What Hollywood Regulates: A Complete Ordinance Overview

Hollywood is a mid-sized city in Broward County, Florida, with about 154000 residents. Like most cities its size, it has a set of local rules that may differ significantly from neighboring municipalities. Here is an overview of 134 ordinances across 42 categories that affect daily life in Hollywood.

Landscaping Rules

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees: Cutting down, relocating or destructively damaging a tree three inches or more in trunk diameter anywhere in Hollywood requires a city permit under § 106.26, unless the tree is one of ten listed nuisance or invasive species. Applications run through the Office of Planning under §§ 106.27-106.29, and cutting first triples your permit fee under the after-the-fact process..

Also covered: Water Restrictions (moderate), Weed Ordinances (moderate), Artificial Turf (permissive). See the full landscaping rules guide for Hollywood for details.

Animal Ordinances

Chickens & Livestock: Hollywood bans keeping poultry, cattle and other domestic or wild animals citywide except as the Zoning Code separately allows, and bans slaughterhouses outright. Dogs and other small household pets are exempt but can't be kept for breeding.

Also covered: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (moderate), Breed Restrictions (restrictive), Pet Store Rules (restrictive). See the full animal ordinances guide for Hollywood for details.

Business Licensing & Operations

Auto Repair on Residential Property: Hollywood's home-based business tax receipt flatly bars using a residence for manufacturing, storing, distributing or repairing merchandise, so a home garage cannot operate as a paid auto repair shop. Code of Ordinances § 110.21(A) makes this a condition of the home-based tax receipt, enforced by the Director of Financial Services..

Also covered: Secondhand Dealers (restrictive), Towing Companies (restrictive), Adult Entertainment (restrictive). See the full business licensing & operations guide for Hollywood for details.

Environmental Rules

Boat Dock Permits: Building a private boat dock on Hollywood city property requires a lease agreement with the city plus a building permit from the Department of Development Services, with an annual license fee set by City Commission resolution. Leases run four years and unpaid fees trigger removal..

Also covered: Stormwater Management (moderate), Flood Elevation Requirements (moderate), Erosion Control (moderate). See the full environmental rules guide for Hollywood for details.

Water Use Rules

Leak Reporting Duty: Hollywood property owners, agents, and tenants must exercise due diligence to prevent water waste, immediately stop every leak on their own premises, and promptly notify the Public Utilities customer service office of any leak they discover elsewhere. Code of Ordinances § 51.039 lets the city shut off water without notice for willful waste or neglected leaks, and bars refunds for water lost through leaks after it passes the meter..

Also covered: Recycled Water Rules (moderate). See the full water use rules guide for Hollywood for details.

Building Safety

Fire Sprinkler Requirements: Hollywood does not force sprinklers into existing homes, but owners of one- and two-family dwellings and mobile homes who choose to install one must follow City Code § 94.023: NFPA 13D design, a Building Permit Office permit, and Fire Prevention Bureau sign-off before the system goes in..

Also covered: Carbon Monoxide Detectors (moderate), Green Building Code (moderate), Building Permits (moderate). See the full building safety guide for Hollywood for details.

Noise from Specific Sources

Generator Noise: Hollywood bans running generators, blowers or other noisy machinery aboard any vessel docked at city property between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m.

Noise Ordinances

Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound: Any nonresidential establishment in Hollywood playing amplified live or recorded music must install a noise level detection device to alert staff, and a business cited twice in 30 days for exceeding the nighttime nonresidential decibel limit must roll its closing hours back to 10:00 p.m. for 30 days..

Also covered: Barking Dogs (moderate), Construction Hours (moderate), Vehicle Noise (moderate). See the full noise ordinances guide for Hollywood for details.

Trash & Recycling

Illegal Dumping: Hollywood outright bans dumping litter, debris, dead plants, rubbish or even derelict vehicles, trailers and boats onto any surface area, stormwater system or water body in the city under § 54.29. Violators face a minimum $500 fine per offense plus cleanup costs, with each day of the violation billed separately..

