly maintain tie-down straps and anchors, to check straps for rust or corrosion, and to protect windows and doors.

The city's own frequently asked questions page gives its own list. It says you should evacuate if you live in a storm surge zone, live in a low-lying or flood prone area, or live in a mobile home or recreational vehicle. It adds one more group. You should evacuate if you require a respirator or other electric-dependent medical equipment.

Depending on the track and strength of a hurricane, local officials may order level A, BC or DE. The county calls these Hurricane Evacuation Categories and says they correspond to the flooding that is likely to occur. The state's Know Your Zone page designates evacuation zones A to F. It says that generally Zone A is the most vulnerable and most likely to be evacuated first and Zone F last. The state also says that not all evacuation zones are always ordered.

The county page states that storm surge is the most deadly of hurricane hazards. It describes surge as salt water flooding that rushes over coastal and river areas near where the eye of the hurricane strikes, destroying homes and businesses. It states that storm surge can reach seven feet above sea level in a category 1 hurricane and as much as 28 feet in a category 5 hurricane. The state's page says the greatest threat to life from a hurricane is storm surge flooding.

The state's page also says that if you are in an ordered evacuation zone, a low-lying flood prone area or a mobile home, you should follow all evacuation orders. It says that if you are not in an ordered evacuation zone, low-lying flood prone area, mobile home or unsafe structure, it may be safer to stay in your home. It says it is the responsibility of the homeowner to know if the home is strong enough, and that generally homes built after 2002 include features that make them more resilient. It says staying with friends or family outside the evacuation zone or in a stronger house may be the safest and easiest option.

The city's Flood Protection page links to maps titled Hurricane Evacuation Zones with Traffic Evacuation Zones Map, Storm Surge Zones Map and Storm Tide Zones Map. The same page lists Volusia County Flood Basics. It says the Flood Insurance Rate Map may be viewed at FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, at the city Engineering Department at 214 Sams Ave., phone 386-410-2812, and at the New Smyrna Beach Regional Library. It says lenders use the map to determine whether flood insurance is required. Maps are updated as changes occur.

The county page lists what to do when evacuating. It says to know where you are going, whether family, friends, a hotel or motel, or a public shelter, to take a map showing two routes, to notify family, friends and caregivers of your location, to secure your home and property, to take emergency supplies and not to delay. For residents who are not required to evacuate, the page says to take precautions to protect home and property, check the disaster supply kit, stay in the designated safe room, and stay away from windows and glass doors. It says to turn off electricity at the main fuse or breaker box if flooding threatens, and to run a generator outside the house and connect appliances directly to the generator, not to the fuse box or incoming power line. It states that back-feeding generators have killed power company line workers.

The county says that when an evacuation is ordered, the east-bound lanes of bridges close to traffic. The west-bound lanes remain open until sustained winds exceed 39 miles per hour, at which point all lanes close. The city posted a notice on September 26, 2024 about the high-rise coastal bridges. It says Volusia County closes them when the county emergency management director determines it is necessary, in coordination with the Volusia Sheriff's Office. The notice lists three conditions. One is the arrival of winds sustained at 39 mph. Another is visible damage to the bridge or flooding of the approaches. The third is to conduct damage assessments. The notice gives the Citizens Information Center number as 866-345-0345.

The city's Additional Services page says that Fire and Rescue personnel assist residents and business owners with information and tips on how to prepare and plan for a hurricane or other disaster.

What the city reports about flooding after its own hurricanes

The city's Stormwater Management page describes what the storms it names did, Hurricane Ian in 2022 and the 2022 and 2024 hurricanes. The city states that in September 2022 it experienced widespread flooding after Hurricane Ian produced approximately 20 inches of rainfall that coincided with very high storm surge in Turnbull Bay.

The city hired Jones Edmunds for an Exposure Analysis within a Vulnerability Assessment fully funded by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The city's page says Jones Edmunds did not find deficiencies in the city's stormwater code and standards or how they are applied that are leading to increases in flooding due to development, and found them more protective than most Florida communities. The 27-page report recommended updating the Stormwater Master Plan, demonstrative criteria for large developments, evaluating improvement of the Community Rating System Class, drainage easement mapping and acquisition, and ditch maintenance.

The page says the report notes that many developed parcels were built before modern stormwater regulations and are in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas at or below 100-year flood stages, which Hurricane Ian significantly exceeded. It says a substantial investment will be required to significantly reduce 100-year flood stages in most parts of the city, some of which will likely have no feasible solution for removing properties from a Special Flood Hazard Area. In those cases, the page says, raising the finished floor elevation of the structures will likely be the only solution to eliminate 100-year flood risks. The page also says a temporary building moratorium was in place while the study was underway.

The city lists projects. In Corbin Park, the page lists a Volusia County retrofit with new conveyance pipe, inlet and outlet structures and backflow preventers, a six million dollar Transform386 grant, and construction to begin in early 2026. The page says the subdivision was developed without modern design standards and that established finished floor elevations do not meet guidelines.

For the Historic Westside, the city lists upsizing pipes, inlets, backflow prevention, regrading swales and curbing. The reason it gives is substantial flooding resulting from hurricanes in 2022 and 2024. The page names a one million dollar state appropriation. For North Atlantic Avenue from Lakewood Street to Inlet Street, the city lists an exfiltration system, inlets, curbing, a 10-inch water main and electrical system hardening, with a projected completion of July 2, 2026 on the city's page. The current status is not verified. The page gives the reason as heavy rain events causing flooding, particularly along the west side of the street.

The city's page also lists several dates. On January 6, 2025 the Planning and Zoning Board approved new stormwater regulations. They update minimum design criteria for ponds, ditches and swales in new developments, reduce the total discharge allowed, and increase storage by setting minimum vertical distances between peak water levels and the tops of retention systems. They add standards for roadway drainage and residential infill lots and mandate a review of stormwater requirements every two years. On December 3, 2024 the city held a public forum on flooding after Hurricane Milton, with questions and comments sent to flooding@cityofnsb.com. The page says the Citywide Stormwater Master Plan Phase 1 study was complete on March 25, 2026, and that on July 14, 2026 Volusia County launched an interactive dashboard of flood control projects, watershed analyses and maintenance activities.

Roofs, openings, permits and the building code

The City of New Smyrna Beach states on its Building and Inspections page that, as of January 1, 2024, the state and the city enforce the 8th Edition 2023 Florida Building Code and the 2020 National Electric Code. Permit applications on or after that date must comply. The office is at 214 Sams Ave., open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday, and the phone number on the page is 386-410-2860. All permits are submitted through Energov Citizen Self Service, where the homeowner and any subcontractors are added to the permit.

The same page says that since July 1, 2022, Volusia County performs all permitting, application review, code enforcement and public hearings for properties in unincorporated Volusia County under the Interlocal Service Boundary Agreement. The page tells residents in the orange area of its map to contact Volusia County. It lists 386-736-5925 for code enforcement and 386-736-5942 for subdivisions. See also: Moving to New Smyrna Beach: Utilities, Trash, Permits.

Section 553.844 of the Florida Statutes, in the version posted by the Florida Legislature, says that for site-built single-family residences a roof replacement must incorporate secondary water barrier techniques and the strengthening or correcting of roof-decking attachments and fasteners. For a building in the wind-borne debris region with an insured value of 300,000 dollars or more, a roof replacement must also incorporate roof-to-wall connection techniques. If the building is uninsured or no insured value is presented, the statute uses a just valuation of 300,000 dollars or more. The statute says roof-to-wall connections are not required unless evaluation and installation can be completed for 15 percent of the cost of roof replacement.

The statute has an exception for roofs built to newer codes. If an existing roofing system or roof section was built, repaired or replaced in compliance with the 2007 Florida Building Code or any later edition, and 25 percent or more of it is being repaired, replaced or recovered, only the repaired, replaced or recovered portion must be constructed to the code in effect. The statute says a local government may not adopt an administrative or technical amendment to that exception.

The statute also has a rule for openings. Permits applied for on or after July 1, 2008 for work with an estimated cost of 50,000 dollars or more, not including roof covering replacement or repair, must include opening protections as required for new construction, for a building in the wind-borne debris region with an insured or just value of 750,000 dollars or more.

The state's Know Your Zone page says the most important precaution is to protect the areas where wind can enter. The city's Development Services frequently asked questions document says that homes built in the last 10 years, or with an addition, driveway, fence or pool in that time, most likely have a survey and permit record with the Building Department. It says the city may hold a survey or elevation certificate, and that Engineering may hold elevation certificates for flood-zone properties, filed by year of construction back to the early 1990s.

The same document says New Smyrna Beach special flood hazard zones are A, AE and VE. It says many older, established neighborhoods lack stormwater capacity, so each owner must retain a portion of runoff on the property, most commonly a shallow grassed depression that soaks back within 24 to 48 hours of rain. It says these are required by code and that filling them in may flood an adjacent property or the street.

Section 627.711 of the Florida Statutes says that at issuance and at each renewal, the insurer must notify the applicant or policyholder of the availability and range of premium discounts, credits or deductible reductions for fixtures or construction techniques that reduce windstorm loss. Insurers must accept a uniform mitigation verification form signed by an authorized inspector. The list is a licensed home inspector with at least 3 hours of approved hurricane mitigation training, a certified building code inspector, a licensed general, building or residential contractor, a licensed professional engineer or architect, or another person the insurer recognizes.

The statute says the signer must personally inspect the structures, except that licensed contractors and engineers may authorize a direct employee. It says signing a form that falsely says the inspector personally inspected is misconduct.

The city's Substantial Improvement and Damage packet, from the Building Department at 214 Sams Ave., phone 386-410-2800, says that if a home or business is below the 100-year flood elevation, determined by the Elevation Certificate, the city's flood damage prevention regulations may affect repair, remodel, renovation or add-on. It says substantial damage and substantial improvement both mean a cost equal to or greater than 50 percent of the structure's market value, before the damage or before the start of construction.

The packet says that if the lowest finished floor is below the 100-year flood elevation, the building must be raised to or above that level. It says electrical and mechanical equipment, bath and toilet rooms, laundry rooms, water heaters and finished areas must be at or above it. Only unfinished space for parking, building access and limited incidental storage is allowed below it.

Shelters, alerts, flood coverage timing and the bottom line

A city notice posted July 29, 2024 says the new Volusia County Emergency Management app keeps real-time situational updates, weather conditions, sandbag distribution points, shelter locations and evacuation alerts. It says the previous app no longer receives updates and tells residents to search for Volusia Emergency Management. The county emergency management director is quoted as saying the app puts critical information directly in the hands of our residents. The county's shelter page says residents can use the county app, volusia.org/PIN, social media, or the toll-free Citizens Information Hotline, 866-345-0345, which is only activated during an emergency.

The county shelter page says many public shelters can open according to each emergency, but not all open at once and they open based on demand. It says evacuees may stay 24 to 72 hours and that general population shelters do not provide cots, so a beach chair and sleeping pad are recommended. It says Votran provides free rides to public shelters from regular bus stops, that every Votran bus stop is an evacuation assembly point during a declared evacuation, and that the Votran New Smyrna Beach number is 386-424-6810. Shelter directions for opened shelters are in the county app.

The county shelter page says special needs shelters assist evacuees who are elderly, physically, mentally or sensory disabled, or require oxygen, and that residents should register with Volusia County Emergency Management in advance. It says hospitals are not shelters and that special needs shelters are pet friendly. On returning home, the page says re-entry to evacuated areas is authorized based on public safety, security and operational needs of search and rescue teams, and that the policy is set as soon as possible with as few restrictions as possible and announced through the news media.

The Volusia County floods page says most standard homeowner's policies do not cover flooding from rising water. It says most flood insurance policies have a 30-day waiting period before they become effective. It says some flood insurance policies are transferable when buying and selling a home, and that a condominium master policy does not usually cover the inside of the unit or contents. It lists Building and Code Administration at 386-626-6591 as an office that may have an elevation certificate.

Bottom line. The county says local officials may order evacuation level A, BC or DE, and the state designates zones A to F. The city lists evacuation zone, storm surge and storm tide maps on its Flood Protection page. The city reports that many developed parcels were built before modern stormwater regulations, and it lists projects in Corbin Park, the Historic Westside and North Atlantic Avenue. Section 553.844 sets roof requirements, and the city's packet defines substantial damage and substantial improvement as a cost equal to or greater than 50 percent of the structure's market value. These are the published rules and guidance of Volusia County, the City of New Smyrna Beach, the State of Florida and the Florida Statutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide reads the city's Code of Ordinances on Municode, Florida Statute 403.813 and Volusia County's manatee permitting page. All three were read on October 28, 2026. The online code is Supplement 50, codified through Ordinance 28-26, which was enacted May 26, 2026. Municode itself says the posted code may not reflect the most current legislation adopted.

What the city code lets a waterfront lot build

The dock rules sit in section 803.04 of the Land Development Regulations. The section covers boat docks, terminal platforms, boat slips, covered boat slips or boathouses, mooring poles, boat ramps and docking facilities for non-commercial watercraft. It permits them on a non-oceanfront waterfront lot in any residential zoning district, except the multifamily districts. They must be an accessory use to a single-family or two-family use, and they must follow Volusia County's Manatee Protection Plan. The code calls these standard facilities.

Start with the slip count. No more than two boat slips are allowed per parcel, whether covered or not covered. A single boat slip is limited to no more than 360 square feet. A double boat slip may not exceed 600 square feet. The code defines a standard facility as a private structure accessory to a single-family or two-family residential property where boats are moored or launched, including boat slips, boathouses, mooring poles and terminal platforms. The maximum number of slips, mooring poles and boat ramps is a combination of any two.

A boat ramp counts against that limit. The code says that in lieu of a second boat slip, a parcel can have one boat ramp not exceeding 13 feet in width. Two lots can also join. Any two non-oceanfront waterfront lots in a single-family and two-family residential district may build a shared facility in the adjacent waterway that accommodates up to four boats. The code states that a shared facility would eliminate the right of either property to construct a separate dock or slip facility. The shared facility is either boat docking, a terminal platform and a boat lift with a boathouse or mooring poles, for a maximum of four boats per two lots, or no more than four uncovered boat slips, or a minimum of two single or double covered slips or boathouses. The same 360 and 600 square foot limits apply to the covered slips. Two boat ramps of no more than 13 feet in width are allowed, with no more than one per property, and each ramp is in lieu of one boat slip.

The code also has a provision for common areas. A non-oceanfront waterfront common area within a platted subdivision, a multi-family development or a commercial marina may build boat docks, boat lifts, terminal platforms, boathouses, mooring poles, access piers and access walkways. It may also build covered boat slips or boathouses, none of which exceed 300 square feet, and one boat ramp not exceeding 13 feet in width. The city commission approves the number and location of the dock facilities at a hearing open to the public. For a subdivision, the code adds that the common area has direct water frontage, the docks are owned and maintained by individual homeowners, and the docks are not rented or used by non-residents of the subdivision. The land used to reach the docks is owned and maintained by the homeowners association and stays common area. Setbacks for those docks are the same as for other single-family docks in the city. These facilities may be subject to the city slip pool, which the code sets at 1,480 slips in total. Of those, 1,204 are north of the North Causeway and 276 are south of the South Causeway. An unlimited number are between the North and South Causeways.

Now the size and position limits. The maximum height of a structure is 15 feet above the mean high waterline. For a second-story deck, the height is measured from the second floor and not from the required handrails. The maximum footprint of a single-family dock structure cannot exceed 1,000 square feet, not counting a walkway, gangway or access pier five feet in width or less. Terminal platforms may be covered by a roof so long as the area under the roof does not exceed the maximum square footage for covered boat slips. A second-story deck is allowed if it does not exceed that same maximum. The 600 square feet maximum must be shared between a covered slip or boathouse and a covered platform.

The side setback is ten feet. No standard structure may be closer than ten feet from the side lot lines, or from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection interpreted extensions of the side lot lines waterward from the property water frontage line. The list of structures includes mooring poles, boathouses, boat docks, terminal platforms, access piers and walkways, boat lifts and other boat storage and docking facilities. The prohibition also applies to the storage, anchorage or mooring of any boat. One exception is stated in the code. A structure may sit closer if it is permitted or required to be there by a valid court order equitably prorating a basin among upland owners.

How far a dock may reach into the water is a separate limit. The code says no boats or structures, including mooring poles, may be erected in the waterway beyond a set distance. The distance is measured from the mean high water line or the seawall at the point of the lot line to the mean high waterline or seawall at the nearest opposite shore. The limit is reached where the length of the structure is more than 25 percent of the width of the waterway when there are platted, buildable lots on the opposite shore. It is 30 percent when there are no platted or buildable lots on the opposite shore. The code exempts construction along, and in, the Intracoastal Waterway, Indian River, Callalisa Creek and Indian River Lagoon from those two percentages.

A second-story deck has its own guardrail list. The guardrail must comply with the Florida Building Code. The rails between the floor and the top railing are stainless steel cables. Posts are no closer than four feet apart. The bottom cable is no more than two inches above the floor. The top of the rail is at least 36 inches in height as measured from the deck of the second floor. Stairs accessing the second floor must comply with the Florida Building Code.

One more line in the code is about living aboard. No boat or vessel may be used or maintained as a dwelling unit unless it is sound, seaworthy and equipped with sanitary facilities. Those facilities are either connected to a public sewer system or a self-contained waste treatment system.

What gets filed, and who signs off

A dock in New Smyrna Beach has more than one permit behind it. Section 803.04 says no structure in a natural or man-made waterway may be erected without the required permits, certifications or exceptions from the Department of Environmental Protection, the Volusia County Manatee Protection Plan and the Army Corps of Engineers. Before work starts, applicants must submit a copy of the DEP or Army Corps of Engineers permit or self-certification and Volusia County Manatee Protection Plan approval. The code adds that copies of all permits, exemptions or approvals required from county, state and federal agencies go to the city manager or designee, and are attached to the building permit application.

If a county, state or federal agency requires a shorter dock projection than the city regulations permit, the agency's requirement applies.

The city also wants a drawn plan. Before a building permit is issued for the A and B facilities in section 803.04, a plan drawn to a scale no smaller than 1 inch equals 30 feet must be submitted to and approved by the city manager or designee. The code lists twelve items for the plan. They are a survey by a Florida registered land surveyor showing the mean high waterline or mean high elevation, depth soundings at three-foot vertical intervals from the property water frontage line to the opposite shore, the legal description, the lot boundary lines, the bulkhead location if there is one, the height above the mean high waterline, the facility dimensions, the percentage of the total waterway width, the distance from all side property lines or their waterward extensions, the type of facility as floating or non-floating, the construction material, and the boat mooring or docking positions. The percentage of waterway width is not required for a dock along the Intracoastal Waterway, Indian River, Callalisa Creek or Indian River Lagoon.

Volusia County has its own step. Its Environmental Management page says single family residences are permitted one structure with one or two boat slips. Inside a city, the building permit comes from the city before construction. The applicant must also submit to Volusia County Environmental Management a Manatee Mitigation Fee Checklist and a site plan of the dock with slips or moorings. The page adds the mitigation fee payment, if the structure is not exempt. In unincorporated Volusia, both a building permit and a Letter of Compliance are needed before work may commence.

The state has an exemption list. Florida Statute 403.813(1) says a permit is not required under chapters 403 and 373 for the listed projects, and a local government may not require a person claiming the exception to provide further department verification. The same subsection says it does not relieve an applicant from requirements to obtain permission to use or occupy state-owned lands. It also does not relieve an applicant from complying with applicable local pollution control programs or other requirements of county and municipal governments.

Under paragraph (1)(b), the exempt private dock has 500 square feet or less of over-water surface area in an area designated Outstanding Florida Waters, or 1,000 square feet or less in an area that is not so designated. It is built on pilings or is a floating dock constructed so as not to involve filling or dredging other than that necessary to install the pilings. It may not substantially impede the flow of water or create a navigational hazard. It is used for recreational, noncommercial activities associated with the mooring or storage of boats and boat paraphernalia. It is the sole dock built under the exemption as measured along the shoreline for a distance of 65 feet, unless the parcel or platted lot is less than 65 feet along the shoreline, in which case one exempt dock may be allowed per parcel or lot. Paragraph (1)(i) separately lists private docks of 1,000 square feet or less of over-water surface area and seawalls in artificially created waterways, when the construction will not violate water quality standards, impede navigation or affect flood control.

If an applicant wants a variance from section 803.04, the request goes to the Planning and Zoning Board at a public hearing. Adjacent property owners must be notified by certified mail by the applicant. The application goes to the Planning and Engineering Department with a letter of request. The code lists the criteria. They include special circumstances peculiar to the property or the waterway that make boat mooring or waterway access difficult, and strict application of the rules depriving the owner of reasonable rights enjoyed by other nearby owners. The circumstances may not result from the actions of the present or past owner, and the code says the test is not satisfied if an owner created the hardship to any degree. A variance also may not cause substantial detriment to public welfare, safety, navigation or convenience, and may not be a special privilege.

Seawalls, the property line and what an old dock can keep doing

The code defines a seawall as a retainer wall or structure designed to prevent the erosion of land by water action or acts of nature. It defines a bulkhead line as an imaginary line established in, or along, the Atlantic Ocean, a river, watercourse or other body of water, in order to fix and establish the maximum distance from the shoreline within which filling may be permitted. Chapter 90 of the code, titled Waterways, has a section that sets bulkhead lines on the Atlantic Ocean and a second section that sets bulkhead lines not located on the Atlantic Ocean.

The seawall changes where the setback starts. For bulkheaded and seawalled lots that are not on the oceanfront, the code says setbacks or property lines are measured from the bulkhead or seawall. That holds regardless of whether the fee simple property line extends into the water or is upland from the bulkhead or seawall. The dock rules use the seawall as a reference point too. The reach limit described above is measured from the mean high water line or the seawall.

On the oceanfront the code works from a different line. For bulkheaded and seawalled oceanfront lots, setbacks are at the City Coastal Construction Setback Line if fee simple ownership extends east of that line. If ownership does not extend east of it, the setback is as required in the upland zoning district from the property line. The Coastal Construction Setback Line is the same location as the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Coastal Construction Control Line, as amended. On the land between that line and the Atlantic Ocean, the code prohibits principal buildings, including porches, balconies and roof overhangs, and accessory structures including pools, decks, patios, garages, sheds and gazebos. The prohibition does not apply where an exemption applies or where a Coastal Construction Setback Line variance is obtained from the planning and zoning board (section 703.02 D).

Seawalls are permitted seaward of the setback line under conditions. A seawall needs a building permit and any other required approvals, and it must meet two conditions. The first is that it will fill an existing gap of less than 200 feet between existing seawalls, or that it is an emergency event required to protect public health and safety. The second is a height limit. The seawall may not exceed the greater of the highest point of the existing grade within 25 feet of the proposed location, or the average height of the two nearest seawalls.

The state treats seawall work through 403.813 as well. Paragraph (1)(e) exempts the restoration of seawalls at their previous locations or upland of, or within 18 inches waterward of, their previous locations. The statute says this may not affect the permitting requirements of chapter 161, and that department rules shall clearly indicate that the exception does not exempt a project from chapter 161. Paragraph (1)(o) covers private seawalls built between and adjoining at both ends existing seawalls, following a continuous and uniform construction line with them, of not more than 150 feet in length, that do not violate water quality standards, impede navigation or affect flood control. In estuaries and lagoons, the construction of vertical seawalls is limited to the circumstances and purposes stated in section 373.414(5)(b)1. through 4. Paragraph (1)(i) says its seawall exemption does not apply to vertical seawalls in estuaries or lagoons unless the construction is within an existing manmade canal where the shoreline is currently occupied in whole or part by vertical seawalls.

For an older dock, the city code has a rule. Existing structures permitted before the enactment of the ordinance can exist as legal non-conforming accessory structures. If over 50 percent of the value of the structure is removed or damaged, all new or replacement structures must meet the current regulations. The state statute has a repair paragraph. Paragraph (1)(d) exempts the replacement or repair of existing docks and piers, except that fill material may not be used. The replacement or repaired dock or pier must be within 5 feet of the same location and no larger than the existing dock or pier. No additional aquatic resources may be adversely and permanently impacted. The paragraph does not preclude different construction materials or minor deviations to allow upgrades to current structural and design standards.

Ordinance 38-25, adopted July 22, 2025, amends Chapter 58 to add Section 58-4, use of city docks and boat ramps, which sets time limits for mooring at city-owned docks. At the time of the supplement the ordinance was listed as adopted but not yet codified.

Flood maps are a separate layer. The city's May 2022 flood FAQ says the special flood hazard zones in New Smyrna Beach are A, AE and VE. The city's Engineering Department, at 214 Sams Ave., 386-410-2812, helps with flood maps and flood history.

Related guides: Living in New Smyrna Beach: Beachside, Mainland, Costs and What to Know, New Smyrna Beach Flood Zones & Flood Insurance Guide, Florida Home Insurance for Buyers: 4-Point, Wind Mitigation and Citizens Explained.

The bottom line is this. On a non-oceanfront waterfront lot, the city code allows two slips, a 1,000 square foot footprint for a single-family dock structure, a 15 foot height, a ten foot side setback and a reach limit of 25 or 30 percent of the waterway outside the four named waters, and the permits from the DEP or Army Corps, the Manatee Protection Plan and the city all have to be in hand. A dock built before the ordinance can stay as a legal non-conforming structure, and if more than 50 percent of its value is removed or damaged, the replacement meets today's code. Before a building permit for the A and B facilities, the city requires a surveyed plan showing the items listed above. These dock rules apply to non-oceanfront waterfront lots in residential districts other than multifamily in New Smyrna Beach. Seawall setbacks differ on oceanfront lots, as described above.

The rules above come from several offices, so the questions below sort out the pieces one at a time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related: Florida Home Insurance for Buyers: 4-Point, Wind Mitigation and Citizens Explained and Port Orange Flood Zones and Flood Insurance for Buyers.

Evacuation levels, storm surge and shelters

Volusia County's evacuation plan page says that, depending on the track and strength of a threatening hurricane, local officials may order one of three evacuation levels, A, BC or DE. The page calls these Hurricane Evacuation Categories. It says they correspond to the flooding that is likely to occur during a hurricane. The page links an interactive Evacuation Zone Map.

The State of Florida's Know Your Zone page says evacuation zones are designated A to F. The state says Zone A is generally the most vulnerable and the most likely to be evacuated first. It also says that not all evacuation zones are always ordered. The county uses evacuation levels A, BC and DE. The state uses evacuation zones A to F.

The county names three groups who should evacuate. The first is anyone who lives in the hurricane evacuation zone. The second is anyone in a low-lying, flood prone area, and the page includes homes along river basins in that group. The third is anyone who lives in a mobile home, substandard housing, a recreational vehicle or a campsite.

The county calls storm surge the most deadly of hurricane hazards. It describes surge as salt water flooding that rushes over coastal and river areas. The county says surge can reach seven feet above sea level in a category 1 hurricane and as much as 28 feet above sea level in a category 5 hurricane. The state page says the greatest threat to life from a hurricane is storm surge flooding.

If you are not in an ordered evacuation zone, a low-lying flood prone area, a mobile home or an unsafe structure, the state says it may be safer to stay in your home. It adds that the homeowner is responsible for knowing whether the home is strong enough to withstand a hurricane. It says generally that homes built after 2002 include features that make them more resilient. It also says to always heed the advice and orders of local officials.

The county states that failure to obey an evacuation order is a violation of Florida law. The county also gives a bridge rule. When an evacuation is ordered, the east-bound lanes of bridges close to traffic. The west-bound lanes remain open until sustained winds exceed 39 miles per hour. At that point all lanes close.

Mobile homes have a separate rule. The county says that residents of a mobile home or recreational vehicle must evacuate for all evacuation levels regardless of where they are. It gives the reason in construction terms. Mobile homes have flat sides and are lightweight, and that construction does not allow the proper transfer of the wind load through the supports into the foundation and ground. The county tells owners to maintain tie-down straps and anchors and to check the straps for rust or corrosion. The city's disaster guide says to inspect tie downs annually.

The county lists what to do if you evacuate. Know where you are going, whether that is family, friends, a hotel or motel, or a public shelter. Take a map showing two routes to the destination. Notify family and friends of your location. Secure your home and property. Take emergency supplies. Do not delay. The state adds that your safest and easiest option may be to stay with friends or family who live outside the evacuation zone or in a stronger house. The city's disaster guide says to make sure your destination is not within a zone that has been ordered to evacuate, and that a hotel or motel needs to be checked for availability and reserved well in advance.

The county says not all shelters open at once and that they open based on demand. To stay informed it names the county emergency preparedness app, the web address volusia.org/PIN, and Emergency Management on social media. The toll-free Citizens Information Hotline is 866-345-0345, and the county says it is only activated during an emergency. Evacuees may need to stay at a shelter for 24 to 72 hours. General population shelters do not provide cots. The county recommends a comfortable beach chair and a sleeping pad.

The county says special needs shelters are for people who register with Volusia County Emergency Management, and its floodplain page gives 386-258-4088 for special needs preregistration. The county states that hospitals are not shelters. It states that special needs shelters are not for people who need 24-hour dedicated care, a hospital bed, a ventilator, other complex care, or isolation patients. People with special needs should be accompanied by a caregiver if that assistance is normally needed.

Alerts are the last piece. The Port Orange home page lists a quick link named Alert Port Orange - Emergency Notification System. The county's floodplain page tells residents to sign up for AlertVolusia Emergency Notification Alerts. Volusia County Emergency Management lists 386-254-1500, and Port Orange Fire & Rescue lists 386-506-5900. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, according to the city.

Flood zones, flood insurance and the 50 percent rule

The county publishes the evacuation levels and the flood insurance rate map labels on separate pages. On the flood maps page the county says its maps label inland high-risk zones A or AE, and coastal high-risk zones that have additional risk from storm surge VE. The current flood insurance rate maps are effective February 19, 2014, September 29, 2017 and August 7, 2018. The county adds that its map information is not survey accurate, and it recommends independent verification of the data.

The city says that FEMA flood zones can change and that properties once outside a flood zone may now be in one. Port Orange offers an interactive map of current flood zones on its flood page. It also links the Volusia County Flood Risk Map and a complimentary flood zone determination request. The county points to the FEMA Map Service Center at msc.fema.gov for the same lookup. The Port Orange Building Permit Requirements page links both a Flood Zone Information page and a Flood Zone Map.

The city adds history questions to the zone question. For historical flooding, localized drainage issues, repetitive loss areas, natural conservation areas, wetlands, flood insurance, and rules for building in a floodplain, the city says to contact Community Development's Engineering Office at 386-506-5607. The city says site visits are made on request to review drainage and flooding concerns. The county gives 386-626-6591 for Building and Code Administration.

Most standard homeowners' policies do not cover flooding from rising water. All Port Orange homeowners can purchase flood insurance, and the county says all property owners in Volusia County can buy it for structures and contents. Most flood policies have a 30-day waiting period before they take effect, and the city says to purchase as early as possible. The county says some flood policies are transferable when a home is bought or sold. The county also says a condominium master policy does not usually cover the inside of the unit or its contents.

Section 689.302 of the Florida Statutes requires a seller to complete and provide a flood disclosure to a purchaser of residential real property at or before the time the sales contract is executed. The form opens with a statement that homeowners' insurance policies do not include coverage for damage resulting from floods. The seller then states three things. The first is whether the seller has or has no knowledge of any flooding that has damaged the property during the seller's ownership. The second is whether the seller has or has not filed a claim with an insurance provider for flood damage, including a claim with the National Flood Insurance Program. The third is whether the seller has or has not received assistance for flood damage, including assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The statute defines flooding. It means a general or temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of the property caused by any of three things. The first is the overflow of inland or tidal waters. The second is the unusual and rapid accumulation of runoff or surface waters from any established water source, such as a river, stream or drainage ditch. The third is sustained periods of standing water resulting from rainfall.

Port Orange has a rule for work in the flood zones. The city says that if a building is in Flood Zones A or AE, all new construction, repairs, renovations, alterations and remodeling must comply with floodplain management rules in the Port Orange Land Development Code and the Florida Building Code. Before work on a building in Zone A or AE, the city says to contact it and obtain a Floodplain Development Permit or a Building Permit. It also says to use a licensed and insured contractor.

The county says that substantial improvements or repairs equal to or greater than 50% of a home's market value must meet current Florida Building Code standards and comply with the local floodplain ordinance. The city gives its own definitions. A Substantial Improvement is any combination of repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition or improvement over five years that totals 50% or more of the building's value before the work starts. Substantial Damage is damage of any origin where the repair costs equal or exceed 50% of the pre-damage value. It also covers flood damage that occurs twice within 10 years, with repair costs averaging 25% of the building's value each time. The city says buildings that are substantially damaged or substantially improved must meet local floodplain management requirements, including elevation standards.

The county says an Elevation Certificate may be on file with Building and Code Administration. The county also says a few inches of water can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage. The county's floodplain page says "Turn around, don't drown" and that more people drown in their cars than anywhere else. It says not to drive through flooded roads or around road barriers.

The city also tells residents what it does about flooding. It says it maintains 200 miles of canals and ditches and more than 100 ponds. It has adopted the Volusia County Multi-Jurisdictional Local Mitigation Strategy. The city says residents can report a problem with a pond, swale or canal near a property through SeeClickFix. It adds that some ponds and canals are managed by local homeowner associations, and that those associations may be the ones to address the issue. The Integrated Volusia County Floodplain Management Plan (2025) was developed by the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council and aligns with the Volusia County Local Mitigation Strategy.

Roofs, openings and what the permit rules say after a storm

Section 553.844 of the Florida Statutes sets requirements for site-built single-family homes. Under subsection (3)(a), a roof replacement must incorporate secondary water barriers and the strengthening or correcting of roof-decking attachments and fasteners. For a building in the wind-borne debris region with an insured value of 300,000 dollars or more, or a just valuation for tax purposes of 300,000 dollars or more if it is uninsured or no insured value is presented, a roof replacement must also incorporate roof-to-wall connection techniques. The statute says roof-to-wall connections shall not be required unless the evaluation and installation at gable ends or all corners can be completed for 15 percent of the cost of roof replacement.

Subsection (5) also says that if an existing roofing system or roof section was built, repaired or replaced in compliance with the 2007 Florida Building Code or any later edition, and 25 percent or more of it is being repaired, replaced or recovered, only the repaired, replaced or recovered portion must be constructed under the code in effect.

The Florida Department of Financial Services four-point inspection guide says an insurance company may require documentation confirming at least five years of remaining useful life for roofs older than 15 years if they are shingle, or 20 years if they are tile or metal. The state's Know Your Zone page says the most important precaution to reduce hurricane damage is to protect the areas where wind can enter, and to strengthen the exterior so wind and debris do not tear large openings in it.

The city's disaster guide sums up wind protection as three actions. Anchor your roof. Brace your entry and garage doors. Cover your windows. For the windows, the guide says to protect windows and glass doors with plywood or storm shutters. It says to brace double entry and garage doors at the top and bottom.

Section 627.711 says an insurer must notify a policyholder of any personal lines residential property policy, at the time of issuance and at each renewal, of the availability and range of each premium discount, credit, rate differential or deductible reduction for properties with fixtures or construction techniques demonstrated to reduce windstorm loss. The statute provides for a uniform mitigation verification inspection form that all insurers use when policyholders submit it for wind insurance discounts. An insurer shall accept as valid a form signed by a licensed home inspector who completed at least 3 hours of approved hurricane mitigation training and a proficiency exam, a certified building code inspector, a licensed general, building or residential contractor, a licensed professional engineer, or a licensed professional architect.

The statute adds a personal inspection requirement. A person authorized to sign the form must inspect the structures personally and attest to the personal inspection. Licensed engineers and contractors may authorize a direct employee who is not an independent contractor to conduct the inspection.

Port Orange processes building permits through the SmartGov portal. Its Building Permit Requirements page says to review the residential or commercial checklist before submitting, and that if the correct documents are not submitted the application is considered incomplete and will not be processed. The Building Department phone number is 386-506-5602. The City of Port Orange publishes a Hurricane and Tropical Storm Recovery Permitting Guide.

The guide says that following a declared state of emergency the city will activate a post-storm permitting center at 1000 City Center Circle or an alternate location. It says the city will maintain at least 40 hours per week of public-facing permitting services as soon as conditions allow, and will implement expedited review and inspection processes for storm-related repairs. The city lists repairs that require a permit. They are roof replacements or substantial roof repairs, structural repairs, electrical service restoration or replacement, HVAC equipment replacement, window or door replacement, fence replacement and water heater replacement. The city lists repairs that do not require a permit. They are tarping of roofs, debris removal, minor cosmetic repairs, fence panel attachment without posts, and tree removal for storm-related dead or damaged trees.

To apply after a storm, the guide says to use the SmartGov portal or go in person to the Building Department at 1000 City Center Circle. An Owner Builder Affidavit is required if the owner is the applicant. The expedited review categories are roofs, electrical service reconnects, water damage-related HVAC replacements, and window or door replacements. The guide says expedited review is completed in one to three business days for essential repairs. It says inspections are scheduled within 24 to 48 hours of request, weather permitting. It also says permit fee deferment applies if the City Council activates it by resolution.

The guide has a flood rule for rebuilding. For substantially damaged or substantially improved buildings, the elevation requirements reference the FEMA Base Flood Elevation and the local freeboard, along with the latest Florida Building Code and local amendments. The guide says Floodplain Development permits are required for repairs in the Special Flood Hazard area. It also says permits will not be required for the cleanup and removal of wet drywall, cabinets, carpeting and baseboards. The city says it reviews the guide annually by May 1 to comply with Florida CS/CS/SB 180.

The county links an interactive Evacuation Zone Map and the state has a Know Your Zone page. The city offers an interactive map of current flood zones and the county names the FEMA Map Service Center. The city's Engineering Office handles questions on historical flooding, drainage and repetitive loss areas. Section 689.302 requires a seller to provide a flood disclosure at or before the time the sales contract is executed. The city's Building Department handles permits, and the county and the city both state a 50 percent rule. Most flood policies have a 30-day waiting period.

Port Orange Port Orange New Homes: Permits and Certificate of Occupancy and Port Orange, Florida: A Buyer's Guide to Neighborhoods and Costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

One limit first. I did not read Reverie's recorded declaration, its budget or its association documents. Those belong to the association and the developer, and the rest of this guide sets out what the statute says about them.

Where Reverie sits and how it was planned

The development is on the west side of U.S. 1, a mile north of Palm Coast Parkway. That is how FlaglerLive described the site on February 21, 2023. The builder, Dream Finders Homes, gives the community and sales office address as 3 Ellaville Drive, Palm Coast, FL 32137. The sales office hours the builder posts are Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5:30 p.m.

The name has a history. FlaglerLive says the development was previously called Spring Lake and has been renamed The Reverie at Palm Coast. The planning board issued a development order for Spring Lake at Palm Coast in June 2020. The article describes it as a two-phase development over 478 acres that will eventually total 421 single-family homes.

The first phase moved forward in February 2023. That month, the Palm Coast City Council approved the first phase of the final plat. The first phase consists of 272 single-family homes on 113 acres. The article states the density as 0.88 homes per acre. Those numbers come from an article dated February 21, 2023.

Reverie is part of a larger project. The article says Spring Lake is part of the Palm Coast Park development of regional impact. It describes that kind of project as a huge, planned development that a local government approves for development in phases, involving thousands of housing units. The city approved the Palm Coast Park project in 2004. It covers 4,600 acres and straddles U.S. 1 from just north of Hargrove Grade to Matanzas Woods Parkway. Spring Lake was the third large subdivision in Palm Coast Park and the first in its southwest portion.

The article gives several layout facts. The development has two access points to U.S. 1. Its western limit is the Florida East Coast Railway corridor. The vast acreage along the rail line is to remain in conservation. Infrastructure construction, meaning roads, intersections, ponds and a lift station, began after 2021.

The lot mix is spelled out too. At build-out the development will have 101 fifty-foot wide lots, 74 sixty-foot wide lots and 246 seventy-foot wide lots. Those add up to the 421 homes. The minimum lot size is 4,000 square feet. The minimum building setbacks are 5 feet to the sides, 20 feet to the front and 10 feet to the back. The builder's own homes page sorts its plans under three tabs: 50-foot, 60-foot and 70-foot homesites.

The article also says there will be an amenity center. The builder's pages call it The Lake House Amenity Center, overlooking a scenic lake. For the wider city, see Is Palm Coast a Good Place to Live? An Honest Look for Buyers.

What the builder says, and where its own pages differ

Dream Finders titles its community page "New 55+ Active Adult Community in Palm Coast, Florida." The page header lists two to four bedrooms, two to three and a half baths, and 1,693 to 3,732 square feet. A second builder page describes Reverie as a 55+ community and calls it a gated enclave with a master-planned setting. That is the builder's description. It is not a recorded document.

The homes page shows how much care you need with marketing numbers. One paragraph says the community offers 15 uniquely designed home styles ranging from 1,700 to over 3,100 square feet. The plan list on that same page runs from 1,693 square feet to 3,732 square feet and shows 17 entries, three of them named Bonus. Both numbers sit on one page.

Here is the plan list as it appeared on October 28, 2026, with square footage. Alexander is 1,693. Casper is 1,836. Clark is 1,967. Charlotte is 2,029. Flagler is 2,172. Cooper is 2,186. Debary is 2,369. Casper Bonus is 2,433. Delmar is 2,468. Moore is 2,555. Needham is 2,588. Santa Rosa is 2,790. Jupiter is 2,860. Sheehan is 2,864. Ponce is 3,070. Cooper Bonus is 3,129. Sheehan Bonus is 3,732.

Bedroom counts on that list run from two, in the Alexander, to four, in the Sheehan and the Sheehan Bonus. The builder says the homes have two- and three-car garages.

The builder shows a starting price marked "From" for the smallest and the largest plans. On October 28, 2026, the smallest plan listed, the two-bedroom Alexander at 1,693 square feet, showed a starting price of three hundred twenty-nine thousand nine hundred ninety dollars. The largest plan listed, the four-bedroom Sheehan Bonus at 3,732 square feet, showed five hundred seven thousand nine hundred ninety dollars. Those are the builder's starting prices for those two plans on that date.

One plan gets a full description. The Flagler is a 2,172 square foot courtyard home with two bedrooms, two baths, a flex room and a two-car garage. The builder says it is built around a private open-air courtyard.

On amenities, the builder's highlight list names a 4,000 square foot lakeside clubhouse, indoor and outdoor social spaces, tournament-class pickleball courts, a fitness center, a resort-style pool and spa, a catering kitchen, additional sports courts including bocce ball, a food truck pavilion and a dog park. The amenities page says there are six tournament-class pickleball courts. It also mentions scenic walking and biking trails and a dedicated lifestyle team that curates a calendar of events. The community page lists events such as new resident happy hours, Wine Down Wednesdays, Book Nook swaps, tribute band concerts, boat tours and golf cart parades.

Read the tense on that amenities page. Some of its descriptions use the future tense. The fitness center entry uses the future tense, in the words "will provides" residents.

For Grand Haven in Palm Coast, see Grand Haven in Palm Coast: A Buyer's Guide to the CDD, the Master Association and the Rules.

The paperwork to read before you sign

Start with Section 720.401 of the Florida Statutes, the 2026 text. A prospective parcel owner in a community must be presented a disclosure summary before executing the contract for sale. The statute supplies the form. It lists nine numbered points, and each one is a place to look for facts about Reverie.

Point one says you will be obligated to be a member of a homeowners' association. Point two says recorded restrictive covenants govern the use and occupancy of properties. Point three says you will be obligated to pay assessments to the association, that assessments may be subject to periodic change, and that special assessments may be imposed. Point four says you may be obligated to pay special assessments to the respective municipality, county or special district. Point five says that failing to pay assessments could result in a lien on your property.

Point six says there may be an obligation to pay rent or land use fees for recreational facilities. Point seven says the developer may have the right to amend the restrictive covenants without the approval of the association membership or the parcel owners. Point eight says the summary is only a summary, and that you should refer to the covenants and the association governing documents before purchasing. Point nine says those documents are either public record at the record office in the county where the property is located or can be obtained from the developer.

The statute says who supplies the summary. It must come from the developer, or from the parcel owner if the sale is by an owner who is not the developer. If it is not provided before the contract is signed, the buyer may void the contract by written notice within 3 days after receiving the disclosure summary or before closing, whichever happens first. That right cannot be waived, and it ends at closing. The same section says it does not apply to associations regulated under chapters 718, 719, 721 or 723.

I left the Reverie dues out of this guide because the only places I found a figure were third-party sites.

Resale, the estoppel certificate and the lien

If you are buying a resale home in Reverie, Section 720.30851 governs the estoppel certificate. The request comes from a parcel owner or the owner's designee, or a parcel mortgagee or its designee. The association must issue it within 10 business days after a written or electronic request. Each association must designate on its website a person or entity, with a street or email address, for these requests.

The certificate follows a statutory form. It states the regular periodic assessment and the date it is paid through. It lists the itemized money owed and any additional assessments scheduled to come due. It asks whether a capital contribution, resale, transfer or other fee is due. It asks whether there is an open rule violation. It asks whether the rules require board approval for the transfer of the parcel and, if so, whether the board has approved it. It asks whether a right of first refusal exists. It also lists the other associations the parcel belongs to and the contact information for insurance the association maintains.

The statute sets the timing and the fees. A certificate delivered by hand or electronically has a 30-day effective period. A certificate sent by regular mail has a 35-day effective period. The fee may not exceed two hundred fifty dollars if no delinquent amounts are owed on the date of issuance. An expedited certificate delivered within 3 business days may carry an additional fee of one hundred dollars. If a delinquent amount is owed, an additional fee may not exceed one hundred fifty dollars. If the association misses the 10 business days, it may not charge a fee. The statute also says the fees are adjusted every 5 years by the Consumer Price Index, and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation publishes the adjusted amounts.

One protection is worth knowing. The association waives the right to collect any money owed in excess of the amounts stated in the certificate from a person who relies on it in good faith.

Now the lien. Section 720.3085 says that, when the governing documents authorize it, the association has a lien on each parcel to secure payment of assessments. The lien is effective from, and relates back to, the date the original declaration of the community was recorded. As to first mortgages of record, it is effective from the recording of a claim of lien. A claim of lien must state the description of the parcel, the name of the record owner, the name and address of the association, the amount due and the due date. It secures unpaid assessments, interest, late charges, and reasonable costs and attorney fees.

The 55+ label, the district question and the tax bill

The builder markets Reverie as 55+. Section 760.29(4) says what housing for older persons must meet when it is intended and operated for occupancy by persons 55 or older. At least 80 percent of the occupied units must be occupied by at least one person 55 or older. The community must publish and adhere to policies and procedures that demonstrate that intent. It must comply with the federal HUD rules for verification of occupancy, which provide for verification by reliable surveys and affidavits. Governing documents that can be amended at a future date must be amended and properly recorded within one year after that date to reflect those requirements, if the community intends to continue as housing for older persons.

That is the legal test. The builder's label is not the test. This guide does not say who lives there, and it did not read the community's recorded rules.

On special districts, the Palm Coast Park Community Development District exists. Its own website says it is an independent local unit of special-purpose government under Chapter 190 of the Florida Statutes, established by Rule 42AAA-1 of the Florida Land and Water Adjudicatory Commission, effective September 13, 2005, with a five-member Board of Supervisors. I did not find a record that places Reverie inside that district or rules it out. The 2023 article says Reverie is part of the Palm Coast Park development of regional impact. Point four of the disclosure summary says you may be obligated to pay special assessments to a special district.

The tax side has one fixed rule. For a homesteaded property, the annual increase in assessment may not exceed the lower of 3 percent of the prior year's assessed value or the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for the preceding calendar year. The Florida Department of Revenue lists the 2026 change at 2.7 percent. The limit starts the year after the property receives the homestead exemption. It limits the assessed value. For how a Palm Coast bill is built, see Palm Coast Property Tax Bill, Line by Line.

Flood zone and insurance are address questions. I did not look up a flood zone for any Reverie lot. FEMA publishes flood maps through the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. See Palm Coast Flood Zones: What to Check Before an Offer and Florida Home Insurance for Buyers.

Bottom line

Reverie at Palm Coast is a community the builder markets as 55+. A 2023 news report gives its plan as 421 homes on 478 acres, the builder lists plans from 1,693 to 3,732 square feet, and the city approved a first phase of 272 homes. Section 720.401 tells a buyer to refer to the covenants and the association governing documents, and the disclosure summary must be presented before the contract is executed. On a resale, the estoppel certificate under Section 720.30851 is requested by the parcel owner or the owner's designee, or a parcel mortgagee or its designee. Whether Reverie sits inside a community development district was not confirmed. The builder's page shows two different size ranges, 1,700 to over 3,100 square feet in one paragraph and 1,693 to 3,732 square feet in its plan list.

These are the questions to settle before an offer. Some are answered above and some remain open.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide restates that prospectus, the community's own website and Chapter 723 of the Florida Statutes. The posted prospectus leaves its dollar amounts blank, so this guide gives no lot rent figures. Related page: Colonial Colony South.

What Colonial Colony South is, and what the lease covers

The community is at 1275 Beville Road, Daytona Beach, Florida 32119. Its website calls it a family-owned 55+ manufactured home community. The about page says the owner has two locations in Daytona Beach, Colonial Colony South and Colonial Colony North. This guide covers South only, and the prospectus it relies on is titled for Colonial Colony South Mobile Home Community.

The prospectus says the community has 572 lots, and that each lot is approximately 50 feet by 80 feet, or approximately 4,000 square feet. It says the original prospectus approval date was November 2, 1989. The last revision date is October 30, 2025.

The term to remember is land lease. A buyer owns the manufactured home and signs a lot lease with the community owner. The lease in the prospectus is Exhibit C, titled Lot Lease Agreement, and it says it is governed by Chapter 723 of the Florida Statutes, the Florida Mobile Home Act. Florida law requires a park with 26 or more lots to file a prospectus with the state division, and requires the park owner to deliver an approved prospectus before an enforceable rental agreement is made.

Spacing between homes is stated in the prospectus. It quotes the State Fire Marshal's adoption of the National Fire Protection Association code, with minimum separation of 10 feet side to side, 8 feet end to side and 6 feet end to end between manufactured homes. The same section lists City of Daytona Beach minimum spacing of 10 feet side to side, 8 feet end to side and 6 feet end to end, and 6 feet between a mobile home and any other structure. The prospectus adds that these requirements may not apply in whole or in part because of homes placed before the rules, vested rights or later court decisions. It tells a prospective tenant to get information from the appropriate permitting authority.

For carports and screened porches the prospectus quotes the fire code again. A carport, awning, ramada or open screened porch built entirely of materials that do not support combustion may sit next to a site line if it is not less than 3 feet from a building, cabana or enclosed porch on an adjacent site. One built with combustible materials may not be closer than 5 feet from the site line.

The 572 lots share a set of facilities. The prospectus lists two buildings, two swimming pools, one shuffleboard court area, one pickleball court area, an R.V. and boat storage area, one bocce ball court area and one horseshoe court area. It says 572 is the maximum number of lots that use them. The community's amenities page adds a fitness center, a car wash area, a grill area and a mailbox at each home site. The about page says the car wash area has city water and residents bring their own soap.

The two clubhouses are described in detail. The North Community Clubhouse is near the Beville Road entrance. It is one building of about 2,844 square feet used mainly for community offices, and it holds a fitness center room of about 30 feet by 30 feet. The South Community Clubhouse is on Colonial Drive between Mayflower Drive and Williamsburg Place. It is one building of about 7,400 square feet, with a main room of about 3,500 square feet and a stated capacity of 300 persons, plus a billiard room, a card and craft room and a kitchen area.

The pools need a closer read, because the two sources do not say the same thing. The prospectus describes one pool on the south side of the office building, about 40 feet by 20 feet, and says it is heated at the discretion of the management. It describes a second, free-form pool north of the activities building, 50 feet long, and says no heat is provided for it. The website's home page says "Resort-Style Swimming Pool, HEATED YEAR-ROUND." The about page says there are two pools and one of them is heated. The hours list names a north pool, and the pool descriptions place the heated pool south of the office building and the unheated pool north of the activities building.

Hours are in the prospectus. The office is generally open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The website lists the office as closed Wednesdays and weekends. The fitness center is generally open 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The prospectus lists the north pool as open 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and the south pool as open 9:00 a.m. until dusk. The south social building is open 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The courts are open 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and are illuminated for evening play.

One more fact belongs here. The prospectus says all facilities are complete as of the filing date, and that the owner reserves the right to alter, remove, relocate or build facilities. It says no assurance is given that any facility will remain available for any specified period.

What the rent covers, what it does not, and how it can change

The prospectus uses a defined term, the lot rental amount. It consists of base rent, special use fees, government and utility charges, pass-through charges, assessments and other financial obligations. The base rent, late charge, returned check charge, guest fee, security deposit and special service amounts are blank in the copy posted on the community's website. This guide therefore gives no figure.

The website and the prospectus both list what the lease includes. The website's amenities page lists irrigation water for lawns, trash removal, lawn mowing, basic extended cable TV service, use of recreational facilities and community social events. The about page lists the same services and adds lawn pest control. The Lot Lease Agreement says street lighting, storm water drainage, basic television service, waste disposal, mailboxes and lawn maintenance are included in base rent. It says the lessee is separately responsible for cable television, telephone and electricity.

The prospectus gives more detail on water and sewer. It says the City of Daytona Beach provides water and bills the community in a lump sum. The charge is passed on to each home owner based on actual use, measured by submeters at each lot. It is additional rent within the total monthly lot rental amount, and it is invoiced separately from base rent. Sewage disposal is provided by the City of Daytona Beach and is passed on the same way, by submeter. The prospectus calls the city water in-home use only.

Water for lawns comes from a separate source. The prospectus says water for lawn irrigation and exterior use is from deep wells in the community. The community maintains the wells, pumps and water mains to and including the shut-off valve for each lot. Any distribution system beyond that valve is the home owner's responsibility. Rule 4.7 says city water supplied to each home is for use within the home, with the exception of a line to an exterior utility room washing machine.

The prospectus splits repair duties by location. The community is responsible for the water mains from the meter at the entrance to and including the shut-off valve for each home, a valve that sits above ground on the lot. Water lines from the valve to the home, and inside the home, belong to the home owner. For sewer, the community operates and maintains the lift stations and the central collection lines to the below-ground connection of each home's line. The in-ground connection and the lines to the home are the home owner's.

Other utilities are billed directly. Florida Power and Light provides electric power, bills residents directly and is not included in the lot rental amount. The community is responsible for service lines from the meter to the P-54 junction box, or through the panel under the meter if there is no P-54 box. The prospectus lists AT&T or another provider of the home owner's choice for telephone, and Public Gas Company of New Smyrna Beach for gas, both billed directly. Individual gas tanks need community management approval. Master antenna television is furnished through an underground cable system the community owns, and its cost is in base rent. Spectrum or another provider can supply additional cable service, which the resident contracts for and pays separately.

Trash is collected roadside by community personnel, and its cost is in base rent. Storm water drains by the grade of the roads and an open ditch system on the east, west and south sides of the community. It is eventually deposited in the Nova Road Canal, which the prospectus calls a major county storm water control canal.

The rent can change, and the prospectus says how. The owner must notify the mobile home owner of any increase in lot rental amount at least 90 days before the effective date. Except for government and utility charges, the lot rental amount will not increase more frequently than annually. The prospectus lists the factors that affect an increase as increased costs, prevailing market rent and prevailing economic conditions. It names water rates, sewer rates, electricity rates, waste disposal, maintenance costs, management costs, property taxes and major repairs or improvements among them.

The prospectus names a few more charges. A pass-through charge is the home owner's proportionate share of the direct costs and impact or hookup fees for a governmentally mandated capital improvement, divided equally among the affected developed lots. Annual assessments may be imposed in addition to base rent for a limited time, with notice delivered 90 days before they take effect. The prospectus says utility provider rates may change and the home owner's charges adjust automatically without an additional 90-day notice, even during the rental term. The owner may also reserve the right to charge separately for trash, or to end the service, on 90 days written notice.

Florida law backs the notice period. Section 723.037 says the park owner gives written notice to each affected mobile home owner at least 90 days before any increase in lot rental amount, reduction in services or utilities, or change in rules and regulations. The statute says the homeowner's right to the 90-day notice may not be waived. It also provides that the park owner and a homeowners' committee meet no later than 60 days before the change to discuss the reasons. At that meeting the park owner must disclose and explain all material factors and may not limit the discussion to generalities.

Section 723.031(4) says no rental agreement shall be offered for a term of less than 1 year, with one exception that lets a park start all agreements at the same time. The Lot Lease Agreement says the term is a stated number of months ending December 31. It is automatically extended for additional one-year periods unless the lessee gives written notice 30 days before the expiration. The lessor may raise the lot rental amount for an extended term by notice not less than 90 days before the end of the current term.

Section 723.031(3) says the homeowner has no financial obligation to the park owner as a condition of occupancy except the lot rental amount, and that user fees are agreed separately. The only user fee the prospectus lists is the storage area. The prospectus describes the storage area as a fenced facility in the southwest corner for R.V.s and boats, first come first served, under a user fee agreement.

The rules that come with the lot

The rules are Exhibit A to the prospectus, and the prospectus says the owner must give written notice at least 90 days before any change in them. Rules required to protect public health, safety and welfare may be enforced before the 90 days end. This section summarizes the rules that bear on a purchase. The full set is in the prospectus.

The age rules come first. Rule 1.2 says the primary resident in each home must be 55 or older. The rules say management may rent to a primary resident under 55 in its discretion, so long as occupied lots with at least one person 55 or older do not fall below 80 percent of occupied lots. The minimum age for admission is 35, with case-by-case exceptions. Management surveys each occupant's age every two years. Addendum A says the community is intended and operated for occupancy by persons 55 years of age and older and adheres to the Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995. It lists acceptable age verification documents, including a driver's license, birth certificate, passport and military identification.

Rule 1.1 says all mobile home occupants must apply for residency and be approved by community management before taking residency. Applicants are subject to a criminal background examination, a credit or previous landlord review and age verification. Occupancy of each home is limited to two persons per bedroom, with permission needed for more. Each guest is limited to a maximum visit of one month per year. Lots may be subleased only for periods of 30 days or more.

