Homestead, FL

Florida encourages beekeeping under FL Statute Section 586 and the Florida Bee Act. Homestead beekeepers must register with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services…

Homestead doesn't print its own numeric dog limit; instead Sec. 4-90 adopts Miami-Dade County's Chapter 5 definition of a "kennel" by reference, and once city code compliance…

Homestead classifies animal grooming as its own local business tax category under Sec. 16-40: code 07522 for a standalone grooming business at $87.00 a year, or code 07523 at $17.00 if…

Homestead's code declares the entire city a bird sanctuary and makes it unlawful to trap, shoot, hunt or otherwise molest any bird or wild fowl, or to rob a bird's nest, anywhere…

Homestead makes it unlawful to keep any wild animal or reptile inside the city unless the owner is already in compliance with Florida's wildlife law, Fla. Stat. Chapter 372, and the…

Feeding wildlife in Homestead is discouraged and may violate city nuisance ordinances. Feeding alligators is illegal statewide under FL Statute Section 828.122. The city's proximity to…

Homestead bans every retail pet store in the city from selling, displaying, bartering, auctioning or giving away dogs or cats, a citywide adoption-only rule adopted in 2014 that even…

Homestead has a strong agricultural heritage, and livestock keeping is permitted on properties with appropriate zoning. Agricultural (AU) zoned properties can keep horses, cattle…

Homestead requires every cat over four months old to be rabies-vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian with proof filed on an official county certificate, while actual cat registration…

Dogs in Homestead must be on a leash when in public spaces under Miami-Dade County Code Chapter 5. Leashes must be no longer than 6 feet and held by a person capable of controlling the…

Miami-Dade County, including Homestead, bans pit bull-type dogs under County Code Section 5-17.1. This is one of the few remaining breed-specific bans in Florida. Owning, keeping, or…

Homestead allows veterinary clinics only as 'dog and pet hospitals in air conditioned buildings' in the B-2 retail commercial district, with overnight boarding of animals expressly…

Every dog and cat sold in Miami-Dade County must be microchipped before sale, with the seller registering the chip and notifying the County within 48 hours.

Miami-Dade County requires sterilization of any dog found running at large more than twice, with violations affirmed on appeal; intact dogs also face steeper civil fines than…

Homestead allows accessory dwelling units (granny flats, in-law suites) subject to zoning and building code requirements. ADUs must comply with the HVHZ building code, meet setback…

Homestead limits accessory buildings like sheds and detached garages to 5 percent of the remaining net land area in the R-1 one-family district, per City Code § 30-112(1). A shed…

Accessory dwelling units in unincorporated Miami-Dade County must be rented for at least one month at a time: guesthouses can't be rented separately from the main home, and neither one…

Miami-Dade County charges its countywide mobility impact fee on every building permit application, including new accessory dwelling units. Code Section 33E-14(d)(7) exempts accessory…

Florida Statute 553.73 makes the Florida Building Code the single, uniform construction standard for all permanent dwellings statewide, including tiny homes, preempting cities from…

Tree removal in Homestead is regulated under Miami-Dade County Code Section 24-49. Protected native species like live oak, mahogany, gumbo limbo, and royal palm require permits for…

Homestead caps untended weed and grass growth at 8 inches on improved lots, including those in the Community Redevelopment Area, and at 12 inches on unimproved lots outside the CRA…

Homestead's illegal-dumping ordinance, Code § 23.5-5(a), carves out backyard composting: the same section that bans depositing or burying garbage anywhere but an approved container…

Florida law (FL Statute Section 373.228) encourages rainwater harvesting statewide. Homestead residents may collect rainwater using rain barrels and cisterns without a permit for…

Homestead's landscape code caps how much of a tree property owners and contractors can cut at once: no more than one-third of a tree's living canopy may be removed in any one-year…

Homestead follows South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) year-round landscape irrigation rules. Watering is limited to two days per week based on address. Irrigation is…

When a Homestead tree-removal permit calls for replacement plantings, at least half of the replacement trees must be species native to Miami-Dade County, with palms capped at 30…

