101 local rules on file · Pop. 12,355 · Polk County
Showing ordinances that apply to Highland City, FL
Highland City is an unincorporated community with a population of approximately 12,355 in Polk County, Florida. Because Highland City is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal government or city code. Instead, Polk County ordinances apply directly to residential and commercial properties here. The rules below are the county-level regulations that govern your area. Nearby incorporated cities in Polk County may have different rules.
Florida preempts vacation-rental licensing to the state, so Polk County cannot require its own STR permit or ban rentals. Operators instead hold a state DBPR vacation-rental license plus a county business tax receipt.
Polk County cannot run a licensing scheme, but it does require every vacation-rental operator to obtain a Class B local business tax receipt for each rental location and register a Tourist Development Tax account.
Polk County does not impose a special guest-occupancy cap on vacation rentals. Florida law bars local governments from adopting occupancy standards for STRs unless applied uniformly to all residential units.
Polk County has no STR-only noise rule. Vacation-rental guests must obey the same countywide noise ordinance—quiet hours and disturbance limits—that applies to every resident and property.
Polk County levies a 5% Tourist Development Tax on rentals of six months or less. Combined with Florida's 7% sales tax, short-term guests pay about 12%. Owners and property managers collect and remit it monthly.
Polk County sets no vacation-rental-specific parking mandate. STR parking is governed by the same Land Development Code residential parking and yard standards that apply to any dwelling in the zoning district.
Polk County cannot restrict vacation rentals to owner-occupied or primary residences. FS 509.032(7)(b) bars local laws that prohibit vacation rentals or regulate their frequency or duration, so non-owner-occupied STRs are allowed.
Polk County does not require a host or manager to be on-site during stays. Such a rule would regulate how vacation rentals operate, which Florida preempts to the state under FS 509.032(7).
Polk County cannot cap the number of nights or rentals per year. FS 509.032(7)(b) expressly bars local rules that regulate the duration or frequency of vacation rentals adopted after June 1, 2011.
Polk County does not require vacation-rental operators to carry specific insurance. Coverage is a private and platform matter; the county only requires a business tax receipt, proof of DBPR licensing, and tourist-tax remittance.
Unincorporated Polk County has no fixed decibel-based curfew. Instead, any sound plainly audible 50 feet from its source, or loud enough to annoy reasonable people, is a prohibited "noise disturbance" at any hour. Time of day is one factor officers weigh when judging a violation.
Permitted construction in unincorporated Polk County is exempt from the noise ordinance only when it happens between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Construction noise outside that window is not exempt and can be cited as a prohibited noise disturbance.
Polk County has no leaf-blower ban, but lawn and yard equipment is exempt from the noise ordinance only when operated between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Reasonable use of blowers, mowers and trimmers in that window is allowed in unincorporated areas.
Polk County prohibits vehicle sound systems plainly audible 50 feet away and manner-of-driving noise such as screeching tires or repeated revving. Car-stereo violations carry escalating fines of $100, $250, then $500.
Under the Polk County Outdoor Concert Ordinance, outdoor concerts in unincorporated areas may not be conducted after 11:00 p.m. or before 10:00 a.m. Everyday amplified outdoor music is also limited by the noise-disturbance rule.
In unincorporated Polk County, letting a dog bark, howl or whine continuously or intermittently for 10 minutes or more between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. is a prohibited noise disturbance. Daytime barking is judged under the general nuisance standard.
In unincorporated Polk County it is a prohibited noise disturbance to play any radio, TV, audio system, musical instrument or similar device, or to amplify the human voice or music, at a volume that becomes a noise disturbance (plainly audible 50 feet away or disturbing to reasonable people).
Polk County's noise ordinance does not set numeric decibel (dBA) limits. As of September 2, 2025 (Ord. 2025-049) the county measures violations by a "plainly audible at 50 feet" and reasonable-person standard rather than a sound-meter reading.
Sounds originating within nonresidential (commercial/industrial) land-use districts, and phosphate mining activity, are largely exempt from Polk County's noise ordinance, except for the specific prohibited acts in Sec. 10.5-55. Limerock mining noise is cross-referenced under Sec. 10-64.
Polk County does not regulate aircraft noise. Sec. 10.5-51(4) exempts aircraft and airport activity conducted under federal law from the county noise ordinance. Aircraft noise is governed by the FAA, which preempts local aviation-noise rules.