Also covered: Collection Schedule (moderate), Yard Waste Collection (moderate), Bin Placement Rules (moderate). See the full trash & recycling guide for Hollywood for details.

Outdoor Lighting

Dark Sky Rules: Hollywood's Chapter 108 bars artificial light from reaching the Beach during Marine Turtle Nesting Season, March 1 through October 31. New coastal construction must use shielded, downward-directed, low-wattage amber or red fixtures under § 108.05, and existing buildings had to retrofit by March 2, 2015 under § 108.06, with penalties enforced through the Special Magistrate..

Also covered: Billboard Lighting (moderate), Light Trespass & Shielding (moderate). See the full outdoor lighting guide for Hollywood for details.

Fire Regulations

Fireworks: Consumer fireworks are illegal in Hollywood except on 3 FL-preempted holidays (July 4, Dec. 31, Jan.

Also covered: Propane Storage (limited), Outdoor Burning (restrictive), Smoke Detectors (moderate). See the full fire regulations guide for Hollywood for details.

Public Conduct

Aggressive Panhandling: Hollywood outlaws aggressive panhandling, begging or soliciting citywide under City Code Section 122.53, on top of location-based bans near bus stops, sidewalk cafes, ATMs and building entrances and a right-of-way solicitation ban on named major roads..

Also covered: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (restrictive), Skateboarding Rules (restrictive), Loitering Rules (moderate). See the full public conduct guide for Hollywood for details.

Invasive Plant Rules

Prohibited Species: Hollywood bans planting Australian pine (Casuarina) anywhere in city limits and prohibits any plant listed on Florida's Exotic Pest Plant Council Category I or II invasive species list, per City Code § 106.01. The rule covers private lots and city property alike, including rights-of-way and swale areas, with the enforceable species roster kept current in the city's Landscape Manual..

Parking Rules

RV & Boat Parking: Hollywood confines recreational vehicles, boats, and utility trailers on residential property to a side or rear yard reached by an alley or road, screened by a six-foot fence or hedge, under Code of Ordinances section 72.121. If no side or rear access exists, one unit up to 25 feet long may sit on the driveway at least 5 feet from the front property line..

Also covered: Abandoned Vehicles (moderate), Loading Zones (moderate), Preferential Parking Districts (moderate). See the full parking rules guide for Hollywood for details.

Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors

Vending Zones: Hollywood bans mobile food dispensing vehicles from the Downtown and Beach CRA districts outright and imposes a 200-foot buffer from restaurants everywhere else, plus paving, setback and parking rules for private commercial sites under City Code Section 122.02..

Also covered: Food Truck Permits (moderate). See the full food trucks & mobile vendors guide for Hollywood for details.

Property Maintenance

Property Blight: When Hollywood's Unsafe Structures and Housing Appeal Board orders repairs or demolition and the owner does not act, the city can secure or demolish the building itself, bill the owner, and place a lien on the property, and no one may occupy a posted unsafe structure until the Building Official clears it..

Also covered: Vacant Lot Maintenance (moderate). See the full property maintenance guide for Hollywood for details.

Special Events & Permits

Sidewalk Dining & Cafés: Hollywood restaurants and retail tobacco shops need a Sidewalk Cafe permit from the City Engineer before placing tables, chairs or an entertainment area on city sidewalks, and the cafe may only sit within a designated Cafe Zone under City Code Chapter 124..

Also covered: Street Fair Rules (moderate), Parade Permits (restrictive). See the full special events & permits guide for Hollywood for details.

Homelessness & Encampment Rules

Encampment Sanitation: Hollywood bans lodging on any street, sidewalk, alley, right-of-way, easement, public beach, park, or other city-owned property under Code of Ordinances § 133.22. The rule also reaches private property unless the person is the owner or has the owner's consent and toilet facilities are available..

Mobility & Curb Rules

Red-Light Cameras: Hollywood runs photo enforcement under two chapters: Chapter 77 authorizes red light cameras at intersections under Florida's red-light-camera law, and Chapter 78 authorizes video-based speed detection systems in school zones. A Police Department-designated Traffic Infraction Enforcement Officer reviews every recorded violation before a notice goes out, and violators get 60 days to pay, contest, or request a hearing before a city hearing officer..

