Manatee County, FL Ordinances (2026)

Construction and construction-equipment noise is exempt only between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. in unincorporated Manatee County. Work needing an earlier start (e.g., concrete pours)…

In unincorporated Manatee County, amplified sound from a vehicle's radio or stereo that is 'plainly audible' at 50 feet is a violation. Ordinary motor-vehicle engine noise on public…

Outdoor music at a home, patio or venue in unincorporated Manatee County must meet the same § 2-21-34 decibel limits — 60 dBA daytime, 55 dBA after 11 p.m. — measured at the neighbor's…

In unincorporated Manatee County, sound must not exceed 55 dBA / 60 dBC at night (11:00 p.m.–7:00 a.m.) or 60 dBA / 65 dBC daytime. Fridays, Saturdays and pre-holidays extend daytime…

Amplified music in unincorporated Manatee County must stay under the § 2-21-34 decibel limits (60 dBA daytime, 55 dBA after 11 p.m.) at the receiving property, and can also be cited as…

Manatee County sets numeric limits: 60 dBA / 65 dBC daytime, 55 dBA / 60 dBC overnight, and 72 dBA / 77 dBC for residential land next to commercial use. Levels are measured as a…

Manufacturing in properly zoned Manatee County areas is exempt from the noise ordinance as long as it does not create a noise disturbance on land not zoned for such activity…

Manatee County's noise ordinance has no dog-specific decibel rule, but a persistently barking dog can be a 'noise disturbance' under § 2-21-34(1) if it disturbs a reasonable person…

Leaf blowers, lawn mowers and domestic power tools are exempt from Manatee County's noise limits only between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Outside that window they lose the exemption and…

Aircraft operating under federal law and FAA air-traffic-control rules are exempt from Manatee County's noise ordinance. Aircraft noise is federally preempted, so the county does not…

Unincorporated Manatee County has no adopted STR occupancy cap yet. Florida FS 509.032(7)(a) does permit counties to set an occupancy limit based on square footage or bedrooms. A…

STR guests must follow Manatee County's general noise ordinance — Florida allows this because noise rules apply to all properties. There is no STR-specific noise ordinance yet, though…

No. Manatee County does not require the host to be on-site during a short-term rental. Florida preemption (FS 509.032(7)(b)) means the county cannot force host presence. A proposed…

Manatee County charges a 6% Tourist Development Tax on rentals of six months or less (raised from 5% effective Jan 1, 2025), remitted to the county Tax Collector, plus 7% state…

Unincorporated Manatee County has no STR-specific parking ordinance yet. A proposed 2026 ordinance would prohibit guest street parking and require one off-street space per four guests…

No county STR operating permit currently exists in unincorporated Manatee County. Florida preempts vacation-rental licensing to the state: a Florida DBPR public-lodging license is…

Unincorporated Manatee County has no adopted STR registration ordinance as of mid-2026. A draft ordinance (proposed June 2026) would require registration with a $250 initial fee and…

No. Manatee County does not require a short-term rental to be your primary residence, and Florida law forbids local governments from banning non-owner-occupied vacation rentals…

Manatee County cannot set minimum-night or maximum-night limits on vacation rentals. Florida FS 509.032(7)(b) expressly bars local governments from regulating the duration or frequency…

Manatee County imposes no short-term-rental insurance mandate. Florida law and the state DBPR vacation-rental license do not require a specific liability policy either. Insurance is…

Manatee County has no fixed defensible-space clearance ordinance like fire-prone Western states. Clearing brush by burning requires Florida Forest Service authorization for larger…

A small recreational outdoor fire (fire pit) is allowed anytime provided it is monitored, a means of extinguishment is nearby, and only approved materials are burned. Gas-fueled fire…

Small recreational fires, food-cooking campfires, and BBQ grills are allowed without a permit if monitored and burning only approved materials. Larger yard-trash, land-clearing, or…

