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Citrus County, FL Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)

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

Key Facts

Local freeboard
Base flood elevation plus 1 foot
Accessory structure cap (Zone A/AE)
600 sq ft, one story
Accessory structure cap (Zone V/VE)
100 sq ft
FIRM/flood study date
January 15, 2021
Administering office
Building Division, Lecanto

Summary

In unincorporated Citrus County flood hazard areas, non-elevated accessory structures must be built with flood damage-resistant materials and equipment at least one foot above the base flood elevation. Elevation certificates go through the floodplain administrator, not Crystal River or Inverness, which run their own codes.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Citrus County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Non-elevated accessory structures. Accessory structures are permitted below elevation required by the Florida Building Code provided the accessory structures are used only for parking or storage and: ... (4) Have flood damage-resistant materials used below the base flood elevation plus one foot. (5) Have mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems, including plumbing fixtures, elevated to or above the base flood elevation plus one foot.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 76).

Full Breakdown

Citrus County's floodplain management article (Code of Ordinances ch. 18, art. VI) sets the local freeboard standard used alongside the state-adopted Florida Building Code. Under section 18-205(c), a non-elevated accessory structure used only for parking or storage may sit below the elevation the Florida Building Code would otherwise require, but only if it meets specific conditions: it must be anchored against flotation and lateral movement, built of flood damage-resistant materials below the base flood elevation plus one foot, and have all mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems, including fixtures, elevated to or above the base flood elevation plus one foot.

2; in coastal high hazard Zone V/VE it cannot exceed 100 square feet. Site plans submitted under section 18-199 must show delineated flood hazard areas, floodway boundaries, and base flood elevations, and where more than 50 lots or five acres are involved without FIRM data, an applicant must have base flood elevations established under subsection 18-199(b). A floodplain administrator, housed in the county's Building Division at 3600 W. Sovereign Path, Lecanto, can require additional surveyed topography data under section 18-196(d) where ground elevations sit below the applicable base flood elevation. This article governs unincorporated Citrus County only; the flood insurance study referenced is dated January 15, 2021.

Violations & Fines

A building or structure lacking documentation of lowest-floor elevation or other required design certification is presumed a violation under section 18-202 until the owner produces it. The floodplain administrator may issue a notice of violation or a stop-work order, and continuing work after such notice is a violation subject to penalties prescribed by law. Variances that would allow construction below the required elevation trigger a written notice disclosing that federal flood insurance costs run as high as $25.00 per $100.00 of coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Citrus County require one foot of freeboard above base flood elevation?
Yes, but the codified freeboard figure applies specifically to non-elevated accessory structures used for parking or storage: their flood-resistant materials and mechanical/electrical systems must sit at or above the base flood elevation plus one foot under section 18-205(c). Habitable buildings follow the state-adopted Florida Building Code's flood provisions.
Who enforces flood elevation rules in Citrus County?
The county's floodplain administrator, based in the Building Division at 3600 W. Sovereign Path in Lecanto, reviews site plans, requires elevation certificates, and can order additional surveyed data under section 18-196(d) when ground elevations sit below the mapped base flood elevation.
Does this ordinance apply inside Crystal River or Inverness?
No. Citrus County's floodplain management article governs only the unincorporated area. Crystal River and Inverness each administer their own municipal floodplain ordinances and building codes.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Citrus County

All Citrus County rules

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