Rule 4.3 says awnings, carports, skirting and permanent steps are required on all homes. Homeowners must submit building plans for approval before starting any construction. All exterior improvements, such as carports, patios, screen rooms, sheds and spa or hot tubs, and all exterior painting, need written community approval before work starts. Licensed, qualified contractors perform the work, and the homeowner obtains any government permits. Room air conditioners need prior written approval. Fences and artificial borders for lots are not permitted. Residents may not place structures or personal items beyond their own lot.

The required improvements are listed in the prospectus. They include decorative underskirting, a carport awning wide enough to cover the driveway plus about one foot of overhang, a patio awning large enough to cover the patio plus about one foot of overhang, permanent steps where needed, and a decorative planter or shrubs large enough to obscure the hitch area. The home owner also installs the electric connections, the water line from the community shut-off valve to the home, and the sewage line from the home to the community's underground connection. The prospectus says all required improvements must meet community specifications, available from the office, and need prior written approval.

Rule 4.17 covers storage. Outdoor equipment is not allowed on the lot, and furniture meant for indoor use may not be stored outside. Rule 4.18 says a resident leaving for more than 30 days notifies the office and completes a vacation form naming who is responsible for the home and lot while the resident is away.

Pets need written approval first. Rule 6.1 says prior written approval from community management is required for any pet before it comes in. No more than two pets are allowed per household, and the pet must be an inside pet of small size, weighing under 25 pounds at maturity. Rule 6.5 lists dog breeds that are not permitted, including Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Pit Bulls and Chow Chows, and dogs must be inside except on a leash. Rule 6.14 treats assistance animals separately from pets and says an assistance animal is not a pet.

A few daily rules are easy to check. Quiet hours run from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Open fires may not be built. Alcohol may not be consumed in any common area unless within an area or function the community approves. Rule 7.3 says smoking, vaping and tobacco use are not permitted inside any community building and outdoors within the pool areas and other posted common areas. Residents may not park along the street right-of-way, and vehicles including golf carts may not be parked on the grass. Each lot is allowed two vehicles, and they must fit entirely within the paved driveway. Campers, trailers, motorhomes and boats may not be parked or stored overnight except in designated storage areas with approval. The speed limit throughout the community is 15 miles per hour.

For sellers and buyers, the rules on signs matter. Rule 4.14 limits each home to one For Sale sign, no larger than 18 inches by 24 inches. Open house signs may go in the yard of the sale home only on the day of the open house, and open houses may be held only during daylight hours.

Buying a home here, step by step

Rule 8.1 says homeowners have the right to sell their homes in the community, subject to the Rules, the rental agreement, the prospectus and Chapter 723. The purchaser must meet the residency requirements and be approved by the community before occupancy. Otherwise the purchaser must move the home out.

Florida law sets a floor under that approval. Section 723.059(1) says the purchaser of a mobile home in a park may become a tenant if the purchaser qualifies under the park rules, subject to the park owner's approval, but the approval may not be unreasonably withheld. The statute says the purchaser may cancel or rescind the contract for purchase if the purchaser's tenancy has not been approved by the park owner 5 days before the closing. Section 723.059(2) says properly promulgated rules may provide for screening of a prospective purchaser.

The seller has paperwork to complete. Under rule 8.2, the seller gives notice to the community owner with the proposed purchaser's name and address, and a copy of the final executed sales contract. The seller may redact financial information and Social Security numbers. The seller directs the purchaser to community management for the lot rental amount that will apply. Within seven days of transfer of title or a change in financing, the seller provides a true copy of the legal registration showing title in the purchaser's name and the lienholder.

Rule 8.3 allows an inspection. Before written approval of the purchaser, management may inspect the entire lot and the exterior of the home. The home must meet local code requirements, including electrical and plumbing. The inspection covers exterior maintenance, skirting, carports, awnings, attached structures, sheds, shrubs, trees and lawn care. Deficiencies must be repaired or assured in writing. Management may deny approval if the work is not done, but approval may not be unreasonably withheld.

The purchaser can step into the seller's lease. Section 723.059(3) says a purchaser who intends to become a resident has the right to assume the remainder of the term of any rental agreement in effect between the park owner and the seller, and may assume the seller's prospectus. The park owner may offer the purchaser any approved prospectus. Section 723.059(4) says the park owner may increase the rental amount when the assumed agreement expires, if the increase is disclosed to the purchaser before occupancy and imposed consistently with the purchaser's prospectus. The Colonial Colony South prospectus says tenants assuming the remaining term will be required to upgrade the home they are purchasing and install improvements on the same terms as the prospectus delivered to the initial recipient.

The Lot Lease Agreement (Exhibit C) says all new homes brought into the community shall be purchased from the owners of Colonial Colony South or from a dealer they select.

Moving a home out has its own rules. Rule 8.5 requires written notice at least 30 days before the moving date. Moves take place between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Transporters must be licensed, and must give management a security deposit and a certificate of liability insurance. Written permission from the community owner is required before any home moves in or out.

Storm damage has a stated process. Rule 8.9 says that if a home is destroyed by fire, windstorm, water or an act of God, the owner must remove the salvage from the lot within 30 days of the event or of the mailed notice, whichever is earlier, unless a longer period applies by ordinance or law. A home that is damaged but habitable must be repaired to its pre-storm condition. Rule 10.1 says the community owner is not liable for loss or damage from, among other things, fire, water, rain, hail, wind or flood, unless the community's active or willful misconduct caused it.

Section 723.011(2) says the park owner furnishes the prospectus with all exhibits to each prospective lessee before the lot rental agreement is signed or at occupancy, whichever comes first. Upon delivery of a prospectus, the lot rental agreement is voidable by the lessee for 15 days. Section 723.011(3) calls the prospectus a disclosure document intended to protect homeowners and prospective homeowners. The prospectus cover says the document contains important information about legal rights and financial obligations, tells the reader to read all of it and seek legal advice with any questions, and says oral representations should not be relied on.

On a separate point, section 723.061(1)(d) allows eviction for a change in use of the land, if the park owner gives the homeowners' association written notice of its right to purchase the park and gives affected owners and tenants at least 6 months' notice. The notice must say the owner may be entitled to compensation from the Florida Mobile Home Relocation Trust Fund. The prospectus zoning section says the zoning is TM, the permitted use is mobile home parks, the City of Daytona Beach is the zoning authority, and the community has no current plans to seek a change in the future use of the land.

See also: 55+ Communities in Volusia County, Lake Helen Villas Buyer's Guide and Daytona Beach Neighborhoods.

Bottom line

Colonial Colony South is a leased-lot community of 572 lots in Daytona Beach. You own the home and lease the lot. The prospectus, dated October 30, 2025, sets out the lease, the rules and the charges it describes, and its cover says it contains important information about legal rights and financial obligations and should be read in full. The posted copy leaves its dollar amounts blank. Chapter 723 gives a 90-day notice of rent and rule changes in section 723.037 and a 5-day approval date before closing in section 723.059(1). Related page: Colonial Colony South.

The sections above cover the lease, the rent, the rules and the sale. The questions below restate the key points.

Frequently Asked Questions

Every fact below comes from the community's own website, the MHVillage directory, state and federal law, Volusia County's emergency pages, or local news reports, all checked in October 2026. Where two sources disagree, the guide says so. It gives no lot rent figures and no home prices. Ask the community's office for current numbers in writing.

What The Falls is, and what you are buying

The address is 1 Falls Way Court, Ormond Beach, Florida 32174. The community's website says it sits within the city limits of Ormond Beach and calls it a 55+ manufactured home community with 599 manufactured homes. A Daytona Beach News-Journal report from December 2020 gave the size as 141 acres and placed the community between Hand Avenue and West Granada Boulevard. The park directory MHVillage lists the year built as 1984. It describes every home on its record as a multisection home with a peaked roof and lap siding, on paved streets with two off-street parking spaces.

Now the part that matters most. The Ormond Beach Observer reported on May 6, 2026 that The Falls is a privately owned manufactured housing community of about 600 homes where residents own the title to their homes but rent the land. Florida law covers that arrangement in chapter 723 of the Florida Statutes. Section 723.003 defines a homeowner in that chapter as a person who owns a mobile home and rents or leases a lot in a park for residential use. You buy the house and rent the lot. Related reading: 55+ communities in Volusia County and Aberdeen at Ormond Beach.

The amenity list on the community's website is long. It names a pool and hot tub, a large clubhouse, a library and media lounge, a billiards room, a micro-golf course, a fitness center, a dog park, pickleball courts and a tennis court. The activity list includes cards and games, weekly bingo, crafts, coffee hours and potluck dinners. The site also links to a lot map.

Here is one place where two sources disagree. The community's website calls the pool heated. MHVillage lists the pool type as unheated. The two cannot both be right today. Ask the office which one is true and get the answer in writing. The prospectus and the park rules are the documents to read.

The website says most of the homes sit around or near conservation areas, lakes and the clubhouse, and that the community is fully occupied, with several homes coming up for resale during the year. It names Newby Management in its footer. The prospectus must give the name and address of the person authorized to receive notices for the park owner.

One point deserves plain words. You buy the house, and the lot is rented. Section 723.031 says the homeowner has no financial obligation except the lot rental amount, with user fees separate and chosen. Florida law sets notice rules for how lot rent can change, and the next section covers them.

Lot rent, notices and the paperwork that protects you

Start with the prospectus. For a park with 26 or more lots, section 723.011 requires the park owner to file a prospectus with the state and to hand an approved copy to the homeowner before an enforceable rental agreement is signed. Under section 723.011, once the approved prospectus is delivered, the rental agreement is voidable by the lessee for 15 days. The contents are specific. They include the number of lots, the facilities, the services included in the rent, how rent is raised, which the statute puts at 90 days, the factors that can affect it, the park rules and how they can be changed, and the zoning of the land. The statute lists water rates, sewer rates, waste disposal, maintenance costs, management costs and property taxes among the factors a prospectus must disclose. It also requires the name and address of the person authorized to receive notices, a statement about zoning and a separate index of contents.

Next, the rental agreement itself. Under section 723.031, a lot rental agreement cannot run less than one year, and the homeowner has no financial obligation to the park owner as a condition of occupancy except the lot rental amount. User fees for optional services are separate and must be a choice. The lot rent cannot be increased during the term of the agreement except in a few situations. One is the manner of increase disclosed in an agreement longer than twelve months, which applies not more often than annually. Another is a pass-through charge. A third is a property tax, assessment or utility charge that the park owner may pass on, provided it was disclosed before the tenancy began, was passed on as a matter of custom, or was authorized by law.

Section 723.031 allows certain pass-through charges if the statute and the rental agreement allow them. The Observer's May 6 report described residents receiving 2026 notices about a property tax pass-on charge and an insurance assessment spread over six months. The report also quoted one resident who said her lot rent covers internet, cable, mowing and the community's amenities. That is one resident's account. The prospectus lists the services and facilities and the lot rent for them.

Then there is the increase process. Section 723.037 requires written notice at least 90 days before any increase in lot rent, any reduction in services or utilities, or any change in the park rules. The homeowner's right to that notice cannot be waived. A committee of up to five homeowners can then meet the park owner no later than 60 days before the change takes effect. At that meeting the park owner must explain the material factors behind the decision, not generalities. A majority of affected homeowners can petition the state to start mediation within 30 days after the last scheduled meeting. The park owner must also file a copy of each rent increase notice with the state each year by January 1. The history note on that section ends with chapter 2024-123. An attorney quoted by the Observer said House Bill 613 (2024) amended the mediation framework.

The process gives a right to written notice, a committee meeting and a petition for mediation. The Observer quoted attorney Erum Kistemaker saying state law does not cap lot rent increases, that it creates a mechanism to challenge them, and that she does not see a cap coming soon.

Section 723.004 expressly preempts to the state all regulation and control of mobile home lot rents and the landlord and tenant relationship covered by the chapter, and it prohibits every unit of local government from acting on those matters. At the May 5, 2026 city commission meeting, the Observer reported, City Manager Joyce Shanahan said, "We're really limited on what we can do." The Observer wrote that the city lacks authority because The Falls is privately owned and state law has jurisdiction under chapter 723. More than 20 residents spoke at that meeting, and the Observer's account records residents with very different views. The prospectus and the park rules are the documents to read.

Now the purchase of a specific home. Section 723.059 lets the buyer of a mobile home in a park become a tenant if the buyer meets the park's entry requirements, subject to the park owner's approval, which may not be unreasonably withheld. Properly adopted rules can include screening of a prospective buyer. If the tenancy has not been approved five days before closing, the buyer can cancel the purchase contract. The buyer also has the right to assume the rest of the seller's rental agreement term and may assume the seller's prospectus, and any later increase must be disclosed before occupancy.

Two more statutes explain how a park changes hands and how owners speak together. Under section 723.075, mobile home owners can form a homeowners association with the written consent of at least two thirds of the owners, and once it is formed and notice is served, it represents all owners in matters under the chapter. Under section 723.071, if a park owner offers the park for sale, the owners' association must be notified of the price and terms and has 45 days, unless otherwise agreed, to sign a contract. That rule is background for a buyer.

The 55+ rule, taxes, storms and flood risk

The community describes itself as age-restricted and 55+. The federal rule text is in 24 CFR 100.305 through 100.307. Under 24 CFR 100.305, at least 80 percent of occupied units must have at least one occupant who is 55 or older. Under 100.306, the community must publish and follow policies that show its intent to operate as 55+ housing, and the regulation lists written rules, advertising, lease provisions and actual practice among the evidence. Under 100.307, it must verify occupancy through reliable surveys and affidavits, and it must update that information at least every two years. Acceptable proof of age includes a driver's license, a birth certificate and a passport. Ask for the written age policy and the community's written rules before you make an offer.

Taxes come next, and here a mobile home on rented land differs from a house on its own lot. Section 193.075 of the Florida Statutes says a mobile home is taxed as real property if the owner of the home also owns the land it is permanently affixed to. A mobile home that is not taxed as real property must carry a current license plate under section 320.08(11), and the statute sets that annual fee by the length of the home. Whether a particular home is taxed as real property or carries a license plate is a fact to confirm for that home before you make an offer. Section 196.031 says the homestead exemption goes to a person with legal or beneficial title in equity to real property that is the permanent residence, so confirm whether any exemption applies to a specific home instead of assuming one. See also Volusia County property taxes for buyers. Section 723.031 also lets a park owner pass on ad valorem taxes, non-ad valorem assessments and utility charges if disclosed before the tenancy, passed on by custom, or authorized by law.

Storms deserve a direct word. Volusia County's evacuation page says that if you live in a mobile home or recreational vehicle, you must evacuate for all evacuation levels regardless of where you are, and that failure to obey an evacuation order is a violation of Florida law. The county's own reason is that these structures are extremely vulnerable to hurricane winds. It also asks owners to maintain tie-down straps and anchors and to check the straps for rust. A separate county page words it more softly, saying residents of manufactured homes may be advised to evacuate regardless of zone. For more, see hurricane readiness for Ormond Beach home buyers. Related reading: Florida home insurance for buyers.

The website places most of the homes near conservation areas, lakes and the clubhouse. The official public source is the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, where you can search by address. The Volusia school locator is on the school district's website.

See also living in Ormond Beach.

Bottom line

The Falls at Ormond Beach is a 55+ land-lease community of 599 manufactured homes where residents own their homes and rent the land. Lot rent can change on 90 days' written notice, and the Observer quoted an attorney saying state law does not cap increases. State law, not the city, governs lot rent. Read the prospectus and the current rules before you make an offer. Browse the current The Falls at Ormond Beach homes for sale.

Frequently Asked Questions

One note on how we wrote it. The builder's community pages redirected to its general Florida page, and the third-party listing sites disagree with each other on dues. So you will not find a monthly fee in this guide. A number we cannot trace to a primary document does not belong in front of someone about to sign a contract.

Where the Preserve sits, and who runs what

Start with the location. The Preserve's own association website says it is "located within the master planned community of LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Florida." The City of Daytona Beach is a separate source. The City Manager's Update dated February 19, 2025 describes the Preserve as "a Lennar Homes subdivision located just south of Daytona Stadium. Approved in 2019, The Preserve is about 85% built out." That is the status as of that update, not today, so ask for the current status of any section you are considering. The same update says much of the new home construction remains along the LPGA Boulevard corridor.

In its review of 2024 permits, the city said March had the most permits in one month, 181 approvals, and 78 of them were for homes in the Preserve. The dated records later in this guide, on roads and punch lists, are worth reading.

Now the three bodies, one at a time.

The first is the Preserve at LPGA Homeowners Association. It runs its own website, lists Solaris Management Inc. of Ormond Beach as its management company, and posts a board and membership meeting notice for October 27, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn on Auto Mall Circle in Daytona Beach. The management company's own summary of duties lists accounting, collections, insurance administration, and "resale certificates" and "lending requests." The site also says a copy of the 2025 year-end financial report and the 2026 budget is available under its Resources tab or on written request to the management company. Ask for both. The management company's address is 1452 N US Hwy 1, Suite 102, Ormond Beach, and its listed hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

The second layer is the International Residential Owners Association, which the Preserve's website calls the master association of LPGA International. The master association publishes its bylaws, its master declaration of covenants and its Development Code, and the Preserve's site posts the same Development Code. The IROA site also lists the MARC application. We go through the Development Code in the next section.

At an Indigo district meeting on March 27, 2026, a speaker explained that much of the district's southwest quadrant was never committed to the master association. As each parcel was developed, a document was recorded to commit that neighborhood to the association. The same speaker said that for Lennar and the Preserve, a two-page supplemental document was recorded committing them to the master association's covenants and restrictions. That is one person's statement in meeting minutes, and we have not read the recorded document ourselves. So treat it as a pointer, not a finding. When you request documents, ask for the Preserve's own declaration and for whatever recorded paper ties the Preserve to the master association, and read how the two fit together.

The third layer is the Indigo Community Development District, a local special purpose government created under Chapter 190 of the Florida Statutes. Its own website says it was established on January 3, 1995 by rule of the Florida Land and Water Adjudicatory Commission, and that its fiscal year runs October 1 through September 30. The district explains that property owners inside it pay a non-ad valorem assessment, which appears on the annual property tax bill from the county tax collector. That assessment can have two parts. One covers operations and maintenance and can move up or down with each year's budget. The other repays bonds, and the district says those annual assessments are "generally fixed for the term of the bonds."

The district's budget papers show how specific the Preserve's share is. Its fiscal year 2025 budget package has a section titled "The Preserve at LPGA," which says the district will contract to maintain the Phase A and Phase B areas within the Preserve. Lines under it cover landscape maintenance, replacement plants and annuals, lake maintenance for Phase A starting in fiscal year 2025, fountain maintenance and irrigation repairs. The adopted budget for fiscal year 2027 also carries separate lines for the Preserve. So landscape, lake, fountain and irrigation work for the Preserve appears in the district's budget, and the district's assessment appears on your annual property tax bill. The district's own site says the current assessment levels can be found in the current budget.

The district counsel's description of those bonds is brief. At the March 27, 2026 meeting, counsel said, "The bonds are secured by special assessments, which are secured only by the lands which they encumber." The district's board authorized a bond secured by special assessments in 2024. District counsel said at the June 11, 2024 meeting that the Series 2024 bonds are secured by special assessments on "the 276 platted single-family units in Phase B1," and that all 276 lots are assessed in a similar way. The bond series is labeled Integrated LPGA Phase B1. We do not know from that record whether Phase B1 is the same set of lots as any section of the Preserve, and we are not going to guess. The practical step is simple. For the exact lot you are looking at, ask the district manager which assessment area it belongs to and what its annual assessment is. The district's own website says current assessment levels are in the current budget.

The rules that go with the house

The Development Code is posted on the Preserve's site as "IROA Dev Code 2.0 approved CE." It is version 2.0 of the Development Code of the International Residential Owners Association, and its introduction says it supports review by the Master Architectural Review Committee under the master declaration. The Preserve's site posts it. Some of its exhibits carry dates from 2007, and it points to neighborhood association documents for certain items, so a few rules may read differently for your exact section. Treat this list as a map of the kind of rules you will meet, then confirm each one against the Preserve's own documents.

Start with approvals. The code says no structure, grading, tree removal, landscaping or exterior color change may be made without the prior written approval of the committee. An applicant pays a fee and a deposit before review. Work has to be finished and pass a final inspection within 120 days of approval, and new homes get twelve months. The Preserve's site says the same thing in plainer words: fences, screen enclosures, paint colors, landscape additions and driveway changes all need association approval, through an architectural review application.

Exterior color works like this. A new color scheme needs approval from the committee and from the neighborhood association. Repainting in the same scheme does not need an application. Vinyl siding is prohibited on all structures in all neighborhoods, while stucco, stone, brick and wood are permitted.

Fences deserve a careful read. The code says only aluminum picket-style fencing will be considered, and only with MARC consent. Chain link, vinyl and wood fencing are not allowed anywhere on any lot. Fences of any kind are kept out of side and rear yards except as each neighborhood's own documents specify, and then only with approval. The code refers to each neighborhood's association documents for side and rear yard fences, so read that rule against the Preserve's declaration.

Pools and screen enclosures follow their own rules. The code bans above-ground pools. In-ground pools, hot tubs and spas need prior written approval. A screen enclosure needs written approval and may not be taller than twelve feet unless approved, may never rise above the roof line, and has to be bronze with charcoal screening. The code also calls for hedge-type landscaping around the perimeter.

A few smaller rules are worth a line each, because each of them changes how a house is used. Window and wall unit air conditioners are not permitted, and outdoor air conditioning units, pool equipment and trash containers have to be screened from the street. Every single-family home must have at least a two-car garage, and a garage may not be converted to living space unless an additional garage replaces it, and the committee approves. Driveways may be no wider than sixteen feet at the street curb, and painted or asphalt driveways are not permitted. Sheds and storage buildings need approval. Holiday lighting comes down within fourteen days after the holiday. Satellite dishes and antennae need approval and are governed by the federal rules. Solar devices cannot be prohibited under Florida law, but their location can be reasonably regulated.

Hurricane shutters have a timing rule you can plan around. Shutters visible from outside have to be a type approved in writing. Panel, accordion and roll-up shutters may be installed or closed up to 48 hours before an expected hurricane and must be opened or removed within 72 hours after the end of a watch or warning, unless the board decides otherwise. Ask the association how its rule applies to the kind of shutters you would install. See also Florida Home Insurance for Buyers.

The code also says a sign for selling, leasing or renting must be wood, metal or composite and painted white with lettering. Temporary holiday flags are allowed without approval.

Signs follow a rule too. One yard sign for selling, leasing or renting a home is allowed if it meets the association's sign standard, which the code describes as a placard no larger than eighteen inches by twenty-four inches. A United States flag no larger than four and a half feet by six feet, attached to the home, is allowed without approval.

The Development Code's own limits are worth repeating. It is version 2.0, its exhibits carry dates in 2007, and it refers to neighborhood-specific tables and neighborhood association documents for some items. The Preserve's site also posts a MARC application for 2025 and a pool key card application. The Preserve's own recorded declaration sits in the site's Governing Documents area behind a login, and we have not read it. The IROA bylaws and master covenants are posted publicly as scanned images, which we also have not read word for word.

Shared amenities have rules of their own. The Preserve's site says pool and cabana access cards are issued by the management office. Cards go only to the owner of the property, and a renter gets a card from the landlord. The pool key card application, a form printed in August 2022, adds that the owner of record is solely responsible for issuing cards to lessees and for any damage caused by the owner's family, guests or approved tenants, and it lists the pool, the cabana area with its bathrooms and a playground as the association's common amenities. It also lists pool hours of 8:00 in the morning to 8:00 in the evening and bars pets and wheeled devices from inside the fenced pool area. That is a dated form, so confirm the current hours and card fees with the management office before you count on them.

Florida law limits what an association can do with all of this, and it helps to know where the limits are. Under section 720.3035 of the Florida Statutes, an association or its architectural committee may review plans and enforce exterior standards only to the extent stated or reasonably inferred in its declaration or published guidelines, and it has to apply them reasonably and equitably. It may not limit the interior of a structure that is not visible from the parcel's frontage, an adjacent parcel, a common area or a community golf course. Under section 720.305, a fine is capped at one hundred dollars per violation unless the governing documents say otherwise, and a continuing violation is capped at one thousand dollars in total unless the documents say otherwise. The board must give at least 14 days of written notice of the right to a hearing, and a committee of at least three members who are not officers, directors or employees must approve the fine. A fine under one thousand dollars cannot become a lien on the property.

The paperwork and money to check before you offer

Ask for the documents first, so the contract you write reflects what you actually learned.

For a resale, ask for the estoppel certificate first. Section 720.30851 says the association must issue it within 10 business days after a written or electronic request from the owner, the owner's designee, or a mortgagee. Every association has to name, on its website, a person or entity with an address for receiving those requests. The statute's form asks whether a capital contribution, resale or transfer fee is due, whether any rule violation is open, whether the board must approve a transfer, and whether anyone holds a right of first refusal. It also asks for a list of every other association the parcel belongs to. An estoppel is good for 30 days when it is delivered by hand or email, and 35 days when it goes by regular mail. If the association misses the 10 business days, it cannot charge a fee for it.

The second document is the disclosure summary. Under section 720.401, a prospective buyer must be given a disclosure summary before signing the contract. It states that you will be required to be a member of a homeowners' association, that you will pay assessments and any special assessments, and that you may owe special assessments to the municipality, county or a special district. If you were not given it before you signed, you can void the contract within 3 days after you receive it or before closing, whichever comes first. That right ends at closing. On a resale, the owner supplies the summary. On a new purchase from the developer, the developer does.

That brings up the difference between a first sale and a resale on the district disclosure. Section 190.048 requires a warning, that the district "may impose and levy taxes or assessments," in each contract for the initial sale of a lot or residential unit in a district. The statute's text is written for initial sales. The district's current budget and your tax bill are where the assessment appears. See also Buying New Construction in Volusia County.

Liability for old debts follows the property. Under section 720.3085, a new owner is jointly and severally liable with the previous owner for all assessments that came due up to the transfer of title. Ask the title or closing agent how any unpaid assessments will be handled at closing.

The association's age matters too, and the statute explains why. Under section 720.307, owners other than the developer are entitled to elect a majority of the board three months after 90 percent of the parcels in all phases have been conveyed to them, with other triggers listed. Builders who buy lots to build and resell do not count as owners for that test. We found no source that tells us whether the Preserve has reached that point, so ask.

Then there is the condition of the neighborhood itself. At the district's June 11, 2024 meeting, a speaker said "the city has not accepted the roads and improvements yet." The minutes record a punch list, mostly signage, striping and speed limit signs, that was being worked. At the March 27, 2026 meeting, the minutes record a report that "Lennar is still completing the punch list they have" in the Preserve Phase B and that Lennar had retained a contractor for punch list items. A speaker at that meeting said "Lennar flags" can stay up because builders "have rights in their agreements and declarations as far as sales ability." Those are dated statements about particular items, and they may well be resolved by the time you read this. They are the reason to ask a short list of questions: which sections have had their roads accepted by the city, which punch list items remain open, and whether any open item sits next to the lot you want.

On taxes, the mechanics are the county's and the state's, and they are straightforward. The Volusia County Property Appraiser says an owner must own the home and make it a permanent residence before January 1 to qualify for homestead that year, and that applications are due by March 1. Someone who moves in after January 1 is encouraged to pre-file for the following year. Once homestead is in place, the Florida Department of Revenue says the annual rise in assessed value cannot exceed the lower of three percent or the change in the consumer price index, which makes the cap 2.7 percent for 2026. For the filing itself, see Volusia County Homestead Exemption.

Flood and insurance questions belong to the address, not the subdivision. The FEMA Flood Map Service Center lets you search by address, and see also Daytona Beach Flood Zones. Run the address before your inspection period ends so the result can still shape your offer. For the wider community, see LPGA International in Daytona Beach.

The bottom line is that the city's February 2025 update says the Preserve was approved in 2019 and was about 85 percent built out. The Preserve association and the Indigo district apply, and the district's assessment appears on your annual property tax bill. A link to the LPGA International master association rests on one speaker's statement in the district minutes and is unconfirmed, so ask for the recorded document. Before you offer on one of the homes for sale in the Preserve at LPGA, collect the Preserve's declaration, the Development Code, the current budget, an estoppel certificate if it is a resale, and the district's assessment for that exact lot. If a fenced yard, a pool or a screen enclosure is what you are buying the house for, confirm it is allowed on that lot first.

Before you make an offer, answer these questions first:

• Which assessment area is the lot in, and what is its annual district assessment?
• Has the Preserve reached the point where owners other than the developer elect a majority of the board?
• Which sections have had their roads accepted by the city, and which punch list items remain open?
• Does the fence, pool or screen enclosure you want fit the Development Code and the Preserve's declaration for that lot?

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide is built from the community's own sites, the District's adopted budget, the Florida statutes, the Florida Department of Revenue tax roll, FEMA and Flagler Schools. Where we could not read a source in full, the text says so. We did not fetch the Master CC&R text itself, so the covenant points below rely on the Master Association's own frequently asked questions.

Who runs Grand Haven, and what each one controls

The residents' information site describes Grand Haven as a gated community of over 1,400 acres, with 1,901 residential units in 25 villages. Its About page says the 1,901 are single unit homes, townhouses and condos, located between St. Augustine and Daytona Beach. The District's own site says the District encompasses approximately 997.82 acres of land located entirely within Flagler County. The two figures come from different sources.

The residents' site explains the split in one line. The Community Development District governs all common areas and the amenities. The Grand Haven Master Association governs homes and yards. The golf club is a third item. The information site describes it as a Jack Nicklaus Signature Design 18 hole course located within Grand Haven, privately owned and not part of the Grand Haven CDD, the Master Association or the amenities. Membership is separate, in several categories including social, and it is open to residents and non-residents. The About page says golf club membership must be purchased separately and is not part of the CDD-provided amenities.

Take the District first. The Grand Haven Community Development District is an independent local unit of special-purpose government created under Chapter 190 of the Florida Statutes. It was established by Flagler County Ordinance 97-03, effective March 3, 1997. It has a five-member Board of Supervisors. Since the general-election phase, supervisors are elected by qualified electors, meaning registered voters who live in the District, for four-year staggered terms. The District says land or home ownership is not a requirement to run. The next general election is in November 2026 for seats 1, 3 and 5.

The District holds public meetings in person at the Grand Haven Village Center, Grand Haven Room, 2001 Waterside Parkway, Palm Coast. Recorded meetings are on the District's YouTube channel. When the District's home page was fetched, it listed the next meeting for October 29, 2026 at 9:00 AM at the Creekside Amenity Center, 2 N. Village Parkway, Palm Coast, and then December 3, 2026.

The District's own frequently asked questions say its responsibilities in a community may include storm water management, potable and irrigation water supply, sewer and wastewater management, and street lights. The same page says a District complements homeowners associations, and that the associations have other responsibilities such as operating amenities and ensuring that deed restrictions and other quality standards are enforced. The Master Association's frequently asked questions say the streets in Grand Haven are the property of the Community Development District.

The Master Association's frequently asked questions say every fee simple property owner in Grand Haven is a member and is required to pay assessments. Its principal mission is to enforce the deed restrictions (CC&Rs). It includes a Fine Committee and an Architectural Design Committee. The residents' information site's governance page says the board has five members elected by property owners for two-year terms, and that the two standing committees are the Modification Architectural Design Committee and the Fine Committee. The same page names the management company is Southern States Management Group, 386-446-6333.

The Association's home page lists its Annual Members' Meeting and election for January 7, 2027 at 5:00 pm in the Village Center Grand Haven Room. The page's text prints the year of the annual meeting with a typo, and the attached notice file is named for 01.07.2027, so confirm the date with the Association. The Association's mission statement includes perpetuating the intended landscaping design, including the selection of the Live Oak as the primary street canopy tree.

Private Lawn Maintenance is an Association service in some villages. The Association's page lists the villages as Crossings, Heritage Oaks, Lakeside, Linkside, Linkside East, Linkside West, Pine Harbor, Reserve, Riverwalk and Village Oaks. It also describes a damage-claim protocol that requires a report to the management company with photos and written approval before any reimbursement. The villages on that list are the ones the page names.

The amenities at the Village Center and Creekside include seven Har-Tru clay tennis courts with lights, four pickleball courts with lights, two fitness centers, two pools with spas, two basketball courts, two bocce courts and three croquet courts. The amenity site's own pickleball count differs on two pages, four and two. This guide uses the resident site's four, so confirm the number. The Waterside Cafe at the Village Center and the Tiki Hut at Creekside are managed by Vesta Property Services under a contract with the District.

Reservations are required for lap swim at the Village Center pool, tennis, pickleball, bocce and Creekside croquet. Other amenities are open without reservations. The reservation office number is 386-447-0192. The residents' site also describes miles of walking and biking trails through preserve and natural areas, and along the Esplanade coquina trail that borders more than a mile of the Intracoastal Waterway.

There are five entry gates. The Main Gate is staffed by a guard 24/7. Kiosks, which replace callboxes, are at The Crossings, Wild Oaks, North Gate and South Gate. Visitors use e-passes sent from the Gatehouse Resident Web Portal. At the North and South gates, guards do not process visitors, so a visitor with no e-pass must first go to the Main Gate. Each address gets one portal username and password from the CDD office.

What Grand Haven costs: the District, the Association and the tax bill

The District's fiscal year runs October 1 to September 30. The current-year assessment schedules are in the Adopted Budget in the Documents section of its site. For fiscal year 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027, the adopted budget sets the operations and maintenance assessment for a single lot or occupied condo at two thousand six hundred eighty-two dollars and twelve cents, up ninety-seven dollars and twelve cents from two thousand five hundred eighty-five dollars. The capital reserve fund assessment is five hundred sixty-seven dollars and eighty-four cents, unchanged. The total is three thousand two hundred forty-nine dollars and ninety-six cents per year. The year before it was three thousand one hundred fifty-two dollars and eighty-four cents. The increase is ninety-seven dollars and twelve cents, or eight dollars and nine cents a month.

The budget gives per-unit totals by type. La Vista condos are three thousand four hundred twenty-seven dollars and twenty-seven cents, which includes a small separate La Vista landscape restoration assessment of one hundred seventy-seven dollars. Double lots are six thousand four hundred ninety-nine dollars and ninety-two cents, which is two units' worth at a 2.0 factor. An unfinished condominium parcel has its own total in the same table. The budget assesses 1,868 units in total, made up of 1,837 single lot and occupied condos, 24 La Vista condos, 5 double lots, 1 unfinished condo parcel and 1 Escalante parcel. That count differs from the 1,901 figure because the budget counts assessed units by type.

The District's frequently asked questions say property owners in the District pay a non-ad valorem assessment that appears on their annual property tax bill from the county tax collector. It may consist of two parts. The first is an annual assessment for operations and maintenance, which can fluctuate up and down from year to year based on the budget. The second is an annual capital assessment to repay bonds, which is generally fixed for the term of the bonds. The District says public hearings are held on its assessments, and that its budget is audited annually. The FY 2027 budget we read contains no debt service lines.

The net operations and maintenance budget for fiscal year 2027 is four million eight hundred seventeen thousand two hundred fifty-two dollars, up 3.76 percent from four million six hundred forty-two thousand eight hundred ten dollars in fiscal year 2026. The budget grosses up that net amount for county collection costs and an early payment discount, so the net figure becomes a gross operations budget of five million one hundred twenty-four thousand seven hundred thirty-six dollars. The Capital Reserve Fund net levy is one million nineteen thousand eight hundred sixty-seven dollars, unchanged from fiscal year 2026. The capital improvement plan lists total capital projects of eight hundred fifty-eight thousand four hundred three dollars for fiscal year 2027, and a reserve study line of two thousand dollars is budgeted.

The budget lines show what the District pays for. They include a landscape maintenance contract with VerdeGo, amenity management, gate access control staffing, street lights billed by FPL, a waterway and pond maintenance contract with SOLitude Lake Management, stormwater repairs and maintenance, planned stormwater maintenance, and a capital reserve fund. The budget text says the District pays for staffing of guards at certain gates within the community, and for card readers, gate arms, control boards and keypads. It also says the District purchases clickers for residents to buy.

In the 2025 Flagler County tax roll data from the Florida Department of Revenue, the line 02 GRAND HAVEN CDD appears in tax areas 067 and 068 at 0.0000 mills. That line does not mean the charge is a millage rate. The charge arrives as the separate non-ad valorem assessment described above. The finalized Palm Coast millage and county tax lines are in the tax-bill guide we have already published. See also: related guide.

The Master Association's frequently asked questions say every fee simple property owner in Grand Haven is a member of the Association and is required to pay assessments. The 2026 annual Association assessment is one hundred seventy-five dollars per year, due January 1 and delinquent after January 15. The same page says fines can be as much as one hundred dollars per day up to a cumulative total of one thousand dollars. It says owners may appeal to the Fine Committee, and that the prevailing party in legal action is entitled to legal fees.

The Save Our Homes figures come from the Florida statutes and the Department of Revenue's Save Our Homes guide. The Save Our Homes cap for 2026 is 2.7 percent. Assessed value resets to just value on January 1 after a change of ownership. The exemption application is due March 1. See also: related guide.

The rules that apply to a home and lot

The Association's frequently asked questions say approval from its Architectural Design Committee is required any time there is a change to the exterior of a home or lot. The examples given are color, landscape, driveway, fences and generators. Tree removal needs the same approval. Submissions received by the Wednesday before the meeting by 4:00 p.m. go on the next agenda, with a written decision within a week.

The Association's frequently asked questions cite the ADC Standards, page 7, Section D-2. Construction and commercial landscape work by contractors is allowed from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm only. No such work is allowed on Sunday or federal holidays.

On parking, the Association's frequently asked questions say the CC&Rs prohibit parking on unimproved lots and regular street parking by a resident. Commercial vehicles with advertising may not be parked in public view overnight or on a regular basis. Dogs must be leashed. Owners may appeal fines to the Fine Committee, and the fine schedule is described in the cost section above.

On real estate signs, the Association's frequently asked questions say some villages may place the approved Grand Haven Available sign. All other villages must adhere to their CC&R obligations.

On leasing, the Association's home page lists a Leased Property Information Form among its Quick Documents. That is all we found. We did not find any rental rule in the documents available to us.

The Association's frequently asked questions say owners get the CC&Rs in their closing package from the seller or sales agent. A copy can also be requested from the management company, Southern States Management Group. The Governing Documents on the Association's site are the Articles, Master CC&Rs, By-Laws, Village CC&Rs and Board Resolutions. Read the recorded documents themselves, which we did not fetch in full.

The Association also posts a Severe Weather Event and Hurricane Protocol for Residents as a PDF. The FEMA Flood Map Service Center at msc.fema.gov is the official map lookup by address. For related reading, see also: our Palm Coast guide and our Florida insurance guide. For condominiums, see also: related guide.

What the statutes put in a buyer's hands

Section 720.401(1) of the Florida Statutes covers the homeowners' association disclosure summary. A prospective parcel owner must be presented the summary before executing the contract. It tells the buyer they will be obligated to be an association member, that restrictive covenants are recorded, that assessments and special assessments may change, and that a failure to pay could result in a lien. If it is not provided before signing, the contract is voidable by the buyer by written notice within three days after receiving the summary or before closing, whichever is first, and the waiver has no effect.

Section 720.30851(1) of the Florida Statutes covers the estoppel certificate. Within 10 business days after a written or electronic request, the association shall issue it. It must list the regular assessment, the paid-through date, the next installment and itemized amounts owed. It must also state whether a capital contribution or transfer fee is due, any open rule violation, whether board approval of a transfer is required, any right of first refusal, and the other associations of which the parcel is a member.

Section 190.048 of the Florida Statutes covers a notice in contracts. Each contract for the initial sale of a parcel or residential unit within a district must carry a boldface notice that the District may impose and levy taxes or assessments, or both, and that these are in addition to county and other local governmental taxes and assessments. The statute's trigger is the initial sale.

For schools, check the Flagler Schools locator for the assigned school. For trash, the City of Palm Coast contracts with FCC Environmental for garbage, recycling, yard waste and bulk trash. The pickup day is found by address search on the city's site.

This guide is the picture as of late October 2026.

Bottom line

Grand Haven has two bodies. The Community Development District governs all common areas and the amenities, and the Grand Haven Master Association governs homes and yards. The golf club is privately owned and separate from both. For the year that began October 1, 2026, the District's adopted budget sets a total of three thousand two hundred forty-nine dollars and ninety-six cents for a single lot or occupied condo, and the Association's 2026 assessment is one hundred seventy-five dollars. The District's charge arrives as a separate non-ad valorem assessment. See also Grand Haven and our Palm Coast living guide.

That covers the main points. The questions below are the ones this guide answers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Every fact about the community comes from the association's website or from a directory that names its data sources. Every rule cited comes from the 2026 Florida Statutes, a Florida Department of Revenue PDF, FEMA, city and county pages, or the association's own site, read on 2026-10-28. The city land development code was not accessible, so none is cited. Where a number could not be confirmed, we left it out and say so.

What Breakaway Trails is, and who runs it

Start with the plain description. The association's website calls Breakaway Trails a private gated community located in the City of Ormond Beach, within Volusia County. Its mailing address is 16 Breakaway Trail, Ormond Beach, Florida 32174. The website says the entrances to the neighborhood are off a scenic stretch of State Road 40, just west of I-95, and that the second gate is on Tymber Creek.

The website is run through Leland Management. The page lists a community association manager and a 386 phone number, and it says the support office is typically open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm, excluding holidays. It also describes what a manager does. The manager gives administrative support to the board, keeps records, handles communications, enforces the rules as dictated by the governing documents and promulgated by the board, and oversees vendors.

Visitors can access limited information, such as public documents and the management company's contact information. Owners log in to a private side. The menu includes Home, Resources, Documents, FAQs, Contact Us and an Estoppel Request item.

One note about old links. An older web address for the association now shows a Site Shutdown notice, and the notice says a shutdown can be due to a change in management company. The current site is the one named above, run through Leland Management.

Now the size and the amenities. A Florida HOA directory describes a guard-gated community of about 976 single-family homes. It says one HOA funds the amenities and the 24-hour gate, with no CDD. It lists a clubhouse, a pool, a fitness center, tennis, pickleball and basketball courts, a park and playground, a dog park, a barbecue pavilion and walking trails. It draws its data from Sunbiz, where the association's document number is N14531 and its status is active, and from listing sites. The directory also says it is not affiliated with the HOA and that its information may not be current, and it lists the year established as not listed.

We have not stated a lot count from county records, a plat date or a year built, because we did not confirm Breakaway Trails against the county's parcel records. We have also left out the builder names, home sizes, prices, association dues, and whether the clubhouse or pool is open to anyone other than owners, because none of those were stated in a source we could read. Neither the association's site nor the directory states a fee.

The directory also points to the public record. It says the declaration and its amendments are public records in Volusia County's official records, that board rules are usually not recorded, and that the exact legal name can be checked on Sunbiz.

What the association can and cannot do to you and your house

The Florida Statutes include Chapter 720, which covers homeowners associations. This guide cites five sections of it, 720.401, 720.30851, 720.3085, 720.305 and 720.3035, plus section 720.303 on official records. Section 720.401 does not apply to associations regulated under chapters 718, 719, 721 or 723.

The first is the disclosure summary. Under section 720.401, a prospective buyer must be presented a disclosure summary before executing the contract for sale. The form states that the buyer will be obligated to be a member of a homeowners association, that recorded restrictive covenants govern the use and occupancy of properties in the community, and that the buyer will be obligated to pay assessments and any special assessments. It also states that failure to pay could result in a lien on the property, and that there may be an obligation to pay rent or land use fees for recreational facilities. The buyer may void the contract by written notice within three days after receiving the summary or before closing, whichever occurs first. The law says any purported waiver has no effect, and the right ends at closing.

The second is the estoppel certificate. Under section 720.30851, within 10 business days after a written or electronic request from a parcel owner or the owner's designee, or from a mortgagee or the mortgagee's designee, the association shall issue the certificate. The law requires each association to designate on its website a person or entity with a street or email address for these requests, and Breakaway Trails has an Estoppel Request item in its menu. The certificate can be delivered by hand, by regular mail or by email. It states the regular periodic assessment and what it is paid through, the next installment due date, and an itemized list of amounts owed. It says whether a capital contribution, resale, transfer or other fee is due, and whether there is any open violation noticed in the official records. It says whether board approval is required for a transfer, whether there is a right of first refusal, and which other associations the parcel is a member of. It also lists contact information for the insurance the association maintains.

The certificate is effective for 30 days if it is hand delivered or sent electronically, and 35 days if it is sent by regular mail. An association waives the right to collect money owed above the amounts in the certificate from a person who relies on it in good faith. If the certificate is not delivered within 10 business days, no fee may be charged. The statute allows a reasonable fee not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars if there are no delinquent amounts, an extra hundred dollars if the certificate is expedited within three business days, and an additional fee not exceeding one hundred fifty dollars if amounts are delinquent.

Under section 720.3085, a parcel owner is liable for all assessments that come due while an owner. The owner is also jointly and severally liable with the previous parcel owner for all unpaid assessments that came due up to the time of transfer of title, without prejudice to the right to recover from the previous owner. When the governing documents authorize it, the association has a lien on each parcel. A claim of lien secures unpaid assessments plus interest, late charges, and reasonable costs and attorney fees. The association may foreclose a lien.

The third piece is fines. Under section 720.305, an association may levy reasonable fines. Unless the governing documents provide otherwise, a fine may not exceed one hundred dollars per violation. A fine may be levied per day of a continuing violation, with a single notice and opportunity for hearing, not exceeding one thousand dollars in the aggregate unless the documents provide otherwise. A fine under one thousand dollars may not become a lien against a parcel. A fine or suspension requires at least 14 days' written notice of the right to a hearing. The hearing is held within 90 days after the notice, before a committee of at least three members appointed by the board who are not officers, directors or employees, or their close relatives. If the committee does not approve a proposed fine or suspension by majority vote, it may not be imposed. A suspension of common-area use may not block vehicular and pedestrian access to the parcel, including the right to park.

The fourth is architectural review. Section 720.3035 says the authority exists only to the extent that it is specifically stated or reasonably inferred in the declaration or in published guidelines authorized by it. The association must apply its standards reasonably and equitably to all owners. It may not regulate the interior of a structure that is not visible from the street frontage, an adjacent parcel or a common area. It may not require approval of an A/C system that is not visible and is substantially similar to an approved one. It may not require a government building permit as a prerequisite for its review. A denial of a request must be in writing and must state with specificity the rule or covenant relied on, and the specific part of the improvement that does not conform.

Hurricane protection has its own rule in section 720.3035(6), which applies to all homeowners associations regardless of when they were created. Every board or architectural committee must adopt hurricane protection specifications, and the specifications must comply with the building code. The board may not deny an application for installation, enhancement or replacement of hurricane protection that conforms to its own specifications. The statute defines hurricane protection to include roof systems meeting ASCE 7-22, permanent fixed storm shutters, roll-down track shutters, impact-resistant windows and doors, polycarbonate panels, reinforced garage doors, exterior fixed generators and fuel storage tanks. The board may not deny an application that conforms to them.

Official records are covered by section 720.303. They must be kept at least 7 years and made available to a parcel owner for inspection or copying within 10 business days after the board receives a written request. Under section 720.303 these records are for parcel owners.

The paperwork, taxes and storm costs the city and county describe

The Volusia County Property Appraiser describes the homestead exemption. The rules are these. You must have legal or beneficial title recorded in the Official Records of Volusia County and reside on the property as of January 1, and you must be a permanent Florida resident. The filing deadline is March 1. The regular filing period runs from January 2 to March 1, and pre-filing runs from March 2 to December 31. Failure to file by March 1 waives the exemption for that year. The exemption does not transfer to a new home, and ownership changes require reapplying. See also the Volusia County homestead exemption guide.

The county also explains how the bill is built. Just or market value, capped by Save Our Homes, gives the assessed value. The assessed value minus exemptions gives the taxable value. The taxable value times the millage rate divided by 1,000 gives the taxes. The county notes that an August Notice of Proposed Property Taxes, known as TRIM, is sent. The Save Our Homes cap says the annual increase in assessment may not exceed the lower of three percent or the change in the Consumer Price Index, and the Florida Department of Revenue chart shows 2.7 percent for 2026, revised in January 2026. The county says the status of a property on January 1 is the criteria for establishing value for the entire year. See also the Ormond Beach property tax bill guide.

Next, building permits. The City of Ormond Beach says a building permit is required for all projects to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a structure, and for installing, altering, repairing, removing or replacing electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing systems. The exceptions are carpeting, wood flooring, tile, cabinet replacement and residential painting. Applications go through the Tyler EnerGov Civic Access portal and include all contractors with their license numbers. The owner-builder exemption requires the owner to appear in person at the Building Department (Room 104) and sign a notarized affidavit, and the home must be for the owner's use and not for rent, lease or sale within one year of completion.

The city also posts a notice about fraudulent emails that seek payment for permits. It says invoices come only through the Tyler system and that staff never ask for a wire transfer. Questions go to 386-610-0540.

Flood and wind come next. The city's floodplain page says flooding is the most frequent and costly natural hazard in the Volusia County area, according to the 2015 Volusia County Multi-Jurisdictional Local Mitigation Strategy. It says FEMA is updating flood risk data in Volusia County under Risk MAP and that no changes are proposed within the limits of the City of Ormond Beach. It also says most standard homeowners policies do not cover flooding from rising water, that most flood insurance policies have a 30-day waiting period, and that some flood policies are transferable.

To find a property's flood zone, localized drainage issues or historical flooding, the city says to contact its Planning Department or use the city's Forerunner page. The FEMA Map Service Center has an Address Search that allows you to search by specific address or location and find the effective Flood Insurance Rate Map. The city adds that an Elevation Certificate may be on file at the local government office. See also the Ormond Beach flood zones and insurance guide. We have not stated a flood zone for Breakaway Trails, because we did not verify one.

The same floodplain page has a rule for substantial improvement. Repairs or improvements equal to or greater than 50 percent of market value must meet the current Florida Building Code and the floodplain ordinance. The city also asks residents to keep natural areas undisturbed, because wetlands and open space store storm water, and not to dump in storm drains. See also the Florida home insurance for buyers guide.

The city's hurricane page says residents near rivers, beachside or in mobile homes may be asked to evacuate. It says to check your kit and not to duct tape your windows, and it says shutters, window film or boarding are effective.

See also the closing costs in Volusia County guide. The statute caps the estoppel fee as described above.

The bottom line is this. Breakaway Trails is a private gated community in Ormond Beach, and the association's website is run through Leland Management. A third-party directory describes one homeowners association, which we did not confirm. The association's own site gives limited public documents and an estoppel request item. Florida law gives a buyer a disclosure summary. It also requires the association to issue an estoppel certificate within 10 business days after a request from the parcel owner, the owner's designee, or a mortgagee, and it sets fine limits with a hearing and a written denial that cites the rule. The amenities and fees in the directory do not appear on the association's website. See also our guide to living in Ormond Beach, and Breakaway Trails.

These questions cover the basics of the documents and rules described above.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you are searching Lincoln Oaks homes for sale on your phone, listing photos show the house. They do not show the lot width, the parking rule, the buffer next to the neighboring streets or the association behind it all. This guide covers those items using the city's approval, Florida statutes and official county and FEMA sources, with local press used only for the location. It does not state prices, HOA dollar amounts or amenity lists, because no official source for those figures was found.

What the city approved for Lincoln Oaks

The official name is the Lincoln Oaks Planned Development. The City of DeLand adopted it as Ordinance 2019-23 in Case Z-18-109. The City Commission heard the request on August 19, 2019, and the Planning Board held its hearing on January 16, 2019. The applicant was Volusia Oaks, LLC, the contract purchaser at the time, and the application was filed on November 19, 2018. The land is 78.987 acres, more or less, made up of contiguous parcels.

The ordinance rezoned the parcel from R-3 in Volusia County and from the city's R-3 and M districts to PD. It also amended the city's official zoning map to show the parcel as Lincoln Oaks PD. The rezoning to PD sets the plan for this site. The plan is the Development Plan Map prepared by Mitch Collins, PE, Inc., dated August 1, 2019, which is Exhibit B, together with the agreement itself.

Where the agreement is silent, the C-1 zoning provisions apply to Parcel 2 and the R-1 provisions apply to Parcel 3.

The location, according to a Beacon news report from June 19, 2019, is the north side of West Plymouth Avenue, east of North Orange Avenue. The same report says the project is in part within the city's medical-services overlay district. The news report gave lot counts that differ from the agreement, so this guide uses the agreement's numbers only.

The agreement describes the concept as a mixed-use development with medical and related ancillary uses and single-family residential uses near the hospital. Its stated intent is "a compact, pedestrian friendly neighborhood with diverse housing options adjacent to the existing hospital and related medical uses." It refers to the City's Community Health Designation Overlay. It also says the plan "transitions to the existing, rural neighborhoods adjacent to the property to the north and east."

The agreement splits the site into three parcels, numbered 1, 2 and 3.

Parcel 1 is a single-family area of up to 182 single-family lots, with a minimum lot width of 38 feet. Parcel 3 is a second single-family area of up to 84 single-family lots, with a minimum lot width of 50 feet. The words "up to" mark a maximum. Parcel 2 is set aside for medical and related support uses. The listed uses include hospitals, clinics, offices, labs and care facilities.

The agreement states what is allowed and required. It dates from 2019. The agreement says a preliminary and final plat is required under Article 13 of the DeLand Land Development Regulations (Ordinance 2013-11) before construction, and that includes clearing and landfill. No more than ten model homes, plus their infrastructure, may be built before the final plat is approved and recorded. A Final Site Plan under Article 12 is required where site plan review applies.

The agreement also says the applicant must keep unified ownership until the Final Plat is recorded. Tracts may be sold for re-subdivision. The phases are generally Parcels 1, 2 and 3, with timing based on market demand, and the neighborhood mitigation is part of the initial phase.

Amendments are covered too. Minor modifications are made by City staff, and they may not add a use, raise density or intensity, or change the mitigation terms. Major amendments are handled like a rezoning.

The agreement has a reverter clause. The City Commission may rezone any portion that has not secured a final development order within 5 years of the effective date, which is the date the ordinance is recorded, unless the Commission extends the period for good cause. The recording date was not confirmed for this guide.

The lot and house rules written into the agreement

This is the part that sets the lot and house standards. The numbers below come straight from the agreement's development standards.

On Parcel 1, the minimum lot area is 4,180 square feet and the minimum width is 38 feet. The front setback is 20 feet, or 25 feet to the garage face. The rear setback is 15 feet. The side setback is 5 feet, or 15 feet on a side corner. The maximum lot coverage is 75 percent, the maximum height is 35 feet, and the minimum driveway width is 18 feet.

On Parcel 3, the minimum lot area is 6,000 square feet and the minimum width is 50 feet. The minimum width is 60 feet where a lot is adjacent to an external landscape buffer 30 feet wide or less. Lots on the northern boundary of Parcel 3 have a minimum width of 60 feet and are limited to 4 lots. The front setback is 20 feet, or 25 feet to the garage face. The rear setback is 15 feet (20 feet on lots along the northern boundary). The side setback is 5 feet, or 15 feet on a side corner. The maximum lot coverage is 60 percent, the maximum height is 35 feet, and the minimum driveway width is 18 feet.

Minimum lot sizes differ by parcel: 4,180 square feet on Parcel 1 and 6,000 square feet on Parcel 3. Maximum lot coverage also differs, at 75 percent on Parcel 1 and 60 percent on Parcel 3. This guide does not list what counts toward lot coverage.

The agreement also sets a minimum floor area. It is 1,400 square feet on Parcel 1 and 1,600 square feet on Parcel 3. Both figures include the garage area. This guide does not verify any home's floor area.

Parcel 2 has its own standards. The minimum lot area is 10,000 square feet and the minimum width is 100 feet. The front setback is 30 feet, the rear is 15 feet and the side is 15 feet. Maximum building coverage is 35 percent and maximum height is 45 feet.

The permitted uses on the single-family parcels are detached single-family dwellings (not mobile homes), mini and neighborhood parks, accessory dwelling units, community gardens, private parks, and home occupations under section 33-27.01 of the city's regulations. The agreement lists accessory dwelling units as a permitted use. Ask the city whether a given lot can take one.

All single-family dwellings must have garages sized for two full-size vehicles. The garage rule applies to every home. The parking terms in the agreement go further.

The project's covenants must require owners to keep parking in the garage for the number of vehicles it was designed for, at least two full vehicles on Parcel 1. Sidewalks must stay unobstructed by parked vehicles. Visitor parking, on-street or street-adjacent, is set at 0.25 spaces per unit for lots under 50 feet wide. On-street parking tracts outside the public right-of-way are owned and maintained by the HOA or POA. The HOA is to prohibit on-street parking in the public right-of-way in its covenants "to the extent it is legally able to do so." No on-street parking is allowed along the new access road to Westoak Drive.

The architecture rules limit identical front designs. Identical front architecture is allowed only where 3 full lots separate identical houses on the same side of the street. At least 1 full lot must separate identical houses across the street. The agreement says designs include fiber-cement lap or board and batten siding, contrasting window trim, shutters or other accents, and natural or cultured stone accents.

Neighbors, roads, trees and water around Lincoln Oaks

Part of the agreement is about the existing neighborhoods to the north and east. It names the neighbors on Westoak Drive and Washington Oaks Drive in its neighborhood mitigation terms.

Buffers and tree protection areas next to the neighborhoods to the north and east are to be kept in natural condition. The agreement requires a minimum average buffer width of 75 feet and a minimum actual width of 72 feet along the northern boundary of Parcel 3. No trails or walkways may be built within 50 feet of the common boundary. No more than 4 lots, each with a 60 foot minimum width, may be placed along that boundary. When Parcel 3 is developed, the agreement calls for a vinyl fence of at least 6 feet along the rear lot lines on the eastern and northern boundary of Parcel 3.

Roads are a second theme. The developer is to seek abandonment of North Adelle Avenue. Either way, the developer is to build a new road connection between Orange Avenue and the Westoak Drive neighborhood. The road is built before the closure. The new road gets live oak street trees at 35 feet on center. A double swing electric gate with a keypad is placed at the end of the public right-of-way where Westoak Drive begins, and the Westoak Drive residents maintain it. Mailboxes are placed near the gate, and an underground electric extension goes to the Westoak transformer.

For access to the main community, the agreement shows two Parcel 1 connections to Orange Avenue, and one of them is aligned with Peachwood Drive. Orange Avenue is a Volusia County facility. Parcel 2 has full access on Orange Avenue. The primary access to Parcels 2 and 3 is along Plymouth Avenue. Transit access is to be coordinated with Votran. Sidewalks follow the City LDRs. Street lights are paid for and maintained by the HOA or POA or by a street lighting district.