Manatee County has no separate propane-storage ordinance. Residential propane (LP-gas) cylinders and tanks are governed statewide by the Florida Fire Prevention Code, which adopts NFPA…

Manatee County does not designate mapped wildfire hazard zones or a wildland-urban-interface code the way Western states do. Wildfire risk is managed through Florida Forest Service…

Under Florida law, consumer fireworks are legal to use on three days only: New Year's Day (Jan 1), Independence Day (July 4), and New Year's Eve (Dec 31). On other days only sparklers…

Small backyard recreational fires and campfires for cooking are allowed anytime without a permit if monitored, with extinguishment nearby and only approved materials burned. During a…

Smoke-alarm requirements come from Florida law, not a special county rule. New and replacement battery-powered smoke alarms in one- and two-family homes must use a 10-year…

The Manatee County Board regulates parking and reserved/tow-away zones on county-owned property by resolution and posted signs; unauthorized vehicles in a marked reserved or tow-away…

On residential lots in unincorporated Manatee County, a resident's commercial vehicle can't exceed 15,000 lbs gross vehicle weight or 9 feet in height, and larger restricted vehicles…

Restricted vehicles (RVs, boats) may sit on a paved front-yard driveway only in A, A-1, or RSF-1 districts; commercial vehicles must be off-street in a driveway, carport, or garage…

In unincorporated Manatee County, RVs and boats ("restricted vehicles") may be stored in a garage/carport or in the side or rear yard of an occupied single-family or duplex lot, not…

No one may park a motor vehicle on a Manatee County road or county-controlled parking area for more than 48 continuous hours, and never in restricted areas or fire lanes (Code 2-22-22).

Manatee County has no blanket overnight-parking ban, but a vehicle can't sit on a county road or county lot for more than 48 continuous hours, so overnight parking is legal only if the…

Up to two commercial vehicles may be parked on a residential lot in unincorporated Manatee County if used by residents, kept off-street in a garage/carport/driveway, and neither…

Manatee County treats inoperable vehicles as a nuisance per se. No inoperable vehicle may be parked or stored on any property in major disassembly or disrepair unless it's inside a…

Manatee County does not let residents paint their own curbs; curb and pavement markings that restrict parking are official traffic-control devices installed by the county to FDOT…

Manatee County does not regulate residential EV charging stations. Florida law preempts local governments from regulating EV charging infrastructure, so no county permit or ordinance…

Common residential materials, wood, plastic composition, aluminum, wrought iron, and chain link, are permitted. These are the only materials the LDC lets cross drainage or utility…

Most fences in unincorporated Manatee County require a building permit, but fences for agricultural uses on agriculturally zoned property are exempt from permitting while still meeting…

Manatee County's LDC governs fence height and placement, but it does not assign fence ownership or cost-sharing between neighbors. No fence may sit in a right-of-way or easement, and…

Retaining walls are structures subject to the Florida Building Code and Manatee County permitting; like fences and walls, they may not sit in a right-of-way, easement, or visibility…

In unincorporated Manatee County, fences within a required front yard max out at 48 inches (4 feet); fences in all other yards may reach 8 feet, or 9 feet where a non-residential…

Manatee County bars broken glass, spikes, and similar materials on fences. Barbed wire is limited to A and A-1 districts (or any agricultural-use fence), and electrified fences are…

Fences in unincorporated Manatee County must stay out of rights-of-way, easements, and visibility triangles, meet the location-based height limits, and (except agricultural fences)…

A wood, charcoal, or pellet smoker used to cook food is treated like a barbecue grill: allowed without a permit if used solely for food preparation with a grate over the fire and only…

Barbecue grills are allowed without a permit if used only for cooking food, with a grate over the fire and only approved materials burned. Propane and gas grills stay legal even during…

Livestock (horses, cattle, goats, sheep, swine) is allowed on land zoned for agriculture, not on standard residential lots. Bona fide farm operations on agricultural land are protected…