In unincorporated Polk County, opaque fences are limited to eight feet measured from the ground unless a building permit is obtained through a Level 1 Review. Taller fences need that permit; corner-lot fences must also stay out of the clear visibility triangle.
No permit is needed for a standard opaque fence up to eight feet in unincorporated Polk County. A building permit through a Level 1 Review is required to exceed eight feet, and precast masonry, concrete, or brick fence units require a building permit regardless of height.
Polk County treats walls like fences under LDC Section 210: no wall may impede drainage on or adjacent to the site, block public-safety access, or sit in the right-of-way. Structural retaining walls also require a building permit through the Polk County Building Division.
Polk County requires that on corner or double-frontage lots no fence be placed within the clear visibility triangle, that fences not impede drainage on or adjacent to a site, and that fence design keep with neighborhood appearance. Boundary and cost-sharing disputes between neighbors are civil matters.
Polk County LDC Section 210 sets baseline fence rules: no fence in the right-of-way, none that impedes drainage or blocks emergency access, none within a corner-lot visibility triangle, and opaque fences capped at eight feet without a permit. Fences must be privately maintained.
Polk County LDC Section 210.B allows chain-link or ornamental wire, ornamental wrought iron or other ornamental metals, plastics and fiberglass made for fences, wood or prefabricated units, and precast masonry, concrete, or brick units (the last with a building permit).
Polk County bars corrugated or sheet metal and any scrap or offensive material for fences. In residential districts, fences may not contain broken glass, spikes, nails, high-voltage electrified wiring, or similar materials meant to injure. Barbed and razor wire are limited to non-residential and agricultural use.
Unincorporated Polk County allows fowl, but on residential lots under 1/2 acre the Land Development Code requires fowl to be kept in pens or fenced areas at least 50 feet from a neighboring residential property line. Manure storage also needs a 50-foot setback. Cities set their own rules.
In unincorporated Polk County, dogs may not run at large. Off the owner's property a dog must be leashed or under the direct control of a competent person. The rule also covers unaltered cats. Governed by Animal Control Ordinance 18-068 (County Code Ch. 4).
Exotic and wild animals are regulated by the state, not the county. Florida's FWC classifies captive wildlife as Class I, II, or III and requires a permit to possess most non-native or wild species. Dangerous Class I animals generally cannot be kept as personal pets.
Polk County cannot ban or set setbacks for registered honeybee colonies. Florida Statute 586.10 preempts all beekeeping regulation to the state Department of Agriculture (FDACS). Beekeepers must register colonies with FDACS and follow FDACS best-management practices.
Polk County cannot ban or restrict any dog by breed. Florida Statute 767.14 prohibits local governments from adopting breed-, weight-, or size-specific dog regulations. Polk County regulates dangerous dogs by behavior under Ch. 767, not by breed.
Unaltered cats may not run at large in Polk County. A cat impounded at large more than twice in an 18-month period cannot be redeemed until it is spayed or neutered. Cats four months or older must also be vaccinated against rabies.
Livestock is allowed in unincorporated Polk County. On residential lots under 1/2 acre the Land Development Code requires livestock to be contained within fenced areas and animal-waste storage kept 50 feet from neighboring residential property lines. Agricultural-zoned land has broader rights.
Polk County sets no fixed numeric cap on dogs or cats per home. Instead, keeping animals in numbers that create a public nuisance is prohibited, and boarding/breeding operations meet the definition of a kennel. Incorporated cities may impose their own numeric limits.
Polk County addresses hoarding through its nuisance-numbers and animal-care provisions plus Florida's cruelty law. Keeping animals in numbers or conditions that harm their welfare or the neighborhood is prohibited, and neglect can be prosecuted under FS 828.12.
Polk County follows state law: intentionally feeding bears, alligators, and certain other wildlife is prohibited by Florida's FWC. Penalties under FS 379.412 start at a $100 civil fine and escalate to misdemeanors and felonies for repeat bear or alligator feeding.
Small recreational fires in a barbecue grill or pit are generally allowed when contained, but Polk's frequent countywide burn bans prohibit open recreational fires and only permit fires in a grill/pit with a fuel area no larger than 3 feet diameter, 2 feet high.
Florida law (FS 791.08) lets residents use consumer fireworks solely on New Year's Day, July 4th, and New Year's Eve. Outside those dates, only sparklers/novelties are generally lawful. Countywide burn bans override this and prohibit fireworks during drought.
