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Port St. Lucie, FL Accessory Structures: Tiny Homes (2026)

Heavy Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Tiny home rules in Port St. Lucie, FL, covering tiny houses on wheels (THOWs), park model RVs, and tiny home on foundation builds, determine where they are legal and how they get permitted.

Key Facts

Governing section
Sec. 158.073(G), zoning code
RS-2 minimum living area
1,200 sq ft, one-story house
RE and RS-1 districts
1,700 sq ft of living area
Living in an RV
Prohibited by Sec. 73.03
RV violation fine
$25, up to five days jail

Summary

Port St. Lucie sets a minimum house size in every residential district, so a very small dwelling will not qualify as a stand-alone home, and the code separately bans living in a recreational vehicle.

(1)(a) As provided in this subsection, it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, or governmental entity to construct, erect, alter, modify, repair, or demolish any building within this state without first obtaining a permit therefor from the appropriate enforcing agency or from such persons as may, by appropriate resolution or regulation of the authorized state or local enforcing agency, be delegated authority to issue such permits, upon the payment of such reasonable fees adopted by the enforcing agency.

Source: City of Port St. Lucie Code of Ordinances (Municode)View official code

Full Breakdown

The city has no tiny-home ordinance. What controls is the minimum living area written into each residential zoning district. In the RS-2 district, Sec. 158.073(G) requires a one-story house of at least 1,200 square feet of living area with 1,400 square feet of ground area, or 1,400 square feet of living area for a two-story house. The RE and RS-1 districts require 1,700 square feet. A house permitted before June 7, 1996 with less than 1,200 square feet may be rebuilt at its approved size. Sec. 158.042 also allows only one principal building per lot, so a tiny house cannot simply be added beside an existing home.

Violations & Fines

A dwelling below the district minimum, or a second principal structure on a single-family lot, is a zoning violation punished under Sec. 158.999 and the general penalty in Sec. 10.99, with each day a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put a tiny house on my lot in Port St. Lucie?
Only if it meets the district's minimum living area. In RS-2 that is 1,200 square feet for a one-story house under Sec. 158.073(G), which rules out most tiny houses as a stand-alone dwelling.
Does Florida law require Port St. Lucie to allow tiny homes?
Nothing in the city code says so. The code sets its own minimum house sizes district by district, and those minimums are what a proposed tiny home has to satisfy.
Is a tiny house on wheels allowed as a residence?
No. Sec. 73.03 states no recreational vehicle shall at any time be used as a residence, temporarily or permanently, and Sec. 73.01 defines that term to include travel trailers and campers.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Port St. Lucie

All Port St. Lucie rules

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