Homestead allows installation of home EV charging stations with proper electrical permits. Florida law (FL Statute Section 718.113) protects EV charger installation in condos and HOA…

Homestead requires a paved 20-foot rear loading zone for commercial buildings and a separate paved loading zone for industrial uses on top of required parking, under City Code §…

Homestead lets single-family lots store boats and RVs under City Code § 30-433(g)-(h), but boats are capped at 30 feet and count scales with lot size, and only one RV is allowed per…

Homestead requires every driveway to be paved, not dirt or gravel, with a minimum lime-rock-and-asphalt or concrete base under City Code § 30-442. Driveways must also meet minimum lane…

Commercial vehicles and heavy equipment over one ton cannot park more than one hour in Homestead's A-1, A-2, R-1, R-2, R-TH, R-CH, R-3 or R-MH districts under City Code § 30-433(f)…

Homestead Code § 24-24 makes it unlawful to leave a vehicle on a street, right-of-way, lane, alley or sidewalk for storing, repairing or servicing it, or to let oil, grease or waste…

Homestead bars parking or leaving any abandoned or mechanically incapacitated vehicle or boat on public or private property in plain view, under City Code Section 19-71. Vehicles…

Miami-Dade County prints the actual dollar ceilings a tow operator may charge when a vehicle is taken without the owner's consent. Section 30-476 caps a private property trespass tow…

Miami-Dade County bans overnight parking on any street marked with all-night parking signs, allowing only a 30-minute grace period except for physicians and emergency responders.

Homestead does not impose annual night caps or limits on how many nights per year a property can be rented as a short-term rental. Florida law preempts cities from imposing overly…

Homestead STR operators should carry liability insurance of $300,000 to $1,000,000 covering guest injuries and property damage. Standard homeowner policies typically exclude commercial…

Short-term rental properties in Homestead must provide adequate off-street parking for guests. The city's parking regulations prohibit vehicles from parking on unpaved surfaces…

Homestead STR occupancy is limited by the Florida Building Code and fire safety capacity. The general standard is two persons per bedroom plus two additional guests. Properties must…

In unincorporated Miami-Dade areas designated Estate or Low Density residential on the county's land use plan, the 'responsible party' running a vacation rental must actually live at…

In unincorporated Miami-Dade County, the vacation-rental ordinance only covers stays under 30 days; renting a home or room for a full month or longer falls outside Section 33-28's…

In unincorporated Miami-Dade County, booking platforms like Airbnb must screen listings for a valid Certificate of Use and report monthly, but are shielded from joint liability if they…

Miami-Dade does not impose a countywide primary-residence requirement on short-term rentals, but Florida statute §509.032 and Ord. 14-77 limit the county's ability to ban…

Miami-Dade County denies Certificate of Use renewal to unincorporated-area vacation rentals with three or more code violations in 12 months unless outstanding violations are cured and…

In unincorporated Miami-Dade County (UMSA), no one may offer or operate a vacation rental without first obtaining a Certificate of Use from the county, renewed annually.

Miami-Dade County bans outdoor amplified sound at unincorporated vacation rentals at any time and requires guests to follow the county's general noise ordinance, with fines up to…

Miami-Dade County collects a 6% Convention and Tourist Tax on short-term rentals: 3% Convention Development Tax, 2% Tourist Development Tax, and 1% Sports Franchise Tax. Combined with…

Homestead makes both the business operator and the performer responsible when amplified sound creates a noise disturbance on business premises, under City Code Sec. 19-26. No DJ…

Homestead limits gas and electric lawn, garden and household maintenance equipment, including leaf blowers, to the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. under City Code Sec. 19-24(i)…

Homestead prohibits dogs from barking continuously or excessively in a manner that disturbs neighbors. Miami-Dade County Animal Services handles animal-related complaints. Owners must…

Homestead's noise ordinance exempts lawful construction on private property only between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. under City Code Sec. 19-24(h). Outside that window, construction noise…

Homestead-Miami Speedway Airport and Homestead Air Reserve Base generate aircraft noise in the area. Aircraft noise is primarily regulated by the FAA at the federal level. The city has…