Manatee County does not license exotic pets; captive wildlife is regulated by the state. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) requires permits under FS 379 and…

In unincorporated Manatee County, no dog or cat may be at large on public property, streets, sidewalks, or another's property. Owners must keep direct control of the animal at all…

Beekeeping in Florida is governed by the state, not by Manatee County. The FDACS registers all colonies and sets rules under FS Chapter 586; Florida's Right to Farm Act (FS 823.14)…

Florida law prohibits intentionally feeding or leaving food that attracts bears, alligators, foxes, raccoons, and sandhill cranes. FWC rule FAC 68A-4.001 and FS 379.412 make it a…

Residential lots in unincorporated Manatee County may keep up to four chickens; roosters are prohibited. Coops must sit at least 10 ft from adjacent property lines and 25 ft from any…

Manatee County has no breed-specific ban. Dangerous dogs are regulated by conduct under Florida Chapter 767, adopted into county code (Sec. 2-4-10). Florida law (FS 767.14) bars…

Manatee County sets no fixed cap on the number of dogs or cats a household may own. Six or more adult animals kept for business becomes a boarding facility, and any animals kept must…

Cats must be vaccinated for rabies and kept under direct control. A cat outdoors and not under direct control must be sterilized. Registered community (feral) cats are managed through…

Manatee County addresses hoarding through its humane-care and cruelty provisions (Sec. 2-4-8, 2-4-9) and Florida Statute 828. Officers may impound neglected animals and issue citations…

Setbacks vary by zoning district. In the common RSF-3 single-family district, the minimums are roughly 25 ft front, 10 ft side, and 25 ft rear; waterfront lots add a 30-ft waterfront…

In the agricultural and standard residential zoning districts (A, A-1, RSF-1 through RSF-6, and the duplex/multi-family districts), the maximum building height is 35 feet, with limited…

Manatee County does not set a single flat 'lot coverage' percentage for standard single-family districts. Building intensity is controlled through minimum lot size, required setbacks…

Weeds, grass, and undergrowth over 16 inches are a nuisance in unincorporated Manatee County under the Community Improvement / abandoned property provisions. Owners must keep lots…

Backyard composting is allowed and encouraged in Manatee County for residents' own yard and food waste. No county permit is needed. Piles must be maintained so they don't become a…

Manatee County follows Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) restrictions. Under the current Modified Phase III shortage, lawn watering is limited to once per week by…

Manatee County has no countywide ban on residential artificial turf; the Land Development Code governs landscaping in development. Synthetic turf typically cannot count toward required…

In unincorporated Manatee County, grass and vegetation must be kept under 16 inches tall. Overgrowth beyond that is a code violation enforced by the Code Enforcement Division, which…

Routine pruning of trees on your own residential yard needs no county permit. But required landscape or street trees, and trees in Greenbelt Buffers or Conservation Areas, are…

Under Florida Statute 163.045, Manatee County cannot require a permit or fee to remove a dangerous tree from your residential property if an ISA-certified arborist or licensed…

Rain barrels and cisterns for landscape irrigation are legal and encouraged in Manatee County; SWFWMD and county utilities promote them for conservation. No county permit is needed for…

Manatee County's Land Development Code (Chapter 7) requires native and drought-tolerant plantings in development landscaping. Florida law (FS 373.185) also protects a homeowner's right…

A pool barrier used to satisfy Florida's Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act must be at least 4 feet high on the outside, have no gaps a child could crawl under or climb over, and be…

Yes. Building a residential swimming pool in unincorporated Manatee County requires a building permit through the county's Building & Development Services. The pool must pass final…

Florida's Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act requires every new residential pool in Manatee County to have at least one approved drowning-prevention feature: a 4-foot barrier, an…

Above-ground pools count as swimming pools under Florida law once they hold water more than 24 inches deep, so they need a permit and must meet the same Residential Swimming Pool…

Florida law treats hot tubs and nonportable spas as swimming pools when they hold water over 24 inches deep, so they generally require a permit and a safety feature. A lockable, rigid…

