Walton County, FL Building Safety: Green Building Code (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Walton County Code § 6-26(5)
- Adopted energy code
- Florida Building Code Ch. 13
- Enforcing office
- Planning and Development Services
- Latest update
- Ord. No. 2025-17, eff. 10-14-25
- Max general penalty
- $500 fine and/or 60 days jail
Summary
Walton County has no separate green-building program: instead it adopts the Florida Building Code's Energy Efficiency Code, Chapter 13, by reference as the minimum energy standard for every construction permit in the unincorporated county. Section 6-26 folds this energy chapter in alongside the state's Building, Residential, Existing Building, Accessibility, Plumbing, Mechanical, Gas and Fire Prevention codes, all reviewed by Planning and Development Services.
The following specific codes and subsequent amendments and updates thereto are hereby adopted by reference and are to be considered the minimum standards with which compliance is required for construction of any improvements in Walton County, Florida: ... (5)The Energy Efficiency Code shall be Chapter 13 of the Florida Building Code—Building, as adopted by the Florida Building Commission.
Full Breakdown
Sec. " Item (5) is the Energy Efficiency Code, defined as Chapter 13 of the Florida Building Code-Building. It sits alongside item (1) the Building Code, (2) the Residential Code, (3) the Existing Building Code, (4) the Accessibility Code, (6) the Electrical Code (NFPA 70), (7) the Plumbing Code, (8) the Mechanical Code, (9) the Gas Code, (10) the Swimming Pool Code, (11) the Irrigation and Lawn Sprinkler Code, (12) the Coastal Construction Code (FEMA-55), (13) the Unsafe Building Code (ICC Property Maintenance Code), (14) the Florida Fire Prevention Code, and (15) the county's Wind-Borne Debris Regions and Basic Wind Speeds Map.
The section was originally adopted by Ord. No. 2005-29 and has been updated as the state cycle changes, most recently by Ord. No. 2025-17 on October 14, 2025. There is no local green-building certification, LEED mandate, or density bonus tied to ordinary construction; the only county reference to a "Green Building" incentive appears in the Town Center One planned district's own density-bonus point chart, a separate, site-specific program unrelated to the countywide permit standard. Builders in unincorporated Walton County, including every South Walton beach community, demonstrate energy-code compliance as part of the same building-permit application that covers structural and life-safety plan review by the Building Division.
Violations & Fines
Section 1-6's general penalty applies to Code violations countywide: a person convicted is punished by a fine not exceeding $500.00, imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding 60 days, or both, and a continuing violation is a separate offense each day it persists. The county may also withhold a certificate of occupancy or pursue injunctive relief until energy-code compliance is verified.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Walton County have its own green building code?
Who reviews the energy code on a new home in South Walton?
What happens if a contractor skips the energy code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Walton County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Walton County to another location·View the Florida building safety overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.