Trees are a third theme. The tree protection areas shown in Exhibit B must satisfy preserving at least 15 percent of the total area within the Tree Protection Areas. Those areas are located outside individual lots and are under HOA or POA control and maintenance. Mulched pathways may be permitted.

Recreation and open space for Parcels 1 and 3 are shown on the Development Plan Map. At final plat the developer "may choose" additional amenities. The list in the agreement includes gardens, playgrounds, walkways, fountains, benches, pavilions, gazebos, pools and clubhouses, and courts may be permitted. The agreement does not promise any specific amenity.

Water is the fourth theme. Stormwater follows the city's LDRs. A joint-use stormwater pond in partnership with Volusia County is proposed, subject to review by Volusia County, the City and other agencies. Reclaimed water is to be provided in coordination with the City.

This guide does not state a flood zone for any lot. The FEMA Flood Map Service Center is the official address search for flood hazard information. Search each address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Related guide: Florida Home Insurance for Buyers.

What to verify before you make an offer

The sections above describe what the city allowed in 2019. The items below describe the association, the Florida statutes and the county records.

First, the association. The agreement says a homeowners or property owners association will be established to manage common elements and enforce private covenants. A separate association may be created for Parcel 2. The charter, bylaws and covenants are furnished to the City and recorded in Volusia County Official Records. The City enforces only the Development Agreement and its LDRs, "not the private agreements." So covenant rules are enforced by the association, not by the city. Ask for the recorded covenants and bylaws.

Second, the disclosure. Section 720.401 of the Florida Statutes says a prospective parcel owner must be presented a disclosure summary before executing the contract. The summary must say that membership is mandatory and that covenants have been or will be recorded. It must say that assessments, including special assessments, are owed, and that failure to pay could result in a lien. It must also say that the developer may have the right to amend covenants without owner approval, and that the documents are public record.

If the summary is not provided before signing, the contract is voidable by written notice within 3 days after receipt or before closing, whichever is first. The right cannot be waived and ends at closing. The disclosure is supplied by the developer, or by the owner if the seller is not the developer.

Third, the estoppel certificate. Section 720.30851 says the association must issue it within 10 business days of a written or electronic request from the owner, the owner's designee, the mortgagee or its designee. It must be delivered by hand, mail or email. The form asks about assessments owed, transfer or capital contribution fees, open violations, whether board approval is required for a transfer, any right of first refusal, other associations and insurance contacts.

The certificate is effective for 30 days when delivered by hand or electronically, or 35 days by regular mail. The association waives amounts above the certificate for a person who relies on it in good faith. A fee may not be charged if the certificate is late.

Fourth, the tax bill. The Volusia County Property Appraiser says the owner must own and occupy the home as a permanent residence before January 1, and that the homestead application is due no later than March 1 of the year the exemption is to begin. Section 193.155 of the Florida Statutes says that after a change of ownership the property is assessed at just value as of January 1 of the year following the change. After that, the annual change is limited to the lower of 3 percent or the change in the consumer price index. Related guides: Volusia County Property Taxes and Volusia County Homestead Exemption.

Fifth, new construction. Related guide: Buying New Construction in Volusia County.

Sixth, schools and the wider area. Check the Volusia County Schools locator for the assigned schools at the exact lot. Related guide: Living in DeLand.

This guide leaves out several items because no official source for them was found. They are HOA dues, the amenities that actually exist, the plat book and page, the current number of homes built, the rental share, sale prices, the flood zone for the parcel, school assignments and millage.

The agreement requires a plat before construction. Ask whether a recorded plat exists and what it shows. Check the recorded plat for the lot you want.

The bottom line is simple. Lincoln Oaks is a planned development with written rules about lot size, setbacks, garages, parking, siding and buffers, and those rules are in the agreement attached to Ordinance 2019-23. The agreement states what is allowed and required. The plat and the recorded covenants and association documents are the next records to check. If you are weighing homes for sale in Lincoln Oaks, those documents are the next place to look.

The answers below stick to what the city's agreement, Florida law and official county and FEMA sources say.

Frequently Asked Questions

What follows is the local part of moving, the part a national checklist cannot give you. It covers how the city account is opened and what it costs to keep it in good standing, which day the trucks come and what they will refuse, which projects need a permit before you touch them, and what the state expects of you in the first thirty days. Every figure comes from the City of Edgewater's published pages and forms or from state sources, read on October 21, 2026. Where two city documents disagree, this guide says so and tells you to ask. Related guide: living in Edgewater.

One statement, one account, and a few dates that matter

The city calls it a utility statement, and it warns that people confuse it with a water bill. It is all-inclusive. Water, sewer, stormwater, garbage, recycling and, where you have it, reclaimed irrigation water arrive together. The city points out that in other communities many of these services are billed separately through the annual tax assessment, so a bill that looks high next to a neighbor town's water bill is not an apples-to-apples comparison. Customer Service answers at 386-424-2400, extension 4000, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. There is also an automated payment line at 386-427-3279 that runs around the clock, and an after-hours emergency number at 386-424-2490.

Opening the account

An owner brings a copy of the signed settlement statement, the warranty deed, or any document filed with the clerk of courts that shows the property changed hands, plus a driver's license. You can fax the copies to 386-424-2409 or bring them to City Hall. A tenant brings the signed lease and a driver's license. One odd requirement is worth knowing in advance. The city asks that the garbage cart be on the outside of the house so staff can verify the address, so check that the cart is there before you go in.

The up-front money is where the city's own documents stop agreeing, so ask before you show up. One FAQ answer describes a deposit of two hundred dollars plus a thirty-five dollar service charge, and says two hundred thirty-five dollars is the most you would pay, less if your utility credit is good. A separate deposits FAQ lists one hundred dollars for water and one hundred dollars for sewer on a three-quarter inch meter, either of which can be waived with a good credit rating. The billing terms mention a base service charge of thirty-five dollars for account transfers. Those three descriptions do not line up exactly. The tenant FAQ adds that the full amount must be in hand at sign-up or the water stays off, so tenants in particular should confirm the figure first.

The deposit is not gone for good. The billing terms say the city applies it to your final bill when you end service and refunds the difference, though no refund check goes out for less than ten dollars. They also say you are responsible for every charge on the account until you notify Customer Service in writing, so do not assume the old owner's account closes itself the day you close.

What the monthly statement is made of

The fiscal year 2026 average-bill sheet shows the pieces for a three-quarter inch residential meter inside city limits, with rates reflecting the October 1, 2026 increase. The base charges that arrive every month regardless of use are stormwater, refuse, recycling, a water base, a sewer base, and a utility tax equal to ten percent of the water charge. They total one hundred four dollars and sixty-two cents. Add reclaimed irrigation service and the base rises by ten dollars and forty-three cents.

Then comes usage. Water is tiered and the tiers climb. The first 3,000 gallons are billed at the lowest rate, the next 2,000 at a higher one, the band from 5,001 to 10,000 at a higher one still, and anything above 10,000 at the top rate. Sewer is a single flat rate per thousand gallons with no tiers. The sheet works three examples. A month with 1,000 gallons used totals one hundred twenty dollars and forty-one cents. At 3,000 gallons the total is one hundred fifty-one dollars and ninety-nine cents. At 6,000 gallons it is two hundred nineteen dollars and fifty-nine cents. Reclaimed water carries a base charge only, with no usage rate. The sheet states plainly that actual bills depend on location and what services you use, so treat the examples as a shape, not a quote.

Paying on time, and what happens if you do not

Payment is due within 20 days of the statement date, and the due date moves to the next business day when it lands on a weekend or a holiday. A five percent late fee applies after the due date. The account becomes delinquent 21 days after the statement date and can be disconnected, and a thirty-five dollar fee is added if the balance is still open at 30 days. The city also says that not receiving a bill does not stop a disconnection, so a missing statement is a reason to call, not a reason to wait. Reconnecting after 4:30 p.m., on a weekend or on a holiday carries a one hundred dollar charge.

The simplest defense is the automatic bank draft. The city offers it at no cost. The form needs a voided check, the draft happens on the due date, and you keep receiving a bill that shows the amount and date. The one trap is that you must keep paying by hand until your statement actually carries the "BANK DRAFT" message. Payments received before 2 p.m. are credited that day, and the blue drive-up dropbox sits in the north parking lot at City Hall. Two warnings from the city are worth repeating. It will never call you asking for payment information, and DOXO, a third-party payment site that shows up in search results, is not associated with the city.

The meter, the leak credit and the lawn

Know where your responsibility starts. The city owns the water meter, the backflow prevention assembly and the pipes connecting them to the system. You own everything from the outside of the backflow assembly into the house, and repairs there are yours. If a bill spikes, the city grants a water credit when the high-consumption bill is at least twice your average, one credit per twelve-month period. Customers on Edgewater sewer can also get a sewer credit back down toward their average. Filling a pool is treated differently. It does not qualify for the water credit, though you can request a sewer credit in writing and include the date of the fill. For a main break, call 386-424-2400 during business hours or 386-424-2490 after them.

Watering rules are posted on the city's watering page, and this is a spot to verify rather than trust. The schedule on the page lets odd-numbered addresses water Wednesday and Saturday and even-numbered addresses Thursday and Sunday, never between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., but the dates printed above it run from March 9, 2025 to November 9, 2025. That is last year's posting. A schedule labeled for 2025 may not be the one in force this season, so ask Public Works at extension 4007 for the schedule that applies to you now. Reclaimed customers are asked to water only when the yard needs it.

Trash, recycling and yard waste, day by day

Edgewater's refuse service is bundled into the statement and it covers a lot. Per the city's refuse FAQ, you get garbage collection twice a week, recycling once a week, bagged or canned yard waste once a week on Wednesday, furniture once a week on Wednesday, and curbside pickup of loose or bundled yard waste, household appliances and four tires per household. Garbage days are either Monday and Thursday or Tuesday and Friday, depending on your location, and the city's collection map settles which. Recycling comes on one of your two garbage days. If your address is new to you, call Public Works at 386-424-2400, extension 4007, between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and ask for your days by address, because that is faster than reading a map.

The cart and the set-out rules

The city supplies each residence one garbage cart in 35, 65 or 95 gallons. The cart carries a serial number assigned to the address, and the city is explicit that it stays with the house. Do not write on it, and do not take it with you when you leave. You can exchange it once in any 24-month period at no charge. An extra cart is a one-time charge of thirty-five dollars plus five dollars a month on the statement. If the house you buy has no cart, Environmental Services will deliver one. If it is damaged, the city repairs or replaces it unless the damage was intentional.

Containers must be at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on collection day. You may put them out the evening before, and they must be gone from the street by 11:00 p.m. that day. Place everything beside the street without blocking the mailbox, the driveway or the swale in front of your home. Excess garbage can go in bags or in a 20-gallon can that has handles. One more rule that sounds trivial and is not: do not leave items for sale near the street, because refuse crews pick them up.

What the trucks will not take

Household hazardous waste does not go curbside. That means solvents, paint, auto fluids, household and pool chemicals and anything combustible. Empty containers can go in the garbage, and paint cans must be empty and completely dried out first. Volusia County holds household chemical collection days, or you can drive items to the county landfill at 1990 Tomoka Farms Road in Daytona Beach, 386-947-2952. Needles belong in a sharps container, and the crews cannot take anything in red or yellow bio-hazard bags.

If you hire a tree service, make sure disposal is written into the price. The city's FAQ says contractors are responsible for hauling away what they generate, and that the city will bill you for disposal if they leave it.

Recycling and yard waste have their own habits

The city contracts recycling to Southard Enterprises, reachable at 386-426-8858. Put recyclables in the bin loose, not bagged. Rinse every container, because food contaminates the load. Flatten all cardboard and leave it in or under the bin. Junk mail and mixed paper go inside a paper bag, while newspaper may go in loose. Caps can stay on bottles, and plastics numbered 1 through 7 are on the accepted list. Each household may have two bins, and extra material can sit in a grocery bag on top.

Yard waste has the most rules. Bagged or contained yard waste is collected every Wednesday except during holiday weeks. Loose piles smaller than four feet on each side go on a continual route, and the city's page admits that can take several weeks at peak season, while the refuse FAQ describes about twice a month. Read that as a range and plan on the longer end in peak season. A pile bigger than four by four by four feet carries an additional charge. Never use the recycling cart for yard waste, because it will not be collected. Appliances and furniture are also skipped in holiday weeks, and the observed holidays are New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Permits and rules to check before you change anything

Edgewater enforces the 8th Edition (2023) Florida Building Code and the 2020 National Electric Code. Its Building Division names pools, screen enclosures, doors and windows, fences, storage sheds, re-roofs and water hook-ups among the work that needs a permit. Applications of every type can be emailed to the Building Division with plans signed and sealed digitally. Once you have a permit number you can log in at any hour to pay fees, schedule, reschedule or cancel inspections and read results, or call 386-427-3279 and choose option 2. A live person answers Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding legal holidays.

Every permit form carries the same warning about contracts of five thousand dollars or more. A certified copy of the recorded Notice of Commencement has to be submitted, and the fence and tree forms spell out the risk in capital letters: failing to record one may result in paying twice for improvements to your property. The notice must be recorded and posted at the job site before the first inspection. If a lender is financing the work, the form says to consult the lender or an attorney before recording.

A worked example: the fence you want in week two

Say you close on a Friday and want a privacy fence by the end of the month. The fence permit comes with an affidavit, and its numbers are specific. Between the front property line and the front of the house, a residential or riverfront lot not subject to site plan review is limited to four feet, and the fence there must be non-opaque. Everywhere else on a residential lot the limit is six feet, side corner yards included. A six-foot fence on a side corner lot must sit ten feet back from the property line. Corner lots also have to respect the site triangle under City Ordinance 21-38.02(d). The good side faces out. Raising ground with fill or a berm just to get a taller barrier is prohibited. And the application needs a survey showing exactly where the fence will go.

The affidavit also puts the burden on you. It is the applicant's responsibility to confirm the fence does not conflict with any easement, restriction or right of way, whether recorded, private or verbal. Private restrictions include an association's rules, so if the neighborhood has one, read its documents too.

Pools, roofs, sheds and trees

A pool permit asks whether the pool is above ground or in-ground, whether any part of the barrier is a wall of the house with doors or windows in it, and then wants a survey with setbacks, a pool plan, TDH calculations and the name of the electrical subcontractor. A re-roof permit asks for the number of roofing squares, the product approval numbers and the underlayment. Owners may pull a re-roof permit themselves, but the owner affidavit says the owner must supervise on site and that a home sold or leased within one year of completion is presumed to have been built for sale, which defeats the exemption.

A storage shed or other accessory building needs an established house on the lot first. The accessory structure affidavit says such buildings may not be rented or used as a dwelling, may not sit in a front yard, a public right of way or a public easement, and must meet the setback and coverage limits in the city's code. That is a land-use rule about the structure, and it is the reason to ask before you order a shed online.

The city also regulates trees. Its Land Development Code requires a tree removal permit for any tree six inches or larger in diameter, measured four and a half feet up the trunk, anywhere inside city limits, with replacement when too few trees remain on the lot. Single-family and duplex lots must keep one tree per 1,500 square feet. Specimen trees of 36 inches or more, except Laurel Oak, are treated as historic and come out only with City Council approval. Check before the tree company arrives.

Small jobs, garage sales and who enforces what

There is a limited exemption for small work. The city's permit exemption form covers work valued at under seventy-five hundred dollars on a single-family residence, but it excludes electrical, mechanical, plumbing, gas and structural work, and the project cannot be split into phases to get under the line. You submit the request, and the city emails confirmation that the work is exempt. That email is not an inspection. Keep the confirmation with your closing papers.

Garage sales are allowed only on residentially zoned property, four a year, each up to three consecutive days. You may post one sign of no more than four square feet at the sale and up to two off-site with the property owner's permission, and signs in the right of way are treated as abandoned. The permit is free on the city's website, and the City Hall cashier charges five dollars. Code Enforcement handles property maintenance, zoning, signs, vehicles, noise and building activity at 386-424-2400, extension 2210, and the city says Florida law generally prohibits anonymous complaints. A violation notice carries a deadline, and contacting the city does not extend it.

Finally, ground work near water has its own rule. The city's floodplain pages say any development in a floodplain, including fill, new construction and remodeling, needs a permit. If you plan a major renovation of your own, read the Edgewater canal and river lots guide before you sign a contractor.

The first month, in the order it tends to matter

Week one: the account and the paperwork

Open the utility account as soon as the deed is recorded, and ask in the same call for your garbage and recycling days, a recycling bin if the house has none, and the draft form. Put the dates in your calendar. The statement date plus 20 days is the due date, and plus 21 days is delinquent. The billing terms say all service changes must be made in writing, so follow any phone call with the paperwork, by fax or in person.

The state's two clocks

If you are moving to Florida from another state, two clocks start. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles says a new resident must get a Florida driver license within 30 days of establishing residency, and must have insurance from a Florida-licensed agent in order to title and register vehicles within 10 days. The same page says you may be considered a resident when you start work, enroll a child in public school, register to vote, file for homestead exemption or live in the state more than six consecutive months. Several ordinary first-month steps, including a homestead filing, are on that list. Driver license applications are made in person. For a car with no lien you bring proof of identity, proof of Florida insurance, the original out-of-state title and a completed title application with a vehicle identification number inspection done by law enforcement, a licensed Florida dealer or a tax collector employee.

Homestead, flood coverage and the small local items

Homestead has a hard date. State law says the owner who holds legal title on January 1 must apply with the county property appraiser on or before March 1, and missing it waives the exemption for that year with narrow exceptions. A fall closing therefore has a first filing window from January 1 through March 1 of the next year. Related guides: the Volusia homestead exemption guide and the Volusia property tax guide.

Flood insurance deserves a call in the first week, not the first storm. The city says most standard homeowner's policies do not cover flood, that it is required by law for a property in a special flood hazard area with a federally backed mortgage, and that policies typically take 30 days to go into effect. It also reports that policyholders outside the high-risk areas filed more than 40 percent of National Flood Insurance Program claims from 2014 to 2018. You can look up your property's zone on the city map, with FEMA's map service center or through the Building Department. Related guides: the Florida home insurance guide and the closing costs guide.

The remaining items are short. Street light outages go to FPL at 1-800-468-8243. Mosquito control is run by Volusia County at 386-424-2920. The library is at 103 West Indian River Boulevard. Whistle Stop Park is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Rotary Park has the designated dog park, and dogs must be leashed in the parks along Riverside Drive. The boat ramp is at Kennedy Park, 103 North Riverside Drive. For assigned schools, use the Volusia County Schools locator with your address. Register to vote through the Volusia County Supervisor of Elections in DeLand at 386-736-5930.

Bottom line. Moving to Edgewater is one account, one set of dates and a short list of things to ask before you act. Open the utility account with your closing documents, confirm the deposit amount out loud because the city's pages disagree, and consider the bank draft, which withdraws on the due date. Keep paying by hand until your statement shows the BANK DRAFT message. Look up your garbage days by address, put yard waste in bags or a spare can, and check the permit list before you order a fence, a shed or a tree service. Then keep the state's 10-day and 30-day clocks and the March 1 homestead deadline in your calendar. If you are ready to look at houses, begin with homes for sale in Edgewater and bring this checklist to the closing table.

That is the checklist. Here are the questions that tend to come up in the first weeks, answered from the same city and state pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide is the order of operations for arriving. Related guides: DeLand taxes, utilities and the city versus county line and living in DeLand. It covers what you do, who you call and which deadline arrives first. Every rule below was read on the City of DeLand, Volusia County, state agency or Florida Statutes pages on October 21, 2026, and where a page was silent or two pages disagreed, this guide says so.

Open the city account before closing day

The city runs its own utility billing, so inside the city limits there is no private water company to shop. The Finance Department's Utility Billing team describes its job as monthly billing and collection of water, sewer, stormwater and garbage collection services. That list matters, because it tells you what the one monthly statement will contain. Electricity, natural gas and internet are not on it. The city pages we read do not say who supplies those, so ask the seller and your closing agent for the current providers at the address and call them yourself.

The city's page sets out the requirements to start service. You need a completed Request for Service application, which you can fill out online or bring in on paper. You need a valid government-issued photo ID, such as a driver license, state ID card or passport. And you need proof that you own or lease the property. For an owner who has just bought, the city lists a signed ALTA settlement statement and a notarized, signed deed. For a renter, it asks for a signed lease with both the owner's and the tenant's signatures visible. If a property manager signed the lease, the city wants a copy of the management agreement too, and a lease signed under a power of attorney needs that paperwork attached.

You can send all of it four ways. You can upload it with the online application, email copies in a single message, bring the originals to DeLand City Hall at 120 South Florida Avenue, or mail legible copies. The city says documents sent online or by email may take one to two business days to process, and that anyone who needs service faster should contact customer service. Customer service is 386-626-7051.

One rule on that page deserves a slow read. The city says any prior debt and outstanding account balances must be paid in full before service can be connected. It will refuse service to an applicant where the current property owner has an outstanding balance at that address, and to an applicant where the service location has a lien on the property. The city's FAQ explains where liens come from. It states that unpaid balances billed to property owners constitute a lien against the property, citing Florida Statute 159.17, and that the city also files paper liens that accrue interest until paid. Ask your closing agent whether the title work checked the city utility account, and ask for the answer before the closing table, not after.

Deposits and fees are printed on the city's rate sheet, which the Utility Rates page still posts as the sheet effective October 1, 2025. Check that page for a newer one. On that sheet the deposit for water and sewer on a standard three-quarter-inch meter is two hundred fifty dollars. Water only is one hundred thirty and sewer only is one hundred eighty. The sheet also lists a billing fee of four dollars and ninety-nine cents per bill, a twenty-five dollar charge for an account set-up that needs a field verification, a ten dollar late payment fee and a fifty dollar delinquent fee. The city's FAQ separately says tenants must put a deposit on every new account and that deposits come back as a credit after three years of good standing. It does not say how that three-year rule applies to an owner, so ask when you call.

Now the part people skip. The FAQ page describes two different penalties for paying late. One entry says a ten dollar late fee is added if payment does not reach the office by 8 am the day after the due date on the bill, and that the city does not recognize the postmark as the payment date. Another entry says a fifty dollar delinquent charge is added if payment has not reached the office by 8 am six days after the due date, and that the account is then subject to immediate disconnection, with the disconnect date printed on the front of the bill. The two entries sit on the same page and they do not agree on every detail, which is a reason to take the shortest reading. Pay by the due date, and use the automatic bank payment form if you do not trust yourself to remember. The city also says that failing to receive a bill does not excuse the payment, so if the first statement has not arrived a month after the move, call 386-626-7051. The city also offers one payment extension per twelve months, giving two weeks past the due date.

Last, the city bill covers a house inside the city. A property outside the city limits belongs to unincorporated Volusia County, and the city's building page tells you to check with the Property Appraiser to find out which side of the line an address falls on. See also our guide to DeLand taxes, utilities and the city versus county line. For this checklist, do that lookup before you call anyone, because every phone number below assumes the city.

Trash, yard waste and watering: the weekly rules

DeLand's solid waste, yard waste and recycling are collected by GFL Environmental, under the city's contract, and the charge rides on your city utility bill. On the rate sheet, residential curbside garbage pickup is eighteen dollars and eighty-five cents a month. You get one weekly pickup of each of three things. Garbage goes in one 96-gallon or 64-gallon cart. Recycling goes in one 64-gallon cart. Yard waste is limited to one cubic yard a week. The city says that anything outside the cart is subject to additional charges, and that one extra garbage cart can be bought through GFL for an extra fee. All materials must be out for collection by 6 am.

The city's page does not print your pickup day. It tells residents who do not know their schedule to use a lookup link, so ask the seller what day the cans go out and then check the lookup on the day you move in. GFL's numbers on the page are 386-222-0693 and 386-626-7195, the second one labeled as an additional phone. Crews work every holiday except Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day, and on those days the normal pickup happens the next business day.

Yard waste has the strictest rules, and they explain most of the complaints about a pile left behind. The city says yard waste must be tied in bundles or held in a private container. Each piece has a maximum of four feet long by six inches in diameter, the total pile may not exceed twenty-four inches across, and each container or bundle is capped at seventy-five pounds. The same page adds another instruction, that yard debris must be tied, bundled or contained in clear bags or bins of 32 gallons or less, and never in your garbage or recycling cart. Think of a freshly closed house with a back yard full of palm fronds and a fallen limb. The limb has to be cut to four-foot pieces and bundled, and the fronds have to go in a clear bag or a can under 32 gallons. Dragging it all to the curb in one heap is the way to have it all left behind.

Bulk collection is worth knowing in the first month, because a move leaves boxes and old furniture. Up to three cubic yards is picked up weekly on the same day as your solid waste. Appliances are a separate special collection. The city allows two pickups per year at no charge, and they must be scheduled through GFL. It also allows four tires a year at no charge. The page does not define what counts as bulk beyond the volume, so call GFL before you set out a sofa and a mattress and a broken dresser together.

Some things belong in neither cart. Volusia County's solid waste page says gasoline, paints, thinners, solvents and pool chemicals cannot go in the garbage because they are harmful to the environment. Residents can take them to the household hazardous waste facility at the West Volusia Transfer Station, 3151 East New York Avenue in DeLand, which also operates a paint exchange. Motor oil and lead acid batteries are banned from landfill disposal, and the county says any retailer that supplies batteries must accept your old one. The county adds that it offers hazardous waste collection events, usually in November and April. Call the West Volusia solid waste office at 386-943-7889 before a trip, because the page is not a schedule of hours. If the garage came with half-empty cans of paint or pool chemicals, set them aside for that trip.

Watering rules and reclaimed water

Lawn watering is governed by the city's schedule, and it changes with the clock. While Daylight Saving Time is in effect, residential irrigation at odd-numbered addresses, or addresses with no number, is allowed on Wednesday and Saturday. Even-numbered addresses water on Thursday and Sunday. Nobody may water between 10 am and 4 pm, no zone may receive more than three-quarters of an inch on a watering day, and no zone may run more than one hour. When Eastern Standard Time is in effect, the schedule narrows to Saturday for odd addresses and Sunday for even ones, with the same hours and limits. Check the irrigation controller on move-in day against that schedule, and check it again when the clocks change.

Some DeLand properties can use reclaimed water, which is highly treated and disinfected wastewater reused for irrigation. The city's FAQ says it is ideal for irrigation and not suitable for human or animal consumption. Reclaimed irrigation is not limited by day or time as a normal practice, but the Utilities Director can declare a shortage, and then the water is turned off for set periods. The FAQ also lists uses that are prohibited, including filling swimming pools, sharing a reclaimed connection between properties and washing cars, boats or driveways. Piping and sprinkler heads must be purple, and each potable connection needs a backflow device. Connecting to the system takes an application through Utility Billing and a one-time fee set by meter size. The city requires purple piping and sprinkler heads on reclaimed connections, so ask the seller whether the house is connected. If it is not, ask the city whether the street has a line before you plan around it.

Permits, code rules and the paperwork that follows you to Florida

Almost every new owner has a project list by week two. The city's Building Division handles permits for projects inside the city limits, and a project in unincorporated Volusia County goes to the county's Building Department. The city's permit types are broader than most people expect. Its accessory structure category covers fences, retaining walls, pools, screen enclosures, decks, gazebos, pergolas, sheds, detached garages, carports, patios and driveways. So the new fence you had in mind is a permit, and so is the patio. Replacing an air conditioning unit falls under mechanical permits. A service change or panel change, or a generator, is an electrical permit. Reroofing has its own permit type, and the city is blunt about it: the inspections for the underlayment, for re-nailing the sheathing when that is required, and the final are mandatory. A second pass is not allowed for anyone who misses these state-mandated inspections.

Every residential permit application carries a non-refundable application fee of one hundred dollars at submittal, and the city lets you check the status of an application on its Accela Citizen Portal. The city also notes that the Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), applies to permits applied for on or after December 31, 2023. The city's own conclusion is simple. Work done without proper permits can complicate a sale and bring fines. Pull the permit history on anything you inherit before you add to it. See also our guide on Florida home insurance for buyers.

Code Enforcement is the other side of the city. It enforces the City of DeLand Code of Ordinances on building maintenance, property maintenance, lot maintenance, business tax receipts and building permits. Since July 1, 2021, under Senate Bill 60, code officers cannot start an investigation from an anonymous complaint, so a person who reports a violation must give a name and address. Noise and overnight on-street parking are not Code Enforcement matters. The Police Department number is 386-626-7400. The practical lesson is that a yard, a fence or a shed is regulated even when nobody complains loudly, so learn the rules before the first neighbor conversation.

The state paperwork, with its real deadlines

Several clocks start the day you establish residence, and they belong to the state and the county, not the city. Florida's Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles tells a new resident to get a Florida driver license within 30 days of establishing residency and to buy Florida insurance from a licensed Florida agent to title and register vehicles within 10 days. It also says driver license applications must be made in person. The Volusia County Tax Collector's site links to that page for new residents. If you already hold a Florida license, Florida Statute 322.19 has its own rule: when you change the legal residence or mailing address on a license, you must obtain a replacement within 30 calendar days. Vehicle registration needs the street address of your permanent Florida residence and proof of address, so ask the Tax Collector which proof of address it accepts and keep your closing paperwork handy.

Voter registration is a quicker task. Florida Statute 97.1031 says a voter who changes residence address must notify the supervisor of elections. For a move within Florida, the statute allows a phone or electronic notice with your date of birth plus the last four digits of your Social Security number or your Florida driver license or ID number. The Volusia County Supervisor of Elections is at 1588 North Woodland Boulevard in DeLand, and the number is 386-736-5930.

The deadline that costs real money if you miss it is the homestead filing. Under Florida Statute 196.031, the exemption belongs to a person who holds title on January 1 and makes the property a permanent residence in good faith. Under 196.011, the application is due to the county property appraiser on or before March 1, and missing it waives the exemption for that year, with narrow exceptions in the statute. Because the January 1 title date comes first, a buyer who closes in March has not yet qualified for that tax year, and a buyer who closes in November should file in the next window. See also our guide to the Volusia County homestead exemption. The appraiser's own homestead page would not load for us on October 21, so the dates here come from the statutes. Confirm the filing steps with the appraiser's office.

Two more items are about safety. Sign up for AlertVolusia, the county's emergency notification system, which sends voice calls, texts and emails for events such as hurricanes and evacuations. The sign-up page lists DeLand as one of the areas with its own notifications, and it says anyone in a city listed there should also sign up for the city's alerts, while countywide alerts reach anyone registered in any area. Then check the evacuation map. Volusia Emergency Management says to evacuate if you live in the hurricane evacuation zone, in a low-lying flood-prone area including homes along river basins, or in a mobile home, recreational vehicle or similar structure, and that failing to obey an evacuation order is a violation of Florida law. The county names three evacuation levels, A, BC and DE, and says mobile home and RV residents must leave for all of them. The city's FAQ includes a Fire Department smoke detector program, so test the alarms in a new house. The city's FAQ cites an analysis in which 85 percent of victims in homes where alarms were present but did not work had a dead or missing battery or power source.

If you have children, the district's Find My School tool takes a street address and zip code and returns the schools your student is zoned for. Use it on your actual address, since the page says an address that is not found should be checked on the interactive attendance boundary map. We do not rank schools. The tool is the district's own answer.

A first-month checklist, in order

• Before closing: confirm the property is inside the city limits, send the Request for Service application with your ID, ask your closing agent about any lien or open balance on the city account, and line up electric, gas and internet providers with the seller's help.
• Closing day: keep the signed settlement statement and recorded deed, because the city, the state vehicle office and the appraiser all ask for proof of address or ownership.
• Week one: learn the pickup day, set the irrigation controller, empty the garage of anything hazardous, and sign up for AlertVolusia and the city alerts.
• Within 10 days: if you are new to Florida, buy Florida insurance and register your vehicles.
• Within 30 days: get a Florida driver license, or a replacement showing the new address, and update your voter registration.
• Before March 1: file the homestead application if you held title on the previous January 1.
• Before any project: check whether the fence, shed, patio or air conditioner replacement needs a city permit.

The bottom line

Moving to DeLand is mostly a paperwork problem, and the paperwork has a clear order. Start the city account first, because the city will not connect service until prior debt and outstanding balances are paid in full. Learn the cart and yard waste rules before the first pickup, because those are the rules that leave a pile behind. Treat permits as the default for any exterior project, and put the state deadlines on a calendar. This guide does not tell you what DeLand costs, which neighborhood fits you or whether a given house is a good one. For that, start with our DeLand real estate page, and see our DeLand taxes and utilities guide. If one thing from this page sticks, make it this one: ask the city about the account balance before you close.

That is the order of operations. The questions below are the ones a new owner has to settle before the moving truck leaves, with the answers pulled from the same city, county and state pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide is the practical side of arriving. Related reading: our Port Orange buyer's guide and our guide to Port Orange utilities and reclaimed water. Everything below was read on October 21, 2026 from the City of Port Orange's own pages, the Volusia County offices or the Florida Statutes. Where two city pages disagree, this guide says so and tells you who to call. It gives no rates and no deposit amounts, because the city's pages either leave them undated or send you to a resolution.

Opening your city accounts

Port Orange runs its own utility billing. The city's Customer Service office at 1000 City Center Circle handles new accounts, and the number is 386-506-5720. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Wednesday, when the office closes at 4 p.m. Plan a Wednesday visit accordingly.

The city's Starting Service page lists what an owner brings. You bring a completed service application, proof that you bought the home, which means the warranty deed or the closing disclosure, a photo ID, a deposit and a service charge. A renter brings the same application and ID, plus a lease signed by both the tenant and the home owner. The city's older utility checklist adds a detail that catches people. The lease has to be signed by the owner as registered on the Volusia County Property Appraiser's website. If a property management company signed it, the city wants a copy of the contract between the owner and the manager. Only one name appears on a bill, although a co-owner can be added when that person shows a photo ID.

Now the part where the city's own pages disagree. The Starting Service page carries a banner that an order placed after 3 p.m. is treated as next-business-day service and costs extra. An older Finance Department page says same-day service is available for orders placed before 1 p.m. and that orders are taken up to ten business days ahead. The one-week limit and the ten-day figure cannot both be right. The checklist, which the document itself dates to July 2021, says same-day service runs Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with no holidays. So treat any single page as a starting point. Call 386-506-5720 a few days before closing, ask what the cutoff is today, and ask what the service charge is today. The 2021 checklist lists a forty-dollar charge under Resolution 17-21 and the same amount again for a request outside normal hours, but a figure that old should be confirmed rather than budgeted.

The deposit is where owners and renters part ways. The city bases it on the customer type, the number of meters and the meter size, and sets it by resolution. An owner who has paid on time for 36 months can ask to have the deposit applied toward future bills. An individual owner can share one deposit across the first three properties they own. Renters and business accounts cannot share. If you are moving from one Port Orange address to another, the city says a deposit can move with you when the new account is opened within seven days of closing the old one and the old balance is zero.

One more item deserves attention before you sign anything at the closing table. If a prior owner defaulted on more than two utility bills, the city may have placed a lien on the property. Every lien must be paid in full before water service can begin for a new owner. The city also notes that monthly availability charges keep running, so it recommends asking for an updated lien search before closing. The City Clerk's office handles the request at 386-506-5563. See also our guide to closing costs in Volusia County.

Stopping service at the old address follows its own rules. A termination request can be made no more than one week ahead. A selling owner shows a signed settlement statement, a recorded deed or a certificate of title, plus an ID and a forwarding address. If you share a deposit across several properties, it is not refunded when one account closes. And if you keep the old home as a rental, the city will not remove your name until the renter sets up service in theirs.

The city does not provide everything. Its list of independent providers names Florida Power & Light for electric at 386-252-1541, Teco Peoples Gas for natural gas at 877-832-6747, AT&T for telephone at 844-486-2513 and Spectrum for cable at 386-760-9950. Whether a given address has gas service at all is something the list does not say, so ask before you plan a gas range. After your first city bill arrives, sign up for AquaHawk, the city's online tool. It graphs your drinking, reclaimed and irrigation water use, flags a leak inside or outside the home, and sends an alert by phone, text or email when you cross a limit you set in gallons or estimated dollars.

Trash, recycling and yard waste: how pickup works here

Port Orange has an exclusive franchise agreement with Waste Pro of Florida for garbage, recycling, yard waste and bulk pickup. You do not choose a hauler. The schedule for your street is in the city's Solid Waste brochure, which lists collection days by neighborhood and by streets outside neighborhoods, and the city says you receive a schedule when you sign up for utility service. If the brochure and your calendar ever disagree, Waste Pro answers at 386-492-8855 and Public Works answers at 386-506-5575.

Garbage is collected twice a week. Put it out by 7 a.m. on collection day, and no earlier than 7 p.m. the evening before. The cart or can must be off the curb by 7 a.m. the next morning. Household garbage goes in watertight bags inside cans with handles, kept tightly covered. A can may not exceed 32 gallons or 50 pounds, and anything larger still has to stay under 50 pounds. The city also asks you to place carts three to five feet away from utility boxes, the mailbox, trees, gas and water meters, fire hydrants, cars and sprinkler heads, so nothing damageable sits next to the truck.

Hazardous waste is the category that surprises new owners clearing out a garage. Paint, batteries, medical sharps, medications, pressurized containers, garden and pest products and cooking oil are not accepted at the curb. The city points residents to the Tomoka Landfill and the West Volusia Transfer Station. Sheet glass, such as a shower door or a mirror, may go out with the garbage if you tape it with duct tape or similar tape first, so a break does not shatter into the crew.

Recycling is collected once a week, with a limit of three bins per household. The city's list has two bins. One holds aluminum and steel cans, plastic deli containers, prescription bottles and plastic containers marked 1 through 7. The other holds newspaper, junk mail, magazines, mixed office paper, cereal and snack boxes, and cardboard. Two rules trip people up. Glass is not accepted, and pizza boxes, Styrofoam and plastic bags of any kind are not accepted either. The city leaves a non-recyclable item in the bin to tell you it was refused. Cardboard must be broken down to no larger than five feet by five feet and should not be bundled or tied. Anything bigger goes out with the garbage. The city does not hand out garbage cans, but its 2021 checklist says recycling bins are available at 407 Virginia Avenue, and a broken bin is replaced by calling Customer Service. Leave the broken one outside.

Yard waste comes on Wednesday, citywide, once a week. Grass clippings, hedge trimmings, pine needles and leaves go in garden-size bags or in garbage cans. Branches are bundled at four feet or shorter, and the yard waste page caps a bundle at 50 pounds. The main Solid Waste page describes the same bundle as four feet long and no more than 18 inches across. The two limits are different measurements, so keep a bundle inside both. Larger piles of tree trimmings or palm fronds are collected by zone on a separate day, which you schedule by phone. Do not stack a pile under power lines or on top of utility boxes and sprinklers. The city states that damage to anything under power lines, utility boxes or sprinklers is the property owner's responsibility.

Bulk items follow a similar logic. A sofa or appliance may be set out on your garbage day. A large item or several items are collected on your Claw Zone day, and you call Waste Pro to be sure they are picked up. The city's FAQ also routes bulk requests through its Citizen Connect system. Debris from remodeling is the one rule worth reading twice. The city collects it only when the resident does the work. A licensed contractor, a carpet installer, a tree service or a landscaper must haul away their own debris at their own expense. The city's rule puts that cost on the contractor.

Permits, pets and what the city expects before you change anything

Before you plan a weekend project, learn which kind of house you bought. Port Orange runs permits through an online portal called SmartGov, where you apply, pay, check status and request inspections. The Building Division's phone is 386-506-5602. The city states that an application missing any document on the permit checklist is considered incomplete and will not be processed, so the checklist is the first thing to open, not the last.

A new state law changed the picture this summer. Under House Bill 803, effective July 1, 2026, a city must exempt the owner of a single-family home, and the owner's contractor, from a building permit for work valued at less than seven thousand five hundred dollars. That sounds broad, and the city's own guide lists what it does not cover. Electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas and structural work still need permits no matter the price. So does any work on a property located partly or entirely in a special flood hazard area. The city lists exterior window and door replacement, re-roofing, screen enclosures, accessory structures and freestanding masonry walls as structural. It lists painting, flooring that does not involve a shower pan, cabinets without plumbing or electrical work, and drywall replacement as examples of non-structural work. The state statute, section 553.79, says the same thing in its own words and adds that a project may not be split into pieces to slip under the limit. To use the exemption you submit a written request with a copy of the contract or other proof of what the work is and what it costs. The statute also says the city owes no legal duty for work done under the exemption.

The exemption does not erase every approval. The city's guide says a fence still needs a zoning permit, and so does a small shed under 120 square feet. Roof work has its own FAQ. A repair limited to 100 square feet of shingles, with no replacement of sheathing or structural parts, does not need a permit. Replacing roof sheathing does. A roofing permit is required whenever you re-roof more than 30 square feet, up to 25 percent of the roof area. If your house is in a flood zone, the earlier exclusion applies, and the city says new construction, repairs, renovations and remodeling in Flood Zones A and AE have to follow floodplain rules and need a permit first. See also our guide to Port Orange flood zones and flood insurance. The city adds that most flood insurance policies carry a 30-day waiting period, so ask about coverage early rather than the week a storm forms.

Other small permissions turn up in the first month. A yard sale requires a permit, the city caps the number at two sales per address per calendar year, and each sale is limited to three consecutive days or two consecutive weekends of two days each. A well for lawn sprinkling needs a permit from Volusia County Environmental Management, even to pump from a retention pond. Planting within 15 feet of the edge of a city street, adding a driveway, or building a masonry mailbox or planter structure in the right-of-way needs a city right-of-way approval. A mailbox post set carefully with hand tools does not.

Hiring is part of permitting. The city's unlicensed contractor page lists warning signs: a contractor who asks you to pull the permit yourself, wants a large down payment, asks for cash, wants a check made out to a person instead of a company, or cannot show proof of insurance. You can verify a license with the state at 850-487-1395.

Pets are the last piece of city paperwork. The Animal Tags page says tags and rabies vaccinations are required each year for every dog and cat in the city, and tags are sold at City Hall with proof of vaccination. The 2021 checklist says new residents have 60 days to register a pet without additional penalties. The two pages describe the same duty at different moments, so call 386-506-5720 and ask which date applies to you. The same page says up to four dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs or ferrets are generally allowed per dwelling, and that leash and curbing rules apply citywide.

A first-month checklist, in order

The city handles the first half. The state and the county handle the second. Here is the sequence that follows the deadlines in the order they come due.

Before closing: ask your closing agent whether a lien search was ordered for the city's utility account. Call Customer Service on 386-506-5720 within the week before you move to confirm the cutoff time and service charge. If your old address is also in Port Orange, close that account no more than a week ahead.

Move-in week: confirm water is on, find your garbage and yard waste days in the Solid Waste brochure, and put the recycling rules where the family can see them. Sign up for the city's emergency alerts through the Alert Port Orange system and the city's text message page. After the first city bill, sign up for AquaHawk.

Within 30 days: the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles agency says a new Florida resident must obtain a Florida driver license within 30 days of establishing residency. It also says you need Florida insurance from a licensed agent to title and register a vehicle within 10 days of establishing residency. If you already hold a Florida license and only moved within the state, section 322.19 requires a replacement license that shows the new address within 30 calendar days. The Volusia Tax Collector handles driver license and tag appointments. Registration requires the street address of your permanent Florida residence plus proof of address and a REAL ID license, a valid U.S. passport, or a valid foreign passport with an unexpired I-94, per section 320.02. Check the current document list before the trip.

Also this month: update your voter registration. Section 97.1031 says a voter who moves must notify the supervisor of elections. For a move within Florida, the Volusia office at 1588 N Woodland Blvd in DeLand, 386-736-5930, accepts an update by phone or online with your date of birth and the last four digits of your Social Security number or your Florida license or ID number. Register your pets with the city. And ask your insurance agent about wind and flood coverage, well before hurricane season.

Before the next March 1: file for homestead. Section 196.031 ties the exemption to holding title on January 1 and making the home your permanent residence in good faith, and section 196.011 sets the application deadline at March 1, with a missed deadline waiving the exemption for that year. Because the title test is January 1, a fall closing means your first filing is the one due the following March 1. Related guides: the Volusia County homestead exemption and the Port Orange property tax bill guide.

The bottom line

The move goes smoothly when you do the city's paperwork in the right order. Confirm the lien search before closing, open the utility account within the week before you move, learn your pickup days before the first Monday, and treat every project as a permit question until the city says otherwise. The new state exemption helps with small jobs on single-family homes outside flood zones, and it does not touch electrical, plumbing, structural work or anything in a flood hazard area. Where two city pages disagree, a phone call settles it. If you are weighing a house here and want help sorting what to ask, browse Port Orange real estate and bring this list to the showing.

That covers the order of operations. These are the questions that come up once the boxes are in the house.

Frequently Asked Questions

It stays on the practical side of arriving. See our guide to living in New Smyrna Beach. Here the questions are smaller and more immediate. Who do you call? What do they want to see? What does a late payment cost? Everything below comes from the utility's own website, the city's pages, Volusia County, or the Florida Statutes, and it was read on October 21, 2026. Where a page does not give a number or a date, this guide says so and leaves the figure out.

Starting electric, water and sewer service

New Smyrna Beach Utilities, usually shortened to NSBU, is a separate organization from the city government. Its office is at 200 Canal Street, its main number is 386-427-1361, and office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There is no menu of competing electric or water companies to pick from for a house it serves. You apply to NSBU, and that is the whole decision.

The form you want is called the Contract for Service for an existing home or business. It is on the utility's "Applying for Service" page, and some of the forms there also have an online version. The form asks for a requested start date, and that line is the one to fill in with care. Put the day you take possession, not the day you signed the contract. The service options are listed as checkboxes: electric, water, sewer, reuse water if it is available at the address, an irrigation meter, and a streetlight. You tick what the house actually has. If you are not sure whether a house is on sewer or on a septic tank, ask the seller or your agent before you tick anything, because the form assumes you know.

The paperwork has a few requirements that catch people out. NSBU wants photocopies of a driver license or other official state identification. It also wants proof of ownership, a lease, or a notarized account representative affidavit, which is the form to use if someone is opening the account on your behalf. For a purchase, a copy of the signed closing documents is the natural proof of ownership. The form states an initial connect charge of thirty-five dollars, billed on your first statement, and it says a deposit may be required. It does not say how much, so the right move is to call and ask. The application also asks for a date of birth and a Social Security number for the applicant, which is a normal request for a utility account.

Timing matters more than most buyers expect. NSBU's service fee schedule says requests received by 2:00 p.m. on a weekday are completed that day, and requests received after 2:00 p.m. are completed no later than the next business day. Service requests are only performed during regular business hours. After-hours service exists for emergencies only, as NSBU decides them, and carries a fee of one hundred fifty dollars instead of thirty-five. So picture a closing on a Friday afternoon. Send the application during the week of closing and ask for a start date, so the request is in before 2:00 p.m. on a weekday.

One more option helps sellers and landlords more than owner-occupants. The form includes a statement that lets NSBU turn service on in the owner's name between tenants without a new application. If you are buying a house to rent out, that box saves a call every time a lease turns over.

What the bill looks like and what a late payment costs

NSBU reads meters across 82 zones, and bills are mailed within about three days. Payment is due on receipt. The bill becomes delinquent 21 days after the billing date. If NSBU has not received payment by 5:00 p.m. on or before the due date, it mails a courtesy notice and adds a late charge. On a past-due balance above twenty-five dollars, the charge is five dollars or one and a half percent of the balance, whichever is greater. The notice then allows nine days after the due date to pay in full or make arrangements, or the account becomes subject to disconnection.

The reconnection rules are worth reading before you ever need them. After a disconnection for non-payment, NSBU requires the full amount owed, a reconnection charge of fifty dollars during business hours or one hundred fifty dollars after hours, an updated deposit set at twice your average monthly bill, and updated lease documentation. That is a lot to assemble on a Friday night. The utility also offers up to three extensions a year, each giving a two-week grace period, but you have to ask for them, and the page says the request cannot be recorded until the day after the bill is due.

Ways to pay are plentiful. You can pay by phone or online at no charge at any hour, with a twelve-digit account number. There is a drive-through at the Canal Street office, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and a night drop for checks and money orders. Automatic Utility Bill Pay takes the amount from your bank account on the due date, and NSBU notes it suits part-time residents. Budget billing averages your bills and settles up at the end of the calendar year, but the page limits it to year-round customers on automatic payment who have had service at that location for at least twelve months. One warning appears on the payments page in plain words. If you pay through a bank's bill-pay service, schedule the payment to arrive two to three business days before the due date and use the full zip code 32170-0100. NSBU also says it is not affiliated with a third-party payment site that sometimes shows up in search results. Mail goes to P.O. Box 100, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32170.

The water, the yard and the closing paperwork

New Smyrna Beach draws its drinking water from the Floridan Aquifer, and NSBU publishes a Water Quality Report you can read as a PDF. Its FAQ page also explains a switch in disinfection method from chloramines to free chlorine. The utility says the purpose is to prevent or eliminate discoloration caused by minerals, biofilm or nitrification, and it states that the water is safe to drink and use as normal. If you notice a change in taste or smell after you move in, that page is the first place to look.

Irrigation deserves its own paragraph, because it is where a new owner's bill can surprise them. NSBU explains that unless your neighborhood has reuse water, the water that runs your sprinklers is the same treated drinking water that comes out of the kitchen tap. To find out whether reclaimed water reaches an address, you call customer service at 386-427-1361. A house with an in-ground sprinkler system and no reuse connection waters its lawn with treated drinking water. That is not a reason to skip the house. It is a reason to ask the seller for a year of bills and to ask which meter the sprinklers run on, since the application lists an irrigation meter as a separate option.

Volusia County sets the watering days, and its rules apply to everyone in the county, including people inside city limits. The county page says watering is not allowed between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. During Daylight Saving Time, odd-numbered addresses may irrigate on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and even-numbered addresses on Thursdays and Sundays, from 4 p.m. to 10 a.m. During Eastern Standard Time the schedule shrinks to one day, Saturday for odd addresses and Sunday for even ones. The county says Daylight Saving Time ends on the first Sunday in November, so the schedule changes soon after this guide was written. Each zone gets no more than one hour and three-quarters of an inch of water per irrigation day, and automatic systems must have a working rain sensor or soil-moisture sensor. New plants have their own allowance. The county lets you water them any time for 30 days, then every other day for another 30. Reclaimed water follows its provider's rules instead, so ask NSBU if the house is connected.

One line item is easy to forget. NSBU does not lien account balances and will not give out balance information, but its lien search covers unpaid water and sewer fees. The request form is on the same "Applying for Service" page. NSBU charges twenty dollars per request and answers in 48 to 72 business hours. The city adds a separate twenty-five dollar research fee on lien verifications, and you reach the city about that at 386-410-2657. It is useful to know the form exists, and to know that a clean answer covers water and sewer fees only.

Last in this section, NSBU's home page says its engineering contractor is in the design phase of a septic-to-sewer conversion for the Silver Sands area. If a house you like is on a septic system, ask the city whether that address falls inside a conversion project. The utility's page gives no schedule or cost, so there is nothing more to say here without guessing.

Trash, yard waste, bulk pickup and recycling

FCC Environmental Services collects household waste in New Smyrna Beach, and the city's Solid Waste Services page gives its number as 386-888-8299. The city publishes collection maps and links to an FCC lookup where you type an address and see your days. Use the lookup. The page does not list the weekdays in text, and a neighbor's guess about which day is "trash day" is the sort of advice that leaves a tote at the curb for a week.

Household waste goes in the tote, and the city asks you to place it within five feet of the curb. Keep hazardous materials out of it. If you are physically unable to wheel the tote to the curb, the city has a medical-need back-door form. Ask the city about it before closing if anyone in the household will need it.

Bulk waste rides on the second household pickup day, which the city says is a Thursday or Friday. The limit is four cubic yards. The list the city gives includes furniture, mattresses, televisions, dishwashers, stoves, washers, dryers and freezers. Refrigerators and air conditioners that contain Freon need a special pickup arranged with FCC, which is a real nuisance when the old unit is already on the curb. The sensible order is to call first and then drag it outside.

Yard waste is collected once a week, and the day appears on the same map. The city says it can go out in personal cans or bags, while household waste must use the tote. Branches must be under six inches in diameter and no longer than four feet, and the pile may not top four cubic yards. There is a rule here that matters if you hire help. Anything a contractor generates, including lawn services, tree trimmers and yard crews, must be removed by that contractor. The city's page says so directly. So when you collect quotes for a tree removal, ask who hauls the debris and put the answer in the contract. A job priced without hauling is a job that leaves a pile in your yard.

Construction debris is a separate matter. The city sends you to FCC or to the solid waste compliance officer at 386-424-2207 for a list of approved commercial roll-off vendors. Household hazardous waste goes to a household hazardous waste facility, not in the tote. The hotline is 386-947-2952.

Recycling works differently from what many movers expect. The city's page says residents may deposit glass, plastic, paper and cardboard at three drop-off sites. They are the 27th Avenue Beachfront Park at 3701 S. Atlantic Avenue, Public Works at 124 Industrial Park Avenue, and the Pedestrian Trailhead at 433 Sugar Mill Drive. The page does not describe curbside recycling. If you are moving from a place that had it, call Public Works at 386-424-2212 and ask what applies to your street before you assume either way. Then plan the errand. A trip to a drop-off site is one more chore, and it is better to learn that on a calm weekday than from a garage full of boxes.

Permits and the projects people start in month one

The first month is when many owners start a project. A new owner wants a fence, a bathroom redone, an air conditioner replaced, or a pool. The city's Home Owners pages cover permits, and the Building Department takes permit questions at 386-410-2850 or 386-410-2860.

The rule the city states is wide. Permits are required for new construction and for structural, plumbing, mechanical and electrical changes. A remodel needs a permit, with painting and papering the stated exceptions. When no building permit is needed but plumbing or mechanical work is going on, those trades get their own permits, and electrical work needs one as well. The city adds that these descriptions cover one- and two-family dwellings. A permit expires if work does not start within 180 days of issue, or if work stops for 180 days or more. You can ask in writing to extend it for another 180 days.

Whoever does the work is responsible for getting the permit. That sentence matters, because it works in both directions. A homeowner doing the job alone must pull the permit. A contractor doing it must also pull the permit, and your contract should say which of you will do it. The city's contractor checklist lists "who will get the permit?" among the questions to ask. It also recommends three written, detailed bids, a license check through the state's DBPR portal and the county's Connect Live system, and a phone call to 386-410-2800 to confirm the license is active. A good contract names the materials, lists allowances, spells out a payment schedule with no full payment up front, requires signed change orders, and lists the warranties and start and completion dates.

Here is a case to picture. You buy a 1970s house on the mainland and decide to gut the hall bathroom in your second month. That job touches the structure, the plumbing and the electrical. The permit application asks for the property address, owner information, the contractor's license number, the subdivision, lot and parcel numbers, and a description of the work. Structural permits normally need plans, while plumbing, mechanical and electrical ones usually do not. The city says you cannot buy a permit online without a contractor's license, though you can review permits, schedule inspections and pay fees online. Once the permit exists, the inspections happen only when you or your contractor schedule them, through the Citizen Self-Service portal or by emailing inspections@cityofnsb.com. The city says inspectors look at the permitted work and nothing else, with one exception for a profoundly unsafe condition such as an exposed live wire. Ask the contractor to schedule the inspection before the walls are closed, and keep a copy of every approval.

There is one permit rule that ties into insurance and flood maps, and buyers of older waterfront and island houses should read it twice. The city's substantial improvement packet says that when the cost of an improvement equals or exceeds 50 percent of the structure's market value before construction, the project is treated as a substantial improvement. Then floodplain requirements apply, including an elevation certificate for the lowest floor, and the building may have to be raised to or above the flood elevation if it sits below it. The packet is undated, so ask the Building Department what is current before you plan a big renovation. See our guide to New Smyrna Beach flood zones and flood insurance.

The paperwork, the passes and the checklist for your first month

Utilities and trash are the urgent items. The rest of the list is paperwork that Florida law attaches to a change of address, plus a couple of local perks that are easy to miss.

Do these in order

Before closing, send NSBU the Contract for Service with a start date that matches possession, and call FCC or use its lookup for your pickup days. Ask the seller to close their own accounts, because an account stays active in whoever's name it is under until someone changes it. Check the sprinkler system and find out whether it is on reuse water or the regular meter.

On move-in day, read the meter numbers and take a photo. Walk the yard with the watering schedule in mind, since your first week might fall under a different Daylight Saving schedule than your last week. Find the water shutoff.

Within 30 days, update your driver license. Section 322.19(2) of the Florida Statutes says that when you change your legal residence or mailing address, you must obtain a replacement license or identification card within 30 calendar days of the change. A violation is a nonmoving violation. The Volusia Tax Collector's site offers appointment scheduling for driver license and tag services, and an appointment is better than a morning in a waiting room. Vehicle registration uses the same address. Section 320.02 requires the registration application to include the street address of your permanent Florida residence, along with proof of address and a REAL ID license or a valid passport. Bring those documents together.

Update your voter registration at the same visit or the same week. Section 97.1031 says a voter who changes residence must notify the supervisor of elections. For a move inside Florida, you can do that by phone or electronically with your date of birth and the last four digits of your Social Security number, or your Florida driver license or ID number. The Volusia Supervisor of Elections is at 1588 N. Woodland Boulevard in DeLand, phone 386-736-5930, and the office's website has an "Update Voter Info" link.

Apply for the Beach Lot Annual Parking Pass. This one is specific to New Smyrna Beach and easy to forget. The city's pass covers beachfront lots at places such as North Beach Community Park, Esther Street, the Flagler Avenue Boardwalk, Marianne Clancy Park and 27th Avenue. Volusia County residents get the pass without charge when they can prove residency. The city lists a Volusia County tax bill, a lease of at least six months, or four consecutive utility bills as proof, and you need a pass for each vehicle, applied for separately. That is the connection to everything above. Your first four NSBU statements are the proof, so keep them. The application also asks for your license and registration. If you would rather go in person, the Police Department at 246 Industrial Park Avenue takes applications Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to noon and from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. A non-resident annual pass costs one hundred dollars, which is the number to remember if you own a second home here but live elsewhere. Daily parking runs through the PayByPhone app, which the city started using on August 3, 2026.

Look up your assigned schools in the Volusia County Schools "Find My School" tool. Type the street address and the school year. This guide does not rank or compare schools, and neither should the listing. The locator is the district's own answer and the only one that counts.