Soliciting & Door-to-Door

No-Knock Registry: Hollywood lets any resident or business post a No Solicitation sign at the entrance to a property, and City Code Section 122.32 makes an uninvited door-to-door solicitor's continued visit unlawful once that sign is up..

Also covered: Solicitor Permits (moderate). See the full soliciting & door-to-door guide for Hollywood for details.

Curfew Laws

Park Curfew: City parks, playgrounds and similar municipal property in Hollywood close to the public every night from 11:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m.

Short-Term Rentals

Repeat Violator Strikes: Hollywood runs a strict strike system for vacation rentals: the City Manager may suspend a license after a second finding of guilt for the same violation, and must suspend it after a third finding of any violation within a rolling 12-month period. Section 119.58(C) caps that suspension at one year..

Also covered: Host Presence Rule (restrictive), Short-Term Rental Parking Rules (moderate), Noise Rules (restrictive). See the full short-term rentals guide for Hollywood for details.

Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules

Encroachment Permits: Anyone wanting to run a business or commercial activity on a Hollywood street, sidewalk or other public right-of-way must first get a permit or franchise from the City Commission under § 104.01. The permit is revocable at any time and creates no vested right, and roadside farm-product sales and newspaper sales are exempt..

Also covered: Obstruction Rules (moderate), Sidewalk Repair (moderate). See the full sidewalk & pedestrian rules guide for Hollywood for details.

Home Business

Signage Rules: Hollywood bans any sign at all for a home-based business, inside or outside the house, and even bars parking a vehicle with business signage visible from the street. Code of Ordinances § 110.21(E) makes this a fixed condition of the home-based local business tax receipt..

Also covered: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (moderate), Customer Traffic Restrictions (strict), Home Daycare (limited). See the full home business guide for Hollywood for details.

Hurricane Preparedness

Flood Elevation: Hollywood's flood damage prevention chapter sets minimum building elevations above the base flood elevation. New construction and substantial improvement of residential buildings must have the lowest floor at or above the Florida Building Code elevation, or at least 18 inches above the crown of the adjacent street, whichever governs..

Local Taxes & Fees

Business Tax Classification: Hollywood divides the contracting business into eight distinct fields, each needing its own separate local business tax receipt under § 151.024, with annual taxes running $60 for specialty trades like electrical and plumbing up to $100 for general, building and subbuilding contractors..

Garage & Yard Sales

Frequency, Duration & Permits: Hollywood caps garage, lawn, attic, yard and rummage sales at any one address to four sales per calendar year, and no single sale can run longer than two consecutive days. The limit applies per location, not per household member, and covers every casual sale of personal property held at a residence..

Sign Regulations

Digital Billboards: Hollywood caps billboards citywide at 15 static structures on arterial roads, and separately bans electronic message centers and running lights as a sign type. Between the hard count cap and the electronic-display ban, no new digital billboards can be permitted anywhere in the city..

Also covered: Garage Sale Signs (limited), Window Signs (moderate), Freeway-Facing Signs (restrictive). See the full sign regulations guide for Hollywood for details.

Hotels & Lodging

Transient Occupancy Tax: Hollywood does not set its own hotel tax rate, but every vacation rental license applicant must prove active accounts with the Florida Department of Revenue and the Broward County Tax Collector so state sales/transient rental taxes and county tourist development taxes actually get collected and remitted..

Fence Regulations

Material Restrictions: Hollywood's zoning code bans barbed wire and similar sharp fencing materials in every zoning district except the city's Industrial and Manufacturing districts. Where barbed wire is allowed, its height counts toward the fence's overall maximum height, so a property cannot stack barbed wire on top of an already-maximum-height fence or wall..

Also covered: Retaining Walls (moderate), Height Limits (moderate). See the full fence regulations guide for Hollywood for details.

Rental Inspections

Inspection Programs: Hollywood requires a compliance inspection before a vacation rental license is issued and again before every annual renewal, and the city can seek an inspection warrant if an owner ignores scheduling requests. Refusing entry under a warrant is a second-degree misdemeanor under state law..