Florida Forest Service rules let you burn yard debris on your own property without authorization if the pile is under 8 feet across, kept 150 ft from occupied buildings, 50 ft from paved roads, and 25 ft from wildlands. Polk burn bans suspend this entirely.
Backyard recreational fires are legal when small, contained, and attended — but Polk County frequently activates a countywide burn ban that prohibits campfires and bonfires and limits allowed fires to a barbecue grill or pit under 3 feet diameter and 2 feet high.
Polk County follows the statewide Florida Fire Prevention Code (NFPA 1) and NFPA 58 (LP-Gas Code). Small residential cylinders (like 20-lb grill tanks) are broadly allowed; larger tanks need permits, setbacks, and licensed installation. No separate county ordinance overrides these.
Polk County has no wildland-urban-interface defensible-space mandate like western states. Overgrown brush is handled as a lot-maintenance/nuisance issue. The Florida Forest Service recommends Firewise clearance, and burn-ban rules limit how you may dispose of cleared vegetation.
Florida law (FS 553.883) and the Florida Building Code require smoke alarms in every dwelling. New homes must be hardwired; when replacing a battery unit or doing a level-1 alteration, the new alarm must use a nonremovable 10-year sealed battery.
Polk County is not in a mapped western-style wildfire hazard zone with building overlays, but central Florida has real wildfire risk during dry seasons. The county manages it through frequently declared countywide burn bans rather than defensible-space building codes.
In unincorporated Polk County, boats, RVs, sport vehicles and utility trailers may be parked on a residential lot, but only ONE may sit in the front yard. Others go in the side or rear yard, at least 5 feet from any side or rear line.
On unincorporated county roads, you must park within 12 inches of the right curb (parallel), and cannot stop in intersections, crosswalks, sidewalks, bike lanes, or within 50 feet of an intersection on a county road.
Parking or storing a commercial vehicle on a residential lot in unincorporated Polk County is prohibited unless it qualifies for an exemption or a special exception. Small trucks under 2 tons, under 9 feet tall, and under 26 feet long are exempt.
When you park a boat, RV or trailer on a residential lot, LDC Sec. 218 requires the driveway to stay functional and the parking must be in addition to the two required off-street parking spaces. Vehicles may not encroach onto the public right-of-way.
Polk County sets no blanket ban on overnight on-street parking in unincorporated areas. Instead, the same day-and-night restrictions on where you may stop or park (intersections, hydrants, rights-of-way) apply around the clock. Your city may impose overnight limits.
In unincorporated Polk County, no distressed or abandoned vehicle (or vehicle body/frame/part) may be kept on residential property unless it is inside a fully enclosed garage or building. One may sit in the rear yard only if fully screened and 5+ feet from property lines.
In unincorporated Polk County, you may not park or store a vehicle with a payload capacity over 2 tons on any public right-of-way, except while loading, unloading, or harvesting agricultural products. Large commercial vehicles are also barred from residential lots.
Polk County allows stopping to load or unload passengers or merchandise, but even for loading you cannot park within 50 feet of a railroad crossing or where signs prohibit parking. On residential lots, right-of-way loading of boats/RVs is capped at one hour per 24 hours.
Polk County sets no local EV-charging parking rule. Under 2024 Florida law, only the state may regulate electric-vehicle chargers, so counties and cities cannot enact or enforce their own EV-charging ordinances. Charger requirements come from the Florida Building Code and state rules.
Polk County has no ordinance letting residents paint or mark curbs, and doing so on a public road is not authorized. Where official traffic-control markings or signs prohibit parking, you must obey them; otherwise, park parallel within 12 inches of the curb.
In unincorporated Polk County, grass or weeds on a lot two acres or less adjacent to a residential or commercial parcel may not exceed 18 inches high on more than 10% of the property. The Property Maintenance Ordinance is enforced by Building and Codes.
Unincorporated Polk County does not require a county permit to remove a tree on private residential land. Florida Statute 163.045 forbids local permit, fee or replanting requirements when a certified arborist documents the tree is a danger. Cities and wetlands rules can still apply.
Unincorporated Polk County sets no permit for routine trimming of trees on private residential property. Florida law (FS 163.045) bars any local permit or fee for trimming when a certified arborist documents the tree is a danger. Utilities may trim trees near their lines.