Homestead bars any vehicle from discharging exhaust except through a working muffler under City Code Sec. 19-23(b). An unmuffled or loud exhaust is a code violation whether the vehicle…

Miami-Dade County caps sound from rural event venues, farm wineries, breweries and distilleries, and other agritourism uses in the AU Agricultural District at 70 dBA or 80 dBC…

Miami-Dade County bans loud radios, TVs and stereos audible 100 feet away between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., a rule enforced countywide unless a municipality has adopted its own noise…

Homestead follows the Florida Building Code and Florida Fire Prevention Code for smoke detector requirements. Smoke alarms are required in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area…

Florida law (FL Statute Section 791) permits consumer fireworks for personal use on designated holidays including July 4th, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day. Homestead follows state…

Miami-Dade County bans all open outdoor fires countywide, including the 34 municipalities, unless the fire fits one of six narrow exceptions written into the code. DERM enforces the…

Miami-Dade County exempts small, contained recreational fires, three feet in diameter, two feet high, from its open-burning permit requirement, but larger bonfires need a 50-foot…

The Florida Forest Service has statewide jurisdiction over wildfire prevention and suppression on non-municipal land under Chapter 590, Florida Statutes.

All swimming pool installations in Homestead require building permits from the Building Department. The HVHZ edition of the Florida Building Code applies, requiring enhanced structural…

Homestead strictly enforces pool fencing under the Florida Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act (FL Statute Section 515.27). Barriers must be 48 inches minimum height with…

Homestead bans electric fences citywide and prohibits razor wire, glass, nails, and other dangerous materials on any fence in any zone under City Code Section 30-489. Barbed wire is…

A retaining wall built inside one of Homestead's regulated floodways cannot go up on fill alone. City Code Section 6-316(c) ties retaining wall, sidewalk and driveway construction in a…

Homestead requires a permit before erecting any fence in a zoned area of the city. City Code Section 6-206 puts the fence permit in the hands of the building inspector, and Sections…

Homestead caps residential fences at 6 feet when built behind the house's building line and 4 feet in the front setback, City Code Section 30-486. Corner lots get an extra restriction…

Building a wall on a shared property line in unincorporated Miami-Dade requires the neighbor's consent before you finish the far side, or proof you tried.

Homestead bars a permitted home occupation from receiving clients, customers, inventory or any related pedestrian or vehicular traffic at the residence. Sec. 16-19(4)c.6 allows only…

Homestead allows home occupations in any zoning district under Sec. 16-19(4), but limits them to telephone, correspondence and record storage, bars manufacturing or assembly, caps the…

Home daycare operations in Homestead require licensing from the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF). Family child care homes serving up to 10 children are regulated under…

Florida's Cottage Food Law (FL Statute Section 500.80) allows Homestead residents to produce and sell certain homemade foods from their home kitchens with annual sales up to $250,000…

Unincorporated Miami-Dade County allows home occupations as an accessory use to a residence, but Section 33-25.1(A)(4) flatly bans any sign advertising one: no sign relating to the…

Homestead's HVHZ building code requires roofing systems to withstand wind speeds exceeding 170 mph. Roofing materials must carry Miami-Dade County NOA approval. Installation must…

Homestead is in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) requiring all openings (windows, doors, garage doors) to have hurricane protection. Options include impact-resistant…

After hurricanes, Homestead residents must separate storm debris by type and place it at the curb for city collection. Debris categories include vegetation, construction materials…

New and substantially improved homes in Miami-Dade's flood hazard areas must have their lowest floor built at or above the base flood elevation plus freeboard, not just to the federal…

Homestead may require rental property owners to obtain a business tax receipt for rental operations. Miami-Dade County requires rental properties to meet housing code standards…

Homestead does not have a just cause eviction ordinance. Florida landlord-tenant law (FL Statute Chapter 83) governs evictions. Landlords can decline to renew a lease for any lawful…

Homestead's housing code sets a minimum habitable floor area for every dwelling unit: 150 square feet for the first occupant, 100 square feet each for the next two, and 75 square feet…