File for homestead if the house is your permanent residence. The deadline is not the day you close. Under section 196.031 you must hold title on January 1 and make the property your permanent residence in good faith, and under section 196.011 you file with the county property appraiser on or before March 1 of that year. Missing the date waives the exemption for the year. So if you close in the fall, you are eligible for the following January 1, and you file early in that year. See our guides to the Volusia County homestead exemption and the New Smyrna Beach property tax bill.

Storms and the first season

Hurricane season does not wait for you to unpack. Volusia County's evacuation page says local officials may order one of three levels, A, BC or DE, which correspond to the flooding likely in a hurricane. It states that storm surge can run from about seven feet above sea level in a Category 1 storm to as much as 28 feet in a Category 5. Anyone in a mobile home or recreational vehicle must evacuate for every level. The county also says that when an evacuation is ordered, the east-bound lanes of bridges close to traffic. West-bound lanes stay open until sustained winds pass 39 miles per hour, and then all lanes close. New Smyrna Beach is divided by the Intracoastal Waterway, so before you buy, think about which side of the water your route sits on, and decide early where you would go. See our guides to Florida home insurance for buyers and closing costs in Volusia County.

The bottom line

Moving to New Smyrna Beach is easier if you treat it as three separate tasks with three separate offices. Send the application to NSBU a week before closing with ID and proof of ownership. Look up your trash days instead of guessing. Pull a permit for any job the city lists, and decide in writing who pulls it. Then work down the paperwork list in the order the law makes it urgent, with the driver license first. The trade-off is that nothing here happens automatically. Recycling means a trip to a drop-off site. If you are comparing New Smyrna Beach real estate ask about the meter, the sprinkler system and the sewer connection while you are standing in the house, before you write an offer.

A few of the details here may change, such as fees, hours and schedules. Confirm anything that matters with the office that runs it, and get the answer in writing if money depends on it.

We covered a lot of ground up there. These are the questions that come up after you read a list like that and sit down to actually do it.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide covers the local part of moving, the part no national checklist can cover. It walks through how the city utility account works, what the city says about trash, recycling and yard waste, the watering rules that apply to your lawn, when a project needs a permit, and what the state and county expect in your first month. Every fact below was read on the City of Daytona Beach, Volusia County and State of Florida websites on October 21, 2026. Electric, gas, internet and cable are not covered, because no official page for them was checked, so ask for those providers by street address. For the neighborhoods themselves, the Daytona Beach neighborhoods guide comes first.

One boundary note before the details. Daytona Beach Shores is its own city. Everything here is about addresses inside the City of Daytona Beach, so confirm with the billing office that the city serves the address you are buying.

Opening the city utility account

The City of Daytona Beach runs a Utilities Department and a separate Utility Billing office. The billing office is in City Hall at 301 S. Ridgewood Avenue, Room 176. It is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the phone number is 386-671-8100. That office is where you start service, stop it, transfer it, set up a payment plan or ask why a bill looks wrong. The city's own rate pages are posted there too, and two of them are labeled as effective October 1, 2026, one for water and sewer and one for solid waste. Those sheets are the ones to read for current rates. This page does not quote any rate, because the sheets are scanned images and the city's stormwater FAQ prints an amount from fiscal year 2015 to 2016.

What to bring and when it counts

A new residential account needs four things according to the city's FAQ: an advance security deposit, a nonrefundable administration fee, a deed or a lease, and photo identification. The deposit depends on the size of the meter. It is refundable when the account is closed, or after two consecutive years of good payment history. The practical detail is the noon rule. For same-day activation the deposit has to be in by 12:00 noon, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Ask the billing office in advance which day the account should start and have the deed or settlement paperwork ready to show.

The online route runs through the city's customer portal. The billing page says the portal handles starting, stopping and transferring service as well as payments. Renters follow the same path with a lease in place of a deed. The city also lists a paperless option. You sign up through the online payment system, by phone at the number above, or at City Hall, and from then on a monthly email carries a link to a secure page where the bill sits.

Paying the bill, and the two cutoff times

Water meters in Daytona Beach are read monthly on a cycle, and the bill follows the read. If the city cannot get a read, it estimates the bill and corrects it later once a read is available. You can pay by mail, in the night depository box on the east side of City Hall, online, by the automated phone line or in person at the Ridgewood Avenue address. If you mail a check, the city asks for the payment stub and your account number to be included, which keeps the payment from landing on the wrong account.

Here the city's own pages disagree with each other, and the disagreement matters. The Utility Billing page says online payments made after 4:30 p.m. are credited the next day. The city's FAQ says any transaction completed after 4:00 p.m. counts as the next day's business. The billing page adds that to have a payment credited the same day and avoid a late fee, it must be made during business hours. The same page is blunt that paying online will not stop a scheduled disconnection for non-payment, will not restore service that was already cut off, and will not erase late fees after the due date. If service has been disconnected, the fix is a phone call to 386-671-8100 during business hours, not a portal payment. The safe habit is to pay before 4 p.m. on a business day and not wait for the last half hour.

Closing out, meters and help with a bill

When you leave a property, a residential customer can call, come in or write to stop service. The number for turn-offs is 386-671-8103. Give the address and account number, as the city asks for those on every inquiry. If a pipe breaks, the city's 24-hour utilities line is 386-671-8815, and that is the same number the city gives for reporting dumping into its ditches.

The city has also been replacing residential water meters. Its notice, posted April 17, 2025, says crews would visit around 15,000 addresses and that not every visit means a new meter, since some are for inspection or troubleshooting. Residents are supposed to get at least 72 hours of notice, installers do not need to come inside, and the water goes off for roughly 30 minutes to an hour during a swap. The notice also carries a disclaimer worth reading before you judge your first bill: with the increased accuracy of the new meters, some customers may see higher monthly bills, especially if the old meter was under-reporting usage. If your first bill surprises you, ask the billing office whether the meter at that address was replaced.

For a bill you cannot pay on time, the city has a payment plan arrangement form under Utility Billing. Its financial assistance page points to United Way at 2-1-1 and to Volusia County Utility Assistance, which offers electric and water help to eligible low-income households with a past-due balance. The appointment line for the county program is 386-239-7757.

The stormwater fee

One charge on the monthly bill has nothing to do with how much water you use. The city's stormwater fee pays for building, maintaining and operating public stormwater treatment and flood prevention projects, drainage studies and water-quality monitoring. The city's FAQ says anyone who owns developed property inside the city limits pays it, state, county and school buildings and churches included, and the fee goes up each October 1 with the US utility consumer price index. That FAQ still prints a fiscal year 2015 to 2016 amount, so ignore it and check the current sheet. A buyer who finds the fee odd on a house far from any canal has the city's answer: there are no exemptions for distance from a drain.

Trash, recycling, yard waste and what cannot go in a bin

The City of Daytona Beach runs its own solid waste division out of 950 Bellevue Avenue, and the phone number is 386-671-8670. A contractor, Waste Pro USA, does the collecting, and the city's FAQ says calls forward to that company when the city's lines are busy. The point for a new owner is that you do not arrange a hauler. Service comes with the address.

Garbage days and the rules at the curb

Garbage is collected twice a week. The city says that is either Monday and Thursday or Tuesday and Friday, depending on where you live, and it publishes a map for the pick-up schedule on its Collection Days page. The city's garbage service takes furniture, appliances and bulky items as well as household trash, though bulky items are a phone call to 386-671-8670 first. The rolling cart the city calls a toter is built to hold no more than 80 pounds. Anything beyond that can go in cans, bags or boxes, and the city's FAQ allows up to two closed 30-gallon bags next to the toter on the morning of service.

The timing rules are specific, and the city cites its code for them. The toter should be at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on your service day. You may put it out the night before after 6:00 p.m. It sits next to the driveway, not more than 5 feet from the curb line, and has to come back in by 8:00 p.m. after service. Garbage, junk and yard trash should never block the sidewalk or sit on or near a storm drain. The city also warns that trash set out late, or on a day that is not your day, may trigger a special pick-up, with the extra collection cost added to the utility bill.

One rule is easy to miss on moving day. The toters and recycling bins are provided as a courtesy and are not owned by the resident, and the FAQ asks you not to move them from the assigned property. If you are the seller, leave them. If you are the buyer, check that they are there on the day you take possession, because replacements are ordered through the same number or through Waste Pro USA at 386-788-8890.

Back door collection exists as a service by application. The city's form asks for the resident's signature and a physician's certification, and it is mailed to the solid waste office. That is the rule as the city states it, and the form itself is on the city website.

Recycling and yard waste each have their own day

Recycling is picked up once a week, with the day depending on location and a separate map. The city describes it as single stream, so everything goes in one bin. It accepts paper of all kinds, including newspaper with the plastic sleeve removed, office paper, cardboard, phone books, junk mail, magazines and paper bags. It accepts aluminum and steel cans, glass bottles in clear, green and amber, and plastic bottles marked with recycling symbols 1 through 5. One bin comes with the address, and the city says an extra bin is by application at 386-671-8670.

Yard debris is collected on Wednesday for every residential property in the city. Grass, leaves and small trimmings go out in bags, boxes or reusable containers. Limbs and palm fronds can be stacked in neat piles, with limbs no longer than 5 feet or wider than 6 inches. The FAQ allows up to 15 bags and limits collection to 3 cubic yards. Yard trash goes to a Volusia County mulching facility, so it has to stay separate from junk, litter or garbage, and a mixed pile can draw extra charges. Yard waste does not go in the toter at all.

Holidays are simpler than most people expect. The city says there is no curbside pickup of garbage, yard trash or recycling on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, and that collection usually moves to the following day. Martin Luther King Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus and Indigenous Peoples' Day and Veterans Day are normal collection days if the holiday falls on yours.

Move-in debris, cleanouts and hazardous waste

Boxes are the least of it. Who is doing the work decides what the city will pick up. For a small project you do yourself, the city's FAQ lets you put construction and demolition material in heavy bags or boxes that each weigh no more than 40 pounds and can be lifted by hand. If a paid contractor does the project, the contractor has to dispose of all the waste, and the city will not remove it without a fee. Concrete and heavy construction material cannot go in toters at all, and the city warns that removal of concrete may be charged.

Trees are a separate case. The collection contract does not cover land-clearing debris, which includes trees cut down or blown down on your property, though you can order a special collection for a charge. The city also does not offer move-out, clean-out or eviction waste removal as part of regular service. Such a job can be ordered for a fee, and if a pile is left in the public right of way, the contractor can remove it and the fee can be charged to a water utility account in the property owner's name. That last sentence is why a buyer should walk the curb and the side yard at the final walkthrough.

Some items need their own handling. Glass mirrors have to be wrapped in cardboard and taped, and carpet must be cut, rolled and taped in sections no larger than 4 by 8 feet and 40 pounds. Residents may dispose of up to eight car tires a year, while truck and tractor tires go to the Tomoka Landfill. Appliances that contain coolants, such as refrigerators, freezers and air conditioning units, have to be ordered separately and need their doors removed.

Household hazardous waste goes elsewhere. The city lists car batteries, automotive liquids, paint and paint thinner, pesticides and fertilizers, pool and spa chemicals, fluorescent and compact bulbs, mercury thermometers and needles among the items that cannot go in the garbage. The permanent drop-off is Volusia County's Tomoka Landfill, 1990 Tomoka Farms Road in Port Orange. Volusia County says there is a second site, the West Volusia Transfer Station in DeLand, and that it holds collection events usually in November and April. The city also hosts a household hazardous waste amnesty day each November. The county will pump leftover heating oil out of an old residential tank, and the city page gives the county solid waste number for that, 386-257-6021. A house old enough to have one is worth asking about.

Water outside the house, and when a project needs a permit

The sprinkler rules apply inside the city too

Volusia County's water conservation page says its watering restrictions apply to all county residents, including those who live in cities. No one waters between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The days depend on the clock. During Eastern Standard Time, a residential address with an odd number may irrigate on Saturday and an even-numbered address on Sunday, from 4 p.m. to 10 a.m. During Daylight Saving Time, odd-numbered addresses get Wednesday and Saturday and even-numbered addresses get Thursday and Sunday. Daylight Saving Time begins the second Sunday in March and ends the first Sunday in November, so the schedule changes on the first Sunday of November, close to the date of this article.

The county caps each zone at one hour and three-quarters of an inch of water per watering day, and says a typical yard has four zones. Automatic systems must have a working rain sensor or soil-moisture sensor, whatever year they were installed. New plantings can be watered at any time for 30 days and then every other day for another 30, and the county asks you to keep the store receipt as proof. Hand watering with a hose that has an automatic shutoff is allowed at any hour. The rules cover every source of water, including a private well, with one exception: reclaimed water, for which the county sends you to the reclaimed water provider. To report a violation in Daytona Beach, the county's line is 386-257-6000, extension 12769.

Reclaimed water, where the city offers it

Parts of the city can irrigate with reclaimed water, also called reuse water. The city describes it as non-potable water that has gone through a high level of treatment and is made available for irrigation. It runs through purple pipes to a purple meter, and standard in-ground irrigation systems can use it. The city's FAQ says reuse is generally available in developments west of Jimmy Ann Drive and north of International Speedway Boulevard. It is not a citywide service, and the Utility Department at 386-671-8800 can tell you whether a given address can connect.

The conditions are strict. Reuse water is not for drinking. It is not for filling swimming pools, hot tubs or wading pools. The city says above-ground hose spigots are not connected to reuse piping, and reuse piping is not allowed to enter a residence, because of the risk of accidental connections to drinking water lines. Before activation the city installs a meter on the reuse line and an approved backflow preventer on each water service line that serves a residence. Applications go to the Water Billing office in City Hall, and the property owner has to sign a hold harmless agreement and read the city's reuse policy manual first. A buyer who sees purple lids in the yard should ask which of those steps the previous owner completed.

Check before you build, fence or screen anything

The city's Permits and Licensing office handles building permits through an online system called iMS. Its counter hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The billing office in City Hall stays open until 4:30 p.m. The department's advice is plain: always check before building, and start with zoning to see whether what you want to do is allowed. It adds that a survey should show every existing structure and the FEMA flood zone the property is in.

For a new house or an addition, the city lists what a single-family application needs. That includes two signed and sealed surveys, a tree permit form with two site plans, a full set of plans with elevations, footing details, wall sections and roof truss engineering, energy calculations, window and door specifications, and a statement showing whether Volusia County impact fees have been paid. For smaller jobs the city posts submittal checklists, including one for a residential swimming pool and one for a screened room or pool enclosure. Its permits page also lists garage sale permits and a zoning verification letter, which a buyer can request to confirm what a property's zoning allows. The garage sale permit rules sit behind the city's online login, so they are not described here.

The reason to look before the first project is not abstract. A fence line, a shed, a pool cage or a roof is a decision you make with the seller's survey and the flood zone in your hand. See our guide to Daytona Beach flood zones.

Your first thirty days, in the order they tend to matter

The order below follows the deadlines, because the state sets some of them in days and the county sets others in months.

Before and on closing day

Call Utility Billing with the address and ask what the deposit will be, which day the account should start, and what documents to bring. Look up the garbage and recycling day on the city maps. Confirm that the toters are at the property. Ask the city whether the meter at the address has been replaced, and take a photo of the meter and its reading on the day you take possession, so a later estimated bill has something to be compared with. Sign up for AlertVolusia, the county's emergency notification system, which sends hurricane, wildfire, evacuation and missing person alerts by text, voice or email. The county's sign-up page lists Daytona Beach as its own area, and it asks residents to register for the countywide alerts and for their city's alerts as well.

Within ten days and thirty days

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles says that a new resident needs a Florida driver license within 30 days of establishing residency. To title and register a vehicle, you need insurance from an agent licensed in Florida, and the department says that has to happen within 10 days of establishing residency. License applications are made in person at a local office. Titling an out-of-state vehicle takes the original title, proof of identity, proof of Florida insurance and a completed application, and the vehicle identification number has to be physically inspected on the state form. The state's own list of what counts as establishing residency includes starting work, registering to vote, filing for a homestead exemption and living in Florida for more than six consecutive months, so the clock can start earlier than the closing date.

Voter registration is a county matter. The Supervisor of Elections says you must be registered at least 29 days before an election to vote in it, and mailed applications must be postmarked by that date. The office is at 1588 N. Woodland Boulevard in DeLand, and the number is 386-736-5930. Applications are also available at post offices, libraries, driver license offices and city halls.

Homestead, flood insurance and the tax bill

Homestead has the one date that cannot be repaired afterward. State law says the owner who holds legal title on January 1 must file with the county property appraiser on or before March 1 of that year, and failing to apply by then waives the exemption for that year, with a short list of exceptions. A buyer who closes in the fall is therefore filing in the first two months of the next year. See our guide to the Volusia County homestead exemption and the Daytona Beach property tax bill.

Insurance deserves a call before closing rather than after. See our guide to Florida home insurance for buyers. Ask for the property's flood zone during the contract period, because the city says its permit office will want that zone on the survey anyway.

A short list for the first month

Pay the first utility bill before 4 p.m. on a business day, or set up the paperless statement and keep the billing office number saved. Put the trash day on the calendar and check it again at Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. Learn your odd or even watering day and the March and November clock changes. Keep the store receipt for any new sod or plants, since the county asks for it as proof. Ask the city before you start a fence, a pool or an enclosure. Keep the Wednesday yard pile separate from junk and garbage, because the city says a mixed pile can draw extra charges.

Bottom line. Moving to Daytona Beach is a handful of phone numbers and dates. Open the utility account with the deposit in by noon, pay before 4 p.m., find your garbage pair and your Wednesday yard day, learn the odd or even sprinkler schedule, and ask Permits and Licensing before any project. Then the state wants a license within 30 days, the county wants you registered 29 days before an election, and homestead waits until January 1 through March 1. If you are ready to look at houses with all of that in mind, the current Daytona Beach real estate and homes are listed.

That is the local checklist. A few direct answers follow for the questions a move in the next few weeks tends to raise.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide stays on the City of Palm Coast. For the statewide rules, see our guide to buying a condo in Florida under the new condo laws, and we do not repeat all of them here. This page covers what the city itself publishes, which questions the state rules leave to the local building office, and what to put in front of the seller before you sign. For the town as a whole, start with our look at whether Palm Coast is a good place to live.

What the milestone inspection is, and what Palm Coast says about it

The milestone inspection is a structural check of a condominium or cooperative building that stands three or more habitable stories tall. Florida Statute 553.899 sets the default schedule. The first inspection is due by December 31 of the year the building reaches 30 years old, counted from the date its certificate of occupancy was issued, and another is due every 10 years after that. A building that turned 30 before July 1, 2022 owed its first inspection before the end of 2024. A building that turns 30 on or after July 1, 2022 and before the end of 2024 owed it before the end of 2025. Everything younger follows the plain 30-year clock unless the local government shortens it.

Here is the part a Palm Coast buyer needs to read twice. The statute lets the local enforcement agency decide that local conditions, with proximity to salt water as the named example, call for the first inspection at 25 years instead of 30. The 2026 text says the agency "may determine" that. The City of Palm Coast Building page, under its heading for milestone inspections of condominiums three stories and higher, reads more firmly. It says a building within three miles of a coastline, as Florida Statute 376.031 defines that term, must have its inspection by December 31 of the year it reaches 25 years of age. It also says that if the certificate of occupancy was issued on or before July 1, 1992, the first inspection had to be done before December 31, 2024.

We did not find a Palm Coast ordinance behind that wording. We searched the city's Code of Ordinances and its Land Development Code on Municode on the day we wrote this, and a search for "milestone" returned nothing in either one. That proves little by itself, because a city can act by an ordinance that has not been codified yet, and the building page may simply restate what the city expects. But it means two public sources use different verbs, and neither tells you whether a particular building sits inside the three-mile line. The statute defines the coastline as the line of mean low water along the part of the coast in direct contact with the open sea, plus the seaward limit of inland waters. Do not guess which side of that line a building falls on. Ask the Building Division in writing, with the building's address, and keep the reply with your file.

The city's Building Services number is (386) 986-3780, and the page names Buildingdivision@palmcoastgov.com as the address where inspection reports are to be emailed, one report per building and each showing the specific address. That tells you something useful. The city has a place where reports are received, so a buyer can ask whether one has arrived. Three questions are enough. What is the certificate of occupancy date on file? Did the building receive a written notice that an inspection is due? Has a Phase 1 report been filed, and has a Phase 2 report followed?

The notice matters because the statute starts the clock with it. The local agency must send written notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, and the association then has 14 days to tell unit owners the notice arrived and the date by which the inspection must be done. Phase 1 must be completed within 180 days after the owner receives that notice. Phase 1 is a visual examination of the habitable and nonhabitable areas, including the major structural components, by a licensed engineer or architect. If the inspector sees no substantial structural deterioration, the process ends there.

If the inspector does see it, Phase 2 follows. It can involve destructive or nondestructive testing, and the inspector owes the local agency a progress report with a timeline within 180 days of the Phase 1 report. The statute narrows what counts. Cracks, sagging, misalignment, signs of leakage and peeling finishes do not qualify on their own unless the inspector decides they point to a deeper structural problem. So a Phase 1 report can list a dozen maintenance items and still pass.

The city publishes the forms its engineers fill out, which gives a buyer a map of what a report covers. The Phase 1 form is labeled Form EB18, 2024. It offers a set of outcomes to check, from "Passed Phase 1 Inspections" through "Maintenance Needed but does not raise to the level of Substantial Deterioration or Dangerous," up to a dangerous condition and an immediate dangerous condition that must be reported to the building and fire officials. Its sections run through the foundation, bearing walls, floor and roof systems, steel and concrete framing, windows and exterior doors, wood framing and the building facade. Near the end are a safe occupancy determination, a summary of findings and a review of existing documents and permit records. The Phase 2 form asks for the damage and its extent, the testing results, a graded urgency for each recommended repair, and a second safe occupancy determination. When you get a report, turn to those last sections first. They tell you whether anyone had to leave and how fast the engineer wanted each repair done.

After Phase 2, the state expects teeth. Florida Statute 553.899 tells every city and county to adopt an ordinance requiring owners to schedule or start repairs for substantial structural deterioration within a set time after the agency receives the Phase 2 report, and never later than 365 days. If the owner cannot show the agency that repairs are scheduled or begun, the agency must decide whether the building is unsafe for human occupancy. We could not locate Palm Coast's version of that ordinance in the codified text, so the practical question is about the building in front of you. Has it received a Phase 2 report, what is the repair schedule, and which permits have been pulled? The statute also requires each local agency to report to the state every December 31 how many buildings must be inspected, how many have finished Phase 1 and Phase 2, and which have been found unsafe. The Building Division can tell you what it has on file.

The reserve study and the money behind it

The milestone inspection looks at condition. The structural integrity reserve study, shortened to SIRS, looks at money. Florida Statute 718.112 requires a residential condominium association to have one completed at least every 10 years for each building that is three habitable stories or higher. It rests on a visual inspection and must be performed or verified by a licensed engineer, a licensed architect, or a reserve specialist certified by one of two named professional bodies. For each item it covers, it must state the remaining useful life, the replacement cost or deferred maintenance expense, and a funding schedule with a recommended annual amount.

The study must cover the roof, the structure, fireproofing and fire protection, plumbing, electrical systems, waterproofing and exterior painting, and windows and exterior doors. It adds a catch-all for any other item above a dollar threshold whose failure would hurt those seven. The Division of Florida Condominiums adjusts that threshold for inflation, so read the study itself to see what was added. Items with more than 25 years of remaining life may be left out of replacement reserves, although the study can still recommend a deferred maintenance amount. That is a legitimate choice in the law, and it is also a reason to read the line items and not just the total.

The calendar is tight this year. An association that existed before July 1, 2022 and is controlled by unit owners had to complete its first study by December 31, 2025. The statute lets an association that must finish a milestone inspection by the end of 2026 do the study at the same time, and then it adds a hard stop: in no event may the study be completed after December 31, 2026. As we write this, that is about ten weeks away. A Palm Coast association that still has no study is running out of room. If you are under contract on a unit there, treat the gap as the first open item in the file and ask for the engineer's signed proposal and the date the work will finish.

The funding rules changed as well. For budgets adopted on or after December 31, 2024, the members of an owner-controlled association that must have a study can no longer vote to provide no reserves or less reserves for those listed items. The association can fund them through regular assessments, special assessments, a line of credit or a loan, and a special assessment, line of credit or loan needs a majority of all the voting interests. If an association borrows or levies a special assessment, the statute says the details belong in the annual financial statement that goes to owners and to prospective purchasers. That is where you will find it.

Two pressure valves exist, and a careful buyer should know both. A board that finished a milestone inspection within the previous two calendar years may, with a majority of all voting interests, pause or reduce reserve contributions for up to two consecutive annual budgets so the money can go to repairs the inspection recommended. That option covers only budgets adopted on or before December 31, 2028, and an association that paused must get a new study before contributions resume. Separately, an association that completes a milestone inspection may put off its study for no more than the two consecutive budget years that follow. Both are lawful. Both also mean a thin reserve line might be a permitted pause and not neglect, so ask which one it is and when full funding resumes.

Low-rise buildings sit differently, and this is worth saying plainly because many condominiums are not tall. The study requirement does not apply to buildings of fewer than three stories. The milestone rule uses the same three-story line. A two-story condominium building in Palm Coast is not on the milestone schedule at all, and nothing we found says how many buildings in the city are three stories or more. For those low-rise buildings the general reserve rule still reads that members may vote by a majority of all voting interests to provide no reserves or less than the statute calls for. That is not a defect. It is a fact about the budget, and it makes the reserve line and the age of the roof the things to ask about.

What to ask for, and how the contract protects you

Start with the paperwork you are owed. Under Florida Statute 718.503, a buyer under contract for a resale unit is entitled, at the seller's expense, to a current copy of the declaration, the articles of incorporation, the bylaws and rules, the annual financial statement and budget, the inspector-prepared summary of the milestone inspection report if one applies, the association's most recent reserve study or a statement that it has not done one, and the state's "Frequently Asked Questions and Answers" document. If the building finished a turnover inspection on or after July 1, 2023, that report is on the list too.

The same section changes what a contract says. A contract for a residential unit signed after December 31, 2024 must state, in conspicuous type, whether the association is required to have a milestone inspection or a study and has not completed it, or that it is not required to have one. If the work is done, the contract carries two clauses. One has the buyer acknowledge receiving the summary and the study more than 7 days before signing. The other makes the agreement voidable by written notice within 7 days after signing and receipt of the documents. Both counts exclude Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. Read the clause in your own contract. It is not filler, and it tells you which situation you are in.

Larger associations make the search easier. An association with 25 or more units that is not a timeshare must post its inspection reports and its latest study on a website or a mobile app within 30 days after it receives or creates them, and it must keep the inspection reports for 15 years. If the building is smaller, ask for the same documents directly, in writing.

The estoppel certificate is the association's written statement of what you would owe on the unit. If the association fails to deliver it within 10 business days of a request from an owner or mortgagee, the statute bars it from charging a fee for the certificate. A certificate delivered by hand or email stays effective for 30 days, and 35 days if mailed. If you rely on it in good faith, the association gives up the right to collect more than it states. Read it for any special assessment already levied, any scheduled to come due, and any capital contribution or transfer fee. For the other items on the settlement statement, see our closing costs guide. Keep in mind that an association assessment arrives on its own schedule, which is separate from the taxing authorities on the county bill. For those lines, see our Palm Coast property tax bill guide.

A concrete example shows how the pieces fit together. Suppose a four-story building received its certificate of occupancy in 1998. On the state's 30-year default it turned 30 in 2028, so the first inspection would not be due until the end of that year. On the city page's 25-year wording, which applies within three miles of a coastline, it turned 25 in 2023, and the first inspection would already have been due. Same building, two answers, both found in public sources. The buyer who asks the Building Division in writing which clock applies, and gets a reply, is in a very different spot from the buyer who assumed. If the answer is the 25-year clock, the next questions are whether a report was filed and what it said.

Last, think about the building itself. Palm Coast's flood information tells owners that new buildings in special flood hazard areas must be built at least one foot above base flood elevation, that the city's current flood maps took effect June 6, 2018, and that a flood insurance policy has a 30-day waiting period before coverage starts. The local building code amendment defines a substantial improvement as repairs or additions over a 10-year period whose cumulative cost reaches 50 percent of the structure's market value before the work starts. The city handout says it will visit a property to review its flood problems if you ask. A large repair program after a Phase 2 report is the kind of project that makes those definitions matter, so ask which flood zone the building is in. See our guide to Palm Coast flood zones and what to check before an offer and our home insurance guide.

Bottom line

Count the stories first. If the building is under three stories, the milestone and reserve-study rules do not apply, and your questions shift to the budget, the roof and the estoppel. If it is three stories or more, you want four documents in hand before you commit: the inspector-prepared summary, the reserve study, the current budget and the estoppel certificate. Ask the city's Building Division, in writing, which inspection clock applies to the building, because the state statute and the city's own page do not use the same words. Treat any missing study as urgent, since December 31, 2026 is the last day it can be completed. A building with its paperwork done and its repairs funded is easier to buy into than a pretty unit in a building with open questions. Those open questions are exactly what a careful review of any Palm Coast listing should settle, and our Palm Coast real estate page is the place to start looking.

That covers the rules. Here are the questions that tend to come up next, with short answers you can check against the sources above.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide stays on the City of New Smyrna Beach. The statewide rules are laid out in our guide to buying a condo in Florida under the new condo laws, so we will not repeat all of it. Our guide to living in New Smyrna Beach covers the beachside and mainland sides of town. Here we cover what the city's own code and building office say, where the state leaves a local decision open, and what a buyer here should put in writing before signing a contract.

What the milestone inspection is, and what New Smyrna Beach has put in writing

A milestone inspection is a structural check of a condominium building that is three or more habitable stories tall. Florida Statute 553.899 sets the default schedule. The first inspection is due by December 31 of the year the building turns 30, counted from the date its certificate of occupancy was issued. Another follows every 10 years. If the certificate date cannot be found, the statute falls back to the date of occupancy shown in any record kept by the local building official.

The same statute lets the local enforcement agency pull that date forward to 25 years, and it names proximity to salt water as an example of a local circumstance that could justify doing so. New Smyrna Beach sits on a barrier island between the Atlantic and the Intracoastal Waterway, so the question is natural. The answer is not something the state makes for the city. Only the city can make it.

On the day we wrote this, we searched every section of the city's Code of Ordinances and Land Development Regulations on Municode, which was last updated in September 2026, for the word milestone. It does not appear. The code says nothing we could find about condominium inspections, a 25-year election, or a repair deadline. That does not prove the city has never acted, because an ordinance can be adopted before it is codified, and a notice can be sent to a single building without ever appearing in the code. It does mean that nothing public we could find says New Smyrna Beach moved the date to 25 years. Do not assume it did. Do not assume it did not. Ask.

The office to ask is Building and Inspections, at 386-410-2860. Give them the building's street address and put three questions to them. What certificate of occupancy date is on file? Has the building been sent a written notice that an inspection is due? Has a Phase 1 report been filed? The statute requires the local agency to send that notice by certified mail, and the association then has 14 days to pass the news to unit owners. If a building is overdue and the city has not written to it, you want to know that before the offer, not after closing.

A little arithmetic shows why the date on the document matters more than the age of the building. Take the state default and no local change. A building with a certificate issued in 1990 turned 30 in 2020, so its first inspection was due before the end of 2024. A building from 1996 turns 30 in 2026, and its first inspection is due by December 31 of this year. A building from 2004 does not reach 30 until 2034. One older building may already hold a finished report and a repair program under way. A newer one may have no report at all, and your contract is supposed to tell you so.

The inspection itself runs in two phases. Phase 1 is a visual examination of habitable and nonhabitable areas, including the major structural components, by a licensed architect or engineer, and it must be done within 180 days after the owner receives the city's notice. If the inspector finds no signs of substantial structural deterioration, the process stops there. If the inspector does find them, Phase 2 follows, and it can involve destructive or nondestructive testing at the inspector's direction. The Phase 2 inspector owes the local agency a progress report with a timeline within 180 days after the Phase 1 report goes in.

The statute defines substantial structural deterioration narrowly, and this is where buyers misread reports. Cracks, sagging, misalignment, signs of leakage and peeling finishes do not count by themselves. They count only if the inspector decides they point to something deeper. So a Phase 1 report with a long maintenance list can still be a pass, and a short report can hide a serious finding in a single paragraph. Read the sealed report for what the engineer actually checked. The law requires it to describe the manner and type of inspection, identify any substantial deterioration and the recommended repairs, say whether unsafe or dangerous conditions were observed, and list any items needing further inspection. Then read the separate summary the inspector must prepare, because that is the part the association must send to every owner within 45 days.

What happens after a Phase 2 report is the part with teeth. State law tells every city and county to adopt an ordinance requiring owners to schedule or start repairs for substantial structural deterioration within a set time after the local agency receives the Phase 2 report, and never later than 365 days. If the owner cannot show the agency that repairs are scheduled or begun, the agency must decide whether the building is unsafe for human occupancy. We could not locate New Smyrna Beach's version of that ordinance in the codified text. So the practical question for a building with an open Phase 2 is simple. What is the repair schedule, and which permits have been pulled?

The city does have standing rules that would apply to any repair project. Chapter 26 of the Code of Ordinances adopts the International Property Maintenance Code, the Florida Building Code and the National Electric Code by reference. The city's building page says it is enforcing the 2023 edition of the Florida Building Code for permit applications filed since January 1, 2024. When a decision of the chief building official or an inspector is appealed, the building trades examining board sits as the construction board of adjustments and appeals. None of that is a condo-specific program. It is the backdrop for the permits that a major repair will need, and it tells you who decides a dispute over them.

The reserve study and the money behind it

A milestone inspection looks at condition. The structural integrity reserve study, usually shortened to SIRS, looks at money. Florida Statute 718.112 requires a residential condominium association to complete one at least every 10 years for each building three habitable stories or taller. It is based on a visual inspection, and it must be performed or verified by a licensed engineer, a licensed architect, or a certified reserve specialist or professional reserve analyst. For each item it studies, the study states the remaining useful life, the estimated replacement cost or deferred maintenance expense, and a funding plan with a recommended annual amount.

The items the study must cover are the roof, the structure including load-bearing walls, fireproofing and fire protection systems, plumbing, electrical systems, waterproofing and exterior painting, and windows and exterior doors. The law adds a catch-all for any other item whose repair or replacement exceeds a dollar threshold and whose failure would hurt the first seven. The Division of Florida Condominiums adjusts that threshold for inflation each year and posts it on its website, so check the posted figure instead of trusting a number in an old listing.

The calendar is the urgent part. An association that existed on or before July 1, 2022, and is controlled by unit owners, had to complete its first study by December 31, 2025. The statute then lets an association that must complete a milestone inspection by the end of 2026 do the study at the same time, and it adds a hard stop. In no event may the study be completed after December 31, 2026. On the day we checked, that was about ten weeks away. A New Smyrna Beach association that still has no study is running out of room, and a buyer in contract on a unit there should treat that gap as the first open item in the file.

The money rules changed as well. For budgets adopted on or after December 31, 2024, the members of an owner-controlled association that must have a study can no longer vote to provide no reserves or lower reserves for the items on the list. The old habit of waiving reserves by majority vote is gone for those items. The association can fund them through regular assessments, special assessments, a line of credit or a loan, and a special assessment, line of credit or loan needs approval from a majority of all the voting interests.

Two pressure valves exist, and they change how a thin reserve line should be read. A board that finished a milestone inspection within the previous two calendar years may, with approval of a majority of all voting interests, pause or reduce reserve contributions for up to two consecutive annual budgets so the money goes to repairs the inspection recommended. That option applies only to budgets adopted on or before December 31, 2028, and an association that pauses must get a new study before contributions resume. Separately, an association that completes a milestone inspection may delay its study for no more than the two consecutive budget years that follow. Both rules are lawful. A low reserve contribution may be a permitted pause and not neglect, so ask which one it is and ask to see the vote.

Here is a scenario to make it concrete. Suppose you are under contract on a unit in a six-story building, and the seller hands you a milestone summary that lists no substantial structural deterioration and a reserve study dated three years ago. The study is on time, the inspection is done, and the budget funds the roof. That is a clean file. Now suppose the summary reports Phase 2 testing on the balcony slabs and the budget shows a paused reserve line. That is not a reason to walk away, because the pause may be exactly what the law allows. It is a reason to read the repair schedule, ask what the pause covers, and ask the board what the next assessment looks like before the estoppel certificate arrives. The two files lead to two very different conversations, and you can only have the second one if you have asked for the papers.

The paperwork you are owed, and the coastal rules around the building

Under Florida Statute 718.503, a buyer under contract for a resale unit is entitled, at the seller's expense, to a current copy of the declaration, the articles of incorporation, the bylaws and rules, the annual financial statement and budget, the inspector-prepared summary of the milestone inspection report if one applies, the association's most recent reserve study or a statement that none has been completed, and the state's Frequently Asked Questions and Answers document. Contracts for the sale of a residential unit signed after December 31, 2024, must carry conspicuous language about the milestone inspection and the study. If the building has not finished a required inspection or study, the contract must say that in conspicuous type. If it has finished them, the contract must carry a clause that gives the buyer 7 days, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, to cancel by written notice after signing and receiving current copies. The buyer may also extend the closing by up to 7 days of the same kind after receiving the documents, if the request is in writing. Read that clause. It is not boilerplate, and the statute says a waiver of these rights has no effect.

Associations with 25 or more units that are not timeshares must post their inspection reports and their latest study on a website or a mobile application within 30 days of receiving or creating them. They must keep inspection reports for 15 years and studies for at least 15 years after completion. If the building is smaller, ask the board for the same documents directly. The association must also report each completed study to the state within 45 days, and the state's reporting page says the database shows entries exactly as submitted. You can look a building up before you tour it. A missing listing is a question for the board, not proof of anything by itself.

The estoppel certificate is the last document that matters. It is the association's written statement of what you would owe on the unit, and under Florida Statute 718.116 the association has 10 business days to issue it after a written or electronic request from an owner, a mortgagee or their designee. The statute requires the association to name on its website who receives requests. Read the certificate for any special assessment already levied, any scheduled to come due, and any capital contribution or transfer fee. Our closing costs guide covers the other items on the settlement table.

A beachside condo carries the same state inspection law as one on the mainland. What changes is the ground it stands on. New Smyrna Beach's Land Development Regulations place a Coastal Construction Setback Line at the same location as the state's Coastal Construction Control Line. Seaward of that line, between the line and the Atlantic Ocean, the code prohibits any part of a principal building, including porches, balconies and roof overhangs, and it prohibits accessory structures such as pools, decks, patios and gazebos, unless an exemption applies or a variance is obtained. For a condo buyer the point is practical. A repair or a rebuild near the water is not only a structural question. It is also a permitting question, and the answer depends on where the building sits relative to that line. Ask the association whether the building is seaward of it, and ask Building and Inspections what review a major repair would need.

Flood is its own check. The city's Development Services FAQ lists zones A, AE and VE as the special flood hazard zones in the city, and it lists zones X, X(500) and X Shaded as outside them. The city's Land Development Regulations send floodprone development to a Flood Damage Prevention article by section number. We could not find that article under those numbers when we searched the code, so ask the city which flood rules govern a particular building. The Engineering Department at 386-410-2812 helps with maps and flood history. Our New Smyrna Beach flood zone guide shows how to check an address, and our home insurance guide explains how the pieces fit for an owner. One line from the county's flood page is worth repeating here. In a condominium, a master policy does not usually cover the inside of the unit or its contents. Ask the association what its master policy covers and ask your own agent what you would need to add.

One last local point. The city's building page notes that since July 1, 2022, Volusia County handles permitting, code enforcement and public hearings for properties in unincorporated Volusia County under an agreement with the city. A New Smyrna Beach mailing address does not always mean a city parcel. Check which government has jurisdiction over the building before you call anyone, and use the county's building office at 386-626-6591 if it is the county. The property tax side of that question is in our New Smyrna Beach property tax bill guide.

Bottom line

The state rules are the same everywhere. What is local is the paperwork on file for one building, and in New Smyrna Beach nothing in the codified code tells you whether the city shortened the schedule. So you ask, in writing, and you ask early. Request the milestone summary, the reserve study, the budget and the estoppel certificate. Ask Building and Inspections whether a notice has gone to the building and whether a Phase 2 report is open. Read the contract clause before you sign it. A building with finished reports and a funded plan gives you answers on paper. A building with gaps is not a reason to panic. It is a reason to get the missing answers before you commit. If you want to see what is on the market, start with the New Smyrna Beach real estate listings and bring this list to the first showing.

Questions come up on every one of these deals, so here are the ones buyers in this city should settle before they sign.

Frequently Asked Questions

It sits beside our broader look at Port Orange neighborhoods and costs. This one is narrower. It covers renting a house, villa or condo to guests for short stays, and it stays with what the city, the state and the county have published.

What the city code says, and what it leaves out

Start with the silence, because it surprises people. A section written just for short-term rentals, with a definition, a permit and a list of districts, is what you might expect to find. Port Orange's Land Development Code does not have one that we could find. The words are not in the definitions chapter, and they are not in the use lists for the zoning districts.

What the code does define is the older vocabulary. A hotel is "a multi-story, transient lodging facility as defined in F.S." A motel is "a transient lodging facility as defined in F.S." A bed and breakfast inn is "a house or portion thereof where short-term lodging rooms are provided, and meals may be provided," and the code adds that the operator of the inn shall live on the premises or in adjacent premises. Those are the three lodging uses the city wrote down.

Now look at where they show up. Hotels and motels are listed among the permitted uses in the highway commercial district and the interchange commercial development district. They are also listed in the planned commercial development district. The Ridgewood development district lists hotels, and so does the planned community district for the Port Orange Riverwalk. The bed and breakfast inn appears in the use lists for the office and residential transition district and the mixed use center district.

The residential districts read differently. The R-20SF single-family district lists single-family detached dwellings. The two-family district lists two-family dwellings. The high density multifamily district lists assisted living facilities and multifamily dwellings, with a density cap of sixteen units per gross acre. None of those residential sections mentions hotels, motels, lodging or rental.

Be careful about what you conclude from that. We are not telling you a nightly rental is allowed in a single-family district, and we are not telling you it is banned. The code does not say either thing in so many words. How the city classifies a house rented by the night is a question for the city's planning and zoning staff, and an answer you get over the phone is worth very little at closing. Ask for it in an email, name the parcel, and keep the reply.

Home-based business rules and the business tax receipt

One section of the code gets quoted more than it deserves, so read it for what it says. The home-based business section allows a business to operate from a residential property in a residential zone if it meets the listed conditions and Florida Statutes section 559.955. The conditions are about the ordinary traffic of a home office. Employees who work at the dwelling must also live there, with room for up to two who do not. Parking for the business may not be greater in volume than you would expect at a similar home with no business.

Then comes the line that matters to a rental buyer. Subsection (10) says the section "does not supersede local laws, ordinances, or regulations related to transient public lodging establishments, as defined in Florida Statutes, that are not otherwise preempted under Florida Statutes." Subsection (11) adds that home-based businesses remain subject to all other applicable ordinances and regulations. Read together, the home-based business section does not hand a nightly renter a permission slip, and it does not take one away. It steps aside and points to the lodging rules.

The city also runs a business tax receipt program. The city's page says that to conduct business in Port Orange, all businesses must first obtain a local business tax receipt, and that this includes home-based businesses. The fee varies by business. Where a business needs a state license or permit, the city requires a copy of it before issuing the receipt. The page also asks an applicant whether the business is properly zoned, and it points to the city's interactive zoning map.

That sequence is the useful part. The city wants the zoning answer and the state license before it issues its own paper. So the order of operations for a rental plan is not "buy, then get the receipt." It is zoning first, state license second, city receipt third. Whether renting your own house to guests counts as a business for this purpose is another question to put in your written email to the city. We did not find a published answer.

The state side: the license, the preemption and the transient label

Florida law carries more weight here than anything the city wrote. The key sentence is in section 509.032 of the Florida Statutes. A local law, ordinance or regulation may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate the duration or frequency of rental of vacation rentals. The same paragraph then limits itself: it does not apply to a local law, ordinance or regulation adopted on or before June 1, 2011.

Put plainly, a city that wrote its rental restrictions after that date generally cannot enforce a ban or a limit on how often or how long you rent. A city that wrote them earlier keeps them. We could not find a Port Orange rule on this subject at all, so we cannot tell you which side of the date it falls on. That is a fair question for the city's attorney, and it is a good reason not to rely on an online forum that tells you what "Florida allows."

The preemption has edges. The state also keeps the regulation of public lodging establishments for itself, covering sanitation and inspections. The same statute says local governments may still inspect public lodging for the Florida Building Code and the Florida Fire Prevention Code. So the city is not powerless over a rental. It is limited in what it can say about how long and how often.

Now the label. The statutes define a vacation rental as any unit or group of units in a condominium or cooperative, or any individually or collectively owned single-family, two-family, three-family or four-family house or dwelling unit, that is also a transient public lodging establishment and is not a timeshare. Transient occupancy means occupancy that is temporary. It includes a stay at a vacation rental unless the written rental or lease agreement expressly states that the unit is the guest's sole residence. The label comes from how the property is used, not from what the listing calls it.

The license follows the label. Each public lodging establishment must obtain a license from the state's Division of Hotels and Restaurants. The license may not be transferred from one place or individual to another. Operating without one is a second-degree misdemeanor. For a buyer, the non-transfer rule is the part to underline. A seller's license does not come with the house. If the listing says "licensed vacation rental," you will apply for your own, and you should confirm the seller's status first. The division keeps a searchable online database of licensed vacation rentals by address that refreshes daily. Look up the address before you tour, and look it up again before you close.

Two taxes and the paperwork that comes with them

Rental income brings two tax questions that have nothing to do with zoning. They matter because both can attach to the person who owns the property on the day a guest pays.

The first is the state's transient rentals tax. Chapter 212 treats renting living quarters in a hotel, apartment house, condominium and similar accommodations as a taxable privilege. It exempts the rental of facilities intended primarily as a principal or permanent place of residence, and it says a facility that primarily serves transient guests does not get that exemption. We are not quoting a rate, because the rate belongs to the Department of Revenue and changes with local add-ons. Ask your accountant, and ask for the registration steps in writing.

The second is Volusia County's Tourist and Convention Development Tax, a local option transient rental tax the county collects. The county's page says every person who rents, leases or lets any living quarters for a term of 6 months or less is exercising a taxable privilege. It lists a bed, room, apartment, house and condo among the examples. Whoever collects the rent is responsible for collecting and remitting the tax. You register through the county's treasury office, which lists an email address and the phone number 386-943-7085.

Read the county's own caution before you treat registration as a green light. The page states that registration and payment of taxes does not guarantee compliance with other state and local laws, and it tells the reader to contact the city and county zoning departments. A tax account proves you are paying tax. It does not prove the city agrees you may rent.

Association rules often decide the question first

Port Orange has homes inside homeowners associations and units inside condominiums. In both cases the governing documents may restrict renting even where the city says nothing. Read them before you spend time on anything else.

For homeowners associations, section 720.306 sets how rental restrictions can be added. A governing document or amendment enacted after July 1, 2021 that prohibits or regulates rental agreements applies only to a parcel owner who acquires title after it takes effect, or one who consents to it. There is a separate path that applies to everyone. An association may amend its documents to prohibit or regulate rental agreements for a term of less than 6 months, and to prohibit the rental of a parcel more than three times in a calendar year, and those amendments apply to all parcel owners. The practical meaning is this: even a community that allowed weekly rentals when the seller bought can change that, and you would be bound by it.

For condominiums, section 718.110 is narrower. An amendment that prohibits unit owners from renting, alters the rental term or limits the number of rentals applies only to unit owners who consent and to owners who acquire title after the amendment's effective date. If you are buying, an amendment that already exists binds you. You can read it before you sign, and you should.

See our guide to HOAs and CDDs in new Port Orange subdivisions and townhomes and villas in Port Orange.

Then there is the paper that gives you a right. Where a homeowners association governs the parcel, Florida requires the seller to hand you a disclosure summary before you sign the contract. If it was not provided before you executed the contract, the contract is voidable by written notice within 3 days after you receive the summary, or before closing, whichever comes first. A purported waiver of that right has no effect, and the right ends at closing. This section does not cover associations regulated under the condominium, cooperative, timeshare or mobile home chapters, which have their own disclosure rules. Use the summary to find the rental language, then read the full declaration, because the summary is only a summary.

What to ask for before you make an offer

Rental rules in Port Orange do not live in one place, so a checklist works better than a verdict. Do these in order and keep every answer in writing.

First, get the parcel's zoning district from the city and ask in an email how the city classifies renting the property to guests for short stays. Mention the district by name. If the answer is "we have no short-term rental category," ask what the city would treat the use as, and ask whether the home-based business section or the business tax receipt applies to it. A reply that says only "call the state" is an answer too, but get it on paper.

Second, check the state database for the address and ask the seller whether a current state license exists. Remember it cannot transfer, so the point is to learn the property's history, not to inherit a document.

Third, ask for the association's declaration, rules and every recorded amendment about leasing, and read the rental language yourself. Look for minimum lease terms and a cap on how many times a year a parcel can be rented. Ask about pending proposals, because the HOA statute allows an association to adopt the less-than-6-months limit and the three-rentals limit for all owners.

Fourth, ask your accountant about the state transient rentals tax and the county tax before you count a dollar of rental income in your budget. Ask what an owner must register and when.

Fifth, price the house as if no rental income existed. If the numbers work as a plain home, the rental becomes a bonus. If the numbers only work with a full calendar, you are betting on four unconfirmed permissions. See our guides to the Port Orange property tax bill, home insurance for buyers and closing costs in Volusia County.

One more warning about timing. Zoning and association answers take days, and your inspection window is short. Ask for them in the first week under contract, and write the rental contingency into your offer with your agent, so that the answers shape the deal and not the other way around.

The bottom line

Port Orange does not have a rental code you can read in ten minutes, and that is the point. The city's written code lists hotels, motels and bed and breakfast inns in specific districts, lists single-family and multifamily dwellings in the residential ones, and does not name short-term rental anywhere we could find. Florida law limits what a city can do about how long and how often you rent. The state licenses the operation, the county taxes it, and the association can often shut it down on its own. Buy for the home, confirm the rental in writing, and treat anything verbal as a rumor. When you are ready to see what is on the market, start with Port Orange real estate and bring your questions to us.

You have the rules now. Here are the questions that come up next, answered the way the sources state them.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide covers what the code says, what the state says on top of it, and what to ask for during your contract period. It is not legal advice, and the details can change by ordinance. For the broader picture of the town, start with our guide to living in Ponce Inlet.

What the town code says about renting a dwelling

Start with the basic permission rule. Section 3.18.2 of the Ponce Inlet Land Use and Development Code says that rental of a dwelling is prohibited unless the owner holds a rental permit and fully satisfies every other requirement of the code. The rule is not limited to vacation stays, because the application rules name long-term rentals too.

The definition is wider than most owners expect. The code says renting includes arranging, contracting or advertising for, or making available the use of a dwelling unit for a finite period of time for any legal consideration. Read that again. Advertising is inside the definition, so the wording does not wait for a guest to arrive. The code does carve out family members, friends and house-sitters, but only if no legal consideration is paid to the owner or the usual occupant.

Now the part that matters most for a short-term plan. The town's table of permitted uses has one row for short-term rentals. It reads, in the town's own words, "Dwelling rentals - short-term occupancy allowed only for properties formerly zoned T-1 (Tourist Commercial) prior to January 7, 2004 as a legal non-conforming use." In the version of the table we read, the only permitted mark for that row sits under the MF-2 district. The detached single-family, two-family, townhouse and multi-family rows are separate lines in the same table, and none of them carries a short-term occupancy permission of its own.

Put plainly, short-term rental in Ponce Inlet is not a use that comes with a house. It comes, if at all, with a specific history. A property must have been zoned T-1 before January 7, 2004, and the short-term use must be a legal nonconforming use. If a seller tells you the home "can be an Airbnb," the right reply is polite and short. Which section of the code says so, and which permit proves it?

What counts as short term

The code draws the line in its application rules. Short-term rentals are those renting for less than four consecutive weeks. A rental of three weeks is short term under the town's wording. The application rules and the county tax rules draw a second line at six months, which we come to below. Two different dividing lines can apply to one rental, so ask which one a person means before you accept a claim about what is allowed.

The permit itself

The permit process is simple on paper. The owner files an application with the town's director before the rental starts. Within five business days the director issues the permit, returns the application as incomplete, or denies it if it does not comply with the code. The application asks for the street address, the name and contact details of every person or entity with an ownership interest, the gross square footage, the number of rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and on-site parking spaces attributable to the rental, and the property manager's contact information if there is one. An owner or authorized agent must sign it.

Short-term rentals carry two more requirements. One is a current, approved inspection report from the fire marshal under Chapter 69A-43 of the Uniform Fire Safety Standards for Transient Public Lodging Establishments, Timeshares and Timeshare Unit Facilities. The other, for short-term rentals and for long-term rentals of six months or less, is a valid Florida Department of Revenue sales tax identification number under Chapter 212 and a valid license under Chapter 509 of the Florida Statutes. The town amended this application section on September 18, 2025, by Ordinance 2025-06. The same ordinance repealed two older sections, one on general regulations and one on annual reporting that had been adopted in November 2024. So an old article or a seller's memory of the rules may describe a version that no longer exists.

The permit is annual. Holders who keep renting must file a renewal application with all the original information and pay the fee by October 1 each year, or face a late fee. The fee amounts are set by town council resolution, and we did not pull the current schedule, so ask the town for it in writing. Violations are punishable by a fine per day, per unit and per violation under Chapter 162 of the Florida Statutes, and the town council can revoke a permit for cause after notice and a chance to be heard.

Legal nonconforming use, and why it can disappear

The town's table ties short-term occupancy to a legal nonconforming use, so it helps to know how those rules work. The code defines a legal nonconforming use as one that lawfully existed when the code or an amendment took effect but is not permitted by the current code. That use may continue. It may even resume after destruction. It also has limits. It cannot be enlarged to occupy a greater area. It cannot be moved to another part of the lot. And no new structure connected to the use can be built, which the code says includes anything attached by a breezeway or similar structure or accessory to the use.

Here is a scenario that shows why this matters to a buyer. Say you find a duplex with a long run of vacation bookings on a listing site. The seller says the rentals are grandfathered. You plan to add a screened porch for guests and a second parking pad. The code says a nonconforming use cannot be enlarged and that no additional structure related to the use can be built. A porch for guests is the kind of addition that rule describes, so ask the town before you plan one.

Abandonment is the second risk. The code says a nonconforming use may not be re-established once it has been abandoned for six consecutive months. After that, future uses must conform to the code, and for a short-term rental that means the use is gone. Abandonment means a voluntary, intentional discontinuance, and the code lists examples. Failing to pursue or obtain the permits, licenses or approvals the use needs counts. So does failing to secure the property, failing to pay property taxes or other governmental taxes or assessments, and cutting off utility services.

The code also lists what is not abandonment. A change of ownership or a lease transfer is not, which is good news for a buyer who closes on a property that is mid-use. Acts of God, bankruptcy, probate, foreclosure and other legal proceedings are not. Government restrictions on access or use are not. Repairs and maintenance are not, and neither are temporary absences by part-time residents. Still, a sale does not carry a guarantee that the permit and the use survive. The code text we read does not say whether a rental permit passes to a new owner, so that question belongs in a written note to the town before you close, not in a phone chat the week after.

What to ask a seller for

Ask for the current rental permit and the last renewal. Ask for the fire marshal inspection report and the state license number. Ask for the zoning history that shows the parcel was zoned T-1 before January 7, 2004, and for anything the town has issued that calls the use a legal nonconforming use. A seller who has operated lawfully will have these in a folder. Whatever the seller hands you, then confirm it with the town. A copy of a permit is a starting point, not proof the permit is current.

What the state adds, and what it does not change

Florida law sits above the town code, and it has two parts that buyers mix up. The first is licensing. A vacation rental under Florida law is a unit in a condominium or cooperative, or a one-to-four-family house or dwelling unit, that is also a transient public lodging establishment and is not a timeshare. Each public lodging establishment must hold a license from the state's Division of Hotels and Restaurants. That license cannot be moved from one place or person to another, and operating without one is a second-degree misdemeanor. The division keeps a public database of licensed vacation rentals by address that refreshes daily, so you can look up a property yourself in a few clicks.

The license does not give anyone zoning permission. The town's code treats the state license as one item on its application, next to the fire inspection and the sales tax number, and not as a substitute for the permit. Volusia County says the same thing about its rental tax. Anyone renting a bed, room, apartment, house or condo for six months or less must collect and remit the county's tourist and convention development tax. The county adds that registering and paying the tax does not guarantee compliance with other state and local laws, and tells owners to contact their city and county zoning departments. A tax account proves someone is paying tax. It does not prove the rental is allowed.

The second part is preemption, and this is where honest caution matters. Section 509.032(7)(b) of the Florida Statutes says a local law, ordinance or regulation may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate their duration or frequency. The next sentence says that paragraph does not apply to any local law, ordinance or regulation adopted on or before June 1, 2011. Whether a particular Ponce Inlet restriction falls inside that exception is a legal question. The table language refers to a date in 2004, which points toward an older rule, but we did not find a source that settles how the exception applies to the town's current code. Do not decide this for yourself from a blog. If your offer depends on the answer, pay a Florida real estate attorney to read the ordinance history and give you a written opinion.

One more state point deserves a line. The state preempts the regulation of public lodging establishments, but it does not stop a local government from inspecting them for compliance with the Florida Building Code and the Florida Fire Prevention Code.

Condos, HOAs and the paperwork that comes with the deed

Even if the town allows a rental, a private document can say no. The code itself says its home-business rules do not override the dwelling rental rules, the state's rules on transient lodging, or any condominium declaration, cooperative document or homeowners' association declaration. In other words, an association's rules stack on top of the town's.

Florida law limits how much a rental restriction can reach back. For a homeowners' association, a governing document or amendment enacted after July 1, 2021 that prohibits or regulates rentals applies only to owners who acquire title after it takes effect, or who consent. There is an exception. An association may amend its documents to prohibit or regulate rentals for a term of less than six months, and to prohibit renting a parcel more than three times in a calendar year, and those amendments apply to all owners. For condominiums, an amendment that prohibits rentals, changes the rental term or limits how often a unit can be rented applies only to owners who consent and to owners who acquire title after the amendment takes effect.