Polk County's Property Maintenance Ordinance (08-047) prohibits weeds over 18 inches on lots two acres or less next to residential or commercial parcels. Code Enforcement handles complaints; failure to cut leads to county abatement and a lien for costs.
Neither Polk County nor Florida restricts residential rainwater harvesting; rain barrels and cisterns are legal and encouraged for conservation. SWFWMD and UF/IFAS promote them. Water-restriction watering-day and hour limits do not apply to hand watering or harvested rainwater.
Most of Polk County is in the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD), which sets year-round twice-weekly limits: even addresses Thursday/Sunday, odd addresses Wednesday/Saturday, before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. A Modified Phase III shortage order currently tightens this to about one day per week.
Polk County's Land Development Code requires new non-residential and multifamily development to use water-efficient, Florida-friendly landscaping, with native trees making up at least 60% of required trees. Invasive Category 1 and 2 species are banned from required plantings.
Polk County does not prohibit backyard composting; UF/IFAS Polk Extension actively promotes home composting. Compost piles must not become a nuisance overgrowth, odor, rodents or vectors are enforceable under the county's Property Maintenance Ordinance and health rules.
Polk County's Land Development Code does not prohibit artificial turf on residential property, but its landscaping standards for new development favor living, Florida-friendly plantings; synthetic turf generally does not count toward required landscaping or canopy. Homeowner and HOA rules may vary.
Yes. In unincorporated Polk County, in-ground swimming pools and spas, and above-ground pools/spas more than 24 inches deep, require a building permit from the Polk County Building Division before construction. Separate electrical, plumbing, and gas permits may also apply.
Florida's Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act requires a barrier at least 4 feet high on the outside, with gates that open outward, self-close, and self-latch. The latch release must sit on the pool side, out of a young child's reach.
Above-ground swimming pools and spas more than 24 inches deep require a Polk County building permit and must meet the same Florida Statutes Chapter 515 barrier and safety-feature rules as in-ground pools.
New residential pools in Polk County must have at least one approved safety feature: a compliant barrier, an approved safety pool cover, exit alarms on doors/windows to the pool, or self-closing self-latching devices on those doors.
Spas and hot tubs are treated as pools: those more than 24 inches deep need a Polk County permit. A spa with a safety cover meeting ASTM standards satisfies the barrier requirement under Florida Statutes Chapter 515.
A Polk County home occupation may display one non-illuminated business identification sign, mounted flush to the dwelling and no larger than two square feet. No merchandise display or outdoor storage is allowed.
Florida law lets you sell homemade non-hazardous foods from your Polk County home without a state license, as long as annual gross sales stay at or below $250,000. Cottage food is governed statewide by FS 500.80.
Polk County allows home occupations as an accessory use to an existing dwelling in all residential districts, provided the business stays clearly incidental and secondary to residential use and does not exceed 25 percent of the home's ground-floor area.
A conforming home occupation inside the main dwelling needs no further county approval, but every practitioner must obtain an occupational license (business tax receipt). Home occupations in an accessory structure require a Level 3 Review.
In-home child care in Florida is regulated by the Department of Children and Families under FS Chapter 402. A family day care home serves children from at least two unrelated families and is capped at a maximum of 10 children, including the caregiver's own preschoolers.
A storage shed in unincorporated Polk County is an accessory structure that must sit in the side or rear yard and meet the accessory-structure setbacks in LDC Table 2.2. Larger sheds require a building permit; confirm the current setback because the County revised utility-shed rules after 2019.
A carport in unincorporated Polk County is an accessory structure under LDC Section 206 and must meet the accessory-structure setbacks in Table 2.2. A permanent, attached, or engineered carport requires a building permit; place it in the side or rear yard clear of the required setbacks.
In unincorporated Polk County an accessory apartment, garage apartment, or guest house is allowed as an accessory use to a single-family home. Only one is permitted per lot, a guest house must sit in the rear yard, and it needs a Level 1 Review.
Converting a garage into living space or a garage apartment in unincorporated Polk County is treated under the LDC accessory-dwelling rules. A garage apartment counts as one accessory dwelling per lot, must meet accessory setbacks, needs a Level 1 Review, and a building permit is required for the conversion.
Polk County has no separate tiny-home ordinance. A tiny house on a permanent foundation must meet the Florida Building Code and the zoning district's standards; a mobile home is only allowed as a temporary medical-hardship residence under strict LDC limits, not a casual second dwelling.