A Tree Removal Permit from the Planning Department Director is required to remove, relocate, or destroy protected trees — common areas, required landscape/street trees, commercial and…

Florida's cottage food law lets you sell certain non-hazardous homemade foods, like baked goods and jams, directly to consumers with no state license or inspection, as long as annual…

Unincorporated Manatee County allows low-impact home occupations in residential zones without special approval, as long as the business stays incidental to the home, uses no more than…

Home occupations that operate without special approval in unincorporated Manatee County may not display any sign advertising the business. Keeping the property looking residential…

Most low-impact home businesses in unincorporated Manatee County need no special land-use approval, but higher-impact uses such as a barber/beauty shop, music or dance instruction, or…

Small home child care in Florida is regulated by the state Department of Children and Families, not by Manatee County. A family day care home cares for a limited number of children and…

Manatee County has no separate garage-conversion permit. Converting a garage into living space is treated as creating an accessory dwelling unit under the Land Development Code and…

Manatee County has no separate tiny-home ordinance. A tiny house on a permanent foundation is a small single-family dwelling and must meet the Florida Building Code and the zoning…

In unincorporated Manatee County, garages and carports (attached and detached) are allowed accessory uses under the Land Development Code. They must meet the zoning district's setback…

In unincorporated Manatee County, a detached accessory dwelling unit may be placed under the Land Development Code. It must be a single story with a maximum height of twelve feet (no…

In unincorporated Manatee County, sheds accessory to a home may total up to 400 square feet of aggregate floor area. A shed 120 square feet or less and up to 8 feet tall (measured…

In unincorporated Manatee County, outdoor storage of junk, debris, and materials is restricted. Such items must be kept in the rear yard, fully screened from view on all four sides…

Manatee County requires household trash to be stored in proper covered containers on the property. Carts are set out only for collection and must be removed from the curb by sunset on…

Manatee County requires vacant lots to be kept mowed under the 16-inch overgrowth standard, and real property in foreclosure must be registered with Code Enforcement (Sec. 2-9-35)…

In unincorporated Manatee County, grass and weeds must be kept under 16 inches tall. Overgrown vegetation is a code violation enforced by the Code Enforcement Division under Chapter…

Manatee County allows garage sales as an accessory residential use. Each sale is limited to three consecutive days, one sale is allowed every three months, and a maximum of four sales…

Manatee County collects large or special-waste items by appointment only. Residents call the Solid Waste Division to schedule; the county sets a date within one week, and a…

Dumping or littering solid waste on streets, right-of-way, waterways, or public places in Manatee County is prohibited under Chapter 2-16. Florida's litter law (FS 403.413) adds…

Manatee County provides weekly single-stream recycling in county-issued carts, collected the same day as trash. Recyclables must be placed in county-approved containers with lids…

Manatee County residents must set carts within three feet of the curb in front of the residence, spaced three feet apart, never in the street, on the public way, or on a sidewalk. Set…

Household garbage is collected twice a week (Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday), with recycling and yard waste weekly. Find your days with the county's Resident Information Tool. When…

On Manatee County's Gulf beaches, including Anna Maria Island, lighting that shines onto the beach must be shielded or turned off between sunset and sunrise from May 1 to October 31 to…

In unincorporated Manatee County, outdoor lighting fixtures must have full oblique shielding so a property's lights do not directly illuminate a neighbor. Total spillover onto another…

In unincorporated Manatee County, garage sale signs are among the sign types allowed without a sign permit under the Land Development Code. Garage sales themselves are limited to one…

In unincorporated Manatee County, political signs may be up to 6 square feet in residential districts (32 square feet elsewhere) and up to 10 feet tall. In non-residential districts…

Manatee County parks are generally open sunrise to sunset unless otherwise posted or allowed by special permit. Beaches such as Manatee Public Beach are open sunrise to 10 p.m. Rules…