The practical reading is simple. If you are the buyer, you are the person who acquires title after the amendment. A rule that could not touch the seller may bind you. Ask for the declaration and every amendment, and read the rental section first. Then ask the board in writing whether any amendment about rental terms is pending. For condominiums, our guide to buying a condo under Florida's new condo laws covers the other documents worth reading.

If the home sits in an association governed by Chapter 720, you are also entitled to a disclosure summary before you sign the contract. Florida law lets you cancel the contract by written notice within three days after you receive that summary, or before closing, whichever comes first, and the right cannot be waived. Use that window to read the covenants for rental limits. Do not spend it on the furniture.

Money questions a rental plan creates

A rental plan changes the cost side of a purchase, and nobody should guess at those numbers. Ask your lender and your insurance agent whether a rental plan changes your loan terms or your coverage, and get the answers in writing before you commit. We keep two guides that help, one on Florida home insurance for buyers and one on Ponce Inlet flood zones and flood insurance. For what you will pay at the table, see closing costs in Florida.

This guide quotes no rental income, because no source we checked today states one for Ponce Inlet. Any figure you hear should come with a document behind it, such as permit-period booking records or state tax filings, and you should treat income claims from a listing as a seller's statement.

Your short-term rental check before you make an offer

Take the steps in order, because each answer changes the next question. First, decide whether you need the rental at all. If the purchase only works with a short-term rental, make the offer contingent on written confirmation from the town. Second, get the parcel's zoning history and ask whether it qualifies under the T-1 exception in the table of permitted uses. Third, ask for the rental permit, the last renewal, the fire marshal report, the state license and the county tax registration. Fourth, look the address up in the state's public vacation rental database and compare it with the paperwork.

Fifth, if the property is in an association, read the declaration and every amendment, and ask about pending changes. Sixth, ask the town in writing whether the permit and the nonconforming use continue after a sale, and what happens if the home sits unrented for a stretch. Seventh, if the 2011 preemption date matters to your plan, hire an attorney. Keep every answer in your buying file. A verbal yes from a seller or a neighbor is not worth the paper you did not write it on.

If the answers say a short-term rental is not available, you still have a good use for the house. A long-term rental needs the same town permit, and the application is simpler because the fire marshal inspection is only required for short stays. Living in the home yourself is not a rental under the code's definition. The point of this checklist is to find out which of those three you can really do, before the contract binds you.

The bottom line

In Ponce Inlet, rental is prohibited without a town permit, and short-term occupancy is allowed only for properties that were zoned T-1 before January 7, 2004 and run as a legal nonconforming use. The use can end after six months of abandonment, it cannot grow, and an association or condo document can add its own limits. Ask for the permit, the fire report, the state license and the zoning history, then confirm all of it with the town in writing. When you are ready to compare houses with those rules in hand, browse the current Ponce Inlet real estate listings and talk to us about the ones that fit your plan.

The rules above leave a few practical questions that come up at the contract stage. These are the ones worth settling before you sign.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything here comes from documents the City of Palm Coast posts, the Flagler County Tax Collector, the Florida Statutes and the state's lodging agency. We name the source where it matters. One caution up front. The city adopted its rules in January 2025, and rules like these get amended. We read the adopted ordinance and the fee resolution, not the codified version in the city's online code, so confirm the current text and the current fee with the city before you rely on any number or deadline. For the wider picture of the city itself, our guide on whether Palm Coast is a good place to live is the place to start.

What the city's rule actually says

The rule is Ordinance 2025-01. The city council approved it on first reading on December 17, 2024 and adopted it on second reading on January 7, 2025. It adds a new Article V, "Short Term Vacation Rentals," to Chapter 17 of the city's code. The registration requirement took effect on March 3, 2025, and the city's own announcement on March 6, 2025 said the requirements were in effect.

The definition does a lot of work, so read it closely. A short-term vacation rental is a single-family, two-family or multi-family dwelling that is rented to guests more than three times in a calendar year for periods shorter than thirty days or one calendar month, whichever is less. The ordinance also reaches a home that is "advertised or held out to the public as a place regularly rented to guests." So the line is not a rental season or a number of weeks. A house rented four times in a year for stays under a month qualifies. A house rented three times or fewer a year falls outside the definition only if it is also not advertised or held out as a place regularly rented to guests. A listing on a booking site is enough to bring it in even before the first guest arrives.

The next sentence is the one most buyers want. Section 17-68 says short-term vacation rentals "shall be permitted in all residential zoning districts" provided they comply with the article. The city chose registration and standards, and the ordinance explains the legal reason in its own recitals. It cites section 509.032(7) of the Florida Statutes, which says a local government may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate how long or how often they are rented. Palm Coast says directly that its rules "do not regulate duration or frequency of rentals." The statute carries one exception for local laws adopted on or before June 1, 2011, and a rule adopted in 2025 does not fall under it.

Here is what that means in practice. The city cannot tell you that you may only rent for a month at a time, and it cannot cap your number of rental nights. What it can do is require registration, safety equipment, parking limits, trash rules, a responsible person on call and a cap on how many people sleep in the house. Each of those has a cost, and the costs fall on whoever owns the house on the day the rule is enforced.

The ordinance also carves out one group. It says the section does not apply to a multi-family residential building, or a group of them, that is governed by or subject to a property owner's association, a condominium association or a homeowners association, or that has on-site property management. The text is awkward. The same definition names multi-family dwellings as covered, and then excludes association-governed ones, and the document has typos in that passage. If you are looking at a condo or townhome and the agent says the city rules do not apply, do not leave it there. Ask the city's Business Tax Office in writing whether that exact building is covered, and keep the reply with your contract file. The association's own documents, covered below, will probably decide the matter anyway.

The paperwork, the yearly bill and what happens when the house sells

A registered short-term rental in Palm Coast is really four registrations stacked together. The city's announcement lists what an owner must have in hand before filing: a sample lease that meets the ordinance, a named responsible party, business tax receipts from both the city and Flagler County, the state revenue department's certificate of registration for tourist taxes, a state lodging license, a signed affidavit, and proof that the advertising complies. The city's own page adds that a business tax receipt is needed for each rental property.

Take the state license first. Florida treats a vacation rental as a public lodging establishment, and section 509.241 requires every such establishment to hold a license from the state. The statute says the license may not be transferred from one place or individual to another, and operating without one is a second-degree misdemeanor. That sentence matters to a buyer more than any other in this section. A license held by the seller does not come with the house. You apply for your own. Likewise, the city's fee schedule has a line for a change or transfer of ownership of a short-term rental property, which means a sale triggers a new registration and a new fee rather than a quiet handover. The state keeps a searchable list of licensed vacation rentals by address, refreshed daily, so you can check whether the house you want is licensed today. A listing that says the house "has been operating as a rental" is a claim you can test in a few minutes.

Now the money. Resolution 2025-05, adopted the same day as the ordinance, sets the annual short-term rental registration at three hundred seventy-five dollars plus a seventy-five dollar annual inspection, for four hundred fifty dollars a year. A change of ownership carries the same combined amount. Changing the responsible party costs thirty-five dollars. The resolution also says the fees follow the annual Consumer Price Index, so the figure will not stay still. Treat those numbers as the cost when the resolution passed and ask the city what it charges now. A registration lasts twelve months from the date it was first issued, and renewal and the fee are due on or before the day it expires.

The ordinance builds in two traps for owners who are not paying attention. The first is that if you want to add sleeping rooms or raise the maximum occupancy during the year, you file a new application with all the paperwork again. The second is that the city looks at the property's violation history when you renew. If a violation, fine or lien is outstanding, the city will not renew the registration until it is cleared. Read that against the fact that a buyer inherits a house, not a clean slate. Before closing, ask the seller for any open notices, and ask the city's code compliance division whether the address has a pending case. For closing costs, see our look at closing costs in Florida. An open code case is worth asking about separately.

Then there is the tax side, which is separate from the city and easy to forget. Flagler County collects its tourist development tax through the Tax Collector. The county page states the rate as 5 percent of the gross monthly revenue and applies it to single-family and multifamily dwellings, condominiums and similar accommodations rented for six months or less. Cleaning fees, pet fees and traveler service fees are taxable, while damage deposits and optional travel insurance are not. Returns are due the first of the month after the reporting period and become delinquent after the twentieth. The delinquency penalty is 10 percent of the tax for each month or part of a month, with a fifty dollar minimum and a cap at half the tax due. The Tax Collector also states plainly that it has no agreement with online booking platforms and that the platforms do not send it the tourist tax, so remitting is the owner's job. Every rental property also needs a local business tax, however long the stays are. The state adds its own sales tax on transient rentals under section 212.03, and the county page adds a state sales tax of seven percent to the picture, so confirm the combined rate with the Department of Revenue before you build a budget.

The house rules that decide your income

Registration gets you the right to operate. The standards in Section 17-71 decide how much the house can earn, and they are specific enough to run the numbers before you offer.

Start with occupancy. The ordinance allows two transient occupants per sleeping room or habitable space, with a maximum of ten per rental. Children three years old or younger do not count. The ten applies even to a large house. A six-bedroom home does not sleep twelve, and the listing cannot say it does, because the ordinance requires advertising to match the approved certificate, especially the maximum occupancy.

The word "sleeping room" is defined, and the definition is stricter than the way a listing describes bedrooms. To count, a room must be on an exterior wall, have a closet and a door or a spot where a door could reasonably be installed, and have an emergency escape and rescue opening to the outside under the Florida Building Code. A room used to reach another room does not count unless that room is a bathroom or closet. Dens, media rooms, sunrooms, garages and similar spaces are excluded by name. So the "fifth bedroom" that is really a bonus room may not count toward your cap, and a bedroom with a window that does not meet the escape standard may not count either. A home inspector can tell you about the windows, and the city can tell you what it will accept. If the cap is the basis of your income estimate, find out before you commit.

The safety package comes next, and a buyer should price it. The ordinance requires a pool, spa or hot tub that meets the current building code, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to the code's residential standard, a portable fire extinguisher rated 2A:10B:C on each level of the house, mounted on a wall in an open living space or in an enclosed space with a visible marking, and battery-powered emergency lighting that works for at least ninety minutes after a power loss. None of that is exotic, but each item has a price, and you should know the total before you offer. See our guides on pool home inspections in Palm Coast and on flood zones before an offer.

Parking is where a lot's shape matters. Every vehicle tied to the rental must park in the driveway. The sidewalk may not be blocked, and parking in the street, the swale or the right of way is prohibited. The lease must list each guest's license plate numbers, and the total cannot exceed the number of on-site spaces on the certificate. Recreational vehicles, boats and trailers may not sit in front of the house except for temporary loading, unloading and cleaning. A short driveway is therefore a real limit on how many cars a group can bring, and a home whose appeal is "room for the boat" cannot offer that to guests in front of the house. The city's flyer for guests adds that parking in the swale is off limits from one to six in the morning, and that quiet hours run from ten at night to seven in the morning.

Trash has its own paragraph. Containers must be covered and there must be at least one for each four occupants or fraction of four. Cans go to the curb no earlier than six in the evening on the night before pickup and come in by six the next morning after pickup. The pickup schedule has to appear in the rental agreement. The house also needs a one-page posting by the main door or on the refrigerator with the owner or manager's contact information, the maximum occupancy, the vehicle limit, an evacuation route map, the location of the nearest hospital, quiet hours, trash days, canal boating rules and the leash rule. If the house sits on a canal, that last posting item is not a formality. The city's guest flyer says boats in the canals must run at slow speed with a minimum wake.

Last on the list is the screening step. The affidavit and Section 17-73 require the responsible party to obtain confirmation of a nationwide background search on the person renting, and the renter certifies that no guest is a registered sex offender. The ordinance says a vacation rental platform such as Airbnb or Vrbo can run that check. For you, it is one more line in the process that has to be documented and kept.

The person on call, and what happens when something goes wrong

Each rental needs a responsible party, and the job is demanding. That person has to answer a phone at all hours every day of the week, reach the house within two hours when the occupant, the owner or the city calls, accept legal notices for the owner and check the property at least once a week. The owner can do it. Anyone eighteen or older can be named instead, and the ordinance allows no more than three responsible parties at once. Naming a manager does not take you off the hook, because the ordinance says the owner stays responsible for all state and local rules, and the designated person can be cited on the same terms.

That duty changes who should buy a rental in Palm Coast and from where. An owner who lives out of state needs a local manager who will really drive to the house in two hours at three in the morning. The management fee is a real cost that belongs in your estimate, and the ordinance also requires a weekly check even when nothing is wrong. Anyone who plans to run it from a phone alone should ask a few local managers what they charge and how they would meet the two-hour rule before offering.

Enforcement is built to start gently. Under Section 17-75 a first-time violation gets a warning with a correction period. A warning may also be shared with the state lodging agency, the revenue department, the Flagler County Tax Collector and the Flagler County Property Appraiser. If the problem is not fixed in the time given, the city issues a citation. After that, the case goes to the code enforcement board under Chapter 162 of the Florida Statutes, and the ordinance leaves open injunctions, liens and other civil and criminal penalties. State law sets the baseline for fines in that board process. Section 162.09 caps a fine at two hundred fifty dollars a day for a first violation and five hundred dollars a day for a repeat, with a ceiling of five thousand dollars per violation if the board finds it irreparable or irreversible. The statute lets a larger city adopt higher limits by ordinance, and we did not find whether Palm Coast has done so. The city's March 2025 announcement says failing to register can lead to a notice of violation and a hearing before the code board.

The layer above the city: HOAs, condos and your contract

A city may allow a rental and an association may still bar it. The city's ordinance says outright that its rules supplement, and do not replace, any other controls in a neighborhood served by a homeowners association. So the second document to read, after the ordinance, is the governing documents of the association for the house you want.

Florida law limits how an association can change those rules after you buy. For a homeowners association, section 720.306(1)(h) says a governing document or amendment enacted after July 1, 2021 that prohibits or regulates rental agreements applies only to owners who buy after it takes effect or who consent to it. There is a major exception. An association may amend its documents to prohibit or regulate rentals of less than six months and may prohibit renting a parcel more than three times in a calendar year, and those changes bind all owners, including the ones already there. That is the exception that reaches short-term rentals. If you are buying into an association, the safe assumption is that it can restrict short stays, and the only question is whether it already has. For condominiums, section 718.110(13) works the other way around for a rental ban. An amendment that prohibits rentals, changes the rental term or limits the number of rentals binds only owners who consent and owners who buy after the amendment takes effect. Read the declaration and every recorded amendment. For the building itself, see our guide on buying a condo under Florida's new condo laws.

Two statutes protect a buyer in an association neighborhood. Under section 720.401, a seller must give you the association disclosure summary before you sign. If it is not provided in time, you can cancel the contract by written notice within three days after you receive it or before closing, whichever comes first, and you cannot waive that right in advance. Under section 720.30851, the association must issue an estoppel certificate within ten business days of a written or electronic request. It states what the owner owes. Neither document will tell you whether short stays are allowed, so ask for the rules and the recorded amendments by name and read the rental section yourself.

One more document belongs in the file, and it is a letter. Whatever the ordinance and the association say, put your plan in a written question to the city's Business Tax Office and the association manager, naming the address, the registration you intend to apply for and the occupancy you plan to advertise. Keep their replies. If the answer comes back different from the listing, you still have time under your inspection or due diligence period to walk away.

A last practical point is the insurance. Tell your agent the house will be rented by the week and ask for that quote before you are under contract. See our guide to Florida home insurance for buyers. The yearly tax bill belongs in the same estimate. See our Palm Coast property tax bill, line by line.

Bottom line

Palm Coast lets owners rent by the week or the night in residential districts, but it asks for a yearly registration, a state license that does not transfer, a county tax account, an on-call responsible party and a house that passes a safety list with a hard cap of ten guests. A rental plan that works on paper at ten guests and four cars can fail at six sleeping rooms that do not count and a driveway that holds two. Before you make an offer on any Palm Coast real estate you are counting on for rental income, pull the state's license record, ask the city and the association in writing, count the rooms that qualify as sleeping rooms, and price the fees, the manager and the tax. If the numbers hold, you have a rental. If they do not, you still have a house, and that is a fine thing to own.

Questions come up as soon as a buyer starts reading the ordinance. Here are the ones that matter most before you put an offer in.

Frequently Asked Questions

The short version has four parts. The city code names the districts where a rental under 30 days is allowed. The city requires a business tax receipt for every rental, short or long. The State of Florida requires its own lodging license. And a condominium or homeowners association can add rules of its own. Each part works independently, and a yes from one of them says nothing about the others.

What the city code says, and why one side of a street can differ from the other

Section 504.01 of the city's Land Development Regulations, paragraph N, is the rule. It says a short term rental of a dwelling unit, meaning a rental of fewer than 30 days, is permitted only in designated areas and zoning districts. East of the Intracoastal Waterway, the districts are R-3A east of Atlantic Avenue, R-4, R-5, R-6, B-4, M-U and BBH. East of the Intracoastal and south of Third Avenue, the code adds R-2A. West of the Intracoastal Waterway, the list shrinks to two districts, M-U and BBH. Every other district is simply not on the list.

Read that again with a map in mind. The mainland is mostly absent. A buyer looking at a house west of the waterway in an ordinary residential district is looking at a house that, under this paragraph, cannot be rented by the week. The beachside has more room, but even there the list is specific. The R-3A district counts only east of Atlantic Avenue. R-2A counts only south of Third Avenue. A code letter on a listing sheet is not enough. The location inside the district matters too.

The best way to see how this plays out is a rezoning request the city handled in 2023. Twelve houses on the east side of North Atlantic Avenue, between Crawford Road and Sapphire Road, were zoned R-3, which is a single family and two family district. Their owners asked to move to R-3A. The city's planning staff wrote that the two districts allow the same uses and differ mainly in setbacks. Then the staff report said the one difference that mattered to this request: the properties, if their owners chose, could rent the houses as short term rentals as part of the zoning change. In other words, the rental right came from the zoning letter and nothing else. Same stretch of road. Different letter, different answer.

The same report explains where the rule came from. In 2006 the City Commission asked staff to look at incompatible development on the beachside. On June 20, 2007 the Commission approved three proposals that moved vacant lots and sites with single family or two family dwellings from R-6 to R-3A, between East 8th Avenue and East 30th Avenue. The idea was to reduce the clash between high-rise buildings and the low houses beside them. The staff report says that under ordinance 66-07, the R-3A properties east of Atlantic Avenue were included in the short term rental district. So the rule is not a recent invention. It is written into the layout of the beachside, and it has been there since 2007.

What happened to the 2023 request is worth reporting accurately. The Planning and Zoning Board voted on January 9, 2023, and the motion to recommend approval failed, one vote for and four against. Planning staff recommended that the City Commission approve it anyway. We could not find how the Commission ruled, so we do not say. What the report does record is useful to any buyer on the beachside. Staff were asked whether a rezoning on the west side of Atlantic Avenue could lead to rentals there. The answer was that the rental option would not be allowed, because the ordinance applies R-3A only east of the avenue. Staff were also asked whether other beach properties north of the North Beach Community Park could follow. Those parcels are zoned R-1, and staff said they would not support a future application to bring them in.

Two more lines of the code matter before you move on. First, paragraph S of the same section says advertising for any use that is not permitted in a zoning district is strictly prohibited. That sentence gives the city a reason to act on a listing itself, apart from any rental that has actually happened. If a house is not in a district on the list, a vacation listing for it is a problem on its own. Second, the city's home based business section, 801.06, does not offer a back door. It says the section does not supersede restrictions on transient public lodging such as hotels, bed and breakfasts and short term rentals that are not preempted by state law. A buyer cannot treat a rental like a home office and skip the district list.

The state preemption question, and the licenses that follow

Florida limits what a city can do about vacation rentals, and online debates about that limit are where most of the confusion starts. Section 509.032(7)(b) of the Florida Statutes says a local law may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate their duration or frequency. The very next sentence says the paragraph does not apply to any local law, ordinance or regulation adopted on or before June 1, 2011. New Smyrna Beach's rental district was brought into the city's rules by ordinance 66-07 in 2007, according to the city's own staff report, and that is earlier than the June 1, 2011 date. We are not giving a legal opinion on how those two dates fit together. We are giving you both dates, sourced, so that you and an attorney can have the conversation if a purchase depends on it. The practical point for a buyer is simpler. Do not plan a mortgage around winning an argument with the city.

The license side is more routine, and it comes after the zoning is settled. The city's process, as the local tourism site publishes it, starts with verifying the zoning and location. Then the owner submits a business license tax receipt application to the building department. The building department and a zoning technician approve it. The department calls to schedule an inspection. If the house passes, it receives a Certificate of Use, and the owner then goes to the finance department at 210 Sams Avenue to find out the amount due and collect the receipt. If it fails, the owner fixes what the inspector flagged and schedules a reinspection, and the page notes that reinspection fees apply. The receipt renews every year, with the year running from October 1 to September 30. The building department's number on the page is (386) 410-2860.

The paperwork list is longer than most buyers expect. The city asks for the completed application, proof of the state license, proof of a contract between the owner and a licensed agent if one is used, proof of corporate or fictitious name registration if it applies, a federal tax ID number or Social Security number, a collective registration or retail sales certificate from the Department of Revenue, and a general liability certificate. One line on the page is easy to miss. Long term rentals need the local receipt too. Renting a house to one tenant for a year still means you register it with the city.

The state license is a separate track. Under section 509.242, a vacation rental is a unit in a condominium or cooperative, or a one-to-four family house or dwelling unit, that is also a transient public lodging establishment and is not a timeshare. Section 509.241 requires each public lodging establishment to hold a license from the state's Division of Hotels and Restaurants. The license cannot be moved from one place or person to another, which matters at closing. Operating without one is a second-degree misdemeanor. Section 509.261 lets the division fine an establishment up to one thousand dollars per offense for operating without a license, and it can count each day as a separate offense for a critical rule violation. Section 509.271 adds the piece that ties the two tracks together. A city or county may not issue an occupational license to a lodging business until the state license has been obtained.

The division keeps a public, searchable database of licensed vacation rentals by address, and the division says it refreshes daily. This is the quickest check in the whole process. Type the address of the house you want. A license on file tells you someone has registered the address with the state. It does not tell you the zoning allows the use.

Then there is tax. Volusia County collects a tourist and convention development tax on any rental of living quarters for six months or less. The county's own page says that if you rent a bed, room, apartment, house or condo for six months or less, you are responsible for collecting and remitting it. The same page says plainly that registering and paying does not guarantee compliance with other state and local laws, and it tells owners to contact their city and county zoning departments. Read that as a warning. Registration with the tax office is not a zoning approval. Our New Smyrna Beach property tax bill guide covers the ordinary property tax, which is a separate bill from any rental tax.

The rulebook inside the building or neighborhood

Zoning and licenses can both be clear and a rental can still be impossible, because a condominium declaration or a homeowners association can say no. Florida law limits how those rules can change, and the limits help buyers who read ahead.

For a condominium, section 718.110(13) says an amendment that prohibits unit owners from renting, changes the rental term or limits how many times a unit can be rented applies only to owners who consent and to owners who acquire title after the amendment takes effect. For a homeowners association, section 720.306(1)(h) works the same way for documents enacted after July 1, 2021, with one exception that matters. An association may amend its documents to prohibit or regulate rental agreements shorter than six months and to bar renting a parcel more than three times in a calendar year, and those amendments apply to all owners. So a rule that did not exist when the seller bought can still bind you. And a rule that does exist today may be older than you think.

Here is a scenario that shows how the layers fit. Suppose you find a condominium on the beachside in a district on the city's list. The city says yes. The building's declaration, though, sets a minimum lease of thirty days and caps the number of rentals per year. Your plan of renting by the week is dead, and no city official, tax office or state license changes that. The reverse is also true. A condominium whose documents are silent on short rentals might sit in a district that is not on the list, and then the city says no. You need a yes from every layer, not from the friendliest one.

When the property is in a homeowners association, section 720.401 gives you a built-in safety valve. The seller must present a disclosure summary before you sign the contract. If it was not provided, the contract is voidable by written notice within three days after you receive the summary, or before closing, whichever comes first, and the statute says any waiver of that right has no effect. The right ends at closing. That is a short window, so ask for the summary and the governing documents early. Our condo buying guide explains the other condo laws a buyer should know.

How to check an address before you offer

You can sort most addresses into yes, no or ask a lawyer in an afternoon, and the order below saves you from paying for steps you do not need. Start with the parcel itself. Confirm that the address is inside the City of New Smyrna Beach and not in unincorporated Volusia County. The county says on its tax page that you should contact both your city and your county zoning departments. If the address is outside the city limits, the county's rules apply and the city's list does not.

Get the zoning district for that exact parcel from the city's zoning department, and ask for it in writing. Compare it with the list in paragraph N. If the parcel is west of the waterway and is not M-U or BBH, you have your answer. If it is east of the waterway, check the details. R-3A has to be east of Atlantic Avenue. R-2A has to be south of Third Avenue. R-4, R-5, R-6, B-4, M-U and BBH are on the list without a street condition. Then ask the city, by email, whether a rental under 30 days is permitted at that parcel, and keep the reply. A listing line saying the home has rental potential is a sales phrase. It is not a permission.

Next, search the state's vacation rental database for the address, and search the major booking sites for it. An active listing at an address that is not in a permitted district is the exact thing that paragraph S makes a problem. Ask the seller to remove the listing before closing, and put that in the contract. Ask as well whether the city business tax receipt and state license are current. The state license cannot be transferred, and for the city receipt, ask the city in writing whether it carries over, because the page we read does not say.

Then read the association documents if there are any. Look for a minimum lease length, a cap on leases per year, a tenant approval step, and any amendment passed after July 1, 2021. Ask for the estoppel certificate and the recent meeting minutes as well.

Finally, write the contract to protect you. Ask your agent to set an inspection or due diligence period long enough to receive the city's written answer, the state database result and the association's documents. If any of them comes back no, you can walk away within that period. After closing, you own the house either way. The only open question is whether you can use it the way you paid for it. Flood rules and cost matter to a beachside buyer too, so read our New Smyrna Beach flood zone guide before you finalize a plan, and our home insurance guide for the basics of what a policy requires. We did not find a source we can cite on how a rental changes a policy, so ask your insurance agent before you offer.

A long term rental is a simpler question. The city's receipt requirement still applies, and so does the association's lease rule, but the thirty-day zoning rule in paragraph N stops being the gate. A buyer who walks in wanting weekly stays and ends up with a lease of thirty days or more has made a reasonable choice if the numbers work. Run the numbers with a lender and an accountant, because we do not publish rental income figures for any address. The closing side of a purchase has its own list of costs, and our closing costs guide walks through them.

Bottom line

New Smyrna Beach is not a place where every beach house can be rented by the week, and the city's code says so in plain words. Rentals under 30 days are allowed only in the districts named in section 504.01, and the list leans heavily to the beachside, with only two districts west of the Intracoastal Waterway. Before you make an offer on any New Smyrna Beach real estate that you are counting on for rental income, get the parcel's zoning district in writing, check the state license database, read the association documents, and give yourself a due diligence period long enough to hear back from all of them. If every answer is yes, you have a rental. If one is no, you have a home, and that is still a good thing to own.

A few specific questions are worth settling before you commit to a purchase here. These cover the ones that decide whether a rental plan holds up.

Frequently Asked Questions

This is a local guide. Wilbur-by-the-Sea is an unincorporated community, so there is no city hall to call. The county is the office that answers for it, and the state and federal rules ride on top of that. Our general buyer's guide to Wilbur-by-the-Sea covers the community itself. A separate guide sets the oceanfront side against the river side and the state beach rules that apply to one edge only. Here we stay on a single question. How do you find out the flood zone and the flood insurance rules for the house in front of you?

Where to look up one address

Start with the two public tools that Volusia County itself points to. The first is the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, an address search that returns the zone and can produce a printable map called a FIRMette. The second is the county's own flood map viewer. You type the street address into the search bar, add the city and the state, and the map zooms to the parcel. The county's lookup page says the tool shows whether the address is inside a Special Flood Hazard Area, which FEMA zone applies, and the map panel and elevation layers behind it. Use both. Save a copy of what each one shows on the day you look, because maps get revised and a dated copy is the only proof of what you saw.

The county adds a warning that is easy to skim past. Its flood map page says the map data is not survey accurate and that you should verify it independently. Read that as an instruction. A viewer is a screen, and a screen cannot walk the lot. When the two tools disagree, or when the answer matters to a loan, call the county.

For a property in unincorporated Volusia, the county's Building and Zoning page says its plan review staff provide flood zone information and that individual property questions go to a county email address set up for flood zone inquiries, CountyFloodZoneInquiries@volusia.gov. For the history of a place, the county's flood page sends you to Building and Code Administration at 386-626-6591. That office is the one to ask about past flooding, local drainage problems, repetitive loss areas and topography. It is also where an Elevation Certificate may be on file, which comes up again below.

The county also keeps a plain fact in front of every reader. It has no authority to assign the zones. FEMA draws them. The county's current flood risk products carry effective dates of February 19, 2014, September 29, 2017 and August 7, 2018. So if a seller or a neighbor says the county put a house in a zone, the accurate version is that FEMA's map did.

Reading the letters

The county lists the zones this way. Zones A and AE mean a 1% chance of flooding in any year, the so-called 100-year floodplain, with base flood elevations established. Zone VE means the same 1% chance with added coastal wave action. Zones AH and AO describe shallow flooding, ponding or drainage channels. Shaded Zone X is the 0.2% chance, the 500-year floodplain. Unshaded Zone X is described in the county's words as "minimal flood risk, but not zero." Zone D means the risk is undetermined because no study was done.

One phrase there trips people up. The county's flood map page explains that the 100-year flood is the elevation with a 1 percent chance of being equaled or exceeded each year. It is not a flood that arrives once every hundred years.

We are not going to tell you which zone a particular Wilbur-by-the-Sea street falls in. We did not find an official source that settles it for the whole community, and a zone belongs to a parcel, not to a neighborhood name. The lookup gives you that answer for the exact address, and it takes less time than reading our guess would.

A short example of reading the result

Say you are comparing two houses and the lookup returns AE for the first and shaded X for the second. The easy conclusion is that the second one carries no flood concern. The county's own page cuts against that. A quarter of flood claims come from outside the high-risk zones, and standard homeowners insurance does not pay for rising water at either house. So the first house probably comes with a lender requirement and an elevation question, and the second comes with an optional policy decision you should still make on purpose. Neither result lets you skip the conversation with an insurance agent.

What the zone leaves out

A zone is a label drawn from historical data and modeling. The county says outright that zone designations do not reflect changing weather or local rainfall patterns. It then lists the other things that decide how a property behaves in water. Is the home above or below the Base Flood Elevation? Is it near a river, a lake, a canal, the ocean or a wetland? Is the neighborhood in a closed basin where water has no natural outflow? Does the yard flood in an ordinary rain? Volusia County has open and closed basins, and the county says some areas are more susceptible to rainfall flooding even outside the high-risk zones.

Wilbur-by-the-Sea has water on both sides. Peninsula Drive runs along a body of water on the west and South Atlantic Avenue along the Atlantic on the east. It is also the place that drew national attention after Hurricane Nicole in 2022, when many oceanfront homes collapsed into the ocean following erosion that Hurricane Ian had caused weeks before. We mention that for one reason. Erosion and flooding are different problems with different rules. The FEMA flood map speaks to flooding. The state controls construction near the beach through a separate line, and our oceanfront and river side guide covers it. Checking one does not check the other.

Because the map cannot see your yard, use your own eyes. Visit after a hard rain if the schedule allows it. Look at where the street drains, whether the lot sits lower than the road, and whether any water marks show on a garage wall or a fence. None of that replaces the official lookup. It adds the part the lookup cannot see, and it gives you something concrete to ask the seller about.

The elevation certificate

An Elevation Certificate is a form that records a building's location, the height of its lowest floor compared with the Base Flood Elevation, and other details. The federal insurance program's agent page says an EC is not required to buy a National Flood Insurance Program policy. FEMA uses a measurement called First Floor Height as one of the factors in the rate, and an owner can hand an EC to an agent to see whether it lowers the cost. The same page says ECs can affect eligibility for Community Rating System discounts. In high-risk Zones A and V, an EC may be needed to show a property meets local floodplain rules.

The sensible first step is cheap. Ask the local floodplain office whether one is already on file. The county says an Elevation Certificate may be on file with Building and Code Administration. If none exists, the owner can hire a land surveyor, engineer or architect to complete one. One detail from the agent page matters for older homes with lower levels. A basement does not count toward First Floor Height, but it is noted on the certificate.

The EC also connects to map corrections. The agent page says an EC can support a request for a Letter of Map Amendment. Federal regulations at 44 CFR part 70 set the administrative procedure for an owner who believes a property was included in a high-risk zone by mistake, because of how the map line was transposed. The same part says the procedure does not apply when the topography has been altered since the first map showing the property in a special flood hazard area. A buyer should treat a map amendment as something to explore with a surveyor, not as a plan.

The fifty percent rule for renovations

One rule decides more renovation budgets than any zone letter. If a home sits in the regulatory floodplain, repairs or improvements that equal or exceed 50% of the home's market value must meet current Florida Building Code standards and the local floodplain ordinance. The county's floodplain page says so, and the federal definition in 44 CFR 59.1 uses the same 50 percent line for a substantial improvement.

Volusia County's Substantial Improvement Disclosure Statement adds three details that surprise owners. The 50 percent test applies to all projects over a five-year cumulative period. Costs count whether or not the work needs a permit, and the form names painting, cabinets and flooring as examples. A project over the threshold may be required to meet new construction standards for the whole structure. So a sensible buyer of an older, lower house adds up the roof, the windows and the kitchen before closing and asks the county how it would count them.

Flood insurance and your lender

The county states the starting point without hedging. Most standard homeowner's policies do not cover flooding from rising water. Florida's seller flood disclosure form opens with the same sentence. Flood coverage is a separate policy. All property owners in the county can buy flood insurance for the structure and for the contents.

Two sources of that policy exist. One is the National Flood Insurance Program. The other is a private insurer, and Florida law, section 627.715, lets authorized insurers write personal lines residential flood coverage in several forms. A standard private policy has to match a standard NFIP policy on coverage, deductibles and the way losses are adjusted. A preferred policy adds more, including coverage for additional living expenses and replacement-cost adjustment of contents. The same statute notes that flood deductibles and limits must be printed prominently on the declarations page, so look there first when you compare quotes. It also says plainly that Citizens Property Insurance Corporation may not provide insurance for the peril of flood. A buyer who has been reading about Citizens for wind coverage should know that it will not be the answer for flood. Our guide to Florida home insurance for buyers covers the wind side.

Timing is the trap. The county says flood policies take 30 days to go into effect and tells readers not to wait for a storm to buy. If you plan to close in five weeks, the flood quote belongs in the first week, not the last. The county also notes that some flood policies are transferable when a home is bought or sold. That can be worth asking about, because a seller's existing policy might carry over. Ask the agent whether a given policy can be assigned and what it would cost to keep.

Then there is the lender. Federal law, at 42 U.S.C. 4012a, directs regulated lenders not to make, increase, extend or renew a loan secured by improved real estate in an area identified as a special flood hazard area, where flood insurance is available, unless the building and its contents are covered for the term of the loan. The coverage has to equal the outstanding loan balance or the maximum amount available under the program, whichever is less. In short, a regulated lender is directed to make flood insurance a condition of a mortgage on a house in a mapped high-risk area.

The lender requirement is tied to the mapped hazard area. That is the reason a letter like AE or VE matters to a closing, and the reason an X zone does not remove the sensible case for coverage. Ask your lender in writing what it will require for the address. Do not assume.

What the seller must tell you

Florida now requires the seller to speak up. Under section 689.302, a seller of residential real property must complete and give the buyer a flood disclosure at or before the time the sales contract is signed. The form states that homeowners' insurance does not cover floods. It then asks the seller three things. Does the seller know of any flooding that damaged the property during the seller's ownership? Has the seller filed a flood damage claim with any insurer, including the National Flood Insurance Program? Has the seller received assistance for flood damage, including from FEMA?

The statute defines flooding broadly. It covers the overflow of inland or tidal waters, the unusual and rapid buildup of runoff from an established water source such as a river, stream or drainage ditch, and long periods of standing water after rain.

Treat the disclosure as a starting point. A "no" from a seller who has owned the home for two years says nothing about the decades before. The county office and the insurance agent fill that gap, and so does a neighbor you meet on the street. Ask them.

A working order for a Wilbur-by-the-Sea contract

Here is a workable order for checking an address while the contract clock runs. It is not a legal requirement. It is a way to keep the 30-day policy wait from sneaking up on you.

• Run the address in the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and the county flood map viewer, and save both results with the date.
• If the results are unclear or matter to your loan, email the county's flood zone inquiry address or call Building and Code Administration at 386-626-6591.
• Read the seller's flood disclosure when it arrives and ask about any yes answers.
• Ask the seller for any Elevation Certificate and any existing flood policy, and ask the county whether it has a certificate on file.
• Ask an insurance agent for a flood quote on that exact address, with the policy start date in writing, before the inspection period ends.
• Ask your lender in writing whether flood insurance is a condition of the loan.
• If you plan to renovate, ask the county how it would count the project against the 50 percent line over five years.

Keep the cost side in view too. Flood coverage is a recurring line in the monthly budget next to taxes and wind insurance, so look at our guides to Volusia County property taxes and closing costs in Florida before you settle on an offer.

One limit deserves to be said out loud. We are real estate agents, not insurance agents or surveyors. We can point you to the right offices and tell you how the process runs. A quote, an Elevation Certificate and a coverage decision belong to licensed professionals. If someone tells you a zone label means a house is safe or doomed, ask for the document that says so.

The bottom line

Every Wilbur-by-the-Sea address sits in a FEMA flood zone, and checking one takes a short sitting. Use the FEMA Map Service Center and the county viewer, save the dated results, and call Building and Code Administration when the answer matters to your loan or your renovation plans. Read the seller's flood disclosure, ask about an Elevation Certificate, and request a flood quote early because policies take 30 days to start. A high-risk label brings the federal lender rule into play. An X label falls outside that rule, but the risk does not disappear, since a quarter of claims come from outside the high-risk zones. If you are ready to look at Wilbur-by-the-Sea real estate with the flood questions answered first, we can pull the listings and the paperwork together with you.

That is a lot of paperwork for one purchase, and most of it takes a phone call or two. Here are quick answers to common questions about flood zones in this part of Volusia County.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide is local. It covers the city's own offices, the county's map viewer, the Florida rules that apply when a home changes hands, and what the city code says about building and repairing in a flood hazard area. For the wind side of a Florida policy, read our guide to Florida home insurance for buyers. For the city as a whole, start with Living in Daytona Beach Shores. Here we stay on one question. How do you find out what the water risk and the flood insurance rules are for the property in front of you?

How to check the flood zone of one address

Start with the city. The Flood Insurance Information page on the city website tells owners and buyers to contact the Community Services Department to find out whether a property sits in a flood zone. The number is 386-763-5377, and the office is at City Hall, 2990 South Atlantic Avenue. The same page says Elevation Certificates are available on request, along with additional map information, flood depth data and historical flood information where the city has it. The city calls this a free service. That matters, because most buyers assume they need to hire someone to learn what the city already keeps on file.

Next, check the federal source yourself. The city's page links to the FEMA Map Service Center, where you can search an address and view the flood map for it. A printed copy of the map panel makes a good addition to your buying file, since it carries a date and a panel number that you can hand to an insurance agent. If the city's answer and the federal map ever differ, ask the city which one it relies on for that parcel and get the answer in writing.

Volusia County offers a third look. Its flood map viewer lets you type in an address, and you need to add the city and state to the search box. The county page lists the current flood map products as effective on February 19, 2014, September 29, 2017 and August 7, 2018. It also carries a plain disclaimer that the map information is not survey accurate and that you should verify it independently. Take that sentence seriously. A property near a zone line can land on either side of it.

The city code agrees with the date the county gives for the main study. Chapter 10 of the city's Land Development Code, the flood damage prevention chapter, adopts the Flood Insurance Study for Volusia County and incorporated areas dated September 29, 2017, along with its flood maps and any later amendments. It says those studies and maps are on file with the Community Services Department, building division. So the map you read on a screen and the map the city enforces are meant to be the same document.

Reading the label

Now the labels. FEMA defines the Special Flood Hazard Area as the area that would be inundated by a flood having a 1 percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. It lists Zone A, AE, AO and AH among the zones in that area, and Zone V and VE for the coastal ones. Volusia County describes the inland high-risk zones as A or AE, and the coastal high-risk zones, which carry added risk from storm surge, as VE. The county also warns that the old name for this flood, the 100-year flood, misleads people. It is a 1 percent chance in each year. It is not a flood that arrives once a century on a schedule.

Zone X comes in two kinds. FEMA calls shaded Zone X a moderate hazard, the area between the limits of the base flood and the 0.2 percent annual chance, or 500-year, flood. It calls unshaded Zone X minimal hazard, outside the Special Flood Hazard Area and higher than the 0.2 percent flood elevation. Neither one means a property cannot flood. It means the map puts the property outside the high-risk area.

Why one address can show two answers

Daytona Beach Shores is a narrow barrier island city, and the map reflects that. As a screening test for this guide, we searched FEMA's flood hazard data within about 120 meters of the City Hall address. The search returned two different flood areas. One was Zone X, the area of minimal flood hazard. The other was Zone VE, a Special Flood Hazard Area. That is not a determination for any parcel, because a radius search catches everything nearby. It does show why you should never assume that the property next door, or the block across the street, has the same label as the one you are touching. Zones change over short distances on this strip of land.

Here is a short example of how to use that. Say you are comparing two properties a few minutes apart on foot. One comes back as a VE zone and the other as shaded X. The easy conclusion is that the second property carries no flood concern. That conclusion skips two facts. Florida's own flood disclosure form says homeowners' insurance policies do not include coverage for flood damage. And the city's page says flood insurance is available to everyone, even if a property has never flooded or is not in a special flood hazard area. So the VE property probably comes with a lender requirement and an elevation question. The X property comes with a coverage decision that is optional on paper and still worth making on purpose.

What the zone means for insurance and your lender

Start with the gap most buyers do not know exists. Section 689.302 of the Florida Statutes sets out the flood disclosure form a seller of residential property must complete and provide to the buyer at or before the time the sales contract is executed. The form opens with a plain warning that homeowners' insurance policies do not include coverage for damage resulting from floods, and it encourages the buyer to discuss separate flood coverage with the buyer's insurance agent. The city and Volusia County say the same thing on their own pages. Wind and a burst pipe fall under one policy. Rising water falls under another.

The disclosure form asks the seller three direct questions. Does the seller know of any flooding that damaged the property during the seller's ownership? Has the seller filed a claim relating to flood damage, including a claim with the National Flood Insurance Program? Has the seller received assistance for flood damage, including assistance from FEMA? The statute also defines the word. Flooding means partial or complete inundation of the property from the overflow of inland or tidal waters, from the unusual and rapid accumulation of runoff or surface water from an established source such as a river, stream or drainage ditch, or from sustained periods of standing water after rain. Read the answers when they arrive. A yes is not a verdict. It is a reason to ask what happened and what was repaired. The form covers only the seller's years of ownership, so it cannot tell you about the decades before that.

Whether you must carry flood insurance is a different question from whether you should. In practice the lender on your loan sets the requirement, and the flood zone drives the lender's decision. Ask the lender early, before you are deep into the contract period, because the answer changes your monthly cost and your closing timeline. We do not quote premiums here. They depend on the building, the coverage limits, the elevation and the carrier, and any figure printed in a guide would be a guess.

Plan around the waiting period. Volusia County warns that most flood insurance policies have a 30-day waiting period before they become effective, and it tells readers not to procrastinate. A buyer who starts shopping for flood coverage the week of closing may find the policy is not active on closing day. Start the quote when you go under contract. The county page also says some flood policies are transferable when a home is sold, which can save money in a purchase. Ask the seller whether a policy is in place and whether it can be assigned to you, then confirm the terms with the agent who wrote it.

There are two places to buy a flood policy. The National Flood Insurance Program is the federal option, and Daytona Beach Shores participates in it. Florida also lets authorized insurers write personal residential flood coverage, and section 627.715 of the Florida Statutes sets the rules. A private standard flood policy must give the same coverage, including deductibles and the adjustment of losses, as a standard federal policy. Insurers can also sell preferred, customized, flexible and supplemental forms. The preferred form adds coverage for water intrusion from outside the structure, additional living expenses and replacement-cost adjustment of contents. The supplemental form can cover things such as jewelry, art, deductibles and additional living expenses. More choices mean more reading. Compare what each policy covers and what it leaves out, not just what it costs. The statute also requires deductibles and limits to be prominently noted on the declarations page or face page, so find those two numbers first.

The city has one more thing to offer. Its Flood Insurance Information page says voluntary actions taken by the city earned the community a 15 percent discount on NFIP policies issued or renewed in the Special Flood Hazard Area. The wording is specific. It applies to federal policies in the high-risk area, so a buyer outside that area, or one choosing a private policy, should not assume the same discount. Ask your agent to show how it appears on the quote for the exact address. The city also lists its Community Identification Number, 125100, which agents sometimes ask for when they set up a federal policy.

Condominium buyers

Condominium buyers have a trap of their own. Volusia County warns that a condominium association's master policy does not usually cover the inside of your unit or your belongings. The city adds that most flood policies leave out contents such as furniture unless you add them. If you are buying a unit, ask the association for its insurance summary, then ask an agent what an individual policy would add. See also our guide to Daytona Beach Shores by building type and our guide to condo milestone inspections and SIRS.

The elevation certificate

An Elevation Certificate shows where a building sits and how high its lowest floor is compared with the Base Flood Elevation. FEMA's materials for insurance agents say it is not required to buy coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program, because one of the factors used to rate a policy is the height of the first floor. They add that an owner can choose to submit a certificate to an agent to see if it lowers the cost, and that certificates can affect eligibility for Community Rating System discounts. This is the most useful document to ask a seller for when the property is in a high-risk zone. In this city you can also ask the Community Services Department, since the city page says certificates are available on request.

Changing a zone, and what the city lets you build

Suppose the map puts a property inside the Special Flood Hazard Area and a survey shows the ground is higher than the map suggests. FEMA has a process for that, called a Letter of Map Amendment, or LOMA. FEMA explains that small areas are sometimes shown in the high-risk area by mistake, even though the land is natural ground at or above the base flood elevation. FEMA charges no review and processing fee for a LOMA request. Applicants usually need to hire a licensed land surveyor or a registered professional engineer to prepare an Elevation Certificate. A related request based on fill, called a LOMR-F, does carry a FEMA fee.

The city code adds a twist that sellers and buyers should know about. Under section 10-2.3.1, if ground elevations shown by a surveyor-prepared topography are below the closest applicable base flood elevation, the area is treated as a flood hazard area even where the map does not show a Special Flood Hazard Area. If the ground is above the base flood elevation, the area is still regulated as a Special Flood Hazard Area unless the applicant obtains a letter of map change that removes it. In plain terms, the city lets a survey push a property into the rules, and it asks for a formal letter before it lets a survey pull a property out.

Be honest about what a map change does. It can change what a lender asks for. It does not change the rain, the tide or the storm surge. A property that gets a letter is still a property on a barrier island.

Now the building side. The city's flood chapter applies to any permit to improve a building, and the list of work it covers is long: alterations, additions, rehabilitations, renovations, replacement, repair and a change of occupancy. Before a permit is issued, the city's Floodplain Administrator, working with the Building Official, must estimate the building's market value or require an independent appraisal. The city then compares the cost of the work to that value and decides whether the project is a substantial improvement or the repair of substantial damage. If it is, the city notifies the applicant that the flood-resistant construction rules of the Florida Building Code and the city ordinance apply. For a repair after damage, the value used is the value before the damage occurred.

The percentage that triggers this is not printed in the city ordinance text. The city code says terms it does not define carry their meaning from the Florida Building Code. Volusia County states the figure on its flood page: improvements or repairs equal to or greater than 50 percent of a home's market value must meet current Florida Building Code standards and comply with the local floodplain ordinance. Treat the county's number as a guide and ask the city in writing how it will total the work for your project. A buyer who plans a large renovation or a major repair on an older property should ask before spending money, because the answer can change the scope of the job.

Small structures have their own rules. The city allows accessory structures below the elevations the Florida Building Code requires, but only for parking or storage. In a Zone A or AE area outside the coastal high-hazard area, such a structure must be one story, no larger than 600 square feet, and have flood openings. In a Zone V or VE area, it cannot sit below a raised building and it cannot be larger than 100 square feet. In every case it must be anchored against flotation, collapse and sideways movement, use flood-damage-resistant materials below the base flood elevation plus one foot, and keep mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems at or above that same height. A buyer who dreams of a ground-level shed or storage room should read those lines first.

The oceanfront adds another layer. Florida Statutes section 161.053 directs the state to set coastal construction control lines along the Atlantic beaches. The statute describes the lines as marking the part of the beach and dune system that is subject to severe fluctuations based on a 100-year storm surge, storm waves or other predictable weather conditions, and it calls for special siting and design care seaward of them. The city code ties in. For a building seaward of the line that is also in a flood hazard area, the code requires compliance with the more restrictive of two sets of Florida Building Code provisions. An oceanfront owner who wants to rebuild or add to a structure there is dealing with state rules and city rules at the same time.

If a project cannot meet a requirement, the city has a path. The board of adjustments hears appeals and requests for variances from the flood-resistant provisions, and a person who disagrees with its decision can appeal to circuit court. Do not count on a variance when you write an offer. It is a process, not a promise.

Questions the city will answer for owners

The city's flood page lists areas where the Building Division may help. Staff may be able to identify a drainage or flooding problem and suggest repairs. They can give one-on-one advice about sewer problems and backups. They can provide a list of contractors that have worked in the city, and they can help with site-specific flood data for a property, including floor elevation information in many cases. If a property is prone to flooding or has drainage issues, the page directs owners to the Building and Codes Department, to Public Safety at 386-763-5321, or to the Community Services Director. Those are the right people to ask about a street, because a map shows a zone and a person can tell you what happened on that street last time it rained.

Here is the order we suggest to buyers who are working with us.

• Call the Community Services Department at 386-763-5377 and ask for the zone, the map panel number and the map date for the address. Save the answer.
• Check the FEMA Map Service Center and the county viewer so you have a dated copy of the map.
• Read the seller's flood disclosure when it arrives and ask about any yes answers.
• Ask the seller for any Elevation Certificate and any existing flood policy.
• Call an insurance agent for a flood quote on that exact address, with the policy start date, before your inspection period ends.
• Ask your lender whether flood insurance is a condition of the loan.
• If you plan work, ask the Building Division how the cost will be compared with the market value of the building.

One limit on all of this deserves saying out loud. We are real estate agents, not insurance agents or surveyors. We can help you find the right questions and the right offices, and we can walk you through how the process runs here. A quote, an Elevation Certificate and a coverage decision belong to licensed professionals. If someone tells you a zone label means a property is safe or doomed, ask for the document that says so. When you are ready to see how the numbers play out on a real purchase, our guide to closing costs in Volusia County shows where flood and other insurance items land in the paperwork.

The bottom line

Every property in Daytona Beach Shores has a flood zone, and the city will look it up for you without a fee. Call Community Services, check FEMA's map, ask the seller for the flood disclosure and any Elevation Certificate, and get a real flood quote early because policies commonly carry a 30-day wait. A high-risk label means a lender is likely to require coverage. A Zone X label means the requirement may be gone and the risk is not. On a barrier island, zones can change within a short walk, so check the address and never the neighborhood. Plan any large renovation around the way the city compares cost with value before you commit. When you are ready to compare properties with this checklist in hand, browse the current Daytona Beach Shores real estate listings and talk to us about the ones that fit.

That is a lot of paperwork for one purchase, and most of it takes a phone call or two. Here are answers to common questions about flood zones in Daytona Beach Shores.

Frequently Asked Questions

This is a local guide to the question of how you check an address in Bunnell. It leans on the city's Land Development Code, the Flagler County pages on flood zones, FEMA's definitions and two Florida statutes. See Living in Bunnell and our guide to buying acreage in Bunnell. This guide stays with water, maps and paperwork.

Finding the flood zone for one Bunnell address

Start with the county's tool, because it works from an address. Flagler County's Development Engineering page says to use its Flood Smart map, enter the address, click on the property, and go to the second page to find the elevation information. The zone letter tells you which category the parcel is in. The elevation tells you how that parcel sits against the base flood, which is the flood with a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. Look at both before you form an opinion.

Then ask for something in writing. The same county page says a flood zone determination letter is available for a fee of twenty-five dollars, and that flood zone determinations are part of building permit review. A letter is worth having because it is a written record you can put in your buying file or hand to an insurance agent. One caution belongs here. The county's page is written for the county's Development Engineering office, and Bunnell is a city with its own floodplain rules. When the property sits inside city limits, ask both offices which one issues the letter for that parcel and which map it relies on. A short phone call is the way to find out.

The city's side is easy to describe. Bunnell's code names the building and zoning official as the floodplain administrator. That person reviews applications, interprets the exact location of flood hazard area boundaries, and provides available flood elevation and flood hazard information. If you disagree with a boundary interpretation, the code gives you the right to appeal it. The flood insurance study and the maps are kept at the Community Development Department, and the code lists 201 W. Moody Blvd as the address. City Hall's own website lists 2400 Commerce Parkway and the main number 386-437-7500. Because those two addresses do not match, call before you drive over.

The code also requires the administrator to keep certain records permanently and open for public inspection. The list includes flood insurance rate maps, letters of map change, permit records, determinations of whether past work counted as a substantial improvement, and the design certifications and elevation documents the Florida Building Code requires. For a buyer, the practical meaning is simple. If a house was built or improved in a flood hazard area, the city should have paper about it, and you are allowed to ask to see it.

FEMA runs the third source. Its Map Service Center has a search by address and lets you look through the flood map products. On the day we checked, the home page showed an error message when we tried to load it, so treat it as one more place to look rather than the only one. The reason to use three sources is not distrust of any one of them. It is that each office keeps its own records, and a mismatch between them is useful information. If the county tool and the city's answer disagree, you want to find out before the inspection period ends, not after.

One more local point sits in the city's own wording. The code says that where surveyed ground elevations are below the closest applicable base flood elevation, "even in areas not delineated as a special flood hazard area on a FIRM," the city treats the area as a flood hazard area. The reverse also holds. Where ground sits above the base flood elevation, the area is still regulated as a special flood hazard area unless the owner obtains a letter of map change from FEMA. So the printed map is the starting position, and a licensed surveyor's numbers can move the answer on a particular lot in either direction as far as city permitting goes.

An example of reading two lookups side by side

Say a buyer is comparing two houses in town. The county tool shows the first in a high-risk zone and the second in Zone X. The easy conclusion is that the second house is out of the picture for flood questions. The county's own flood page warns against that reading in plain words: just because a parcel is not within a high-risk zone does not mean it will not flood. It also says the areas of moderate to low risk, which it calls Zone X, make up the majority of the county. So the two houses are not a flood house and a dry house. They are a house with a mandatory insurance rule attached and a house without one, and both deserve the same questions about drainage and history.

What the zone means for flood insurance

Begin with what the zone does not do. It does not tell you whether your homeowners policy covers a flood, because it almost never does. Florida's seller flood disclosure form opens with the sentence "Homeowners' insurance policies do not include coverage for damage resulting from floods." Flagler County's pages say the same thing in their own words, noting that flood losses are not usually covered by normal homeowner's policies. See our guide to Florida home insurance for buyers.

Now the zone. The city's code defines the special flood hazard area as an area subject to a one percent or greater chance of flooding in any given year. It lists the zone labels as A, AO, A1 through A30, AE, A99, AH, V1 through V30, VE and V. FEMA's glossary describes the same area and adds a point that matters at closing: the special flood hazard area is where the mandatory purchase of flood insurance applies. Flagler County puts the consequence for a buyer in one line. By law, homes carrying a mortgage in a high-risk zone must be covered by flood insurance. If you are financing, the zone on your address can decide whether flood coverage is optional or required, so get it before you commit.

The other family of labels is Zone X, and FEMA splits it in two. Shaded Zone X lies between the limits of the base flood and the flood with a 0.2 percent annual chance. Unshaded Zone X is outside the special flood hazard area and higher than the 0.2 percent flood elevation. The county's advice for these parcels is direct. Even if your parcel is not within a special flood hazard area, buying flood insurance is advisable. We would add the reasoning that follows from the city's own warning section, which says larger floods can and will occur and that land outside the mapped areas is not promised to be free from flooding or flood damage.

The 100-year label deserves a word, because it misleads people. The city's code calls the one percent flood the "100-year flood." The percentage is a chance in each year and not a schedule. A house in the mapped area faces that chance every year, and a stretch of quiet years does not use it up.

Timing is where buyers get caught. Flagler County's Flood Smart page says there is a 30-day waiting period before flood insurance takes effect. Plan around it. Ask an agent for a quote the week you go under contract and put the coverage date on your calendar next to the closing date. Do not wait for the week before you close.

Florida also gives you a say in what kind of policy you can buy. Under section 627.715, an authorized insurer may write personal residential flood coverage on a standard, preferred, customized, flexible or supplemental basis. Standard flood insurance has to match the coverage of the National Flood Insurance Program's standard policy. Preferred coverage adds losses from water intrusion that starts outside the structure, along with additional living expenses. Supplemental coverage can sit on top of a flood policy for items such as deductibles or jewelry. You do not need to memorize the categories. You do need to ask your agent which one each quote is, because two quotes with the same headline label can cover different things.

The elevation certificate is the paper that ties the lookup to the policy. FEMA's glossary explains that a community keeps an official record showing new buildings and substantial improvements in special flood hazard areas are correctly built to the required height, and that owners can use the certificate to obtain flood insurance. Flagler County says its elevation certificates must be on the most current FEMA form, and that it holds copies for buildings built or substantially improved in the unincorporated floodplain since January 2012. For a house inside Bunnell, ask the seller first, then ask the city whether it has one on file. The city's records list includes elevation documentation, so the question is a fair one.

Finally, the state requires something of the seller. Under section 689.302, a seller of residential property must complete a flood disclosure and give it to the purchaser at or before the time the sales contract is signed. The form asks three things. Does the seller know of flooding that damaged the property during the seller's ownership. Has the seller filed a flood insurance claim, including with the National Flood Insurance Program. Has the seller received flood assistance, including from FEMA. The statute defines flooding broadly. It includes overflow of inland or tidal waters, unusual and rapid accumulation of runoff or surface water from a source such as a river, stream or drainage ditch, and sustained standing water after rain. Read the form closely, because it covers only what the seller knows from the seller's own years of ownership. It does not replace your own research on the address.