Propane and charcoal grills are legal for home use in Polk County. Even during a countywide burn ban, cooking fires contained in a barbecue grill or pit with a fuel area under 3 feet diameter and 2 feet high remain allowed. Apartment-balcony grilling is restricted by fire code.
Residential smokers (wood, pellet, propane, charcoal) are legal for home cooking in Polk County. They generally qualify for the burn-ban barbecue exemption when the fuel area stays under 3 feet diameter and 2 feet high. Nuisance smoke and commercial use can trigger other rules.
Maximum building heights are set by land use district in LDC Table 2.2. When a building exceeds 35 feet, its required distance from an adjacent detached building increases per LDC Section 208. Accessory structures may reach up to 150% of the principal structure's height.
Polk County LDC Section 208 sets how setbacks are measured: by the shortest dimension from the property line to the base of the structure. District-specific minimum setbacks are in Table 2.2. Corner and multiple-frontage lots are treated as fronting on all street frontages.
Polk County's density and dimensional standards, including maximum lot coverage, minimum lot size, and setbacks for each standard land use district, are prescribed in LDC Table 2.2 under Section 208. The specific coverage percentage depends on your zoning district and development area.
Polk County collects furniture and appliances (formerly bulk waste) once a month on a pre-set scheduled day for items too large for the roll cart. Residents may also self-haul bulk items, debris, tires and scrap metal to county landfill and transfer facilities.
As of Oct. 1, Polk County no longer offers curbside recycling collection in unincorporated areas. Residents may keep using the recycling cart for household or yard waste and drop recyclables at the landfill, which still recycles concrete, yard trash, appliances, scrap metal, electronics and household hazardous waste.
Polk County Solid Waste collects household trash and routine yard waste once a week on the same day for unincorporated homes. Collection runs Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and everything must be curbside by 6 a.m. on your collection day.
Polk County requires the garbage roll cart within 3 feet of the curb or edge of the street, at least 3 feet from other fixed objects, with the lid opening toward the street. All household waste must go inside the cart; no other container is allowed.
Polk County Code Section 8-143 makes it unlawful to dump litter on public roads, rights-of-way, public lands, or waterways, and on private property without consent. Under Florida's Litter Law (FS 403.413), dumping up to 15 pounds is a $150 civil penalty, with felony charges for large or commercial dumping.
Polk County requires all household waste to go inside the provided garbage roll cart with the lid opening to the street; no other container may be used. Carts must be curbside by 6 a.m. on collection day and within 3 feet of the curb and at least 3 feet from
In unincorporated Polk County, overgrown lots, accumulated junk and debris, infestation, and vacant structures open to the public are prohibited under the county's Property Maintenance Ordinance (08-047). Code Enforcement can abate violations and bill the owner, adding the cost as a property lien.
On a lot two acres or less that is next to a home or business, grass and weeds may not exceed 18 inches on more than 10 percent of the property. Larger lots must keep vegetation under 18 inches within 200 feet of an adjacent developed parcel.
Polk County's Land Development Code does not set a countywide garage-sale permit or day limit; occasional residential yard sales are treated as accessory to the home. Sale signs must not be placed in the public right-of-way, and cities within the county set their own garage-sale rules.
Unincorporated Polk County caps grass and weeds at 18 inches on lots next to homes or businesses. When an owner ignores notice, the county mows vegetation over 12 inches down to 3 inches and bills the owner for the abatement.
Polk County's Sign Regulations are content-neutral, so there is no separate political-sign category. Any allowed sign may display a non-commercial (political) message. On private property a campaign sign is a temporary sign: no permit for on-premises signs, with a 5-foot setback and size and height limits.
Garage-sale and yard-sale signs in unincorporated Polk County are temporary signs under LDC Section 760.F. On-premises signs need no permit but must keep a 5-foot setback, stay under 6 feet tall in residential areas, not be electrically lit, and be removed within 30 days of the sale.
Polk County has no county-wide dark-sky ordinance for homes. The LDC requires that lighting for parking and loading areas be shielded or aimed away from adjacent properties and roadways, and prohibits signs so bright they glare onto neighboring residential property.
Polk County has no residential light-trespass ordinance. The LDC bars signs bright enough to glare onto adjoining residential property and requires development parking lighting to be aimed away from neighbors, but light spilling from one home to another is generally a private nuisance matter.
These unincorporated areas are also governed by Polk County ordinances.