Volusia County, FL Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 2025-07, effective Feb. 4, 2025
- State authority
- F.S. § 125.0231
- First-offense fine
- $50.00 minimum
- Third-offense-and-up fine
- $200.00 minimum per offense
- Vehicle exception
- Registered, insured, lawfully parked vehicles excluded
Summary
Adopted in February 2025 under Florida's new anti-camping law, § 78-1 makes it unlawful to camp or sleep overnight on any Volusia County-owned building, grounds, sidewalk, right-of-way or parking lot unless the county has designated that spot for recreational camping, with escalating fines starting at $50.
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person to publicly camp or sleep on any public property, including but not limited to, any public building or its grounds unless designated for public camping and sleeping for recreational purposes by the county or a municipality. For purposes of this prohibition, grounds shall include the entirety of the parcel of public property beyond the building, including, but not limited to, grass areas, sidewalks, public right-of-way and parking facilities. ... a.The penalties for the first violation shall be no less than a $50.00 fine; the penalty for a second offense shall be no less than a $100.00 fine; and the penalty for all subsequent violations shall be no less than a $200.00 fine for each offense thereafter. A warning notice may be issued in lieu of fine.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 108 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
0231, Florida's 2024 statute addressing unauthorized public camping, and applies countywide to any property the county owns or operates, not just building interiors, but the 'grounds' beyond them, including grass areas, sidewalks, public rights-of-way and parking facilities. It adopts the state law's definition of 'public camping or sleeping': overnight lodging in a tent or other temporary shelter evidenced by bedding or stored belongings, or overnight lodging outdoors without shelter at all. Sleeping in a registered, insured vehicle parked lawfully is expressly excluded, as is camping on county property specifically designated for recreational camping.
Both code enforcement and law enforcement officers may enforce the ban, and officers can pair a citation with a trespass warning under § 78-4, limited to the specific county property where the violation happened. 0231(3). A companion complaint process lets a resident, business owner or the Florida Attorney General file written notice of a violation.
Violations & Fines
Fines escalate with each offense: no less than $50 for a first violation, $100 for a second, and $200 for every violation after that, though officers may issue a warning notice instead of a fine. A violation can also draw a trespass warning under § 78-4 barring the person from that specific county property, and the county may pursue other civil or administrative remedies alongside the fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to sleep outside on county property in Volusia County?
What's the penalty for camping on county property?
Can I sleep in my car on county property overnight?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Volusia County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Volusia County to another location·View the Florida homelessness & encampment rules overview
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