Building, filling or renovating in a Bunnell flood hazard area

Many buyers never plan to build. If you want an addition, a pool, a new outbuilding or a rebuild after storm damage, the city's rules apply from the first permit. Bunnell's floodplain ordinance covers development wholly or partly in a flood hazard area, and the list is long. It includes filling and grading, new construction, alteration, repair, relocation, manufactured homes, tanks, recreational vehicles and installation of swimming pools. Read that last item as a flag. If a lot has a flood hazard area on it, even a pool is within the ordinance.

The most useful rule for a buyer who owns an older house is the substantial improvement test. In Bunnell, a substantial improvement is any combination of repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, alteration or addition that takes place during a 50-year period or the life of the structure, and whose cumulative cost equals or exceeds 50 percent of the building's market value before the work starts. When the test is met, the work must comply with the flood-resistant construction requirements of the Florida Building Code and the city's ordinance. The code says the administrator estimates the market value, or requires an appraisal by a qualified independent appraiser, then compares the cost of the work to that value and looks at previous permits.

Two details in that definition change how you plan. First, market value in the ordinance means the value of the building and structures, excluding the land. A lot with a modest house and a large land value is judged against the house alone. Second, the clock is cumulative and long. A kitchen project, a roof, an addition and a repair after a storm can all count toward the same fifty percent over the life of the structure. The code text we read carries a blank where the date accumulation begins, so we cannot tell you how the city counts the earliest permits. Ask the city in writing how it will count the history of the specific house before you design anything large.

Substantial damage works the same way. If a storm or fire damages a building and the cost to restore it equals or exceeds 50 percent of its value before the damage, the code treats any repair as a substantial improvement, regardless of the actual repair work performed. The ordinance leaves out two things from the substantial improvement count: work needed to correct existing health, sanitary or safety code violations that the building official identified and that is the minimum necessary, and the alteration of a historic structure that will not end its historic designation.

Permits carry a clock. A floodplain development permit becomes invalid unless the work begins within 180 days of issuance, or if work stops for 180 days after it starts. You can ask for an extension in writing, in periods of no more than 180 days, if you show justifiable cause. Permits also carry a condition that other permits be obtained first when they apply. The code names the St. Johns River Water Management District, the Florida Department of Health for septic systems, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for wetlands work, and federal approvals. A buyer who plans work on a wet lot should ask for that list at the start, because each approval has its own timeline.

Fill is a topic people assume is simple. In a special flood hazard area it is not. The code requires fill to be designed to stay stable through a rapid rise and drawdown of floodwater, long inundation, and erosion and scour. If the fill is meant to support a building in zone A, it must also meet the Florida Building Code. Where the lot touches a regulatory floodway, the rule is stricter. No development is allowed there, including fill or regrading, unless an engineer's floodway encroachment analysis shows no increase in base flood elevations. The code also bars new manufactured home installations in floodways.

Utilities have their own flood rule. New and replacement septic systems must follow the state's Chapter 64E-6 standards and the flood-resistant design standard the code calls ASCE 24, so that floodwater does not get into the system and the system does not discharge into floodwater. New and replacement wells follow the state well construction standards under the same design standard. The point for you is that a property can meet the zoning rules and still need flood-specific design on its utilities.

Suppose a map says a lot is partly in a flood zone and you want to remove it from the mapped area. The code lays out the route. An applicant has the right to seek a letter of map change from FEMA, backed by analyses prepared by a Florida licensed engineer. The ordinance describes several letters. A letter of map amendment says a property or structure was incorrectly included in a special flood hazard area. A letter of map revision changes zones, elevations, boundaries or floodways. A letter of map revision based on fill applies when a parcel or structure was lifted by fill to a level above the base flood elevation that was permitted and placed in accordance with the city's rules. The cost is the applicant's, because the code says submittal requirements and processing fees are the responsibility of the applicant. For a buyer, the practical meaning is that a mapped zone is not always final, but changing it takes engineering and time, and you should not count on it in your offer.

Last, the city can grant variances, and the rules are tight. The planning, zoning and appeals board hears them. The applicant has to show good and sufficient cause tied to the site's size, configuration or topography. The board has to find exceptional hardship from the physical characteristics of the land that render the lot undevelopable, and the code says plainly that increased cost or inconvenience is not hardship. The variance is recorded by the clerk of court so that it appears in the chain of title. If a variance would allow the lowest floor below the required elevation, the administrator must give the applicant written notice stating the difference in elevation and warning that the cost of federal flood insurance will be commensurate with the increased risk, up to amounts as high as 25 dollars for every 100 dollars of coverage. The notice must also say that building below the base flood elevation increases risks to life and property. Why does a buyer care? Because a recorded variance stays with the property. Ask the title company and the city whether any variance or recorded flood-related condition exists on the parcel.

Day-to-day drainage is a separate thing from the map, and the county keeps phone lines for it. Flagler County lists Development Engineering at 386-313-4002 and Road and Bridge at 386-313-4136 for drainage issues. Bunnell's Public Works number is 386-931-1216. In October 2026 the city also asked residents not to dump leaves or yard trimmings into storm drains and not to pour oil, antifreeze, cleaners or paint into or near them. Walk the street after a heavy rain if you can, and look at the ditches and inlets near the house.

A practical order of operations

Put it together in the order a buyer can act on it. Get the address into the county's Flood Smart map and read both pages. Ask the city and the county which office issues a determination letter for the parcel and request it. Ask the seller for the flood disclosure and any elevation certificate. Ask the city whether it holds elevation records, permit history and any letter of map change for the property. Request an insurance quote on the exact address, ask what type of flood policy it is, and note the 30-day wait. If you plan to renovate, ask the city in writing how it would count past permits toward the fifty percent test. If the lot is large or low, ask about wetlands and floodway status before you plan fill. Each step is a phone call or an email.

The bottom line is that a flood zone in Bunnell is a cheap fact to learn and a costly one to ignore. The city and county will each tell you what they have, the state requires the seller to disclose what the seller knows, and the one thing no office can do for you is promise that a house will stay dry. Do your homework inside the inspection period, get the insurance quote early, and keep the paper. When you are ready to compare homes for sale in Bunnell, bring this list. See also our guide to closing costs in Florida and flood zones in Palm Coast.

That covers the main steps. These are the questions that come up when someone is checking a Bunnell address before an offer.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide stays local. It uses the City of Holly Hill's own flood page, its stormwater updates, the Volusia County map viewer and the Florida rules that apply when a home is sold. For the town as a whole, start with Living in Holly Hill. For wind coverage, four-point inspections and Citizens, read Florida home insurance for buyers. Here we answer one question. How do you check a Holly Hill address and read what you find?

Where the water comes from and how to look up one address

Start with the geography, because it explains the maps. Holly Hill is 4.5 square miles on the west bank of the Halifax River. The city's flood page says flooding here can come from tidal surges tied to hurricanes, northeasters and tropical storms, and from the overflow of streams after heavy rain. It names the main flooding sources as the north and south B-27 Canal, the Halifax River, the LPGA Canal and the Nova Canal North. So a house can face water from the river side, from a canal, or from a rainstorm that the drainage system cannot move fast enough. Those are three different problems, and a single zone letter does not separate them.

The city also gives you a short history of its own participation. Holly Hill has taken part in the National Flood Insurance Program since 1973, the federal program enacted in 1968 that makes flood insurance available in communities that keep floodplain rules. Participation matters to you for a plain reason. FloodSmart says you can get an NFIP policy if your community takes part in those rules, and a Holly Hill address does.

Now the lookup itself. There are three places to check, and it helps to use more than one.

The first is FEMA's Map Service Center, which Volusia County points to for finding the zone. Enter the address and you can view the flood hazard data or pull the map panel. The second is the Volusia County flood map viewer. You type the address into the search bar and include the city and state, then the map zooms to the spot. The county also posts the map panels as PDFs and the Flood Insurance Study volumes if you want the source documents. The third is a phone call. The City of Holly Hill lists 386-248-9442 for floodplain information, and Volusia County's Building and Code Administration, at 386-626-6591, is the office the county names for historical flooding, localized drainage issues, repetitive loss areas and topographic issues.

That last list deserves a second read. A map shows a zone. It does not show that a particular block holds water after a hard rain, or that a lot sits low compared with the street. The county sends you to a person for those questions, and so should you.

Read the county's disclaimer too, because it is blunt. The map information, in the county's words, "is not survey accurate," and the county recommends independent verification. A house near a zone line can land on either side of it depending on a small difference in ground height. Treat the viewer as a place to begin asking questions, then confirm with the city or an elevation certificate.

What the letters mean

Zones A and AE are both labeled by FEMA as Special Flood Hazard Areas. FEMA defines that as the area that will be inundated by a flood having a 1 percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. Volusia County adds a caution about the nickname. The "100-year flood" is not a flood that comes once every 100 years. It is a 1 percent chance in each year, and the years do not take turns.

Zone X is the other family, and FEMA splits it in two. Shaded Zone X covers areas between the limits of the base flood and the 0.2 percent annual chance flood, which FEMA also calls the 500-year flood. Unshaded Zone X is outside the Special Flood Hazard Area and higher than the 0.2 percent flood elevation. The city lists X as one of its three zones, so a buyer in Holly Hill can find a house in any of the three families.

Here is a simple example of reading a result. Say you are comparing two Holly Hill listings. The lookup returns AE for the first and X for the second. The tempting conclusion is that the second house has no flood question. FEMA says otherwise on its LOMA page, where it states that more than 25 percent of flood claims are made by property owners outside the Special Flood Hazard Area. The AE house probably comes with a lender conversation. The X house comes with an optional decision that you should still make on purpose. Neither one lets you skip the call to an insurance agent.

What the zone means for your lender, your policy and your closing

Begin with the gap that surprises people. Florida's flood disclosure form, set out in section 689.302 of the Florida Statutes, opens with a plain statement that homeowners' insurance policies do not include coverage for damage resulting from floods, and that the buyer is encouraged to discuss separate flood insurance with an insurance agent. Volusia County says the same on its floods page. If your coverage is a standard homeowners policy and nothing else, the state's own form tells you rising water is not part of it.

Whether you must carry flood insurance is a separate question from whether you should. FEMA says Congress requires federally regulated or insured lenders to require flood insurance for buildings in a Special Flood Hazard Area when the loan is federally backed. FloodSmart adds that some banks require it even when the property is outside a high-risk area. So the lender's terms drive the requirement, and the zone is part of what the lender looks at. Ask your lender early in the contract period, before the answer can affect your timeline. We do not quote premiums here, because they depend on the building, the coverage, the elevation and the carrier, and a number in a guide would be a guess.

Plan around the waiting period. Volusia County warns that most flood insurance policies carry a 30-day wait before they take effect. A buyer who starts shopping a week before closing may find the policy is not active on closing day. The county also notes that some policies are transferable when a home is sold, which can save money in a purchase. Ask the seller whether a policy exists and whether it can be assigned to you, then confirm the details with the agent who wrote it.

Holly Hill offers a discount that you do not have to earn yourself. The city takes part in the Community Rating System, a voluntary program that recognizes floodplain work beyond the federal minimum. The city's page gives its current class as a 6, which it says can give Special Flood Hazard Area policyholders a 20 percent discount and X zone policyholders a 10 percent discount. The wording is "can afford," so it is not a promise for every policy. Ask your agent to show how the discount appears on the quote for your address.

There are two places to buy a policy. The National Flood Insurance Program is the federal option. Florida also lets authorized insurers write flood coverage on homes, under section 627.715 of the Florida Statutes. A private standard policy must provide the same coverage, deductibles and loss adjustment as a standard NFIP policy. Other private forms, called preferred, customized, flexible and supplemental, can add things like additional living expenses or cover a narrower slice of risk. More choices means more reading. Compare what each policy covers and leaves out, not just what it costs.

One more rule belongs in your buying file. FloodSmart says that if a property has received federal disaster assistance before, flood insurance is required to qualify for future disaster assistance, and that requirement is tied to the property rather than to the person. Ask the seller the question the Florida disclosure already asks. Did flooding damage the home during your ownership, was a flood claim filed, and was assistance received? The form covers only the seller's years of ownership, so it is a starting point and not the full history of the lot.

Condominium buyers have a separate trap. Volusia County warns that a condominium association's master policy does not usually cover the inside of your unit or your belongings. If you are looking at a condo, ask the association for its insurance summary and read our guide to buying a condo in Florida before you commit.

The elevation certificate

An elevation certificate is a form that records a building's location, its lowest point of elevation and its flood zone. The NFIP uses it to show that buildings meet local floodplain rules. FEMA's agent materials say it is no longer required to buy a policy under the current pricing approach. An owner can still hand one to an agent to see whether it lowers the cost, and it can affect eligibility for Community Rating System discounts. For a house in a high-risk zone, it is the document to ask the seller for first. Volusia County says an elevation certificate may be on file with its Building and Code Administration division, so you can ask there too. If none exists, a licensed surveyor or engineer can prepare one, and your insurance agent can tell you whether the result is likely to change your quote before you pay for it.

Storms, drainage work and what the city is building

A good buyer reads the city's public work as well as the map. Holly Hill posts its stormwater maintenance in weekly updates, and the entries run through October 19, 2026. Crews clean ditches and catch basins, repair inlet boxes and headwalls, and mow retention ponds. The updates name real places. In April they found and cleared a buried outfall pipe at 620 Riverside Drive, which the city says restored flow to the Halifax River at that location.

The bigger story is a funding award. In October 2025 the city announced nearly five million dollars from Volusia County's Transform386 program, which distributes recovery funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The largest piece is storm sewer pipe lining east of Ridgewood Avenue, starting with pipes between the Halifax River and Daytona Avenue. The city gives its reason in plain terms. During storm events, salty water from the Intracoastal travels back into the stormwater pipes, the salt deteriorates them, and cracks can cause localized flooding upstream. A smaller piece replaces chemical tanks in the Public Works yard, which sit at elevations of 4.8 and 3.5 feet. A third funds a Stormwater Master Plan that will identify at least twelve project recommendations. By January 2026 the city said the environmental review for the lining project was complete and a bid package was being prepared, and that a comprehensive stormwater study was expected to finish by February 1, 2027. In June 2026, crews verified finished pipe lining on Indian Oaks East, Riverside Drive and State Street.

Be careful about what to take from this. These are projects and maintenance, and the city does not claim in these pages that any address is safer because of them. What they tell you is where the city has found problems and what it plans to study. If a house you like is on one of the named streets, ask the city's Public Works office, at (386) 248-9463, what it knows about drainage on that block. The same office takes reports of debris building up in storm inlets. The city also asks residents not to put anything on or near stormwater structures, because clear inlets matter when rain arrives.

The city's records include one candid event. A city-maintained lift station was inundated with stormwater during Hurricane Milton in 2024, and the city retrofitted it with an aluminum flood barrier system, according to its October 27, 2025 update. The city has not published a street-by-street flood history on these pages, so the way to learn about a specific block is to ask. Ask the seller, ask the city, and ask the county.

Rules that apply when a storm hits or you renovate

Two sections of the Holly Hill code apply to ordinary owners. Section 14-3 lets you temporarily cover damaged doors, windows or roof openings, but the repair or replacement must happen within 90 days. If you use wood panels, they have to be neatly fitted and painted to blend in with the building. Section 14-4 covers storm preparation. Residential openings can be protected up to seven days before the projected landfall of a named storm, and the protection must come off within 14 days after the threat passes. Unoccupied homes with Florida Product Approved shutters may keep them attached through the entire hurricane season. Both are good facts to have in hand if you are buying a vacant property, because the section sets a deadline measured from the damage.

Renovation carries its own flood rule. Volusia County says that if you plan substantial improvements or repairs equal to or greater than 50 percent of your home's market value, you must meet current Florida Building Code standards and comply with the local floodplain ordinance. Get a permit first and hire a licensed contractor. Holly Hill's permit checklists page lists residential addition and alteration, pool, fence, shed, screen enclosure, roofing and window checklists, among others. We did not find the city's floodplain wording on Municode, since its building chapter adopts the Unified Construction Code in section 14-126 and does not carry a separate flood article. So before you plan a large project on an older house, call the city's floodplain line and ask how it would total the work.

If the survey shows the ground is higher than the map suggests, FEMA has a process called a Letter of Map Amendment, or LOMA. An owner, renter or lessee can submit mapping and survey information, and FEMA charges no review fee for a LOMA. The elevation data must be certified by a licensed land surveyor or registered professional engineer. Be honest about the limits. A LOMA removes the federal purchase requirement, but FEMA states that the mortgage lender keeps the right to require flood insurance as a condition of financing. A LOMA removes the federal purchase requirement, but it does not stop the lender from requiring insurance. It does not change the rain.

If your plans include raising a home, the City of Holly Hill has posted notice of the state's residential mitigation program run by the Florida Division of Emergency Management, which lists structure elevation, mitigation reconstruction and voluntary property acquisition as eligible projects for private residences. That notice is from January 2025 and describes the program as nearing its launch, so we could not confirm whether it is open today. Email the state's residential mitigation office, at the address on the city page, before counting on it.

For closing day, line up the paperwork in the order the pieces matter. Ask for the seller's flood disclosure at or before contract. Run the address through FEMA and the county viewer and save the dated result. Call the city floodplain line. Ask for an elevation certificate. Get a flood quote the day you go under contract. For the rest of the purchase, see our guide to closing costs in Florida and our guide to Volusia property taxes.

The bottom line

A flood zone is a label that helps a lender, and it is not a verdict on a house. Holly Hill has zones X, A and AE, a river on one side and canals running through town, and a city that publishes its drainage work every week. Check the address in FEMA's tool and the county viewer, call the city, ask the seller the questions Florida already requires, and start a flood quote the day you sign. Then decide with the facts in your file. If you want help running those checks on a house you are considering, start from our page of Holly Hill real estate and homes and bring us the address.

We covered the lookup, the lender rules, the elevation certificate and the city's drainage work above. Here are the questions that come up when a Holly Hill address is under serious consideration.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide is about process. It walks through the places that can tell you the zone, what the letters mean and what they leave out, the records that sit behind a house, and the insurance questions that belong on your list while you still have time to change your mind. For the town itself, read our Edgewater buyer's guide. If you are looking at a lot beside a canal or the river, see our guide to canal and river lots in Edgewater. Here we stay on one question. How do you check one address?

Where an Edgewater flood zone comes from, and where to look it up

The city's own flood page gives three ways to find the zone for a property. You can search the city map, you can use FEMA's Map Service Center, or you can contact the Building Department. The city map is an online viewer the city hosts. FEMA's Map Service Center describes itself as the official public source for flood hazard information produced in support of the National Flood Insurance Program, and you can search it by address, by place or by coordinates. Volusia County runs a third viewer. You type the address into the search bar and include the city and state, and the map zooms to the parcel.

Use all of them, and read the fine print on each. The county states plainly that its map information is "not survey accurate" and recommends independent verification of whatever the viewer shows. FEMA's site carries its own warning, which is that effective information you download or print may change or be superseded by new maps over time. That is a good reason to save a dated copy. The city explains how. It calls the printable piece a FIRMette, a section of the flood map that you create yourself and that fits on standard printer paper. A full map panel is 36 by 25.875 inches, so a FIRMette of the lot and its surroundings is the more usable document. Put it in the file for the house with the date you pulled it.

Then ask which map the answer came from. The county lists its current flood risk products as effective on three dates, February 19, 2014, September 29, 2017 and August 7, 2018. Edgewater's code names the September 29, 2017 study "and all subsequent amendments and revisions" and says the studies and maps are on file at Development Services, 104 North Riverside Drive. If two viewers ever give you two different answers for one address, that is your cue to call the city. The Flood Information Line is 386-424-2400, extension 1502, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The city also posts a Report a Flood form on its website for owners who want to log an event.

One more fact belongs at this stage because it changes how you read everything else. The city says flood risk varies from property to property, even in the same neighborhood. Two houses on one street can share a zone letter and still sit at different heights. A map lookup describes the parcel, and it does not describe the neighbors.

A sample afternoon

Say you have three listings saved. You open the city map for the first, FEMA's site for the second and the county viewer for the third, and you save a FIRMette for each. Two come back with a letter that starts with A. One comes back as Zone X. Write down the letters and the date. Then call the flood line with the three addresses and ask two questions. Do you have an elevation certificate or other elevation record for each building? Is there anything about drainage or past flooding on file that the map would not show? The answers get filed beside the maps.

Reading the letter, and what it leaves out

The city publishes a short table of the zones found in Edgewater, and it is worth reading in its own words. Zone X shaded is a moderate hazard area, usually the area between the limits of the 100-year and 500-year floods. Zone X unshaded is a minimal hazard area, usually depicted above the 500-year flood level. Those two are the moderate to low risk areas, and the city notes that in a community that takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program, flood insurance is available to all property owners and renters there.

The high-risk side is where the letters carry more weight. Zone A describes areas with a 1 percent annual chance of flooding and a 26 percent chance of flooding over the life of a 30-year mortgage. The city adds that no detailed flood analysis is provided for Zone A, so base flood elevations are not shown. Zone AE is the base floodplain with those elevations provided, and the older numbered A zones, such as A7 or A14, follow the same idea in the old format. Zones V and VE are coastal areas with the same 1 percent annual chance plus additional hazards from storm waves. The city's table says that mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements apply in all of these high-risk zones, where the community takes part in the program.

The percentage language trips people up, so here is the plain version. A 1 percent chance each year is the same as a 26 percent chance over 30 years, and the second number is the one that matters to a buyer taking a 30-year loan. Volusia County makes a related point. The "100-year flood" is the flood elevation that has a 1 percent chance of being equaled or exceeded each year. In the county's words it is "not the flood that will occur once every 100 years." Treat a high-risk zone as a risk that is live every year.

Now the part the letter does not say. A Zone A lookup gives you a letter, and it gives you no elevation to compare with the house. The city code speaks to that gap. Where a flood hazard area is mapped and no base flood elevation has been provided, the city's Floodplain Administrator can require the applicant to bring elevation data prepared under accepted engineering practice, or can obtain data from a federal or state agency or another source. If no data exist, the code lets the city specify that the base flood elevation is three feet above the highest adjacent grade at the site, provided nothing indicates the water could run deeper. You will not need that rule to look at a listing. You will notice it the day you want to build, add on or rebuild, and it shows why an approximate zone calls for a conversation with Development Services early.

The map is not the ground, either. The city code says that where field-surveyed topography by a Florida licensed professional surveyor shows ground below the closest base flood elevation, the area is treated as flood hazard area even if the map does not draw it that way. Where the survey shows ground above the base flood elevation, the area is still regulated as a special flood hazard area unless the owner obtains a Letter of Map Change from FEMA that removes it. The code defines the most common version, a Letter of Map Amendment, as an amendment based on technical data showing a property was incorrectly included in a special flood hazard area. FloodSmart points to an online application for people who want to request one. That is a process for an owner with a survey in hand, so ask the seller whether one was ever issued rather than assuming it can be done quickly.

The code is also candid about the limits of its own maps. Its warning says the degree of flood protection it requires is the minimum reasonable for regulatory purposes, that "larger floods can and will occur," and that the section does not imply land outside the mapped special flood hazard areas "will be free from flooding or flood damage." Read that as the city's own statement. A Zone X result is a reason for less paperwork. It is not a promise.

Some of the water in Edgewater never touches a flood map at all. The city's flood page lists localized flooding among the hazards, and it says this kind can happen inside or outside a special flood hazard area. The factors it names are low-lying ground, heavy rain over a short period, poor drainage and blocked retention or detention areas. River flooding is the second hazard, and the city says land along the Indian River Lagoon is more susceptible to it. Storm surge and coastal inundation from tropical and non-tropical systems is the third.

Localized water is where the swales come in, and the city explains them well in its stormwater materials. Florida Shores was developed before stormwater treatment rules existed. Its open canals began as mosquito control ditches. In the 1990s strict state rules arrived and the north-south roads were paved, and the city built dry-bottom retention ponds, mostly in the east-west roads, with roadside swales connecting the houses to the ponds. The system is designed to hold a portion of the rain and send the rest to the canals and out to the Indian River. The city says percolation can take up to three days. It also gives a rule of thumb you can use on a showing. If you see three or four inches of water in the swales and it rained within the last day or two, the swales are doing their job. If water is still standing after a week without rain, the city asks owners to call Environmental Services at 386-424-2400, extension 4007.

What does that mean when you tour a house after a storm? A wet swale proves very little by itself. A swale that stays wet a week after the rain stops is worth a note and a call. Walk the lot at the edge as well as the doorway, look at where the downspouts discharge, and ask how long the water takes to leave after a heavy rain. The answer is information about the lot that no zone letter can supply.

The paper behind the house

Start with the elevation certificate, because it connects the map to the actual building. FEMA's agent training page describes it as a document showing where the building is, the height of its lowest floor compared with the base flood level and other details about the building and its flood zone. The city adds its own list of uses. An elevation certificate documents compliance with the floodplain ordinance, helps determine the proper insurance premium rate and supports a Letter of Map Amendment request.

Edgewater says it retains elevation certificates for finished construction on buildings built partially or wholly within a special flood hazard area, and it keeps them for the life of the building. The city posts a list of the properties with elevation records, a March 2022 version when we looked, and notes that the list also covers properties that have surveys or certificates showing finished floor elevation. To get a copy, contact the Building Department at 386-424-2400, extension 1515, or email buildingdept@cityofedgewater.org. Because that list carries a date, ask the Building Department to check the address directly.

Volusia County has a parallel office. For historical flooding, localized drainage issues, repetitive loss areas and topographic issues, it points people to Building and Code Administration at 386-626-6591, and it says an elevation certificate may be on file there.

An elevation certificate is not always required, and the exceptions are specific. The city says it is required to rate post-FIRM buildings in the high-risk zones, meaning buildings constructed after the flood map was first published for the area. It is not required for pre-FIRM buildings unless a building is being rated under the optional post-FIRM rules. On the insurance side, FEMA's agent page says a certificate is not required to buy a National Flood Insurance Program policy under the current pricing approach, because FEMA uses the first floor height as one rating factor. An owner may still hand a certificate to an agent to see whether it lowers the cost. In Zone A or Zone V, FEMA says a homeowner may need one to show the property meets local floodplain rules. If none exists, the agency says to contact the local floodplain manager first and then, if necessary, hire a land surveyor, engineer or architect to prepare one. Basements do not count in the first floor height measurement.

The city code adds an unusual sentence that every buyer of an older flood-zone house should know about. It says a building without the documentation of elevation of the lowest floor, or other required certifications and evidence of compliance, "is presumed to be a violation until such time as that documentation is provided." That line sits in the section on development regulated by the floodplain ordinance, so it applies to work the ordinance covers. If the seller made changes to the house, ask for the permit and the elevation paper that went with them.

Renovation rules deserve their own pass, since they live in the city code and not in the listing. The city and the county use the same test. If a building in a special flood hazard area is substantially improved or substantially damaged, it must meet the standards for new construction. Substantial improvement means a repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition or other improvement whose cost equals or exceeds 50 percent of the market value of the building before the work starts. Substantial damage uses the same 50 percent test on the cost of restoring a damaged building. For new residential construction in a special flood hazard area, the city says the structure must sit above FEMA's base flood elevation, and that the Florida Building Code requires an additional foot above it. The city adds that any development in a floodplain, including fill and remodeling, requires a permit. The practical question for a buyer who wants to gut and redo an older house is simple. Ask the Building Department how the 50 percent test would apply to your plan before you commit to the purchase price.

Finally, there is the seller. Section 689.302 of the Florida Statutes requires a seller of residential property to complete and give the buyer a flood disclosure at or before the time the sales contract is signed. The form begins by saying that homeowners' policies do not include coverage for damage resulting from floods. It then asks three things. Does the seller know of any flooding that damaged the property during the seller's ownership? Did the seller file a flood claim with an insurance provider, including the National Flood Insurance Program? Did the seller receive assistance for flood damage, including from FEMA? The statute defines "flooding" broadly. It covers overflow of inland or tidal waters, the unusual and rapid buildup of runoff or surface water from an established source such as a river, stream or drainage ditch, and sustained periods of standing water after rain. That last part means the disclosure reaches the standing-water problems discussed above, and a yes to any question is a reason to ask for the claim records, the repair invoices and the permits.

Insurance questions to settle before you offer

The city's insurance page starts where most buyers are surprised. Most standard homeowner's insurance policies do not cover damage caused by flooding. A property in a special flood hazard area with a federally backed mortgage is required by law to carry flood insurance, and FloodSmart says the same for the coastal zones. Your lender will tell you which side of that line your loan falls on. The city also tells owners outside the special flood hazard areas to think about coverage anyway. It says that from 2014 to 2018 policyholders outside those areas filed over 40 percent of all National Flood Insurance Program claims. FloodSmart puts it another way, saying that 1 in 3 flood insurance claims come from low- and moderate-risk zones. Those are national program figures, quoted by the city and by FEMA's program site, and they say nothing about any one street.

Timing is the part that catches contracts. The city says a flood policy typically takes 30 days to go into effect, which means a policy started the week of closing may not be active when you get the keys. The exceptions are specific. When the first purchase is connected with making, increasing, extending or renewing a loan, there is no waiting period. During the one-year period after the community adopts a revised flood map, the wait is one day. Even so, the sensible move is to call an agent when you go under contract, since the quote itself can change your thinking about the house. The city also notes that a property is still eligible for coverage no matter how many times it has flooded, as long as the community takes part in the program.

Edgewater takes part in the Community Rating System, which rewards communities that do more than the program minimums. The city entered in October 1990 and says it currently has a Class 7 rating. The city says that class achieves a 15 percent reduction in flood insurance cost for policyholders in the special flood hazard areas and 5 percent for all other policyholders. Treat that as a program fact and let the quote tell you the effect on a given house. Your agent can show you where the discount appears.

Flood coverage in Florida comes from two directions. The federal program is one. The other is the private market, which state law allows in several forms. Section 627.715 lets an authorized insurer write standard, preferred, customized, flexible or supplemental flood coverage. Standard flood insurance under that section has to match a standard National Flood Insurance Program policy, including deductibles and the adjustment of losses. One line matters if you were counting on a state-backed insurer. The statute says Citizens Property Insurance Corporation may not provide insurance for the peril of flood. A Citizens wind policy and a flood policy are therefore two separate purchases. For the wind side of a Florida policy, read our guide to Florida home insurance for buyers.

The same statute adds a protection that is easy to miss. Before an agent places private flood coverage on a property that currently has a National Flood Insurance Program policy, the agent must give the applicant a signed written notice. It warns that if the applicant drops program coverage that was provided at a subsidized rate, the full risk rate may apply if the applicant later asks to come back to the program. If the seller carries a program policy, ask the agent to explain in writing what moving between the two would do.

Volusia County adds two more points for buyers. It says some flood insurance policies are transferable when a home is bought and sold, so ask the seller's agent whether the current policy can be assigned to you. And for condominiums, the county says a master policy does not usually cover the inside of the unit or its contents. For the rest of what a purchase involves, see our guide to closing costs in Florida.

The bottom line

Check an Edgewater address in this order. Look up the zone in the city map, FEMA's Map Service Center and the county viewer, then save a dated FIRMette. Call the city's flood line for anything the map cannot say about drainage and past flooding. Ask the Building Department whether an elevation certificate or other elevation record exists, and ask the seller for the flood disclosure the law requires. Then put the address and the lender's requirements in front of an insurance agent and get the quote before the contract deadline, because the 30-day wait is real and the quote may change what the house is worth to you.

This approach has limits. A map lookup describes a parcel on the day you check it, and the maps change. The county's own viewer says it is not survey accurate. Nothing here tells you which Edgewater streets are safe or risky, and no guide could, because the city itself says risk varies from one property to the next. The honest answer for a given house comes from the lookup, the city's records, the seller's disclosure and a real quote together. If you want a second pair of eyes on that file for an Edgewater address, our team can walk you through it, starting from our Edgewater real estate page. Taxes belong in the same budget, so read our guide to Volusia County property taxes next.

That is a lot of checking for one house, so here are short answers on the points above.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide stays on one question. How do you check a specific DeLand address, and what do the rules say once you have the answer? It uses the city's code and web pages, Volusia County's flood map page, FEMA, FloodSmart and the Florida Statutes. For the town as a whole, start with Living in DeLand. For the wind side of a Florida policy, read our guide to Florida home insurance for buyers. Everything below is about water.

How to check the flood zone on one DeLand address

Start with where the property sits, because DeLand has a city line and a county line. The city's building page says the Building Division handles permits inside city limits and that unincorporated Volusia County permits come from the county. It points you to the Property Appraiser's website to see which side of the line a parcel is on. That matters for flood work because the offices, the permits and the records differ depending on the answer. See our guide to DeLand taxes, utilities and the city versus county line.

For a parcel inside the city, the person to ask is the floodplain administrator. Section 33-61.03 designates the city engineer for that job. The ordinance lists what the office does. It reviews applications to see whether development lands in a flood hazard area. It interprets the boundaries when a line on the map runs through a lot. And it provides available flood elevation and flood hazard information to the public. The Engineering Division works from 1102 South Garfield Avenue, and the city lists its phone as 386-626-7172, open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. The city's website does not show an online flood zone request form, so a phone call or a visit is the route. Ask for the zone, the Base Flood Elevation if the map shows one, and the map panel and date the office used.

The ordinance also sets up a public records trail. It says the floodplain administrator keeps floodplain management records permanently and makes them available for inspection at DeLand City Hall, 120 South Florida Avenue. The list is specific. It includes the flood maps, any Letters of Map Change, permits issued and denied, determinations of whether a project was a substantial improvement, and the design certifications and elevation documentation the code requires. For a buyer, that list is a set of questions. Has the house had a Letter of Map Change? Is an elevation record on file? Did anyone pull a permit for the addition? The city says it keeps the paper, so ask to see it.

If you want a first look before you call anyone, use the county's flood map viewer. Volusia County publishes it on its flood maps page, and you type the address plus the city and state, then the map zooms in. The county is plain about the limits. Its disclaimer says the map information is not survey accurate and that independent verification is recommended. Use the viewer to get oriented and the city's answer to rely on. The same county page links to the FEMA Map Service Center, a map book with parcels and streets over the federal flood data, the PDF map panels, and the five volumes of the Flood Insurance Study. It also says the current flood products took effect on February 19, 2014, September 29, 2017 and August 7, 2018, depending on the panel. Maps get revised. A zone can change after you buy, so write down the date on the panel you were shown.

Now the letters. The county explains that inland high-risk zones are labeled A or AE and coastal high-risk zones with storm surge risk are labeled VE. FEMA calls the high-risk area the Special Flood Hazard Area, the land that would be inundated by a flood with a 1 percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. People call that the 100-year flood, and the county corrects the name on its page. It is not a flood that happens once every hundred years. It is a one-in-a-hundred chance every year, which adds up over the length of a mortgage. Zone X comes in two kinds. FEMA describes shaded Zone X as moderate risk, between the base flood and the 0.2 percent annual chance flood, the 500-year flood. Unshaded Zone X is minimal hazard, higher than that 0.2 percent elevation.

Neither X is a promise. FEMA's own page on map changes states that more than 25 percent of flood claims are made by property owners outside the Special Flood Hazard Area. DeLand's ordinance says the same thing in legal language. Its warning section states that the flood protection it requires is the minimum reasonable for regulatory purposes, that larger floods can and will occur, and that land outside mapped flood hazard areas will not necessarily be free from flooding. A quiet letter on a map is a data point. It does not tell you what the yard does in a heavy rain.

Here is a scenario to make it concrete. A buyer is under contract on a house and assumes the quiet look of the street settles the question. He asks the city engineer's office for the zone on a Tuesday, learns whether the lot is mapped as a high-risk area, and asks for the panel date. He then calls an insurance agent and a loan officer the same day, while the inspection period is still open. If the zone comes back as a high-risk one, his lender will ask for a flood policy and he has time to price it. If it comes back as Zone X, he still asks the seller the three disclosure questions covered later in this guide. Either way, he decides with facts instead of a feeling, and he does it before the deadline instead of after.

What DeLand's floodplain ordinance means for the house in front of you

The zone on the map is only the start. The city's ordinance reaches further than the colored lines, and a few of its rules change what a buyer can do with a property.

The first is a quiet one. Section 33-61.02 says that if surveyed topography shows ground elevations below the closest applicable Base Flood Elevation, the area is treated as a flood hazard area even if the FIRM does not draw it that way. The reverse also applies. If the ground is above that elevation but the map shows high risk, the area is regulated as a Special Flood Hazard Area unless the owner obtains a Letter of Map Change from FEMA. So a survey can move a lot in either direction on paper, and the city reads the survey, not just the map.

The second is the fifty percent rule. The ordinance defines a substantial improvement as any repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition or other improvement whose cost equals or exceeds 50 percent of the market value of the building before the work starts. Substantial damage uses the same threshold for repairs after a loss, measured against value before the damage. When either applies, the building has to meet the flood resistant construction requirements of the Florida Building Code and the city's floodplain section. The ordinance spells out who does the math. The floodplain administrator and the building official estimate the market value, or require an independent appraisal, compare it to the cost of the work, document the answer and tell the applicant. Two things are carved out. Projects the building official identifies as correcting existing health, sanitary or safety violations, limited to what is necessary for safe living conditions, do not count. Neither do alterations to a historic structure that would not end its historic designation.

Why does a buyer care? Because the fifty percent rule turns a renovation budget into a legal question. A kitchen and bath remodel, a second story and a roof repair can add up. If the house is in a flood hazard area and the combined work approaches half of its market value, the project may require raising or flood-proofing the building to current standards. Ask for the permit history before you plan the work, and ask the city how it would measure market value for your project. Volusia County's floods page states a 50 percent threshold too, so the number is not unique to DeLand. What is local is who answers the phone and how they document it.

The third rule is about small projects. Florida's HB 803 created a permit exemption that took effect July 1, 2026 for certain small single-family jobs, and DeLand posted a page explaining it. The exemption does not cover any work on property located partially or entirely within a flood hazard area as the Florida Building Code defines it. DeLand's page also covers a second exemption for temporary flood panels and hurricane barriers, and says that one does not apply inside a Special Flood Hazard Area. The practical meaning is simple. In a flood hazard area, assume the permit is required and ask the Building Division before anyone starts work. The city's building page adds a reason beyond the legal one, which is that unpermitted work can complicate a later sale, even to the point of delaying the closing until the work is brought into compliance. Permits, the page notes, are also needed to satisfy insurance requirements.

The fourth is fill and grading, which matters for any buyer who dreams of raising a yard or building a pool. Section 33-61.01 lists filling, grading, swimming pools and tanks among the development covered by the floodplain section when it falls in a flood hazard area. The site plan rules in 33-61.05 ask for the amount, type and source of fill, compaction specifications and evidence that the fill area is the minimum necessary for its purpose. In a regulatory floodway, the code authorizes no development at all, including fill or regrading, unless an engineering analysis shows no increase in the Base Flood Elevation. Where a floodway has not been designated, the code asks for analysis that the cumulative effect of development will not raise the Base Flood Elevation more than one foot at any point in the community. In plain terms, you cannot solve your own wet yard by pushing water onto the neighbor, and the city reviews it.

DeLand's water also has local plumbing. The city's stormwater page says the area receives about 31 inches of rain a year and that most runoff flows to Little Haw Creek, with some going to Lake Winnemissett or to streams that lead to the St. Johns River. New development has to include detention or retention facilities that hold runoff and release it slowly. The storm sewer system includes infiltration inlets the city calls dry-wells, which let water soak into the ground instead of discharging to a stream. The page also notes that clogged catch basins can cause flooding problems. None of that is a statement about your street. It gives you questions for a showing. Where do the downspouts go? Is there a catch basin or a dry-well near the lot, and is it clear of leaves? The building page even tells surveyors to show extra spot elevations along each side of the lot line on as-built surveys, so a reviewer can see whether humps or dips would block runoff. Ask to see the survey and look at those elevations.

Finally, appeals. If you disagree with a decision by the floodplain administrator, the ordinance sends appeals and variance requests to the planning board, and an aggrieved party can appeal further to circuit court. Most buyers never get there. It is still worth knowing that a determination is not final until it has run that course, and that you can contest how a boundary was read.

Flood insurance, your lender and the contract

Your homeowners policy does not cover flood. Florida law says so in the seller's flood disclosure form, which opens by stating that homeowners' insurance policies do not include coverage for damage resulting from floods and encourages the buyer to talk to an insurance agent about separate coverage. Flood needs its own policy, and ask whether the quote covers the structure, the contents or both.

The lender is next. FEMA states that Congress mandates federally regulated or insured lenders to require flood insurance for buildings in a Special Flood Hazard Area when the loan is federally backed, and that lenders must tell applicants about the requirement. FloodSmart puts it from the owner's side. You are required to have flood insurance if you own a home in a Special Flood Hazard Area and have a government-backed mortgage, and some banks require it even outside high-risk areas. So if your zone comes back as A, AE or VE, plan on a flood premium inside your monthly cost, and get the quote before you commit. If it comes back as Zone X, ask your loan officer anyway. The answer belongs in writing.

Timing is the third piece. Volusia County warns that most flood insurance policies have a 30-day waiting period before they take effect. A policy bought when a storm shows up in the forecast will not help with that storm, and a short closing leaves little room. Ask your agent and lender how the waiting period fits your closing date. The county also notes that some flood policies are transferable when a home is bought or sold, which can save money, so ask the seller what they carry and whether it can move to you. If you are buying a condominium, read the county's warning carefully. A master policy does not usually cover the inside of the unit or its contents.

You have more than one place to buy the policy. Section 627.715 of the Florida Statutes lets authorized insurers sell personal lines residential flood coverage on a standard, preferred, customized, flexible or supplemental basis. A standard private policy has to match the coverage, deductibles and claim adjustment of a standard federal policy. A preferred policy adds water that enters from outside the structure when the standard definition would not cover it, additional living expenses, and replacement cost on contents. A flexible policy can be written for a stated amount, such as the outstanding mortgage,. The statute also requires deductibles and limits to appear on the declarations page. One detail is easy to miss. In that statute, flood means inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land or of two or more properties, at least one of which is the policyholder's. The practical advice is to get quotes on both a federal and a private policy, then compare what each one covers line by line. A lower premium with a narrower definition is not the same product.

Now the contract. Section 689.302 requires the seller of residential property to complete and hand over a flood disclosure at or before the time the contract is signed. It asks three things. Does the seller know of flooding that damaged the property during their ownership? Did the seller file a flood claim with an insurer, including the National Flood Insurance Program? Did the seller receive assistance for flood damage, including from FEMA? The statute defines flooding broadly. It includes overflow of inland or tidal waters, the unusual and rapid accumulation of runoff or surface water from an established source such as a river, stream or drainage ditch, and sustained standing water after rain. A yes on any of the three does not end the deal. It tells you what to ask next. When did the water come in? What was repaired? Were permits pulled? Do the answers match what you saw on the lot?

A related tool is the elevation certificate. It records a building's location, the height of its lowest floor compared to the Base Flood Elevation, and other details. FloodSmart's page for insurance agents says an elevation certificate is not required to buy coverage under the federal program's current pricing method. Instead, FEMA uses the first floor height as one rating factor, and an owner can choose to submit a certificate to an agent to see whether it lowers the cost. That is a change from older advice you may have heard, so ask your agent how they price it today. Volusia County says certificates may be on file with its Building and Code Administration division, and DeLand's ordinance requires surveyor-sealed lowest-floor elevation certifications for certain buildings that are exempt from the Florida Building Code. If the seller has one, ask for a copy. If not, ask the city whether an elevation record exists for the address.

What if the map is wrong about your house? FEMA offers a Letter of Map Amendment. An individual who owns, rents or leases property can apply, there is no review and processing fee, and the application needs elevation information certified by a licensed land surveyor or registered professional engineer. A LOMA removes the federal purchase requirement, but FEMA notes that the mortgage lender keeps the right to require flood insurance. DeLand's ordinance recognizes the related Letter of Map Revision based on Fill, with a condition. The fill has to have been permitted and placed in accordance with the city's floodplain rules. So if a seller tells you the lot was raised years ago, ask for the permit and the FEMA letter. Without both, the zone on the map is the zone you will be dealing with.

The bottom line

Check the address before you fall in love with it. Call the city engineer's office, ask for the zone, the map panel date and any elevation record, and use the county viewer only as a first look. Get a flood quote and a written lender answer inside your inspection period, because the policy has a 30-day wait and the contract has a deadline. Read the seller's three flood disclosure answers, and ask for the permit history, because DeLand's fifty percent rule and its flood-area permit rules apply to the work you plan to do after closing. If you are shopping for homes for sale in DeLand, make this check the first line of your list for every address, whether the listing says high-risk or not. A map tells you the rules. The house, the lot and the paperwork tell you the rest.

Last, a limit on this guide. It explains how to check and what the published rules say. It does not tell you the zone of any particular street, because maps change, and it does not quote a premium, because only an agent can price your house. Those two answers come from the city and from your insurance agent.

That is a lot of detail for one question. Here are short answers to the points a buyer needs to settle before signing.

Frequently Asked Questions

This is a local guide. It leans on what Deltona publishes about itself, what Volusia County says about its flood maps, and the Florida rules that apply when a house changes hands. For the town as a whole, start with Living in Deltona. For the other big water question here, which is septic tanks and sewer connections, read our guide to Deltona septic versus sewer. This page stays on flood zones, flood insurance and what a seller has to tell you.

Looking up the zone, and why Deltona's water behaves differently

You have three places to look, and they should be used together. The first is the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Its address search lets you view the national flood hazard data for a location, and it lets you download a FIRMette, which FEMA describes as a smaller, printable version of the flood map. Save the FIRMette for every house you seriously consider. It is a dated record, and it is the thing to hand to an insurance agent when you ask for a quote.

The second is Volusia County's flood map viewer. You type in the address with the city and state, press the magnifier, and the map zooms to the spot. The county page lists the dates its current flood products took effect, which are February 19, 2014, September 29, 2017 and August 7, 2018, and it says the inland high-risk zones are labeled A or AE. The same page carries a warning that every buyer should read twice. The map information is "not survey accurate," and the county recommends independent verification. Treat the map as the place to start asking questions, not the place to stop.

The third is a person. The City of Deltona Planning and Development Services Department, at 386-878-8600, is the repository for the flood insurance rate maps and has online access to them. The city says it gives this information to individuals, lenders, insurance agents, real estate agents and homeowners, and that it can help you read the map panels. Elevation certificates for newly built or substantially improved buildings are kept on file at the City Building Department, at 386-878-8100, and are available on request. Call both numbers if you are serious about a house. A map shows a zone. Staff can tell you what the city has on file for that parcel.

Now the part that is particular to Deltona. The city's flood page makes a point many buyers do not expect. It says flood hazard areas do not exist only next to obvious water. They also appear near closed basins that look like ordinary high ground. Residents on or near lakes, dry lake beds, retention areas, forested wetlands or ditches, or inside a closed basin, may have part of a lot inside a Special Flood Hazard Area. The city puts the responsibility plainly: it is "incumbent upon the property owner to verify the location of the SFHA boundary in relation to their lot." That sentence is worth remembering when a listing says the house is not near water.

The eastern half of the city shows what a closed basin means in practice. Deltona's Theresa Basin study describes a watershed of about 35 square miles, bounded by Doyle Road on the south, Interstate 4 on the west, DeLand and Lake Helen on the north and the Deep Creek Basin on the east. The city calls the basin hydrologically closed. Stormwater drains into a chain of connected lakes, and those lakes recover mainly through groundwater recharge and evaporation and plant uptake, not by flowing out to a river. The city says that makes the basin sensitive to big storms. After Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2022, lake levels in that chain rose by up to 3.5 feet, and the city reports widespread, persistent flooding that did not fully recede until the spring of 2023.

Take that as a lesson about timing, not as a verdict on any street. The city's own account says the high water in that basin lasted until spring 2023. When you tour a property in the east side of town, ask about the lake behind it, ask how high the water got in 2022, and ask how long it stayed. The study's stated goals include updating the city's stormwater models for development since 2016 and updating the 100-year flood zone maps to supplement existing FEMA products or to support amending the FEMA maps. We could not confirm today what the study has concluded since its January 2024 public meeting, so ask the Public Works Department whether results are available for the basin you care about.

A short example of reading the result

Say you are comparing two houses. The FEMA search puts the first in Zone AE and the second in Zone X. The easy conclusion is that the second house has no flood concern. That skips a step. FEMA's own description of Zone X splits it in two. Shaded Zone X is the moderate-hazard area between the base flood and the 0.2 percent annual chance flood, which people call the 500-year flood. Unshaded Zone X is the minimal-hazard area outside the Special Flood Hazard Area. So even a clean-looking Zone X result has two different meanings, and you only know which one you have by reading the map legend on the FIRMette. After that, the city's closed-basin warning applies to both houses, and so does the seller's disclosure, which we cover below.

The name also misleads. The 100-year flood sounds like a schedule. Volusia County's page says it is the flood elevation that has a 1 percent chance of being equaled or exceeded each year, and that it is not the flood that will occur once every 100 years. Each year starts fresh. The city adds its own measure, saying a building within or adjacent to a flood area has a 26 percent higher risk of being flooded over a 30-year mortgage. That is the city's wording and the city's claim, and we repeat it only so you know what the local government tells its residents.

Flood insurance: what covers what, and who decides

Begin with the gap that catches people. A standard homeowners policy does not pay for flood damage. The City of Deltona says so, Volusia County says so, and Florida's seller flood disclosure form opens with the same warning: homeowners' insurance policies do not include coverage for damage resulting from floods, and the buyer is encouraged to discuss separate flood coverage with the buyer's insurance agent. Wind and a burst pipe sit on one policy. Rising water sits on another. If you close on a house with only the first, a flood is not covered.

Whether you must carry a flood policy is a separate question from whether you should. The city explains that the Flood Disaster Protection Act requires flood insurance to receive federal or federally backed financing for a building in a Special Flood Hazard Area, and that the lender is legally responsible for deciding whether a policy is required. In practice the lender sets the requirement. FEMA makes the same point about map changes. Even after a property is removed from the flood hazard area, FEMA says the mortgage lender keeps the prerogative to require flood insurance. Ask your lender early, because the answer changes your monthly cost and your closing timeline.

Timing deserves its own paragraph. Volusia County's flood page says, "Do not procrastinate," and warns that most flood insurance policies have a 30-day waiting period before they take effect. A buyer who calls an agent the week before closing may find the policy is not active on the day the loan funds. Ask for the quote when you go under contract. The county also notes that some flood policies are transferable when a home is sold, which can help in a purchase. Ask the seller whether a policy exists and whether it can be assigned to you, then confirm the terms with the agent who wrote it.

The city's page lists coverage limits for the federal program. A residence can be insured for up to two hundred fifty thousand dollars on the building and one hundred thousand dollars on the contents, and the city's wording is careful: because the figures can vary, check with your insurance company. A renter can insure belongings under the contents coverage. If the house is not in a flood hazard area, the city says a Preferred Risk Policy is available at a discounted rate, with coverage up to two hundred fifty thousand dollars on the building and sixty thousand dollars on the contents. The city also notes that those policies already carry the lowest premium, so the community rating discount does not apply to them. We do not quote premiums here. They depend on the building, the limits, the first-floor height and the carrier, and a number in a guide would be a guess.

Deltona takes part in FEMA's Community Rating System, which rewards towns that go beyond the minimum in floodplain management. The city's flood page says Deltona holds a Class 9 rating and that it qualifies policyholders in flood hazard areas for a 5 percent discount on federal policies issued or renewed on or after May 1, 2015. That page is undated, so treat the class and the percentage as the city's last published statement and ask your agent to show you how any discount appears on the quote for your address. The city adds that as it improves its tracking and documentation, savings for policyholders could grow.

You also have a choice of where to buy. The National Flood Insurance Program is the federal option. Florida law lets private insurers write flood coverage too, and section 627.715 of the Florida Statutes sets the rules. A private standard policy has to give the same coverage as a federal standard policy, including deductibles and how losses are adjusted. Insurers may also sell preferred, customized, flexible and supplemental forms. Supplemental coverage, for example, may help with things like jewelry, art, deductibles and additional living expenses. More choices means more reading. Compare what each policy leaves out, not only what it costs.

If you are buying a condominium, the county adds a warning of its own: a master policy does not usually cover the inside of your unit or your belongings. Ask the association for its insurance summary, then ask an agent what an individual policy would add. Flood is a separate policy and a separate conversation, and the two should be priced at the same time.

The elevation certificate

An elevation certificate is a form that shows where a building sits and how high its lowest floor is compared with the Base Flood Elevation. FEMA's agent materials say the federal program's current pricing approach no longer requires one to buy coverage. Instead, FEMA uses the first-floor height of the building as one of the factors in the rate. An owner may still hand a certificate to an agent to see whether it lowers the quote, and the certificate is still used for local building requirements and can affect eligibility for community rating discounts. In Deltona, as noted above, the Building Department keeps certificates on file for newly built and substantially improved buildings. Asking for one is cheap. The Deltona FAQ says elevation certificates and lot surveys are prepared by a Florida engineer of record or registered land surveyor.

What the seller must tell you, and what you can change later

Florida requires a seller of residential property to give the buyer a flood disclosure at or before the time the sales contract is signed. That rule is section 689.302 of the Florida Statutes, and the statute was updated in 2024 and again in 2025. The form asks three direct questions about the seller's own ownership. Does the seller know of flooding that damaged the property? Did the seller file a claim with an insurance provider for flood damage, including a claim to the federal program? Did the seller receive any assistance for flood damage, including help from FEMA? The statute defines flooding broadly. It includes the overflow of inland or tidal waters, the unusual and rapid buildup of runoff from an established water source such as a river, stream or drainage ditch, and sustained periods of standing water after rainfall.

The last item matters because the statute counts sustained standing water after rainfall as flooding, not only a river or lake spilling over. Read every line, and notice what the form does not do. It covers only the seller's own period of ownership. A house that flooded under the previous owner may show nothing on the form. So pair the disclosure with your own questions to neighbors, with the city's staff and with the elevation and map checks above.

Suppose a house is mapped inside a flood hazard area, and a survey shows the ground is higher than the map suggests. FEMA has a process for that, called a Letter of Map Amendment, or LOMA. An individual who owns, rents or leases the property can submit mapping and survey information, and FEMA can issue a document that officially removes the property or structure from the Special Flood Hazard Area. FEMA charges no review fee for a LOMA request. In most cases the applicant hires a licensed land surveyor or registered professional engineer to prepare an elevation certificate. Be honest about what a LOMA does and does not do. It can change the map. It cannot bind your lender, because FEMA states that the lender retains the prerogative to require flood insurance. A LOMA also does not change the rain.

The other side of the ledger is what you can do to the house after you own it. The city's FAQ says that regrading a lot so it slopes away from the building, adding a small floodwall, earthen berm or ditch, installing underdrains, placing watertight closures over doorways and raising a structure all require a permit. The city also offers one-on-one advice about retrofits and drainage improvements through the Building Department, and a city staff member may make a site visit first. Permits can be started through the Building Services Division's online portal. Ask the city before you change the grade of a lot, since the FAQ says these projects need a permit.

The rule that surprises owners most is the 50 percent threshold. The Deltona FAQ says that when the cost of repair, rehabilitation, addition or other improvement equals or exceeds 50 percent of a building's market value, the work has to meet the construction requirements for a new building and the local floodplain rules. In plain terms, a buyer who plans a large renovation of an older house in a flood zone should ask the Building Department how the work would be totaled before spending anything on plans. We could not read the full text of Deltona's floodplain ordinance today, so we do not state its elevation requirements here. Ask the city for the current wording in writing.

Finally, there is money for owners who want to reduce risk. The city's FAQ explains that FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant programs, including a program for properties with repeated federal flood claims, exist to fund projects that reduce flood damage. The city says its Planning and Development Services Department can provide more information at 386-878-8600. The city does not promise funding, so do not count on a grant when you set a budget.

The city has also acted on its own. It says it purchased repetitive loss properties clustered along Beechdale Drive, Springwood Lane and Ft. Smith Boulevard that had flooded or sat within the drainage area, and that it continues stormwater projects. Its Stormwater Division cleans ditches and swales, builds retention ponds in flood-prone areas and periodically cleans waterways and catch basins. If you see a blocked drain in a public right-of-way near a house you are considering, the city asks you to report it to Public Works at 386-878-8100.

For the rest of the buying budget, our guide to closing costs in Florida walks through what buyers and sellers pay in Volusia County.

Bottom line

Check three things before you make an offer on a Deltona house. Pull the FEMA map and save the FIRMette. Call the city's Planning and Development Services Department and Building Department and ask what they have on file. Ask the seller for the flood disclosure and, if one exists, the elevation certificate. Then start the flood insurance quote the day you go under contract, because the policy may not take effect for 30 days. The city's closed-basin warning is the local lesson to keep: its flood page says flood areas can appear near basins that look like ordinary high ground. If you want help sorting the results, browse our current homes for sale in Deltona and ask us to walk through any address with you.

Here are seven that cover the checks above.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you are looking at Orange City homes for sale, the lines below are the part of the bill that follows the address, whoever owns the house today. The part that does not follow the house is taxable value, and for a buyer that part starts over. Our guide to Volusia County property taxes covers how exemptions and the payment calendar work across the county, so this guide stays on the Orange City bill itself.

The twelve lines, and who sets each one

Florida defines a mill as one one-thousandth of a United States dollar. The Volusia County Property Appraiser's formula is taxable value times the millage rate, divided by 1,000. A property with $100,000 of taxable value pays $100 for every mill. We use $100,000 as the unit through most of this guide, because it keeps the arithmetic honest and does not pretend to be a quote for any real address.

The appraiser's 2026 final millage sheet gives Orange City its own row, code 014, and the row tells you as much by what it leaves blank as by what it fills in. There is no fire district line, no Municipal Service District line, no East Volusia Mosquito Control line and no inlet and port district line. The city's budget describes its General Fund as the account that pays for most day-to-day services, including police and fire. What the sheet does show is county, school, two regional districts, a hospital district and the city.

