Citrus County, FL HOA Rules: CC&R Enforcement (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- LDC § 1800.C, Chapter One General Provisions
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Citrus County only
- County role
- None for private deed restrictions or covenants
- LDC violations
- Referred to Code Compliance Special Master, Ch. 19
- HOA recourse
- Association board, ARC, or circuit court lawsuit
Summary
Citrus County's Land Development Code says the county will not step in to enforce a subdivision's private deed restrictions or restrictive covenants. Under LDC Section 1800.C, code compliance staff and the Code Compliance Special Master handle violations of the county's own zoning and building rules in unincorporated Citrus County, not a homeowners association's private CC&Rs, unless a covenant simply restates an actual LDC requirement.
These regulations shall not affect any private deed restrictions or restrictive covenants recorded with any deed, plat, or other legal document relating to the use or lot and setback requirements except those that state or reinforce requirements of this LDC or development approvals thereunder. No person or agency in the capacity of administering or enforcing these regulations shall be responsible for enforcing private deed restrictions or restrictive covenants.
Full Breakdown
Section 1800.C of the Land Development Code, adopted under Ordinance 2026-A16 (Chapter One, General Provisions), states plainly that the county's development regulations "shall not affect any private deed restrictions or restrictive covenants recorded with any deed, plat, or other legal document relating to the use or lot and setback requirements," and that "no person or agency in the capacity of administering or enforcing these regulations shall be responsible for enforcing private deed restrictions or restrictive covenants." That carve-out covers unincorporated Citrus County only; Crystal River and Inverness run their own municipal codes and sit outside this LDC.
In practice, a call to Citrus County's Code Compliance Division about a neighbor painting a house the wrong color, parking a boat in the driveway, or skipping the HOA's landscaping standard goes nowhere unless that same conduct also breaks an actual county LDC or Code of Ordinances requirement. Staff decline to open a case on the deed restriction itself. When a covenant happens to duplicate an LDC standard, such as a recorded setback matching the county's own setback table, the county can act on the LDC violation, but it is still not enforcing the covenant as such.
Where the county does step in is its own code. Section 1800.D.1 provides that LDC violations "may be referred to the Citrus County Code Compliance Special Master for enforcement in accordance with F.S. Ch. 162 and Chapter 19 of the Citrus County Code of Ordinances." A homeowners association that wants its restrictions enforced has to do that itself, through its board, an architectural review committee, or a lawsuit against the violating owner.
Violations & Fines
There is no county fine or citation for breaking a subdivision's deed restrictions alone; Citrus County government has no enforcement role under LDC Section 1800.C. If the same conduct also violates the LDC or Code of Ordinances, the Code Compliance Division can pursue it through the Code Compliance Special Master under Chapter 19, with penalties set by that chapter. A homeowners association must otherwise enforce its own covenants through its governing documents or a civil lawsuit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Citrus County cite my neighbor for violating our HOA's CC&Rs?
Does this rule apply inside Crystal River or Inverness?
How do I actually enforce my HOA's covenants in Citrus County?
Can a deed restriction ever become something the county will enforce?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Citrus County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Citrus County to another location·View the Florida hoa rules overview
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