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Seminole County, FL Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

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

Key Facts

Governing permit
NPDES Permit No. FLS000038
Civil penalty class
Class V (Chapter 53)
Max criminal penalty
60 days jail / $500 fine
Emergency suspension
No prior notice required
Enforcer
County Code Enforcement Officers

Summary

Seminole County bans discharging anything but stormwater into its municipal storm sewer system (MS4) and prohibits illicit connections to it entirely. Violations can draw a Class V civil penalty plus, under state law, up to 60 days in jail or a $500 fine.

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

No Person may Discharge or cause to be Discharged into the County's MS4 or other watercourses any materials, including but not limited to Pollutants or waters containing any Pollutants that cause or contribute to a violation of applicable water quality standards, other than Stormwater. ... in accordance with Section 53, Code Enforcement, Seminole County Code, any person violating any of the provisions of this Part 9 is liable for a Class V civil penalty under Chapter 53... any person who violates this Part 9 may be punished by imprisonment for a term not to exceed sixty (60) days or a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) or both.

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 23 Update 1 | Land Development Code: Supplement 2).

Full Breakdown

Sec. 397(a) prohibits discharging or causing to be discharged any pollutant, or water containing a pollutant, into the County's MS4 or other watercourses beyond plain stormwater, tying the rule to NPDES Permit No. FLS000038. The section carves out a specific exempt list rather than a vague catch-all: water line flushing, landscape irrigation runoff, diverted stream flows, uncontaminated groundwater infiltration, air conditioning condensation, non-commercial vehicle washing, dechlorinated pool water (under roughly one part per million chlorine), and firefighting water are all allowed. Sec. 401 separately prohibits illicit connections and illicit discharges outright, and makes a facility owner's failure to report a construction or industrial connection or discharge to the MS4 itself count as the violation.

Sec. 398 gives the County authority to suspend a violator's MS4 access without prior notice in an emergency posing imminent danger, and to terminate access after notice and an opportunity to petition for reconsideration where termination would stop an ongoing illicit discharge. Code Enforcement Officers under Sec. 402 can enter and inspect any regulated facility as often as necessary, install monitoring equipment, and seek a search warrant if access is denied.

Violations & Fines

Sec. 270.405(g) classifies a violation as a Class V civil penalty under Chapter 53 of the County Code, and separately, under Section 125.69, Florida Statutes, a violator may be punished by imprisonment up to 60 days, a fine up to $500, or both. Violators are also liable for the County's sampling and monitoring costs, cleanup expenses, and any state or federal fines the discharge triggers, and the County may seek an injunction and cost-of-restoration order in court under Sec. 270.405(f).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I wash my car in the driveway in Seminole County?
Yes, non-commercial washing of personal vehicles is on the exempt list in Sec. 270.397(a)(1), along with things like air conditioning condensation and dechlorinated pool water, so it does not count as an illicit discharge to the MS4.
What counts as an illicit connection to the County's storm sewer system?
Sec. 270.401 prohibits any connection that discharges something other than stormwater into the County's MS4 without a permit, and treats a facility owner's failure to report a construction or industrial connection as itself creating the illicit connection.
What can happen if I discharge pollutants into a storm drain in Seminole County?
Sec. 270.405 makes it a Class V civil violation under the County's code enforcement system, and separately Florida Statute 125.69 allows criminal penalties of up to 60 days in jail or a $500 fine, on top of liability for the County's cleanup and monitoring costs.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Seminole County

All Seminole County rules

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