Start with Volusia County, which levies five lines that the final sheet groups into two numbers. County operating is 5.0698 mills. In the appraiser's detailed listing that is the General Fund at 3.1007, the Law Enforcement Fund at 1.5994 and the Library at 0.3697. The General Fund figure is the rolled-back rate, the rate that raises about the same money as the year before. The county budget describes the Law Enforcement Fund as the account that tracks all funding provided to the Sheriff's Office and levies the countywide sheriff millage, and it describes the Library as a countywide system with six regional libraries, two full service branches, six community branches and a support facility. The other two county lines are voter approved and sit together on the sheet at 0.4000. Volusia Forever is 0.2000 and buys land for preservation, and the county's budget says voters approved it in the 2020 election. Volusia ECHO is 0.2000 and pays for environmental, cultural, historical and outdoor recreation capital projects. Its budget text says voters first approved it in 2000 and approved it for another 20 years in 2020, with 72 percent support. All five county lines together come to 5.4698 mills, or about 29 percent of the bill.

The School Board levies three lines that the appraiser lists separately. Required Local Effort is 2.9950 mills, Discretionary is 0.7480 and Capital Improvement is 1.5000. Together they make 5.2430 mills, about 28 percent of the bill. That slice gets special treatment in the next section, because one of the usual homestead exemptions skips it.

The City of Orange City levies one line, and it is the largest. The operating rate is 7.0387 mills. The sheet shows no city debt service line for district 014, so there is nothing separate for bonds. The city's proposed budget for the fiscal year that began October 1, 2026 says the rate is two-tenths of a mill below the current adopted rate of 7.2387. Only property inside the city limits pays this line.

The last three lines belong to regional and special districts, and together they come to 1.1638 mills, about 6 percent.

• West Volusia Hospital Authority, 0.9575. A special taxing district that, as a September 2026 news report puts it, provides healthcare access for low-income and vulnerable residents. The same report quotes its chairman saying about 98 percent of its operating funds come from property taxes. It is the largest of the three.
• St. Johns River Water Management District, 0.1793. A regional water district, listed on every Volusia bill.
• FIND, 0.0270. The smallest line on the bill.

One more point about structure. A parcel just outside the city limits in this part of the county carries code 100, Unincorporated Westside, and it has no city line at all. It pays the county's Fire District at 3.5990 mills and the Municipal Service District at 1.6956 mills instead, plus the same hospital, water and navigation lines, and its 2026 total is 17.1712. We state that as a difference in structure and nothing more. The services behind the lines differ, and taxable value does the rest of the work. The only way to know which stack applies to a house is to read the Tax District field on its property record, not the town name in a listing. For the neighborhoods behind these lines, our guide to living in Orange City covers the town itself.

What each slice costs per $100,000, and how a house actually gets taxed

Here is the 2026 final rate stack turned into dollars for $100,000 of taxable value. These are rates multiplied out, not a quote for any home.

• City of Orange City, one line: $703.87.
• County, five lines: $546.98. That is $506.98 of operating lines and $40.00 for ECHO and Forever.
• School Board, three lines: $524.30. Required Local Effort is $299.50, Discretionary is $74.80 and Capital Improvement is $150.00.
• Three special districts: $116.38.
• Total: $1,891.53 for every $100,000 of taxable value.

The same arithmetic on the 2025 final rates gives $1,928.35, so the stack fell by $36.82 per $100,000. Four lines account for all of it. The city dropped 0.2000 mills, the county General Fund dropped 0.1000, School Board Required Local Effort dropped 0.0360 and the hospital authority dropped 0.0322. Every other line stayed where it was. That is a decline in rates only. What a particular owner pays depends on taxable value, which is where the next part of the bill comes in.

The number that makes a bill large or small is the taxable value you multiply those rates by. The appraiser sets value and exemptions from a property's status on January 1. The formula runs in order. Just value, capped by Save Our Homes where it applies, gives assessed value. Assessed value minus exemptions gives taxable value. Taxable value times the millage rate, divided by 1,000, gives the tax. Florida's homestead statute caps yearly increases in assessed value at the lower of 3 percent or the change in the Consumer Price Index, and the Department of Revenue lists the 2026 cap at 2.7 percent and the 2025 cap at 2.9 percent. That cap is the Save Our Homes protection. It belongs to the owner who earned it. After a sale, the statute says the property is assessed at just value as of January 1 of the following year, and the new owner's cap starts from there. The statute lists exceptions, such as certain transfers between spouses, but an ordinary sale to a new buyer is not one of them.

Picture a house that has been in one owner's hands for many years. The listing shows last year's tax bill, and that bill was built on a capped assessed value that had been trailing the market for a long time. The buyer closes, files the homestead application by March 1, and the appraiser sets just value for the first January 1 after the sale. The rate stack on the bill is identical. The number it multiplies is not. That is the reason to run your own estimate instead of reading the seller's figure. The appraiser's estimator lists Orange City as a choice, labeled 014, and it uses the 2026 final millage. It leaves out non-ad valorem fees, and the appraiser says the result is not a definitive determination of annual taxes. Use it to get close, then read the real bill. Our homestead exemption guide walks through the filing.

Now the school quirk. A homestead gets an exemption of up to $25,000 of assessed value, and that first exemption applies to every levy, including the School Board's. The second exemption is up to another $25,000 on assessed value above $50,000, adjusted each year for inflation, and the statute applies it to all levies other than school district levies. For 2026 the appraiser lists that additional exemption at up to $26,411, and a property needs an assessed value of at least $76,411 to receive all of it. So 5.2430 of the 18.9153 mills never see the second exemption.

Here is that arithmetic on a round number, as arithmetic only and not as a price or a typical home. Take an assessed value of $200,000 with a homestead exemption in place. The school lines apply to $175,000 of taxable value, which is $200,000 less the first $25,000. At 5.2430 mills that comes to $917.53. Every other line applies to $148,589, which is $200,000 less $25,000 less $26,411. Those lines add up to 13.6723 mills, and the result is $2,031.55. The total is about $2,949.08. Now take the same $200,000 with no homestead exemption. All 18.9153 mills apply to the full amount and the tax is $3,783.06. The gap between those two numbers is the whole reason the March 1 filing deadline matters.

A property without a homestead exemption follows a different rule. A second home or a rental with nine or fewer dwelling units is assessed at just value in its first year of eligibility, and after that the yearly change may not exceed 10 percent. The statute limits that 10 percent cap to levies other than school district levies. So the school lines follow just value even when the cap is holding down the rest. A buyer of a non-homestead property should model the school slice at full value, and should remember that a sale resets the assessment to just value the next January 1 for these properties too.

If you already own a Florida homestead, one more rule can help. The appraiser's estimator page explains that owners can transfer up to $500,000 of their Save Our Homes benefit to a new homestead within three years of giving up the old one, which the page calls portability. It takes a separate application by March 1. And a homestead does not move on its own. The appraiser says an exemption does not automatically transfer to a new home in the county, so a move inside Volusia still needs a fresh application.

The charges beside the tax, and the 2026 calendar

Two kinds of money appear on a Volusia tax bill, and the tax collector lists them separately. Ad valorem taxes come from the taxing authorities and the millage above. Non-ad valorem assessments come from levying authorities, and the bill adds both into one total. In Orange City the second kind is real money, and the appraiser's tax estimator leaves it out. The appraiser's 2026 non-ad valorem roll summary is headed Proposed, and the city's own budget states the same rates, so the figures below are consistent across both documents. Read your actual bill for the final amounts.

Solid waste is assessed per parcel. The city approved a ten-year franchise agreement with Waste Pro in July 2025, and the contract rate for the fiscal year that began in October 2026 is $231.96 per parcel, up from $206.16. The residential assessment is $241.82 per parcel. That is $17.91, or 8.00 percent, above the $223.91 of the year before, because the city is using $38,440 of available fund balance to cover part of the contract increase. The appraiser's roll lists 2,975 solid waste parcels in the city for 2026.

Stormwater is assessed in equivalent benefit units, or EBUs. The city adopted a rate study in June 2025 that sets the EBU rate for each year through fiscal 2029-30, and it assigns four EBUs to the average residential property. The rate was $23.00 per EBU in 2025-26, an average of $92.00 for the year. For 2026-27 it is $27.00 per EBU, an average of $108.00 for the year, or $9.00 a month. The roll lists 3,943 stormwater parcels. A property that is not average carries a different number of units, so the bill, not the average, is the number to check.

Three smaller assessments apply only to certain parcels. The Shadow Ridge Phase II lighting district is $150 per lot, down from $155. The Briarwood South lighting district is $85 per lot, up from $80. Both are tiny groups, 79 and 42 parcels on the roll. The South Kentucky Avenue Special Assessment District, established in May 2023, covers 212 parcels and is apportioned by benefit, so the amount varies. If a house is in none of these areas, those lines never appear. If it is, they belong in your monthly cost along with the rest.

Put the two assessments together and a residential parcel with the average four stormwater units carries $241.82 plus $108.00, or $349.82 a year, on top of the tax. Neither figure appears in the appraiser's estimate. That is the practical reason to look at the bill rather than the millage sheet.

Now the schedule that produced the 2026 numbers. The city sets a proposed millage rate in July, the appraiser's August TRIM notice shows each body's proposal, and the bodies hold their public hearings in September. The city's schedule put its two hearings on September 9 and September 23, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. The city's budget document we read is the proposed version, so we leave out the council's vote and rely on the appraiser's final sheet, which lists 7.0387 for the city. The same document gives context for the rate. It reports a preliminary 2026 taxable value of about $1.49 billion for the city, up 5.16 percent, of which about $26.7 million is new construction and improvements. Existing property rose about 3.27 percent. It reports the average single-family taxable value at $150,175 and says the city's levy alone on that value is about $1,057 a year. Note what that figure is. It is the city's average taxable value for single-family homes on the preliminary roll, not a price.

The city also reports a plain comparison. Its police and fire operating costs are budgeted at $9,646,122, and its ad valorem revenue is projected at $9,325,400. The city says ad valorem revenue is not legally dedicated to public safety, and it offers the comparison only to show that other revenue has to cover the rest of the city's services.

The city also runs a Community Redevelopment Agency under a 2014 plan, and its budget says that agency is scheduled to sunset in June 2034. The city's General Fund property tax revenue is stated net of the amount allocated to it. That does not add a line to your bill. It matters only because the city's tax revenue is split inside its own budget in ways the bill does not show.

A statewide property tax reform measure is also on the November 2026 ballot. The city's budget message says it does not directly affect the budget for the year that began in October, and that its effect on later years is a long-term consideration the city is monitoring. The West Volusia Hospital Authority is one body that has spoken about it publicly. A September 2026 news report says the authority estimates losing about $5 million in the 2027-28 fiscal year and about $8 million the year after if the measure passes, and that its chairman said no cuts were final. Our Amendment 3 guide for Volusia County buyers covers what the amendment would change.

The calendar that governs your own bill is short. The TRIM notice arrives in August and shows your taxable value, the proposed rates and the dates of each body's hearings. A petition to the Value Adjustment Board on a valuation issue may be filed on or before the 25th day after the appraiser mails that notice. Tax bills mail on or about November 1. Paying in November earns a 4 percent discount, December 3 percent, January 2 percent and February 1 percent, with no discount in March, and March 31 is the last day to pay without penalty. Taxes turn delinquent on April 1, and a 3 percent minimum charge is added. New installment plan applications are due by April 30.

The bottom line for an Orange City buyer

Every parcel in tax district 014 faces the same twelve lines. The 2026 total is 18.9153 mills, down from 19.2835 the year before, and the city's own line is the biggest slice at 7.0387. What differs from house to house is taxable value, and for you that starts over at closing. So pull the property record, read the Tax District field, run the appraiser's estimator for Orange City - 014 with your own purchase price and exemptions, and add the solid waste and stormwater assessments on top. Check whether the parcel sits in a lighting or paving district. Then go back to homes for sale in Orange City with a monthly number you built yourself instead of the seller's. If the rate stack matters to your decision, ask the city in writing to confirm the final 2026 rate and the special assessments for the parcel you want.

Those are the lines and the dates. A few questions come up each time someone sits down with a real Orange City tax record, so here are the answers.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you are looking at Deltona homes for sale, the rates below follow the address. The number they multiply does not follow the house, because taxable value is the part that starts over for a new owner. Our guide to Volusia County property taxes covers the county-wide rules, and our guide to living in Deltona covers the town itself. This guide stays on the Deltona bill.

The twelve lines, and who sets each one

Florida defines a mill as one one-thousandth of a dollar. The Volusia County Property Appraiser's formula is taxable value times the millage rate, divided by 1,000. Every figure in this guide uses $100,000 of taxable value as the unit, because it keeps the arithmetic honest and does not pretend to be a quote for any real address.

Start with Volusia County, which levies five lines. The General Fund, the Law Enforcement Fund and the Library make up what the appraiser's itemized sheet calls county operating, which came to 5.0698 mills for 2026. Volusia Forever and Volusia ECHO are the two voter-approved lines, 0.2000 each, and the sheet prints them together as 0.4000. All five county lines add up to 5.4698 mills. That is about 30 percent of the Deltona bill.

The School Board levies three lines. Required Local Effort is 2.9950 mills, Discretionary is 0.7480 and Capital Improvement is 1.5000. Together they make 5.2430, or about 29 percent. That slice gets special treatment later in this guide, because two of the usual tax limits skip it.

The City of Deltona levies one line. The 2026 operating rate is 6.4948 mills, which is 35 percent of the bill. It is also the rollback rate. The city manager's letter says that going to the rollback rate means the city collects the same amount of tax money as last year. The city's July 20 budget slide asked for a ceiling of 6.7000, saying a higher maximum avoids potential state revenue shortfalls and the need for a mailing to parcel owners under the TRIM rules. The West Volusia Beacon reported that the Commission settled on the lower rollback figure in July, and that final action was set for a public hearing at the September 21 meeting. The appraiser's 2026 final sheet prints 6.4948, so that is the number to use. Deltona has no separate city debt-service line on the sheet.

Three smaller lines complete the bill.

• West Volusia Hospital Authority, 0.9575. It is an independent special taxing district that the state established to provide access to health care for low-income residents of the district. Its commissioners meet on the third Thursday of each month and hold two hearings every September on the budget and the millage. Its website lists 0.9575 as the final rate for fiscal year 2026-2027, with a budget of $21,018,500.
• St. Johns River Water Management District, 0.1793. A regional water district, listed on the Deltona row and on every other row in the county.
• Florida Inland Navigation District, 0.0270. The smallest line on the bill.

Notice what is missing. The Deltona row has no Fire District line, no Municipal Service District line, no Mosquito Control line and no Ponce Inlet and Port line. Those appear on other rows. The appraiser's estimator lists "Deltona - 016" and "Unincorporated/Westside - 100" as two different choices, and the 2026 sheet shows the Westside row carrying a Fire District line at 3.5990 and a Municipal Service District line at 1.6956 that the Deltona row does not. Deltona's fire service is paid for out of the city's General Fund instead. The city's September 9 budget slide says that for every dollar of the proposed General Fund, 47 cents supports public safety, which it defines as law enforcement, fire services, emergency management and code compliance.

That difference is why the record matters more than the mailing address on a listing. Every property record carries a Tax District field, and that field decides which rate stack applies. A parcel whose record reads 100 instead of 016 is on a different bill.

Compared with 2025, the Deltona total fell by 0.3734 mills, from 18.7448 to 18.3714. Four pieces of the stack moved. County operating dropped by 0.1000, the School Board total dropped by 0.0360, the hospital line dropped by 0.0322 and the city's line dropped by 0.2052. The St. Johns River line, the navigation district line and the voter-approved county lines did not change. A lower rate does not mean a lower bill, as the next section shows, because the rate is only half of the multiplication.

What the bill costs in dollars, and why the seller's bill is not yours

Here is the 2026 final rate stack turned into dollars for $100,000 of taxable value. These are rates multiplied out, not a quote for any home.

• City of Deltona: $649.48.
• County, five lines: $546.98.
• School Board, three lines: $524.30. That is $299.50 for Required Local Effort, $74.80 for Discretionary and $150.00 for Capital Improvement.
• West Volusia Hospital Authority: $95.75.
• St. Johns River Water Management District: $17.93.
• Florida Inland Navigation District: $2.70.
• Total: $1,837.14 for every $100,000 of taxable value.

Taxable value is where the surprise lives. The property appraiser sets value and exemptions from a property's status on January 1. Just value is the market figure. Assessed value is just value after the Save Our Homes cap, if the property has one. Taxable value is assessed value minus exemptions. The city's own Sept. 9 slide walks through those steps and warns that different taxing authorities may have different taxable values, because some exemptions apply only to certain taxes.

Take the city's own example of an average homestead, which its slide lists at an assessed value of $172,250. What follows is arithmetic, not a quote. The first homestead exemption is $25,000 and applies to every levy. The second one is up to $25,000 on assessed value above $50,000, and the statute indexes it each year for inflation. The appraiser's 2026 figure is $26,411, and the full amount applies once assessed value reaches $76,411. The statute says the second exemption covers all levies other than school district levies.

For the school lines, taxable value in this example is $172,250 minus $25,000, or $147,250. Multiplied by 5.2430 mills, that is $772.03. For every other line, taxable value is $172,250 minus $25,000 minus $26,411, or $120,839. The non-school rate is 13.1284 mills, which is the 18.3714 total minus the School Board's 5.2430. Multiplied out, that is $1,586.42. The two pieces add up to $2,358.45 of ad valorem tax. Within the non-school piece, the city's line comes to $784.83, the county's five lines to $660.97, the hospital line to $115.70 and the two water and navigation lines together to $24.93.

Now picture the other side of the closing table. A seller who has owned a long time may carry an assessed value that Save Our Homes has held far below market. The statute caps each year's increase at the lower of 3 percent or the change in the Consumer Price Index, and the appraiser's chart lists the cap at 2.7 percent for 2026 and 2.9 percent for 2025. That cap belongs to the owner who built it up. After a sale, the statute says the property is assessed at just value as of January 1 of the following year, and the new owner's cap starts from that higher number. The listing shows last year's bill. The buyer's bill is built on a new taxable value, with the same twelve lines on top. The gap between the two can be large, and it is the reason to run your own estimate from the purchase price instead of reading the seller's figure.

The new owner also has to ask for the exemption. The application is due to the Volusia County Property Appraiser on or before March 1 of the year it applies to. A buyer who misses March 1 has until the 25th day after the appraiser mails the TRIM notices. Our homestead exemption guide walks through the filing.

A property without a homestead exemption follows a different rule. A second home or a rental with nine or fewer dwelling units is assessed at just value in its first year of eligibility. After that, the statute limits the annual increase to 10 percent, and it says that limit applies to all levies other than school district levies. So the School Board's 29 percent slice follows just value even when the cap is holding down the rest. A sale resets a nonhomestead assessment to just value on the next January 1 as well. A buyer of a nonhomestead property should model the school slice at just value and expect the whole assessment to reset to just value on the next January 1 after the sale.

The charges outside the millage, and the 2026 calendar

The 18.3714 is not the whole bill. A Deltona tax bill also carries non-ad valorem assessments, which the appraiser's roll lists separately from the millage lines. The city's July 20 budget slides explain the difference this way. A special assessment is calculated on a per-lot basis, not on the property's value, and in Deltona the fee is charged per lot, not by property value. The appraiser's tax estimator leaves these out, and its own notice says so.

The appraiser's 2026 roll summary for the City of Deltona lists these, with the 2025 final figures beside them.

• Garbage: $287.76 per unit for 2026, up from $260.00 in 2025. The roll covers 36,516 parcels.
• Stormwater: $210 per equivalent residential unit, called an ERU, for improved residential parcels, up from $190. The roll counts 36,330 improved residential parcels and 36,360.25 units, so the typical house is billed for about one. Vacant residential lots pay $210 per .63 ERU. The city's slide calls 2026 year three of a five-year rate study and lists $230 for 2027-28 and $250 for 2028-29.
• Street lighting: only for parcels inside named lighting areas. The 2026 summary lists 38 of them, with rates from $16.15 for Sullivan Street to $155.61 for Kensington Ests.
• Lake McGarity weed control and code enforcement: these apply to a handful of parcels and vary. The weed-control line was $30.00 in 2025. For 2026 the roll lists it as varying, with a total of $0.00. Code enforcement charges appear on three parcels in the 2026 summary.

Put the first two together for a typical improved residential parcel at one ERU and you get $497.76 in 2026. Add that to the $2,358.45 from the example above and the bill reaches $2,856.21, before any lighting area or other line. A comparison that stops at the millage rate leaves out $497.76 of that $2,856.21.

One assessment that was proposed never reached the roll. In July the city's slides showed fire assessment scenarios, including one at $579 a year. Spectrum News 13 reported that the City Commission unanimously rejected the fire rescue services fee on the night of July 20. The 2026 roll has no fire line. The same slides count $14,502,903 of eligible fire expenditures inside the General Fund, which is where fire service remains funded for now. Ask the city whether anything new is pending before you close.

A statewide property tax amendment, Amendment 3, is on the November 3, 2026 ballot. City staff gave a presentation on it on September 9 and described the presentation as educational, not as advocacy for or against. Our Amendment 3 guide for Volusia County buyers covers what it would change.

The calendar that governs the tax bill is short. The property appraiser mails a TRIM notice that shows your taxable value, the proposed rates and the dates of each body's hearings. A petition to the Value Adjustment Board on a valuation issue may be filed on or before the 25th day after the appraiser mails that notice. Tax bills mail on or about November 1. Paying in November earns a 4 percent discount, December 3 percent, January 2 percent and February 1 percent, with no discount in March. The Tax Collector lists March 31 as the last day to pay without penalty. Taxes become delinquent on April 1, and a 3 percent minimum charge is added. New installment plan applications are due by April 30.

The garbage and stormwater assessments are billed on the same property tax notice as the millage lines. When you close, ask the title company how the contract splits that year's bill, and ask to see the full notice, not a summary line.

Bottom line

The Deltona bill has twelve lines from six taxing authorities, and for 2026 they add up to 18.3714 mills, which is $1,837.14 for every $100,000 of taxable value. The City of Deltona's 6.4948 is the biggest piece, and it fell with the rollback. The part that decides your own bill is not on that list. It is your taxable value, which resets at a sale, and the per-lot charges for garbage and stormwater that sit outside the millage. If you are comparing Deltona real estate against another town, compare the whole notice, confirm the Tax District field reads 016, and run the appraiser's estimator with the purchase price before you make an offer.

Before you go, a few quick answers to the questions that come up when a buyer reads a Deltona tax notice for the first time.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide stays on the Edgewater bill itself. See also the guide to Volusia County property taxes and the guide to living in Edgewater. Here we take the rate stack apart, show what it costs per $100,000 of taxable value, compare it with last year's stack, and explain what resets when a house changes hands.

The fifteen lines, and who sets each one

Florida law defines a mill as one one-thousandth of a United States dollar. The Volusia County Property Appraiser's formula is taxable value times the millage rate, divided by 1,000. A property with $100,000 of taxable value pays $100 for every mill. We use $100,000 as the unit all the way through, because it keeps the arithmetic honest and does not pretend to be a quote for any real address.

Start with the City of Edgewater, because it is the largest piece. The city levies two lines. Its operating rate is 6.3300 mills. The second line is 0.1050 mills of voter-approved debt service. The appraiser labels that line Edgewater I&S 2016, and the city's own adopted budget for fiscal year 2026-27 calls it the 2016 I & S Voted Fund. Together the two lines make 6.4350 mills, or 36.5 percent of the bill. Only property inside the city limits pays them.

The operating rate deserves a closer look. The city's budget gives a rolled-back rate of 6.1165 mills. That is the rate that would raise the same tax dollars as the year before, once the rise in property values is taken into account. The appraiser's August listing shows the proposed 6.3300 as 3.5 percent above that rolled-back figure. So the rate is flat, but flat is not the same as no increase in dollars. The city's own tax analysis table shows 6.70 mills for fiscal years 2022 and 2023, and 6.33 mills for each year from 2024 through 2027. Over that same stretch, the table's taxable value climbs from $1,719,653,310 in fiscal year 2024 to $2,360,128,081 in fiscal year 2027, and the tax levy climbs from $10,341,135 to $14,192,630. Same rate, bigger levy. That is how a flat millage works when values rise.

Volusia County levies five lines. The General Fund is 3.1007 mills, which is the rolled-back rate the County Council adopted unanimously at its final budget hearing on September 22, 2026. The Law Enforcement Fund is 1.5994, and the county budget describes that fund as the one that tracks all funding provided to the Sheriff's Office and levies the countywide sheriff millage. The Library is 0.3697, and the budget describes a public library system that includes six regional libraries. Those three add up to 5.0698, which the appraiser's final table prints under County operating. The other two lines are Volusia Forever at 0.2000 and Volusia Echo at 0.2000, and they add up to the 0.4000 the table prints under voter approved. All five county lines together are 5.4698 mills, or 31 percent of the bill. The council did not go to rollback on the law enforcement fund, so that line stayed at 1.5994.

The School Board levies three lines that the appraiser lists separately. Required Local Effort is 2.9950 mills. Discretionary is 0.7480. Capital Improvement is 1.5000. Together they make 5.2430 mills, or 29.7 percent of the bill. That slice gets special treatment later in this guide, because two of the usual tax limits skip it.

The last five lines belong to special districts, and together they come to 0.4944 mills, about 2.8 percent. No fire district appears among them, because for Edgewater the fire charge is not a millage line. It arrives another way, and the third section explains how.

• Hospital district, 0.0668. It moved more than any other line from last year, as the next section shows.
• SJRWMD, 0.1793. Printed on the Edgewater row.
• Mosquito Control, 0.1573. The county budget describes its work as monitoring larval and adult mosquito populations, mitigating the sites where mosquitoes are produced, controlling immature mosquitoes and spraying for adults.
• Ponce de Leon Inlet and Port District, 0.0640. The county budget describes it as the local sponsor for the inlet channel the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains, with inlet and beach management, the Smyrna Dunes and Lighthouse Point inlet parks and artificial reef construction under it.
• FIND, 0.0270. The smallest line on the bill.

Small lines still deserve a glance, because a small line can move a long way in percentage terms from one year to the next. See also the guide to Edgewater canal and river lots.

What the stack costs per $100,000, and what moved since 2025

Here is the 2026 final rate stack turned into dollars for $100,000 of taxable value. These are rates multiplied out, not a quote for any home.

• City of Edgewater, two lines: $643.50. Operating is $633.00 and voted debt service is $10.50.
• County, five lines: $546.98. That is $506.98 of operating lines and $40.00 for Echo and Forever.
• School Board, three lines: $524.30. Required Local Effort is $299.50, Discretionary is $74.80 and Capital Improvement is $150.00.
• Five special districts: $49.44.
• Total: $1,764.22 for every $100,000 of taxable value.

Those four slices add up exactly, which is a useful habit to copy. When you read a real bill, add the lines yourself. If your total does not match the appraiser's table for your district, the property is in a different district or the bill includes something that is not a millage line.

The 2025 final stack for the same district was 18.0414 mills, so the 2026 total is lower by 0.3992 mills, which is $39.92 per $100,000 of taxable value. Five lines account for every bit of that drop. The Southeast Volusia hospital line fell from 0.3101 to 0.0668, a drop of 0.2433. The County General Fund fell from 3.2007 to 3.1007, a drop of 0.1000. The School Board's Required Local Effort fell from 3.0310 to 2.9950, a drop of 0.0360. The city's voted debt service fell from 0.1229 to 0.1050, a drop of 0.0179, as the older 2005 debt line went from 0.0100 to zero and the 2016 line eased to 0.1050. The Ponce de Leon Inlet and Port District fell from 0.0660 to 0.0640, a drop of 0.0020. Add those five drops together and you get 0.3992.

The other ten lines did not move. That includes the city's operating rate, which stayed at 6.3300 and is the biggest single line on the bill. A lower total can tempt a reader to assume every body cut its rate. Five lines fell, and the largest one held still.

One honest limit belongs here. The appraiser's August listing proposed the hospital line at 0.1000, and the final table printed 0.0668. We did not find a public explanation of why it landed lower than the proposal, so we report the numbers and leave the reason alone. If the hospital line matters to your budget, the TRIM notice lists when and where each taxing authority held its hearing, and that is where a reason would be recorded.

Rates are only half of any bill. The other half is taxable value, and that number does not travel with the house. The next section is about why.

What follows the house, what resets at closing, and what sits beside the bill

The Volusia County Property Appraiser sets value and exemptions from a property's status on January 1. Assessed value is just value held down by any cap. Taxable value is assessed value minus exemptions. Then the rates above apply. The rates follow the address. Everything else depends on the owner and the date.

Homestead is the biggest example. Florida law exempts up to $25,000 of assessed value from all taxation, except for assessments for special benefits. That first exemption reaches every line on the bill, including the School Board's three lines. A second exemption of up to $25,000 applies to assessed value greater than $50,000, and the statute applies it to all levies other than school district levies. The statute also adjusts that second amount each year for inflation. So in district 604, the School Board's 5.2430 mills see only the first exemption, and the other 12.3992 mills can see both. See the homestead exemption guide for who qualifies and how to file. The deadline for a new exemption is March 1.

Save Our Homes works on top of that. For a homestead, the yearly increase in assessed value may not exceed the lower of 3 percent or the change in the Consumer Price Index. The Department of Revenue lists the 2026 cap at 2.7 percent and the 2025 cap at 2.9 percent. That cap belongs to the owner who earned it. After a sale, the statute says the property is assessed at just value as of January 1 of the following year, and the new owner's cap starts from there. A seller's assessed value may sit below market because of the cap. The buyer will not inherit that number. So the seller's bill is a record of the seller's history, and the buyer needs a fresh estimate.

For what Florida's Amendment 3 property tax vote means for Volusia homeowners and buyers, see our guide: Amendment 3 in Volusia County.

A property without a homestead exemption follows a different rule. A second home or a rental with nine or fewer units is assessed at just value in its first year of eligibility, and after that the annual increase may not exceed 10 percent. The statute limits that cap to levies other than school district levies. So the school lines, which are 29.7 percent of the Edgewater rate, follow just value even when the cap is holding down the rest. A sale resets the assessment to just value the next January 1 for these properties too.

Now the part that sits beside the millage stack rather than inside it. The tax collector's bill lists ad valorem taxes and non-ad valorem assessments separately, and the appraiser's estimator leaves non-ad valorem charges out of its answer. Edgewater has several. The most important is the fire assessment. On the appraiser's 2025 final non-ad valorem roll, the residential fire line for Edgewater shows $50 per dwelling across 10,226 parcels, and the commercial, industrial and institutional lines are charged per square foot. The 2026 roll we read is still labeled proposed, and it shows the same $50 per dwelling across 10,398 parcels. The city's budget describes the fire assessment as a charge against real property that pays for fire protection services, and it adds that the assessment does not include EMS-type services above the level of first responder. So treat the fire assessment as a fixed line to add to the millage total, and confirm the final 2026 amount on your actual bill.

The roll lists a few smaller items too. One road-improvement area, the Thomas Street Area, covers 15 parcels. A code enforcement line covers two parcels at a rate that varies. A buyer who sees either one on a parcel should ask the city what it covers before closing.

Water, sewer, garbage, recycling and stormwater work differently in Edgewater. The city bills them on one monthly utility statement. The city's own page says that statement is all inclusive of water, sewer, stormwater, garbage, recycling and reclaimed water where those apply, and that in other cities many of these services are billed separately through an annual tax assessment. So the tax bill does not tell the whole story of what it costs to hold a house in Edgewater. Plan for both. The city posts its incorporated and unincorporated rate sheets for 2025-2026 on its utility customer service page, and its Utility Customer Service office is at 386-424-2400, extension 4000.

Next, a check on the parcel itself. Every property record carries a Tax District field, and that field decides which rate stack applies. District 604 is the City of Edgewater. District 600 is the Unincorporated Southeast area, and it has no city lines at all. A parcel there pays the county's Fire district at 3.5990 mills and the Municipal Service District at 1.6956 instead. We state that as a difference in structure only, because the services behind the lines differ and taxable value does the rest of the work. The appraiser's estimator lists both Edgewater - 604 and Unincorporated/Southeast - 600 as choices, and it says its rates are based on the 2026 final millage. If a listing says Edgewater, read the parcel record before you trust a tax figure from anywhere else.

The calendar around all this is short. The appraiser mails the TRIM notice in August, and it shows your taxable value, the proposed rates and the dates of each body's hearings. A petition to the Value Adjustment Board on a valuation issue is due on or before the 25th day after the appraiser mails that notice. A late homestead application, filed in person at an appraiser's office with a letter explaining the circumstances, follows the same 25-day clock. Tax bills mail on or about November 1. Paying in November earns a 4 percent discount, December 3 percent, January 2 percent and February 1 percent, with no discount in March. Taxes turn delinquent on April 1, and a 3 percent minimum charge is added. New installment plan applications are due by April 30.

The bottom line for an Edgewater buyer

Every parcel in tax district 604 faces the same fifteen lines. The 2026 final total is 17.6422 mills, which is $1,764.22 for every $100,000 of taxable value, down 0.3992 mills from 2025 even though the city's operating rate did not move. What differs from house to house is taxable value, and for a buyer that starts over at closing. So pull the property record, read the Tax District field, run the appraiser's estimator for Edgewater - 604 with your own purchase price and exemptions, add the fire assessment, and add the city's monthly utility statement on top. Then go back to homes for sale in Edgewater with a monthly number you built yourself instead of the seller's.

That covers the lines and the dates. A few specific questions come up once you hold a real Edgewater tax record in your hand, so here are answers to the likeliest ones.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide stays on the South Daytona bill. See also the guide to Volusia County property taxes and the guide to living in South Daytona.

The fourteen lines, and who sets each one

Florida defines a mill as one one-thousandth of a dollar. The Volusia County Property Appraiser multiplies taxable value by the millage rate and divides by 1,000. So a property with $100,000 of taxable value pays $100 for every mill. This guide uses $100,000 as its unit from start to finish, because it keeps the arithmetic honest. It is a rate multiplied out, not a quote for any address.

The property appraiser's final millage sheet for the 2026 tax year shows one row for code 401, South Daytona, and the row reads like this. Volusia County operating is 5.0698. County voter-approved is 0.4000. The School Board is 5.2430. SJRWMD is 0.1793, FIND is 0.0270, the hospital line is 0.6814, mosquito control is 0.1573 and the Ponce de Leon Inlet and Port Authority is 0.0640. The city's operating rate is 7.5000. Add them and the total is 19.3218.

Start with the county, which levies five lines. The General Fund is 3.1007 mills. The Law Enforcement Fund is 1.5994, and the county budget describes that fund as the one that tracks all money provided to the Sheriff's Office and levies the countywide sheriff millage. The Library is 0.3697, set in the county budget at a countywide rollback rate for the public library system. Those three make 5.0698, the figure the sheet prints under County operating. The other two lines are Volusia Forever at 0.2000 and Volusia ECHO at 0.2000. They make the 0.4000 under voter-approved. All five county lines together come to 5.4698 mills, or about 28 percent of the South Daytona total.

The School Board levies three lines that the appraiser lists separately. Required Local Effort is 2.9950 mills. Discretionary is 0.7480. Capital Improvement is 1.5000. Together they make 5.2430 mills, about 27 percent of the total. That slice gets special treatment later in this guide, because two of the usual tax limits skip it.

Then comes the line that sets South Daytona apart from the county-wide stack. The City of South Daytona levies one line, operating, at 7.5000 mills. It is the biggest single line on the bill and about 39 percent of the total. The sheet shows no city debt-service line for South Daytona, so there is no second city line to look for. Only property inside the city limits pays it. The city's own news post of September 29, 2026 says the City Council approved the millage rate and budget for the fiscal year that began October 1, and that the final rate is below the rolled-back rate. The property appraiser's sheets agree with that arithmetic. The rolled-back rate on the August proposed-rates sheet was 7.5072, and the final rate is 7.5000.

The last five lines belong to special districts, and together they are 1.1090 mills, about 6 percent.

• Halifax Hospital, 0.6814. The appraiser's final sheet prints this column as Hospital operating, and in the detailed listing the same column carries the Halifax Hospital rate. It is the largest of the five districts.
• SJRWMD, 0.1793. Printed on the South Daytona row.
• Mosquito Control, 0.1573. The county budget describes its work as monitoring larval and adult mosquito populations, treating the sites where mosquitoes are produced, controlling immature mosquitoes and spraying for adults.
• Ponce de Leon Inlet and Port Authority, 0.0640. The county budget describes the district as the local sponsor for the inlet channel the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains, with inlet and beach management, two inlet parks and artificial reef construction under it.
• FIND, 0.0270. The smallest line on the bill.

Small lines still deserve a look, because a small line can move a long way in percentage terms from one stage of the budget season to the next. The last section shows one that did.

What each slice costs per $100,000, and why the seller's bill is not yours

Here is the 2026 final rate stack turned into dollars for $100,000 of taxable value. These are rates multiplied out, not a quote for any home.

• City of South Daytona, one line: $750.00.
• County, five lines: $546.98. That is $506.98 of operating lines and $40.00 for ECHO and Forever.
• School Board, three lines: $524.30. Required Local Effort is $299.50, Discretionary is $74.80 and Capital Improvement is $150.00.
• Five special districts: $110.90.
• Total: $1,932.18 for every $100,000 of taxable value.

A bill gets large or small because of the taxable value those rates are multiplied by, and for a buyer that number usually changes at closing. The property appraiser sets value and exemptions from a property's status on January 1. Florida's homestead statute caps yearly increases in assessed value at the lower of 3 percent or the change in the Consumer Price Index, and the Department of Revenue lists the 2026 cap at 2.7 percent and the 2025 cap at 2.9 percent. That cap is the Save Our Homes protection. It belongs to the owner who earned it. After a sale, the statute says the property is assessed at just value as of January 1 of the following year, and the new owner's cap starts from there.

Picture a house that one owner has held for many years. The listing shows last year's tax bill, and that bill was built on a capped assessed value. The buyer closes, files the homestead application by March 1, and the appraiser sets just value for the first January 1 after the sale. The rate stack on the bill is identical. The number it multiplies is not. That gap is the reason to run your own estimate instead of reading the seller's figure. See the homestead exemption guide for filing.

If you already own a Florida homestead and are moving, the appraiser's estimator page describes portability. A homeowner can transfer the Save Our Homes benefit, up to $500,000, to a new homestead within three years of giving up the old one, and a separate application is due by March 1.

The school slice has two quirks that matter in district 401. A homestead gets an exemption of up to $25,000 of assessed value, and that first exemption applies to every levy, including the School Board's. The second exemption is another amount of up to $25,000 on assessed value above $50,000, indexed to inflation each year, and the statute applies it to all levies other than school district levies. So 5.2430 of the 19.3218 mills never see the second exemption.

A property without a homestead exemption has a different rule. A second home or a rental with nine or fewer units is assessed at just value in its first year of eligibility, and after that the annual increase may not exceed 10 percent. The statute limits that 10 percent cap to levies other than school district levies. So the school lines follow just value even when the cap is holding down the rest. A buyer of a non-homestead property should model that slice at full value, and should remember that a sale resets the assessment to just value the next January 1 for these properties too.

How the 2026 rates moved, and the calendar around your bill

Bills for the 2026 tax year go out on or about November 1, and the rates on them came out of budget hearings held in September. The August notice listed what each body proposed. The final sheet shows what was adopted. Putting the two side by side is the quickest way to see where South Daytona's number came from.

The city proposed 7.7500, the same as its 2025 rate, and the August sheet put that 3.2 percent above the rolled-back rate of 7.5072. The final rate is 7.5000, which is 0.2500 below the proposal and 0.2500 below the 2025 line. On $100,000 of taxable value, that is $25.00 less than a year earlier. The county General Fund was proposed at 3.2007 and finished at 3.1007, which is the rolled-back figure from the August sheet. The hospital line was proposed at 0.9850 and finished at 0.6814, the same number the August sheet printed as its rolled-back rate. Three lines account for the drop from the proposed 19.9754 mills to 19.3218: the city's 0.2500, the County General Fund's 0.1000 and the hospital line's 0.3036. The school lines finished where they were proposed. Only the Required Local Effort line moved at all, from 3.0310 in 2025 to 2.9950.

Set the final 2026 stack beside 2025 and every group moved down. The city went from 7.7500 to 7.5000. The county went from 5.5698 to 5.4698. The School Board went from 5.2790 to 5.2430. The five special districts together went from 1.1315 to 1.1090. The total fell by 0.4085 mills, about $40.85 for every $100,000 of taxable value. That is a statement about rates only. Your own bill also depends on your taxable value and your exemptions, and those can move the other way.

The city's schedule was public. The City Council held its budget workshop and a regular meeting on September 9, 2026. The agenda for its September 23 meeting lists Resolution 2026-18 to adopt the final millage rate and Resolution 2026-19 to adopt the final budget, each with a public hearing, at 6:00 pm in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 1672 South Ridgewood Avenue. The August TRIM notice is where an owner finds each year's hearing dates.

The calendar that governs your own bill is short. The Notice of Proposed Property Taxes, called the TRIM notice, arrives in August and shows your taxable value, the proposed rates and the dates of each body's hearings. A petition to the Value Adjustment Board on a valuation issue is due on or before the 25th day after the property appraiser mails the notice. A late homestead application, filed at an appraiser's office, follows the same 25-day clock. Tax bills mail on or about November 1. The tax collector's schedule gives a 4 percent discount for payment in November, 3 percent in December, 2 percent in January and 1 percent in February, with no discount in March. Taxes become delinquent on April 1, when a 3 percent minimum charge is added, and applications for a new installment plan are due by April 30.

Two costs of owning in South Daytona never appear in the 19.3218. The first is non-ad valorem assessments. The appraiser's non-ad valorem roll summaries for 2025 final and 2026 proposed do not list South Daytona at all. The second is the city's utility bill. The Utility Billing department mails monthly statements for water, sewer, garbage and stormwater, and sewer charges are billed to match water use. A new account needs a deposit, and the city's page lists the usual 5/8-inch meter deposit at $225. A utility bill is due 20 days after the bill date, and an unpaid balance after that date carries a 10 percent late fee. The appraiser's tax estimator leaves such fees out as well, so add them to your monthly number yourself.

One more check belongs on your list. Every property record carries a tax district code, and that code decides which rate stack applies, not the town name in a listing. Code 401 is South Daytona. A parcel outside any city in this part of the county carries code 200, Unincorporated Northeast. It has no city line. It has the county's Fire Rescue District at 3.5990 mills and the Municipal Service District at 1.6956, and its 2026 total is 17.1164. We state that as a difference in structure only. The two stacks fund different sets of governments, and taxable value does the rest of the work. A flood-zone check is the other address-level item that decides what a house costs to carry. See the South Daytona flood zone and insurance guide.

The bottom line for a South Daytona buyer

Every parcel in tax district 401 faces the same fourteen lines. The 2026 final total is 19.3218 mills, the city's single line is 7.5000 of it, and every group of lines came in lower than in 2025. What differs from house to house is taxable value, and for you that starts over at closing. So pull the property record, read the tax district code, run the appraiser's estimator for South Daytona - 401 with your own purchase price and exemptions, and add the city's utility lines on top. See the Amendment 3 guide. Then go back to homes for sale in South Daytona with a monthly number you built yourself instead of the seller's.

Those are the lines and the dates. Here are seven short answers about the points on a real South Daytona tax record that trip people up.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you are looking at Ponce Inlet homes for sale, the rate is the easy half to read, because every parcel in tax district 405 faces the same eleven lines. See also the guide to living in Ponce Inlet and the guide to Volusia County property taxes. This guide stays on the Ponce Inlet bill.

The ten lines in district 405, and who sets each one

Florida law defines a mill as one one-thousandth of a United States dollar. The Volusia County Property Appraiser's formula is taxable value times the millage rate, divided by 1,000. A property with $100,000 of taxable value pays $100 for every mill. We use $100,000 as the unit all the way through, because it keeps the arithmetic honest and does not pretend to be a quote for any real address.

The appraiser's final 2026 sheet gives the town its own code, 405. Eleven lines sit under it, and they fall into four groups. Volusia County levies the first group. The County operating rate is 5.0698 mills. The county's detailed listing breaks that into the General Fund at 3.1007, the Law Enforcement Fund at 1.5994 and the Library at 0.3697. The county budget describes the Law Enforcement Fund as the one that tracks money provided to the Sheriff's Office and levies the countywide sheriff millage. A second county line is the voter-approved debt service rate of 0.4000, which the sheet prints beside the operating rate. Together the two county lines are 5.4698 mills, or about 30 percent of the bill.

The School Board is the second group, and it levies three lines that the sheet prints under one heading. Required Local Effort is 2.9950, Discretionary is 0.7480 and Capital Improvement is 1.5000. They add up to 5.2430 mills, about 29 percent of the bill. That slice gets different treatment later in this guide, because the second homestead exemption and the 10 percent cap on non-homestead increases both skip school levies.

The town is the third group, and it is the largest single piece. Ponce Inlet's operating rate is 6.2300 mills, about 35 percent of the total. There is no town debt service line in district 405 this year. Compare that with the sheet's New Smyrna Beach row, which carries a city debt line of 0.1695, or the Ormond Beach row at 0.0590. Ponce Inlet's row has an empty box in that column.

The last group is five special districts, and together they come to 1.1090 mills, about 6 percent of the bill.

• Hospital, 0.6814. The appraiser's detailed listing names this line Halifax Hospital. It is the same rate that appears on Daytona Beach codes 204 and 214, and it is far higher than the 0.0668 printed on the New Smyrna Beach row.
• SJRWMD, 0.1793. Printed on the Ponce Inlet row.
• Mosquito Control, 0.1573. The county budget describes its work as monitoring larval and adult mosquito populations, treating breeding sites, controlling immature mosquitoes and spraying for adults.
• Ponce de Leon Inlet and Port District, 0.0640. The county budget describes it as a special taxing district that is the local sponsor for the inlet channel the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains, with inlet and beach management, inlet parks and artificial reef construction under it.
• FIND, 0.0270. The smallest line on the bill.

Two lines are missing from the stack. District 405 has no Fire Rescue District line and no Municipal Service District line, and both appear on the sheet's unincorporated Southeast row, code 600, at 3.5990 and 1.6956 mills. That row has no town line and totals 16.5018. If you are comparing an address in town with one in unincorporated Southeast Volusia, the two bills are built from different parts, so compare the total for the exact parcel.

What moved between 2025 and 2026, and what each slice costs

Five lines changed. Six stayed exactly where they were: the voter-approved county rate at 0.4000, the school Discretionary and Capital Improvement lines, SJRWMD at 0.1793, FIND at 0.0270 and mosquito control at 0.1573. Here are the five that moved, each against the 2025 final sheet.

• County operating: 5.1698 down to 5.0698. That is 0.1000 mills, or $10.00 less per $100,000. The cause is the General Fund, which went from 3.2007 to 3.1007, the rolled-back rate printed on the appraiser's August notice.
• School Required Local Effort: 3.0310 down to 2.9950, or $3.60 less.
• Hospital: 0.7019 down to 0.6814, or $2.05 less.
• Ponce de Leon Inlet and Port District: 0.0660 down to 0.0640, or 20 cents less.
• Town operating: 6.2500 down to 6.2300, or $2.00 less.

Net, the total fell by 0.1785 mills, which is $17.85 for every $100,000 of taxable value. Notice what that means for the town line. The appraiser's August notice listed a proposed town rate of 6.3720 and a rolled-back rate of 6.1751. The final sheet printed 6.2300. The adopted rate landed below the proposal and above the rolled-back rate. We did not find the town's reasoning in the documents we read, so read the town's own budget materials if the question matters to you.

Here is the 2026 rate stack turned into dollars for $100,000 of taxable value. These are rates multiplied out, not a quote for any home.

• County, two lines: $546.98.
• School Board, three lines: $524.30. Required Local Effort is $299.50, Discretionary is $74.80 and Capital Improvement is $150.00.
• Town of Ponce Inlet, one line: $623.00.
• Five special districts: $110.90.
• Total: $1,805.18 for every $100,000 of taxable value.

The rate stack is half of the multiplication. The other half is taxable value, and for a buyer that number usually changes at closing. The property appraiser sets value and exemptions from a property's status on January 1. Florida's homestead statute caps yearly increases in assessed value at the lower of 3 percent or the change in the Consumer Price Index. The Department of Revenue lists the 2026 cap at 2.7 percent and the 2025 cap at 2.9 percent. That is the Save Our Homes protection, and it belongs to the owner who earned it. The statute says that after a change of ownership the property is assessed at just value as of January 1 of the following year, and the new owner's cap starts from there.

A worked example shows how the pieces fit. See the homestead exemption guide for filing. Take a round $300,000 of assessed value. The number is picked for the arithmetic and is not a price or an estimate for any Ponce Inlet home. The first homestead exemption removes $25,000 from every levy, school included. The second removes up to $25,000, adjusted yearly for inflation, from assessed value above $50,000 for every levy except school. The appraiser's homestead page lists the 2026 second exemption at $26,411. So the school lines apply to $275,000 and the other lines apply to $248,589. School comes to $275,000 times 5.2430 divided by 1,000, which is $1,441.83. The rest comes to $248,589 times 12.8088 divided by 1,000, which is $3,184.13. That is about $4,626 in ad valorem tax. With no homestead exemption on the same $300,000, the whole amount is taxed at 18.0518 mills, which is $5,415.54. A property without homestead also falls under the nonhomestead rule, which caps yearly assessment increases at 10 percent for every levy except school levies and resets to just value on January 1 after a sale or change of control.

The stormwater assessment, which is not a mill

The new line on a Ponce Inlet bill this November is not in the 18.0518. It is a non-ad valorem assessment, which means it is charged to a parcel by a formula that has nothing to do with taxable value. It is measured by paved and roofed area, not by value. The Town Council adopted the ordinance creating the stormwater utility on July 16, 2026, and set the rate by Resolution 2026-09.

The ordinance measures impervious area, which is the surface that does not let rain soak in. The town's staff report names roofs, driveways, roads, sidewalks and parking lots. One equivalent residential unit is 4,800 square feet of impervious area. A single-family parcel with less than 10,000 square feet of impervious area is billed as one unit, whatever its actual figure. A single-family parcel at or above 10,000 square feet is billed like a non-single-family parcel, where measured area is divided by 4,800 and rounded up to a whole number. A parcel with less than 400 square feet of impervious area is not assessed. Town-owned parcels and public rights-of-way are exempt. Attached homes and multi-family developments work differently. The ordinance sums the impervious area of the common areas and the dwelling-unit parcels, divides by 4,800, rounds up, and splits the result equally among the dwelling units. That is why a condominium owner's share can be a fraction of a unit.

The rate is $288.00 per unit for fiscal year 2026-27. The resolution's schedule continues at $300.00 for 2027-28, $300.00 for 2028-29, $312.00 for 2029-30 and $312.00 for 2030-31. Those are the maximum rates the resolution sets for those years. The ordinance has the council adopt an annual assessment resolution and roll, so a schedule is not a promise about any single year's bill. For a one-unit parcel, the first year is $288 on the November bill.

The numbers behind it are public. The appraiser's 2026 roll summary lists the town's stormwater assessment on 3,596 parcels and 1,942.94 units. At $288 per unit that makes a total of about $559,567, which matches what the Town Council approved on September 8, 2026 in Resolution 2026-16 before certifying the roll to the Volusia County Tax Collector for collection in November. The town's staff report from June 2026 explains why. Before the utility, stormwater maintenance was paid from the General Fund, which is funded by ad valorem taxes, where it competed each year with other priorities. The report says Ponce Inlet was one of only a few jurisdictions in Volusia County without a stormwater utility. The town's materials do not say the town's operating millage will change because of the new assessment, so treat the two as separate lines on the bill and judge each on its own.

Two things matter to a buyer. First, the assessment is a lien. The ordinance says assessments collected by the uniform method are a lien against the property equal in rank and dignity with the liens of all state, county, district or municipal taxes. Ask your title company how it is handled at closing. Second, the town offers mitigation credits. A property with its own permitted stormwater system can apply for a reduction. The town's resident guide lists up to 25 percent for a private system under a current SJRWMD permit that meets standards from June 28, 2024 or later, and up to 10 percent for an older permit. It lists up to 100 percent for land that naturally holds all runoff from a 100-year storm with no run-off leaving the property, and up to 10 percent for land that holds all runoff from a 25-year storm. Applications are due June 1 each year to apply to that year's bill, credits last five years and apply to the current owner, and a denied application can be appealed in writing within 30 days. A credit reduces the assessment. It does not remove it. If you buy a property that already has a credit, ask the town for the written decision and the renewal date.

The bottom line for a Ponce Inlet buyer

Every parcel in tax district 405 faces the same eleven lines. The 2026 total is 18.0518 mills, $17.85 lower per $100,000 than 2025, with the County, the School Board, the hospital line, the Port District and the town each trimming a little. The town's own rate, 6.2300, is the biggest line at about 35 percent. The stormwater assessment of $288 per unit sits outside that number, and the schedule that follows it climbs to $312 by 2029-30. What differs from house to house is taxable value, and for you that starts over at closing. If you are searching Ponce Inlet real estate, build the bill before you build the budget.

The calendar that governs all of it is short. The appraiser's Notice of Proposed Property Taxes arrives in August and shows your taxable value, the proposed rates and the dates of each body's budget hearings. A petition to the Value Adjustment Board on a valuation issue is due on or before the 25th day after the appraiser mails that notice. New exemption applications are due by March 1. Tax bills mail on or about November 1. Paying in November earns a 4 percent discount, December 3 percent, January 2 percent and February 1 percent, with no discount in March. Taxes turn delinquent on April 1, and a 3 percent minimum charge is added. New installment plan applications are due by April 30.

A statewide amendment is also on the November 2026 ballot. The Town Manager's presentation, posted on the town's website on October 16, 2026, says it could affect property taxes, the town's finances and the services residents receive. See the Amendment 3 guide for Volusia County buyers and the closing costs guide.

So pull the parcel record, check that the Tax District field reads 405, and run the appraiser's estimator for Ponce Inlet - 405 with your own price and exemptions. Then add the stormwater line from the last bill.

That is the Ponce Inlet bill and its calendar. A few direct answers follow for the questions that come up when you read a real tax record in town.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you are looking at New Smyrna Beach homes for sale, two items on the November bill deserve attention before the millage does. One is a fire assessment that was not on the city's 2025 roll. The other is a stormwater charge that went up. Neither is a mill, so neither is inside the 16.0137. Our guide to living in New Smyrna Beach covers the town itself, and our guide to Volusia County property taxes covers how exemptions and the payment calendar work county-wide. This guide stays on the New Smyrna Beach bill.

The fifteen lines in district 601, and who sets each one

Florida defines a mill as one one-thousandth of a dollar. The Volusia County Property Appraiser's formula is taxable value times the millage rate, divided by 1,000. A property with $100,000 of taxable value pays $100 for every mill. We use $100,000 as the unit all the way through, because it keeps the arithmetic honest and does not pretend to be a quote for any real address.

Start with Volusia County, which levies five lines. The General Fund is 3.1007 mills this year, one tenth of a mill below last year's 3.2007. The Law Enforcement Fund is 1.5994, and the county budget describes that fund as the one that tracks all money provided to the Sheriff's Office and levies the countywide sheriff millage. The Library is 0.3697. Those three add up to 5.0698, which the appraiser's sheet prints under County operating. The other two lines are voter-approved. Volusia Forever is 0.2000 and buys land for preservation, and the county budget says voters approved that rate in 2020. Volusia ECHO is also 0.2000 and pays for environmental, cultural, historical and outdoor recreation projects. The budget says ECHO passed again in 2020 with 72 percent support. All five county lines together are 5.4698 mills, or about 34 percent of the bill.

The School Board levies three lines that the appraiser lists separately. Required Local Effort is 2.9950 mills. Discretionary is 0.7480. Capital Improvement is 1.5000. Together they make 5.2430 mills, or about 33 percent of the bill. That slice gets special treatment later in this guide, because two of the usual tax limits skip it.

The city is where this bill gets its local character. New Smyrna Beach levies two lines. The operating rate is 4.6370 mills, unchanged from last year. The city's own budget news says that rate supports the General Fund and the Community Redevelopment Agency, and that the money goes to police, fire, parks, streets, economic development and recurring needs like resurfacing, vehicles, sidewalks and roofs. The Agency matters to a property owner for a reason that has nothing to do with services. The city's page on it explains that new property tax revenue above a base level, from both the city and the county, is reinvested inside the redevelopment area along the U.S. 1 corridor and the Historic Westside, and that the plan runs from 2015 to 2035.

The second city line is debt service, and it is the only millage line that went up this year. It is 0.1695 mills, listed on the appraiser's detailed sheet as New Smyrna Beach I&S 2018, up from 0.1115. That is a jump of about 52 percent on a small line, or $5.80 more for every $100,000 of taxable value. The city gave two reasons when the commission adopted the budget. Last year's debt rate was held down with about $640,000 from accumulated debt service reserves, and that one-time money is gone. This is also the first full year of payments on a $5.5 million general obligation bond issued to buy conservation land in the Turnbull Creek watershed, which voters had approved. The two city lines add up to 4.8065 mills, or 30 percent of the bill. Only property inside the city limits pays them.

The last five lines belong to special districts, and together they come to 0.4944 mills, about 3 percent.

• Southeast Volusia Hospital District, 0.0668. It appears only on bills in the southeast part of the county, so it is one reason a New Smyrna Beach bill and a bill in Ormond Beach or Daytona Beach are built differently. The district once operated Bert Fish Medical Center, which now operates as AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach. A 2026 policy analysis describes its current levy as covering indigent care, community programs and legal costs.
• St. Johns River Water Management District, 0.1793. A regional water district that is listed on every Volusia bill.
• East Volusia Mosquito Control, 0.1573. The county budget describes its work as monitoring larval and adult mosquito populations, treating breeding sites, controlling immature mosquitoes and spraying for adults.
• Ponce de Leon Inlet and Port District, 0.0640. The county budget describes it as the local sponsor for the inlet channel that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains, with inlet and beach management, the Smyrna Dunes and Lighthouse Point inlet parks, and artificial reef construction under it. New Smyrna Beach is one of the places where that line applies.
• Florida Inland Navigation District, 0.0270. The smallest line on the bill. Its website lists dredging, land management and waterway assistance grants among its programs.

Small lines still deserve a look. A small line can move a long way in percentage terms from one year to the next, and the hospital line just did.