Historic Preservation

Historic-Cultural Monuments: Hollywood protects designated Historic Sites and Districts through the Historic Preservation Board: no building permit for construction, demolition, alteration or signage on a designated property issues without a Certificate of Appropriateness first. Designation itself requires meeting mandatory integrity criteria under Zoning and Land Development Regulations § 5.5..

Zoning Overlays & Bonuses

Downtown Design Guide: Hollywood's Regional Activity Center and Downtown Redevelopment District carries mandatory facade design standards. Code of Ordinances § 4.6.B.3.a(11) bans blank walls visible from streets or adjacent buildings, requires articulation breaks in every facade, and mandates that 50 percent of a ground-floor commercial storefront provide window or door transparency..

Solar Energy

Panel Permits: Hollywood treats rooftop photovoltaic solar systems as permitted accessory equipment in every zoning district except Historic Districts, so a homeowner or business does not need a zoning variance, only a building permit under City Code § 151.124 before panels go up..

Also covered: HOA Restrictions (permissive). See the full solar energy guide for Hollywood for details.

Cannabis Regulations

Buffer Zones: Hollywood bars a medical marijuana treatment center dispensing facility from locating within 500 feet of any public or private elementary, middle, or secondary school under § 3.23(G). The city can waive that buffer only through a public hearing finding that the site promotes public health, safety, and welfare..

Also covered: Dispensary Zoning (moderate). See the full cannabis regulations guide for Hollywood for details.

Accessory Structures

Shed & Carport Rules: Hollywood limits accessory sheds to one per property, capped at 200 square feet, and keeps them out of front yards and required street side yards unless a fence hides them. Rear and side setbacks are 5 feet, dropping to zero feet along an alley, under the zoning code's supplemental setback regulations..

Building Setbacks & Zoning

Lot Coverage Limits: In Hollywood's AD Limited Agricultural District, Code of Ordinances § 4.5.B caps structures at 20 percent of the lot. The same development-regulations table sets a 35,000 sq.

Also covered: Structure Height Limits (moderate), Setback Rules (moderate). See the full building setbacks & zoning guide for Hollywood for details.

Tree Protection

Parkway Planting: Hollywood withholds building permits for qualifying new construction and major additions until the plans provide at least one street tree per 50 feet of frontage in the public swale, under City Code § 155.52. Corner lots must keep the first 25 feet from the intersection tree-free..

Rental Property Rules

Repairs & Habitability: Hollywood's Property Standards chapter bars anyone from occupying or renting out a dwelling that fails minimum space, light, ventilation and sanitation standards. Bedrooms need at least 70 square feet, and every unit needs a working toilet, sink and bathtub or shower under §§ 157.15, 157.16 and 157.18..

Also covered: Rent Control (permissive), Just Cause Eviction (permissive). See the full rental property rules guide for Hollywood for details.

Public Health Rules

Rodent Control: Hollywood puts extermination of rodents, vermin and other pests on the property owner and operator for shared and public areas of a dwelling, and on the occupant inside the unit they control, under City Code § 157.23 and § 157.24..

Right to Farm

Agricultural Zoning Protection: Hollywood carries one zoning district built for farming: the AD Limited Agricultural District under Code of Ordinances § 4.5. It permits single-family dwellings, agricultural uses, horticulture, livestock, aquaculture and stables as of right, and the code frames the district as covering land used for farming purposes or land where a stricter designation would be premature..

Swimming Pools & Spas

Fencing & Safety Requirements: Pool barriers in Hollywood FL must be at least 48 inches high per Florida Statutes Chapter 515 and Florida Building Code. Gates must be self-closing and self-latching with the latch at least 54 inches above grade on the pool side.

Also covered: Pool Permits (strict). See the full swimming pools & spas guide for Hollywood for details.

What to Do With This Information

If you are moving to Hollywood, buying a home, or starting a project, use this as a starting point. Each category links to detailed pages with the full text, penalties, and FAQs. Verify anything time-sensitive with Hollywood's city hall or code enforcement office.