What moved between 2025 and 2026, and what each slice costs

Five lines changed. Ten stayed exactly where they were, including the city's operating rate, the Sheriff's fund, the library, both voter-approved county lines, the School Board's Discretionary and Capital Improvement lines, the water district, the navigation district and mosquito control. Here are the five that moved, each against the 2025 final sheet.

• Southeast Volusia Hospital District: 0.3101 down to 0.0668. That is 0.2433 mills less, or $24.33 less per $100,000. The August notice from the appraiser had proposed 0.1000, and the final sheet came in lower still. It is the largest move on the bill.
• County General Fund: 3.2007 down to 3.1007, which is $10.00 less per $100,000. That matches the rolled-back rate printed on the appraiser's August notice.
• School Required Local Effort: 3.0310 down to 2.9950, or $3.60 less.
• Ponce de Leon Inlet and Port District: 0.0660 down to 0.0640, or 20 cents less.
• City debt service: 0.1115 up to 0.1695, or $5.80 more.

Net, the total fell by 0.3233 mills, which is $32.33 for every $100,000 of taxable value.

Here is the 2026 rate stack turned into dollars for $100,000 of taxable value. These are rates multiplied out, not a quote for any home.

• County, five lines: $546.98.
• School Board, three lines: $524.30. Required Local Effort is $299.50, Discretionary is $74.80 and Capital Improvement is $150.00.
• City of New Smyrna Beach, two lines: $480.65. Operating is $463.70 and debt service is $16.95.
• Five special districts: $49.44.
• Total: $1,601.37 for every $100,000 of taxable value.

The rate stack is only half of the multiplication. The other half is taxable value, and for a buyer that number usually changes at closing. The property appraiser sets value and exemptions from a property's status on January 1. Florida's homestead statute caps yearly increases in assessed value at the lower of 3 percent or the change in the Consumer Price Index, and the Department of Revenue lists the 2026 cap at 2.7 percent and the 2025 cap at 2.9 percent. That is the Save Our Homes protection, and it belongs to the owner who earned it. After a sale, the statute says the property is assessed at just value as of January 1 of the following year, and the new owner's cap starts from there.

A worked example shows how the pieces fit. Take a round $300,000 of assessed value. That number was picked for the arithmetic, and it is not a price or an estimate for any New Smyrna Beach home. With a homestead exemption, the first $25,000 comes off every levy, including the School Board's. The second exemption is worth up to $26,411 in 2026 according to the appraiser, it applies to every levy except school levies, and it needs an assessed value of at least $76,411 to reach its full amount. So the school lines are multiplied by $275,000, and everything else is multiplied by $248,589. The school slice comes to about $1,442. The remaining 10.7707 mills come to about $2,677. The ad valorem total is about $4,119. Without a homestead exemption, the same $300,000 at 16.0137 mills is about $4,804. The rate stack was identical in both cases. What changed is the number it multiplied.

That gap explains the most common surprise after a closing. The listing shows the seller's last tax bill, and that bill was built on a capped value that may have trailed the market for years. The buyer files a homestead application by March 1, and the appraiser sets just value as of the January 1 after the sale. Run the appraiser's estimator for district 601 with your own purchase price instead of reading the seller's figure. Our homestead exemption guide walks through the filing.

A property without a homestead exemption follows a different rule. A second home or a rental with nine or fewer units is assessed at just value in its first year of eligibility, and after that the annual increase may not exceed 10 percent. The statute limits that 10 percent cap to levies other than school district levies. So the School Board's 5.2430 mills follow just value even when the cap is holding down the rest. A buyer of a non-homestead property should model that slice at full value, and should remember that a sale resets the assessment to just value the next January 1 for these properties too.

The charges that ride beside the millage

The tax collector's bill lists ad valorem taxes, which have a taxing authority, separately from non-ad valorem assessments, which have a levying authority. The appraiser's own tax estimator says it leaves out non-ad valorem fees such as stormwater and solid waste, and that it should not be treated as a definitive determination of annual taxes. In New Smyrna Beach the non-ad valorem side is large enough to matter. The appraiser's 2026 non-ad valorem roll summary, which is still labeled proposed, lists $7,127,014.65 in total for the city.

The biggest item is stormwater. The 2025 final roll listed 20,124 parcels at $125.00 per equivalent residential unit, or $3,692,399.25 in total. The 2026 summary lists 20,293 parcels at $150.00 per unit, or $4,488,405.50. The roll counts 31,074 units across those parcels, so some parcels are billed for more than one unit. The city's August 11 budget newsletter named the move from $125 to $150 as one of the decisions on the commission's table. You will not find this charge by running a millage calculation.

The newer item is fire. The 2025 roll had no fire line for the city. The 2026 summary lists NSB Fire Services on 21,924 parcels, $2,573,509 in total, with the rate shown as "varies." The reason it varies is in the city's own paperwork. In July the commission held a workshop on a fire assessment study by an outside consulting firm. The draft study set the city fire department's assessable budget for the 2027 fiscal year at $10,724,453 and sorted residential properties by dwelling unit and size. At full cost, a single-family home would pay $304 a year under 1,300 square feet, $340 from 1,300 to 1,699, $365 from 1,700 to 2,099 and $426 at 2,100 or more. The study also priced 75, 50 and 25 percent versions. At 25 percent the same four single-family tiers are $76, $85, $91 and $106, vacant land is $9, and the study estimated revenue of $2.4 million to $2.5 million. The appraiser's total of $2,573,509 is about a quarter of the $10.2 million in net fire spending the study started from. That fits the 25 percent version, but we have not seen the adopted rate table, so read the line on your own bill instead of trusting our arithmetic.

The city's newsletter used the average New Smyrna Beach home, at 1,680 square feet, as its example. Full cost would be $340 a year. A four-year phase-in would start at $85 and climb to $340. The commission's reasoning is in the same newsletter. City finance staff said public safety is 87 percent of the property tax revenue the city receives, and that if the November amendment passes, the city would go from a projected surplus in fiscal 2027 to a shortfall in fiscal 2029. A fire assessment is a way to lean less on the millage. It does not replace the millage, and a buyer pays both.

The remaining New Smyrna Beach assessments touch only a few dozen parcels each. NSB Paving is on 21 parcels at $77.39 to $232.16. The SR44 Sanitary Sewer Service is on 20 parcels at $1,988.78. Islesboro Wastewater-A is on 16 parcels at $826.55. If a parcel carries one of these, it appears on the tax bill, so ask for the prior bill's non-ad valorem section before you write an offer.

One more check belongs on your list, and it is the Tax District field. Every property record carries one, and that field decides which rate stack applies, not the town name in a listing. The appraiser's sheet lists a separate row for unincorporated land in the southeast part of the county, code 600. It has no city lines, and it carries the county's Fire Rescue District at 3.5990 mills and the Municipal Service District at 1.6956 instead. Its 2026 total is 16.5018. We state that as a difference in structure, because the services behind the lines differ and taxable value does the rest of the work.

The bottom line for a New Smyrna Beach buyer

Every parcel in tax district 601 faces the same fifteen lines. The 2026 total is 16.0137 mills, $32.33 lower per $100,000 than 2025, mostly because a hospital district cut its rate by more than three quarters. The only line that rose is the city's debt payment for conservation land. Two things sit outside that number: a stormwater charge of $150 per unit and a fire assessment that is new this year. What differs from house to house is taxable value, and for you that starts over at closing.

The calendar that governs all of it is short. The appraiser's Notice of Proposed Property Taxes arrives in August and shows your taxable value, the proposed rates and the dates of each body's budget hearings. A petition to the Value Adjustment Board on a valuation issue is due on or before the 25th day after the appraiser mails that notice. New exemption applications are due by March 1. Tax bills mail on or about November 1. Paying in November earns a 4 percent discount, December 3 percent, January 2 percent and February 1 percent, with no discount in March. Taxes turn delinquent on April 1, and a 3 percent minimum charge is added. New installment plan applications are due by April 30.

A statewide property tax amendment is also on the November ballot. The city's newsletter describes it as raising the homestead exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and up to $250,000 in 2028, and as cutting the 10 percent cap on non-homestead increases to 5 percent. Our Amendment 3 guide for Volusia County buyers covers what it would change. If it passes, the fire assessment and the millage may both look different in a year. If it fails, the city has said it can adjust the millage later to offset the fee.

So pull the property record, read the Tax District field, and run the appraiser's estimator for New Smyrna Beach - 601 using your own purchase price and exemptions. Then add the stormwater and fire lines from the last bill. Then go back to homes for sale in New Smyrna Beach with a monthly number you built yourself instead of the seller's.

That is the bill and the calendar. Here are the questions buyers ask us most when they sit down with a real New Smyrna Beach tax record.

Frequently Asked Questions

The comparison here is against an unincorporated parcel on the county's west side. The rest of the difference is not in the tax table at all. It lives on the utility bill, in the permit office and in a few rules that only apply on one side of the line.

The two tax rows, side by side

The Volusia County Property Appraiser gives every parcel a millage code. DeLand is code 012. Unincorporated land on the west side of the county is code 100, which the appraiser labels "Unincorporated - Westside." The appraiser's 2026 final table prints one row for each code, and you can read the two rows against each other like a spreadsheet.

Six lines are identical on both rows, and together they come to 11.8766 mills. The county operating rate is 5.0698 and the county's voter-approved debt service column adds 0.4000. The School Board levies 5.2430, which is its required local effort of 2.9950, its discretionary 0.7480 and its capital improvement 1.5000. The St. Johns River Water Management District takes 0.1793 and the Florida Inland Navigation District takes 0.0270. The West Volusia Hospital Authority levies 0.9575, which the table lists as hospital operating.

Then the rows split. The DeLand row adds one municipal line, the city's operating rate of 6.1841 mills. The unincorporated row leaves the municipal column empty and carries two county lines instead: a Fire District at 3.5990 and the Municipal Service Districts at 1.6956. Those two add up to 5.2946. The DeLand row leaves both of those columns blank. So the whole difference is one number against another. The city's 6.1841 replaces the county's 5.2946, and 6.1841 minus 5.2946 is 0.8895.

Here is that stack for $100,000 of taxable value. A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000, so each line converts by moving the decimal.

• Shared lines on both rows: $1,187.66.
• City of DeLand operating: $618.41, which makes the DeLand total $1,806.07.
• Fire District plus Municipal Service Districts: $529.46, which makes the unincorporated west total $1,717.12.

Picture two houses that each carry $250,000 of taxable value. That figure is a round number for the arithmetic, not a price and not a quote for any address. Multiply each stack by 2.5. The DeLand house comes to $4,515.18 and the unincorporated house comes to $4,292.80. The gap is $222.38 a year before exemptions are applied to either one, and it moves up or down in a straight line with taxable value.

Where does the money go inside the DeLand total of 18.0607? The city's 6.1841 is a little over a third. The county's two lines add up to about 30 percent. The School Board is about 29 percent and the hospital authority is about 5 percent. The two water and navigation districts together are just over 1 percent. The city is the single largest slice, and it is also the only slice that the DeLand City Commission votes on.

The Commission voted on September 21, 2026. Resolution 2026-48 set the final operating rate at 6.1841, which is 2.70 percent above the rolled-back rate of 6.0217. The resolution cites a certified gross taxable value of $3,838,682,009 for the city, and all five members voted yes. State law requires the resolution to state that percentage, and the rate itself did not change from the year before.

From a buyer's side, the more useful comparison is your own bill against last year's. The 2025 final row for DeLand totaled 18.2289 mills, and the 2026 row totals 18.0607. The drop of 0.1682 mills, or $16.82 per $100,000, came entirely from other bodies. The county operating rate fell by 0.1000, the School Board by 0.0360 and the hospital authority by 0.0322. The city line did not move.

To find out which row an address belongs to, do not trust the mailing address. Look up the parcel on the property appraiser's site and read its millage code. The City of DeLand says the same thing on its building page. If you are not sure whether a property is in the city or the county, it sends you to the Property Appraiser. A 012 means the city. A 100 means unincorporated west Volusia. The appraiser's code list also names a DeLand Downtown Community Redevelopment Area, but that is a separate code and the itemized millage table has no column for it, so ask the appraiser what it means for a specific downtown parcel.

The rate stack is only half of a bill. The other half is taxable value, and for a buyer that number usually resets. Florida caps annual growth in a homestead's assessed value at the lower of 3 percent or the change in the Consumer Price Index. The Department of Revenue lists the 2026 cap at 2.7 percent. After a sale, the statute assesses the property at just value as of January 1 of the next year, and the new owner's cap starts from there. A non-homestead residential property has a 10 percent cap on every levy except the school district's, and it resets the same way. The seller's bill tells you the rate stack. It does not tell you your taxable value. Our guide to Volusia County property taxes covers how exemptions and the payment calendar work county-wide, and the homestead exemption guide covers the two exemptions. One detail matters here. The first $25,000 exemption applies to the school levy and the second one does not.

The City of DeLand offers an exemption for restored historic buildings. An owner of a property that is on the Local Register of Historic Places, or a contributing property in a listed historic district, can apply once the assessed value of the structure has risen by at least 25 percent through qualifying work. The exemption covers 100 percent of the increase in value for the city's levy and lasts ten years. It does not touch the county, the School Board or any other line. It also requires a three-part application through the city's online portal and a signed covenant, so it is a project and not a checkbox.

The calendar is the same on both sides of the line. The Volusia tax collector mails the bills on or about November 1. Payment in November earns a 4 percent discount, December 3 percent, January 2 percent and February 1 percent. March is the full amount and taxes turn delinquent on April 1 with a 3 percent minimum charge.

The utility bill: what the city sends you each month

Inside the city, a single monthly bill from DeLand's Utility Billing office covers water, sewer, stormwater and garbage. The same office runs the account. The city's rate sheet, which the Utility Rates page still posts as the fiscal year 2025-2026 sheet effective October 1, 2025, shows the structure. Check that page for a newer sheet before you build a budget on these numbers, because rates change on a schedule the city sets.

A house on a standard 3/4-inch meter pays a base facility charge of $9.92 for water and $28.30 for sewer, which is $38.22 a month before anyone turns on a tap. The city adds a billing fee of $4.99 per bill. Water use is priced in four blocks per thousand gallons. The first block, up to 5,000 gallons, is $2.86. The second, up to 10,000, is $4.74. The third, up to 15,000, is $7.47, and anything above 15,000 is $8.90. At those posted blocks, a month with 8,000 gallons of water use costs $38.44 for the water side, base charge included. The sewer side of a residential bill carries a 10,000-gallon cap on billed volume, which caps what a very high-water month can add to the sewer side.

Irrigation is where the rate structure bites. A separate irrigation meter bills at a steeper schedule, and the first block on a 3/4-inch meter, up to 4,000 gallons, is already $4.74 per thousand. The city also runs a reclaimed water system, which is highly treated wastewater reused for irrigation and not safe to drink. The reclaim rate on a 3/4-inch meter is $2.32 per thousand for the first 15,000 gallons. Whether a given street has a reclaim line is a question for the city before you count on it, and it is a good one to ask when a house comes with a large lawn.

Watering rules apply to everyone on city water. While Daylight Saving Time is in effect, residential irrigation at odd-numbered addresses runs on Wednesday and Saturday and at even-numbered addresses on Thursday and Sunday. It never runs between 10 am and 4 pm. On Eastern Standard Time the schedule narrows to Saturday for odd addresses and Sunday for even ones. Each zone may get no more than 3/4 inch of water and no more than one hour a day. Reclaimed water is not limited by day or time unless the utilities director declares a shortage.

Garbage is part of that same bill. The city contracts with GFL Environmental for solid waste, and the residential curbside rate on the sheet is $18.85 a month. Service includes weekly garbage in a 96-gallon or 64-gallon cart, weekly recycling in a 64-gallon cart and weekly yard waste of up to a cubic yard. Bulk pickup of up to three cubic yards rides along on the same day. Two appliance pickups a year are free and so are four tires. Everything must be at the curb by 6 am.

Outside the city the arrangement is different. Unincorporated Volusia County residents get waste service through the county's Solid Waste Division and pay for it through an annual non-ad valorem assessment of $303 per residential unit, which the county's solid waste page posts today. That charge rides on the property tax bill instead of a monthly invoice. The county's own wording defines unincorporated as any place outside all city limits. The two systems are built differently, one on the tax roll and one monthly, so compare the lines you can see and not the totals you cannot.

Water and sewer service outside the city is where a buyer needs to ask the most questions. The city's own connection page describes the case of a residential well, and it says a homeowner can convert to city water and sewer "if available." The fees show how many pieces are involved. There is a $30 application fee for an existing home and a $110 covenant processing fee. After that come impact fees calculated by fixture units or meter size, the meter cost, possible extension fees, the cost of running a line from the meter to the house, and the cost to abandon and cap the well along with the county or Department of Health permit. The city requires all connection fees to be paid before the meter is installed. For a buyer, the practical point is simple. Find out whether the address is on public water and sewer, on a well and septic system, or in between, and get the answer in writing before you rely on it.

Starting service after closing has its own paperwork. The city needs an application, a government photo ID and proof of ownership. For a recent purchase, the proof is a signed ALTA settlement statement and a notarized, signed deed. Documents sent online or by email take one to two business days. The city charges $25 for next-business-day service and $50 for same-day service when the documents arrive by 4 PM, so build that lead time into your move date. The deposit on a 3/4-inch meter with water and sewer is $250.

One rule deserves a close read before you close. The city refuses to start service where a lien is on the property, and it requires prior debts and outstanding balances at the service location to be paid in full first. The rate sheet lists a $30 research fee for a lien search. Ask your closing agent whether the title work covered the city's utility account, because an unpaid balance can turn a simple account setup into a delay on moving day. Our guide to closing costs in Volusia County explains who normally pays for what at the table.

Permits, impact fees and who answers the phone

The same line decides where you pull a permit. The City of DeLand's Building Division processes permits for projects inside the city limits. A project in unincorporated Volusia County goes to the county's Building Department and its Permit Center. The city's building page is direct about why this matters to a buyer. Unpermitted work can block a sale until the work meets current codes, and it can bring fines. The same page notes that permits are needed to satisfy insurance requirements, which is worth knowing before you shop for a policy. Our guide to Florida home insurance for buyers explains the inspections an insurer may ask for.

If you plan work on a DeLand house, the city's fee schedule sets the cost of the paperwork. A non-refundable submittal fee of $100 applies to residential applications. The city's building fees took a new schedule on October 9, 2026, after Florida's HB 803, and that schedule lists a permit fee of $1.10 per square foot under roof for one- and two-family homes, $150 each for mechanical, electrical and plumbing permits, and $100 for each required inspection. Online credit card payments carry a 3 percent convenience fee.

New construction and additions add impact fees. The city collects its own at the time a permit is issued, and its sheet, dated December 29, 2025, lists single-family fees of $1,041 for fire and EMS, $540 for police, $876 for government buildings and $2,408 for parks and recreation. The sheet also prices water at $318.75 per fixture unit and sewer at $366.00 per fixture unit. The City Commission adopted Ordinance 2026-22, which amends the water and wastewater connection fees in section 30-20, on September 21, 2026, effective October 1, so confirm today's figures with the Building Division before you budget a lot purchase. Volusia County charges its own transportation impact fees. It lets a builder defer them until the project is finished, and the city will not issue a Certificate of Occupancy until every fee is paid.

The city also watches drainage. It requires detention or retention ponds on new development, and its storm sewer system uses infiltration inlets so that water goes into the ground in many places and does not run into a stream. For lot grading, the city asks surveyors to show extra spot elevations around the lot line so a reviewer can see humps or dips that might hold water. That detail is worth looking for on any survey you receive for a lot or a new build.

Fire protection is the last place the line shows up. DeLand has its own Fire Department, and its stated goal is to answer emergency fire and medical calls within National Fire Protection Association 1710 standards. The unincorporated rows in the millage table carry a Fire District line that the DeLand row does not. The table does not tell you which fire station would answer a particular address, so ask the city or the county, and tell your insurance agent which side of the line the house is on.

The bottom line for a DeLand buyer

The line is one of the first facts to pin down on any DeLand real estate search, and it takes five minutes. Read the millage code on the appraiser's parcel record. A 012 means city rates, city permits and a monthly city bill that covers water, sewer, stormwater and garbage. A 100 means the county's Fire District and Municipal Service District lines, a $303 solid waste assessment on the tax bill and county permits. The tax difference on the 2026 final rates is 0.8895 mills, or $88.95 per $100,000 of taxable value. Neither side is a bargain or a penalty. They are two different ways of paying for the same set of services.

Before you close, do four things. Confirm the millage code. Ask whether the address has public water and sewer or a well and septic system. Ask the title company about the city utility account and any lien. Then estimate your own taxable value instead of copying the seller's. For the wider picture of the town itself, our guide to living in DeLand covers the neighborhoods and costs.

A few more questions come up before almost every closing. Here are short answers, built from the city and county pages themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions

We already have a general guide to living in Ormond-by-the-Sea, so this one goes narrower. It looks at the recorded subdivisions behind the street names, the county and state rules that follow a beachside address, and the paperwork that changes depending on whether you buy a house or a condominium. Every fact here comes from a county, state or federal source that we checked in October 2026.

Two addresses for one parcel: what unincorporated means for your bill

Ormond-by-the-Sea is a census-designated place, not a city. It runs along the barrier island from the Volusia and Flagler county line on the north to the city limit of Ormond Beach on the south, with the Atlantic on the east and the Halifax River on the west. State Road A1A, called Ocean Shore Boulevard on this stretch, runs along the ocean side. John Anderson Drive runs along the river side. The mailing address uses the Ormond Beach name. The tax roll tells a different story.

Because there is no city, there is no city property tax line. The county's 2025 millage table for district 200 shows the countywide levies, the school and water district levies, and four county district levies that matter here: the Municipal Service District, the Fire Rescue District, Mosquito Control and the Ponce Inlet Port Authority. For the 2025-26 budget year, the Volusia County Council set the Municipal Service District at 1.6956 mills and the Fire Rescue District at 3.6236 mills. Mosquito Control came in at 0.1573 and the Port Authority at 0.0660. A mill is one dollar for every thousand dollars of taxable value, so each mill on a bill is easy to read once you know your taxable value.

Rates are reset every September, so ask for the most recent bill and treat the numbers above as last year's. What does not change from year to year is the structure. A buyer who moves here from inside a city should not expect a city line on the bill, and should not expect to find the city's rules either. Permits, plan review, inspections and flood zone questions for unincorporated parcels go through Volusia County's Building and Code Administration, which says on its own page that it provides flood zone information and takes individual property inquiries for the unincorporated county by email.

Two property tax rules apply the same way here as anywhere in the county, and both matter to a buyer. First, the homestead exemption. Volusia County's property appraiser describes a $25,000 original exemption plus an additional exemption of up to $26,411, which applies only to non-school levies and only when the assessed value is high enough to use all of it. You must own the home and make it your permanent residence by January 1, and you apply by March 1. Our guide to the Volusia County homestead exemption walks through the filing.

Second, the reassessment reset. Under section 193.155 of the Florida Statutes, a homesteaded property's assessed value can rise each January 1 by no more than the lower of 3 percent or the change in the Consumer Price Index. The Department of Revenue lists the 2026 limit at 2.7 percent. The same statute says the property is assessed at just value as of January 1 of the year after a change of ownership. In plain terms, the seller's low assessment does not travel with the house. A buyer who sees a small tax bill on a listing should expect a larger one after the sale, which is why we point people to the Volusia County property tax guide before they build a budget.

The plats behind the street names

Most of the listings you will see on this stretch of coast are described by street, not by neighborhood. The property appraiser's records are more specific, because every parcel carries a legal description that names a recorded plat. Reading those descriptions tells you what a lot is before anyone tells you what it is worth.

Take Surfside Estates. It is a recorded plat at Map Book 27, page 287, and the parcels that carry it sit on Surfside Drive, San Juan Circle, Jamaica Circle, Bahama Circle and Anchor Drive, with one lot on John Anderson Drive. The county's assessor groups most of them under a neighborhood it calls "Ocean Grove and Surfside to Anchor." In the weekly file of non-homestead parcels, the fifteen single-family lots with a Surfside Estates legal description run from about 0.16 acres to about 0.38 acres, with a middle value near 0.21 acres. That file leaves out homesteaded parcels, so treat those figures as a sample. They still show a pattern. These are residential lots of a fifth of an acre or so, laid out on short streets and circles.

Neptune is a different kind of place on the map. The Neptune Subdivision is recorded at Map Book 11, page 201, recorded in an earlier map book than Surfside Estates. Its lots are on Neptune Park Drive, east of A1A, and the county's assessor puts them in a neighborhood named for being east of A1A. The fourteen single-family lots in the same file range from roughly 0.06 acres to 0.26 acres, with a middle value near 0.11 acres. One parcel is classed by the county as multi-family with fewer than ten units. A buyer comparing a Neptune Park lot with a Surfside Estates lot is comparing two different scales of lot, and parking and the room for an addition follow from that scale.

The third name you will see on Ocean Shore Boulevard is a condominium name, not a subdivision. The county's records describe the Ormond Beach Surfside Club North Condominium at 1155 Ocean Shore Boulevard, recorded at Map Book 29, pages 131 to 134, and the Ormond Beach Surfside Club South Condominium at 1133 Ocean Shore Boulevard, recorded at Map Book 31, pages 13 to 16. In the non-homestead file, 54 condominium parcels carry the North description and 60 carry the South description, and each building has a separate common-area parcel. Those counts are a floor and not a unit total, again because homesteaded units are not in the file. The point for a buyer is that condominium ownership here is governed by a different chapter of Florida law than the lots on Surfside Drive, and that changes the paperwork, which we cover in the last section.

The assessor also uses other neighborhood labels for parcels in this ZIP code, including Beachview Cove, Seabridge, Coquina Key, Verona Villas, Island Cay, Knollwood Beach and Sandpiper Ridge Drive. Those are the county's groupings for valuation. They are useful for finding a pocket of similar properties, but they are not all recorded subdivisions, and a grouping name does not tell you whether an association exists. A plat in the county's map books describes lots and streets. It does not by itself create a homeowners' association or a set of deed restrictions. Ask the seller, and read the recorded documents for the specific lot.

Here is how that looks in practice. A buyer falls for a house on a circle in Surfside Estates and assumes there is an association with a monthly fee, because that is how most newer Florida communities work. A listing sheet that says "no HOA" is only the seller's statement. The buyer orders the recorded covenants for the parcel, asks the title company what they show, and gets an answer before the inspection period ends. That sequence takes a few days and costs little. Skipping it can cost a great deal if a restriction on fences, rentals or exterior changes turns up after closing.

The rules that follow a beachside address

Buying within sight of the Atlantic brings three sets of rules that inland buyers never meet: the coastal construction control line, the sea turtle lighting ordinance, and the flood paperwork. None of them is a reason to walk away. All of them are reasons to read before you write an offer.

The coastal construction control line is set by the state. Section 161.053 of the Florida Statutes directs the Department of Environmental Protection to establish these lines county by county along the Atlantic sand beaches, based on a 100-year storm surge, storm waves and other predictable weather. Once a line is filed, the statute says no one may build any structure seaward of it, excavate, alter ground elevations or drive a vehicle across a dune, except as the statute provides. In practice the state issues permits for work seaward of the line, and the department says its special siting and design standards may be stricter than the ones that apply elsewhere in the coastal building zone. If a house, a pool, a deck or a dune walkover on your short list sits near the beach, ask whether any part of it is seaward of the line and whether the improvements were permitted. The department's coastal construction program will help you locate the line for an address.

The sea turtle lighting ordinance is local and it is specific. Volusia County's code, in chapter 72, covers the beach from the Flagler County line to the Brevard County line and applies in unincorporated areas like this one. From May 1 through October 31, sunset to sunrise, no light source on your property may be visible to a person standing on the beach, and no light may directly or indirectly illuminate the beach. The county's flyer says that includes decorative, recreational, dune crosswalk and interior lighting, whatever the color. Fixtures have to be shielded, redirected, replaced or turned off, and interior light is handled with tint, film, blinds or curtains.

The county puts the responsibility on the people who live in or manage the property, and it tells owners to check at night by walking the beach and looking back. That gives a buyer a practical test. Visit a house after dark during nesting season, stand on the sand, and see what you can see. A bright porch fixture or an uncovered slider is a repair item. The glass rule is the one that surprises people. The county's advisory says glass within line of sight of the beach needs a visual transmittance of 45 percent or less, and that most hurricane impact glass is already lower. The county also says a product marketed as "turtle glass" is not required. A window replacement project gets an environmental review before work and a lighting inspection after, so build that time into any plan to replace windows on an older house.

The ordinance applies for the whole season whether or not a nest is near your house. A hatched nest in front of the property does not end the restriction. A buyer who closes in July and wants to leave the pool lights on for the first summer is already out of compliance.

The beach itself has county rules that touch daily life. Disturbing dune vegetation is illegal. Driving or parking in the marked conservation zone is prohibited. Noise that carries more than fifty feet is a violation, and on-beach driving carries a ten mile per hour limit with fines starting at $116. Residents can register once, at no cost, for the county's beach driving and parking program. Visitors pay daily or annual fees that the county lists on its page. Whether a particular access point near an address allows vehicles is a question for the county's beach rules, not a listing description.

Now the flood paperwork. Florida's flood disclosure law, section 689.302, requires the seller of residential property to complete a flood disclosure at or before the time the contract is signed. The form states that homeowners' policies do not cover flood damage. It asks whether the seller knows of flooding that damaged the property during the seller's ownership, whether the seller filed a flood claim, and whether the seller received flood assistance. Read the answers, then verify the address yourself. The Federal Emergency Management Agency's Flood Map Service Center accepts an address search. For an unincorporated parcel, the county's Building and Code Administration answers individual flood zone questions.

Two federal facts affect the budget. The National Flood Insurance Program says its rates do not vary by insurance provider, and that a lender will require flood insurance for a government-backed mortgage on a property in a Special Flood Hazard Area. Some lenders require it elsewhere too. An elevation certificate compares a building's first floor height with expected floodwater and can show where a discount applies. Ask whether one is on file with the county's floodplain staff before you pay a surveyor to make a new one. Our guide to Florida home insurance for buyers covers the wind side, including inspections that older coastal houses often need.

House or condominium: the paperwork that differs

The legal paperwork splits in two depending on what you buy. For a house on a lot that belongs to a homeowners' association, section 720.401 requires the seller to present a disclosure summary before you sign the contract. If it is not provided, you can void the contract within three days after you receive it or before closing, whichever comes first, and that right cannot be waived. That section does not apply to condominiums, which fall under chapter 718. For a house with no association at all, there is no summary to receive, and the title search and the recorded covenants become your protection.

For a resale condominium, section 718.503 entitles you to documents at the seller's expense. They include the declaration, the association's articles, bylaws and rules, the annual financial statement and budget, the milestone inspection summary if one applies, the most recent structural integrity reserve study or a statement that none exists, and a frequently asked questions document. The resale contract must carry a clause about a seven-day review period, counted without weekends and legal holidays. Read the reserve study early. It tells you what the building expects to spend on its roof, structure and waterproofing, and who pays.

Section 553.899 sets the milestone inspection rule for condominium buildings of three habitable stories or more. The inspection is due by December 31 of the year the building reaches thirty years from its certificate of occupancy, and every ten years after that. The statute lets the local enforcement agency require it at twenty-five years where conditions such as salt water proximity justify it. For a building on Ocean Shore Boulevard, the useful questions are the certificate of occupancy date, whether the inspection has been done, what it found, and whether the association has set aside money for the repairs. Our guide to buying a condo in Florida under the new condo laws goes through the reserve study and the special assessment rules in more detail.

If the property does have a homeowners' association, section 720.30851 gives you a tool for finding out what you owe. The association has to issue an estoppel certificate within ten business days of a written or electronic request. The certificate lists the assessments, any transfer or capital fee, open violations, whether the board must approve a sale, and any right of first refusal. It stays effective for thirty days when delivered electronically. The fee is capped at $250 when no money is owed, and an association that misses the ten-day deadline cannot charge for the certificate at all. Order it early, because the timeline for closing starts on the day you sign and the certificate takes up to two weeks.

Put the pieces together and the checklist for a beachside purchase here is short. Pull the legal description and read the plat name. Find out whether an association exists and get its documents. Look up the flood zone on the federal map and ask the county. Ask whether any structure is seaward of the state's construction line. Go to the house after dark during nesting season and check the lights. For a condominium, read the reserve study and the milestone inspection summary. For any purchase, ask for last year's tax bill and then plan for the reassessment that follows a sale.

The bottom line is that Ormond-by-the-Sea rewards buyers who treat the address as a set of records and not a postcard. The ZIP code says Ormond Beach, the tax roll says unincorporated Volusia County, and the plat says whether you are buying a lot of a fifth of an acre or a lot closer to a tenth. The beach adds state and county rules that do not apply inland. A buyer who reads the plat, the lighting rules and the flood and condominium paperwork before making an offer will know what the property is and what it costs to keep. When you are ready to compare homes, the full set of Ormond-by-the-Sea real estate listings is on one page, and we can tell you which plat each one belongs to.

That is a lot of detail for one narrow strip of coast.

Frequently Asked Questions

We are a brokerage, not a surveyor or an engineer, so we will not tell you what a specific parcel can hold. What we can do is show you where the written rules are, what they say today, and who to call. For the town itself, our guide to living in Bunnell covers the neighborhoods. Here we stay on the ground. How much land do you need, how does water get to the house, where does the waste go, and what can quietly stop you from building at all?

Start with the jurisdiction, because the numbers change at the line

A parcel with a Bunnell mailing address is not necessarily inside Bunnell. The mailing address tells you where the post office delivers. The tax roll and the zoning map tell you which government regulates the dirt. Flagler County's own land development code says it applies to "the non-incorporated areas of Flagler County," which is a plain way of saying that the county rules stop at the city limit and the city rules take over inside it.

That line can move. In February 2026 the Bunnell city commission approved, on first reading and unanimously, a voluntary annexation of about 240 acres at 261 County Road 45. The land had been in unincorporated Flagler County and was zoned for agriculture and timberland. According to local reporting, the annexation passed first reading on February 23, 2026, with no change in zoning requested, and second reading was still pending as of that report. The point for a buyer is simple. Annexation can move a rural parcel from the county's rule book to the city's, and the setbacks, utility rules and permit office are the ones that would change with it. Ask the county Property Appraiser and the city's Community Development Department which one applies before you rely on anything below.

Inside the city, the rural land falls into three districts. The first is AG&S, agricultural and silviculture, which the code describes as a district for farm and timber uses and "very low density residential development at a concentration of one dwelling unit per five acres." A single-family lot there must be at least five acres and 200 feet wide. Buildings can cover no more than 35 percent of the lot. Setbacks are 25 feet in front, 10 feet on the sides, and 20 feet in the rear for the house or 10 feet for an accessory building. A corner lot needs 20 feet from the side street.

The second is AG, the agricultural district, which allows one dwelling unit per gross acre. The minimum lot is one acre and 100 feet wide, and the coverage limit rises to 50 percent. The third is RE, rural estate, built for large-lot single-family estates with a one acre minimum. The RE district lets a developer cluster lots below an acre as long as the gross density stays at one unit per acre, and it allows a density transfer when a jurisdictional wetland goes into a conservation easement. In both AG and RE, if a transfer pushes the net density above two homes per net acre, the code requires central water and wastewater. In the AG district specifically, the minimum building site never drops below 10,000 square feet or an 80 foot width at the building line.

Outside the city, the county's table works differently. The county AC agriculture district also asks for five acres and 200 feet of width, but it sets building setbacks at 50 feet in front and rear and 25 feet on interior sides, with a 35 percent coverage cap and a minimum of 600 square feet of living area. The AC-2 agriculture and forestry district is larger and tighter: 20 acres, 400 feet of width, 25 percent coverage. The R-1 rural residential district drops to one acre and 100 feet, with 30 percent coverage and at least half the lot left pervious. Its stated purpose includes serving areas "not serviced by central water and sanitary facilities." The county's R-1b urban district goes the other direction. It requires public or community water and sewer and allows 10,000 square foot lots.

Look at what that does to a simple plan. Take a five acre parcel with a favorite building spot 30 feet off the road. In the city's AG&S district the front setback is 25 feet and that spot might pass. In the county's AC district the front setback is 50 feet and it fails. Same acreage, different answer. This is why the zoning designation on the listing is a starting point and a call to the planning office is the finish.

Zoning also decides what you may do on the land besides live on it. The city's agricultural districts allow farming, nurseries, greenhouses, equestrian facilities, farmers markets and home occupations, and they allow an accessory dwelling such as a guest house or caretaker's quarters if it stays under the same ownership as the main house. The county's AC district lists guest and servant quarters as a special exception, If a second dwelling is part of your plan, find out which of those two paths you are on before you make the offer.

Septic and wells: the permits decide the schedule

Away from the city's pipes, a house needs two things the lot has to provide for itself. It needs a way to dispose of sewage and a source of drinking water. Both are regulated, and both have a paper trail you can check while the contract is still open.

Start with septic. Florida law does not let anyone construct, repair, modify, abandon or operate an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system without a permit approved by the Department of Health. In Flagler County the Department of Health's environmental health staff handle the permitting and the inspection, and the city's own code names the Florida Department of Health as the responsible agency here. The state statute adds three rules that matter to a buyer. A city or county may not issue a building permit for a house that needs a septic system until the owner or builder has the septic construction permit in hand. A building may not be occupied until the department approves the final installation. And a construction permit is valid for 18 months, with one 90-day extension available. That clock is worth knowing, because a permit that was pulled by a previous owner and is about to lapse is not an asset you can count on.

The statute also says what a permit can carry over. A septic permit can transfer to a new owner if the new owner files an amended application within 60 days of the ownership transfer. If you are buying land with a permit already issued, ask the seller for a copy and put the 60-day filing on your own calendar.

A lot also has to be big enough and dry enough. The state allows a lot with at least half an acre and a minimum dimension of 100 feet to use a regulated water system with a septic system, as long as the projected flow stays within 1,500 gallons per acre per day and the distance, setback, soil and water table requirements can be met. Half an acre is the statute's floor. It is not a promise. A five acre parcel with a high water table, a wetland edge and a drainage ditch can still be hard to permit, because the usable ground is what counts and not the number on the deed. The city's subdivision rules say the same thing in local terms: the owner must show that on-site soil conditions can handle a wastewater disposal system designed to law and suited to the intended use.

Floodplain adds a layer. Inside the city, new and replacement on-site disposal systems in flood hazard areas must be designed to Chapter 64E-6 of the Florida Administrative Code and to a national flood-resistant design standard so floodwaters do not flow in or out of the system. Replacement water supply facilities follow the matching well construction standard. The city adopted the Flagler County flood insurance study dated July 17, 2006 "and all subsequent amendments and revisions," and keeps the maps at Community Development, 201 W. Moody Blvd. Do not stop at that 2006 date. Pull the current flood map panel for the exact parcel. For the insurance side of a purchase, our guide to Florida home insurance for buyers is the place to start.

Water is the other half. For a private well, the question is who issues the permit. The St. Johns River Water Management District requires its own permit for any well with an outside diameter of six inches or greater at the land surface. For the smaller wells that serve most single-family houses, the district has delegated permitting to county health departments, and Flagler County is one of the counties on that list. The district's page does not give fee amounts and tells readers to ask the county health department. The Department of Health in Flagler County answers at 386-437-7350. The state also gives the Department of Environmental Protection authority over well location and construction rules, including testing and clearance of drinking water wells in areas of known groundwater contamination, which is a good reason to ask any seller with an existing well for the water test results and the age of the well.

Public water can be the better answer, and in some places it is required. Under the city's utility code, a structure inside Bunnell must connect to city water and sewer when service is available. In areas the city has designated agriculture, a building that is less than 150 feet from the water service connection must connect to water, and a voluntary connection is always allowed. A homeowner with a working septic system may keep it until the Department of Health considers it nonfunctional, a nuisance or a health hazard. If city sewer reaches a lot with a septic system, the rule changes: state law and the city code both require connection within 365 days after the utility says service is available, and the old tank must be abandoned and filled. The utility has to warn you at least a year ahead, and state law lets you prepay connection charges in monthly installments for up to two years. A system that needs repair must connect within 90 days of written notice.

Extending a line to your property is your cost, not the city's. The city code says that when water, sewer or reclaimed lines are extended to the property line, the responsibility, including costs, falls on the applicant. The applicant needs engineer-sealed plans, a permit from the city utilities department for work in the right-of-way, and a separate permit from Community Development for work on private property. A lot that looks inexpensive but sits a quarter mile from the nearest main can turn into a long engineering project. Ask for a written answer from the utilities office. The water and wastewater line is 386-225-6670, and the public works line is 386-931-1216.

Wetlands are the quiet deal-breaker

A wet corner of a parcel can decide where the house goes. Inside the city, anyone applying for a building permit for a single-family home on land in a resource management area must first get a statement from the state Department of Environmental Protection identifying any wetlands boundary line on the property. The statement is good for not more than two years. The permit itself may not authorize any disturbance of land within a wetland. A variance is available only for a practical hardship.

Where filling is allowed at all, the city commission has to find that there is no practical alternative, such as access to the property, utilities, or a building site on an approved lot. Nothing may be disturbed in a floodway. Replacement wetlands must be created at twice the area destroyed, and a natural buffer must be kept around connected wetlands, averaging 25 feet in width and never under 15. Ask for the wetland line before you commit. A survey that shows the line and the usable uplands will tell you more than any listing description.

Access, splits and the fine print that comes with rural land

The most expensive surprises on acreage are often not about the soil. They are about the road. Bunnell's land development code has an unusually frank section on what a buyer of rural land should expect, and it is worth reading closely even if your parcel is in the county, because it shows what the city believes a rural buyer is giving up.

The city allows what it calls non-platted rural subdivisions, in which an owner who has held the land long enough can split off five acre parcels without recording a full plat. The code limits an eligible owner to four such parcels per calendar year, or eight in the first year. Each parcel must be five acres or larger and must have at least 0.75 acre of uplands or 20,000 square feet of contiguous buildable area. If the parcel does not front a city, county or state maintained road, a deeded access easement to one must be in place.

The deed itself must carry a disclaimer in bold capital type. It states that the parcel is not part of a platted subdivision reviewed and approved by the city. It says no governmental agency will maintain private drives, roads or easements. It warns that emergency response times may be adversely affected and that fire hydrants are not available for fire suppression. It adds that agricultural neighbors may generate noise and odors, that the property may not be subject to mosquito control, that it is not part of a development with an approved stormwater system, and that it may be subject to flooding from time to time. Read that list as a ready-made inspection plan. Each sentence is a question you can ask before closing.

Two more requirements follow. Homes in a non-platted rural subdivision have to follow Firewise communities standards from the state agriculture department's forestry division, so building design, materials and landscaping near the house are part of the review. And before the city issues a building permit, an owner without direct access to a publicly maintained road must sign a recorded hold harmless agreement. It says access is strictly a private legal matter between the owner and whoever sold the land and granted the access, and that the city offers no opinion on whether the access is legally valid or usable. The agreement runs with the land, so it binds the next owner too.

On a private road, the easement holder owns and maintains the access and drainage. The city says it is neither obligated nor responsible for private right-of-way maintenance, and the person selling the lots is responsible for telling prospective buyers about those conditions. If a road association exists, ask for its governing documents, its budget and its maintenance record. If none exists, ask your neighbors who grades the road after a hard rain, and who paid for it last time.

There are smaller provisions worth knowing about. The city's family homestead provision is a land-use rule that permits a second dwelling on a parcel of at least 20,000 square feet, where the district lists it as a permitted use or special exception. The dwelling must be a single-family residence, in-law suite or separate living quarters, share the main property's driveway, meet the district setbacks, and be able to meet well and septic setbacks. The code also sets a one-time limit and a holding period, so read section 34-189 in full before you plan around it. Separately, a structure built before the main house cannot be used as a residence for more than three months without the city commission's consent, which matters if your plan is to live in the barn while the house goes up. A mobile home may serve as a principal or accessory residence in the city's agricultural areas west of the intersection of State Road 20/100 and Black Point Road East, or south of the intersection of Elm Avenue and State Street (US 1). Elsewhere in the city, mobile homes belong in licensed parks, with a 90-day temporary permit available during construction of a permanent home.

Farm neighbors and farm taxes

Rural zoning means working land next door. The city's agricultural districts require buffers between new residential development and bona fide agricultural use. In AG&S the buffer must be at least 50 feet wide at its narrowest and form an opaque barrier at least six feet high. In AG the minimum is 30 feet. The buffer sits on the residential parcel, so if you are the one building, you are the one paying for it.

The Florida Right to Farm Act also tilts toward the farm. A farm operation that has run for a year or more, and was not a nuisance when it began, is not a public or private nuisance if it follows generally accepted agricultural practices. A nuisance suit can be filed only by an owner within half a mile of the source. The act does list improperly maintained septic tanks as evidence of a nuisance, so the same law that protects the cattle next door holds your own tank to a standard. Walk the boundary at the time of day when the neighbor works, and use your nose.

On the tax side, agricultural land can be classified differently from other land, but the rules are strict. Under state law the Property Appraiser classifies land annually, and the owner must file a return by March 1 each year. Only land used primarily for bona fide agricultural purposes qualifies, which the statute defines as good faith commercial agricultural use. The appraiser may weigh how long the land has been used that way, whether the use is continuous, and whether the owner is caring for the land in line with accepted commercial practice. The statute says a minimum acreage may not be required. A denial can be appealed to the value adjustment board. The Flagler County Property Appraiser, at 1769 E. Moody Blvd, Building 2, 386-313-4150, publishes the agricultural return form, DR-482, and can tell you whether the land you are looking at currently holds the classification.

Be careful here, because a buyer who inherits a lower agricultural assessment is not guaranteed to keep it. The classification depends on how the land is used, and the Property Appraiser notes that agricultural property is not eligible for the Save Our Homes limit. Homestead is a separate exemption for a permanent residence. When homesteaded property sells, the cap resets and the new owner must apply. If you plan to farm and to live on the land, ask the appraiser how both can apply to the same parcel before you set a budget. Closing costs and prorations on rural land follow the usual Florida pattern, which our guide to closing costs in Florida lays out. For the general due diligence on a lot, read our guide to buying land as well. It was written for Volusia County, so use its checklist and substitute the Flagler offices named here.

Bottom line

Acreage around Bunnell rewards the buyer who asks six questions before the offer and gets the answers in writing. Which government regulates this parcel, the city or the county? What does the zoning district require for lot size, width and setbacks? Is there a septic permit, a soil evaluation or a sewer connection date? Where does the water come from, and who permitted the well? Where is the wetland line and the current flood panel? And who owns the road? None of these takes long to ask, and each one can change what you should pay. If you are comparing parcels, start with the current Bunnell real estate listings, then call the offices named in this guide for the parcels that make your short list. The land is the easy part. The paperwork is where a good rural purchase is won.

Before we move on, a few quick answers to what rural buyers ask us most.

Frequently Asked Questions

We will say up front what this guide is not. It is not a price list. We found no published flat cost for a septic upgrade or a sewer hookup in the city code, the statutes or the springs plan, so we do not quote one. You will get real quotes from licensed contractors and from the city utility, and this piece tells you which questions to ask before they arrive. If you want the wider picture of the city first, our Living in Deltona guide covers neighborhoods and everyday costs.

Find out which side of the line the house is on

Start with the plain fact. Deltona was first platted in 1962, and a local newspaper's April 2023 count put about 33,000 customers on city water, with about 6,000 of them also on city sewer. The state's 2025 springs plan lists a current septic inventory for Deltona of 28,795 systems. Those two numbers come from different sources and different years, but they point the same way. Most Deltona homes use septic.

The listing will not always tell you. A public remark like "sewer available" can mean three different things, so ask what it means for this exact lot. Florida law defines "available" for a single-family home. A gravity sewer line, or a low pressure or vacuum line where those are approved, has to sit in a public easement or right of way that abuts the property line. The system also has to be free of a state moratorium and have enough permitted capacity to take the flow. A main that runs one street over is not available in that sense. A main that runs in front of the house is available even if the house has never been plugged into it.

The fastest way to settle it is a phone call. The Deltona Water and Wastewater Utility is a division of the city's Public Works Department, at 2345 Providence Boulevard, with a customer line at 386-575-6800 and office hours from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Give them the address and ask three things. Is there a sewer line in the right of way at this lot? Is the house connected? Has the utility sent the owner any written notice about connecting? Then write the answers into your notes. A seller who says "it's on sewer" while the city has no sewer account at that address is a conversation worth having before the inspection period ends.

Ask the city utility for the rate material too. The city posts residential rate schedules and water and sewer usage calculators on its utility pages. We are not going to put a dollar figure here, because the schedules change and you should read the current one. Open it, run the calculator for the usage the seller's bills show, and compare that to your budget.

Here is a point that surprises buyers who come from other states. The city does not force an existing homeowner onto sewer. In April 2023 the City Commission passed an ordinance on second reading, by a unanimous vote, that lets existing septic owners in older areas stay on septic and connect voluntarily. The same reporting says that if a septic tank in a non-sewer area fails, the owner repairs or replaces it, and that new housing developments must install sewer lines and connect each home. So the city's own rule has two sides. A house in a new development comes with sewer. A house in an older neighborhood probably does not, and the city has chosen not to push it there.

That city policy sits underneath a state rule, and the state rule is the one with a clock. Under section 381.00655 of the Florida Statutes, the owner of a properly working septic system must connect to an available public sewer within 365 days after written notice from the utility that the sewer is available. The utility has to warn the owner at least a year before the system becomes available. The owner can prepay the amortized connection charges in equal monthly installments over up to two years from that first notice. If a system needs repair or modification to work in a sanitary way, the clock is shorter. The owner must connect within 90 days after written notice from the state environmental agency, and a hardship extension of up to 90 days is possible once.

Put those pieces together and you can see why the notice question matters. If the utility has already sent the seller a written notice, the 365 days may be running, and it will keep running after you own the house. Ask for a copy. If no notice has been sent, ask the utility whether an extension project is planned on that street. You are buying the obligation along with the building.

The septic rules that come with the house

If the house is on septic, the next questions are about the system itself and the lot around it. Start with who regulates it. The statute that governs septic permits now defines "department" as the Department of Environmental Protection, and the springs plan says permitting is carried out by DEP, by delegated counties or by county health departments under an interagency agreement. Some older documents, including parts of the Deltona code, still say the county health department. Do not let that confuse you. When someone tells you "the health department handles it," ask which agency holds the file for this address.

The permit file is the best single document you can get. A buyer can ask the seller for the original septic permit, any repair permits and any pump-out records. State law says a construction permit for a system can be transferred to a new owner if the siting and installation conditions are unchanged. The new owner files an amended application with proof of ownership within 60 days of the transfer, and the statute says no fee is attached to that filing. It also says nobody can occupy a building until the state approves the final installation of a new septic system, and a city cannot approve a change in occupancy or tenancy of a building on septic until the state has reviewed the use of the system. For a rental investor, that last sentence is worth a question to the permitting office. A change from owner use to tenant use can be a septic question as well as a lease question.

Bedrooms drive the rules. The statute defines a bedroom as a room that can be used for sleeping and has at least 70 square feet of conditioned space in a site-built home, sits along an exterior wall, has a closet and a door or a place for one, and has an emergency escape opening to the outside. The reason this matters is practical. The state does not require an inspection or an upgrade of the septic system for a remodel or addition to a single-family home if the project does not add a bedroom. But the addition cannot cover any part of the existing system or reach into a required setback. The local office reviews the floor plan and site plan, and if it does not finish within 7 business days the project is treated as approved for that purpose. So a buyer who plans to turn a den into a fourth bedroom should ask what that does to the septic file before closing, not after.

Now the part that is specific to Deltona. Section 96-27 of the city code deals with finished floor elevations, fill and septic. It applies its fill limits to residential lots where the state's septic permit requires a mounded system, and it calls a lot a nuisance if it is raised more than 24 inches above the higher of the lowest crown of the adjacent street or the 100-year flood-prone elevation, with exceptions for steep sites. It also calls a lot a nuisance if it has been filled beyond the minimum area the septic permit requires for the mound. If more than 12 inches of fill is needed to build the system in the front yard, the code moves the system or its drain field to the back yard. A system the code puts in the back yard, or a mounded drain field placed there by choice, must be screened from adjacent lots. The code allows landscaping that reaches one foot above the mound at maturity within two years and is at least 90 percent opaque, or a six-foot fence that is 100 percent opaque around the lot line, or architectural screening such as a deck.

That has two consequences for a buyer. First, a lot with a visible raised mound is a lot where the state's permit required a mounded system, and you should ask for the permit that created it. The code also requires soil replacement in areas the Volusia County soils atlas or the city's comprehensive plan identifies as unsuitable for septic tanks. Second, the code requires a nuisance of that kind to be corrected before the foundation of a proposed structure is built. If you are buying a vacant lot to build, our guide to buying land in Volusia County covers the survey, zoning and access questions that come first. The septic and fill rules in this section come after those.

The same section 96-27 has a rule for older homes. Lots and structures that existed before February 21, 2000 may continue as they are until the septic system has to be replaced with a mounded system. At that point the code requires soil replacement to limit the size of the mound. And if central sewer service is available when that day comes, the code says the septic tank is filled with sand and the building connects to the central sewer system. The code also says any house built on septic must be designed with provisions for a future connection to central sewer. Notice what that means. A repair on an old Deltona septic home is one of the moments when the city can steer the owner toward the sewer line, if a line is there.

Finally, the inspection. Florida's definition of home inspection services is a limited visual examination of the structure, electrical, HVAC, roof covering, plumbing, interior components, exterior components and site conditions affecting the structure. A septic system is not on that list. Ask your inspector in writing whether the tank and drain field are included, and if they are not, hire a septic contractor. The statute requires anyone who services or repairs a system to be registered under part III of chapter 489. Ask for that registration. Ask when the tank was last pumped, whether the lid was opened, and whether the contractor saw wet ground over the drain field. Those are cheap questions to answer before closing and expensive ones to answer after.

The Blue Spring plan and what it means at closing

On June 27, 2025 the Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued a final order adopting an updated Volusia Blue Spring Basin Management Action Plan. The plan covers 69,046 acres, and it names portions of the City of Deltona inside its boundary. A smaller area inside it, the Priority Focus Area, covers 44,239 acres and also includes portions of Deltona. The state calls this area the place where the aquifer is most vulnerable to what soaks into the ground. The plan also finds that septic systems contribute about 74 percent of the pollutant loading in the springshed, which is why septic is the center of the rules.

Here is how the rules work. For new systems, the whole plan boundary counts. A new conventional septic system is prohibited on a lot of one acre or less where central sewer is available. Where sewer is not available on a lot of one acre or less, the owner must install a state-approved enhanced nutrient-reducing system, or another system that removes at least 65 percent of the nitrogen. The Volusia County Environmental Management office states the same rule on its own page. Lots larger than one acre are not covered by that prohibition.

For existing systems, the rule applies inside the Priority Focus Area on lots of one acre or less, and it is triggered by a permit. When an owner needs a construction permit to repair, modify or replace an existing system, a state-approved nitrogen-reducing system must go in. The one exception is when the owner documents that a sewer connection to the property is planned and funded and that the structures will connect. Nothing in the plan forces a working system out on the day you close. The plan also says conventional systems under this policy must meet the enhanced standard, or connect to sewer, no later than 20 years after the plan was adopted. And the County states that no replacement is currently required on lots over an acre, inside or outside the Priority Focus Area.

Here is a short scenario to make that real. Say you are buying a three-bedroom house on a quarter-acre lot that the state map places inside the Priority Focus Area. The septic tank was installed decades ago and the drain field is slow. Six months after closing it fails. You need a repair or replacement permit. Under the plan, the permit for that lot calls for a nitrogen-reducing system unless a funded sewer connection is documented for the property. A conventional replacement is no longer the default. If the same house sat on a lot of two acres, the plan's septic rules would not require the upgrade.

How do you tell which case you are in? The state publishes an interactive map of the plan and Priority Focus Area boundaries that you can search by street address, and the Volusia County Environmental Management office can point you to it. Do that check for every septic property on your short list. Then look at the lot size on the county property record, because the one-acre line decides which rule applies. A lot just under an acre and a lot just over it can have different obligations.

The plan also shows where the city itself is headed. For Deltona it assigns a nitrogen reduction of 133,432 pounds a year at the full target, with 40,029 pounds a year due at the first 30 percent milestone. For septic, the plan lists three city projects, all marked planned and not built. The stated aim is to eliminate 20 percent of the city's 28,795 septic systems, or 5,759, concentrating in the Priority Focus Area. Phase one has 800 connections identified and a 2030 target. Phase two covers about 4,959 more by 2040. A third phase converts systems to advanced treatment by 2045. The plan says the first two happen provided funding is available. We read that as a direction, not a schedule. A buyer should treat a street on that list as a place where sewer may arrive in the coming decade, and should ask the utility whether the street is one of the 800.

The plan adds a duty on the utilities. By February 2, 2026, and every two years after, each utility with sewer lines in the plan area must give the state a list of properties with septic systems where sewer is available but not connected, with the dates the utility sent written notice. If a house you like is on that kind of list, the 365-day clock from the statute is the number to ask about. Local governments may also set up funding programs to help owners pay for the upgrade, and the plan says they can apply for competitive state grants. It does not promise any money to an individual owner, and we found no published cost-share amount for Deltona, so do not count on one in your budget.

Flood and taxes round out the check. The city's flood information page points to the FEMA Map Service Center, and a septic system and the ground water interact, since the state requires separation between the drain field and the water table in the wettest season. Look up the zone for the address, and read our Volusia County property tax guide so you know the tax bill that will follow the purchase.

The bottom line

Treat septic versus sewer as a contract question, not a plumbing detail. Before you commit to any Deltona house, get four answers in writing: whether sewer is available at the lot line, whether the house is connected, what the septic permit file says, and whether the lot sits inside the Blue Spring Priority Focus Area and under one acre. If sewer is there, you pay a monthly sewer bill and skip the tank. If septic is the plan, you accept a system whose next replacement may have to remove nitrogen, and you accept a city code that can steer you toward the sewer line when that day comes. Neither answer is wrong. A buyer who knows the answer before closing can negotiate on it. A buyer who learns it afterward pays for it.

When you are ready to compare houses, start with our Deltona real estate listings and call us with the addresses you like. We will help you ask the city utility and the state the right questions before your inspection period runs out.

That is a lot of rules in one place. Here are the questions buyers ask us most often once they start looking at Deltona houses on septic.

Frequently Asked Questions