Florida law (FL Statute Section 166.043) preempts local governments from enacting rent control or price controls on private residential property. Homestead cannot impose rent caps…

Fla. Stat. § 83.56 requires a 3-day notice to pay rent or vacate for nonpayment, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays from the count. For lease violations, the landlord…

Under Fla. Stat. § 83.53, a Florida landlord must give at least 24 hours' notice to enter for repairs and may enter only at reasonable times, defined as between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m…

For a month-to-month tenancy, Fla. Stat. § 83.57 now requires 30 days' written notice (raised from 15 days by 2023's HB 1417). Breaking a fixed-term lease triggers landlord remedies…

Florida has no rent control and no statute setting a maximum rent increase or a dedicated advance-notice period. On a month-to-month tenancy, a new rent takes effect only through the…

Florida places no dollar limit on residential security deposits, but it enforces tight deadlines. If the landlord makes no claim, the deposit must be returned within 15 days of…

Adverse possession in Florida requires 7 years of actual, continued, exclusive possession plus paying all taxes within a year and filing a return with the property appraiser (Fla…

Political signs in Homestead are protected as free speech. Florida law limits local regulation of political signs on private property. Signs must not obstruct traffic visibility or be…

Homestead caps window signs outside single-family residential zones to one sign per window or door, limited to address, phone number and hours, plus a separate open/closed sign…

Homestead allows digital billboards only along the FDOT Turnpike corridor, capped at 500 nits from sunset to sunrise and 5,000 nits otherwise, with mandatory ambient-light sensors and…

Homestead has opted out of the Miami-Dade County code section restricting signs near expressways, expressly allowing signs within 660 feet of an expressway under the city's own Chapter…

Homestead bans yard sale signs on trees, poles or any other property in the public right-of-way, and requires the seller's written consent from the owner before posting a sign on…

Boat docks and structures in Homestead canals require SFWMD permits and potentially Army Corps of Engineers authorization. Canal rights-of-way are controlled by water management…

Any development in a Homestead flood hazard area needs a floodplain development permit, and new buildings outside the mapped special flood hazard area must still sit at least six…

Homestead enforces strict stormwater management requirements due to its flat terrain, high water table, and proximity to the Everglades and Biscayne Bay. New development must retain…

Homestead requires an erosion and sediment control plan before issuing any building permit for land-disturbing activity. Sites over an acre need FDEP construction permit coverage and a…

Significant portions of Homestead are in FEMA-designated flood zones (AE, AH, X). Properties in Special Flood Hazard Areas must carry flood insurance and meet Base Flood Elevation…

Florida regulates construction seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line through state permits, with uniform standards administered by the Department of Environmental Protection.

Home cultivation of cannabis is illegal in Florida. Florida has a medical marijuana program (FL Statute Section 381.986) but does not permit home growing. Only licensed Medical…

Medical marijuana dispensaries in Homestead must comply with local zoning requirements and state licensing through the Florida Department of Health. Dispensaries are limited to…

Florida preempts most local cannabis regulation under FL §381.986. Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers must locate at least 500 feet from public or private elementary, middle, or…

Florida MMTCs may deliver medical marijuana directly to qualified patients and caregivers anywhere in the state under FL §381.986 and OMMU rules. Miami-Dade cannot prohibit deliveries…

Homestead provides single-stream recycling for residential properties. Recyclable materials include paper, cardboard, plastic containers, glass, and metal cans. Contamination with…

Homestead Code § 23.5-2(f) requires multifamily buildings with twelve or more units, and new commercial establishments, to subscribe to recycling service. Multifamily buildings must…

Homestead provides curbside trash collection twice weekly and recycling collection once weekly for residential properties. Bins must be placed at the curb by collection time and…

Homestead requires dumpsters to be screened behind an opaque fence or enclosure and kept off rights-of-way, while residential supercans may only go to the curb after 6:00 p.m. the…

Every Homestead residence not in a new development must subscribe to city garbage collection, with containers emptied at least twice a week and garbage never allowed to sit more than 4…

Homestead requires every commercial dumpster to sit on the private property receiving service, fully enclosed in a structure or screened behind an opaque fence, wall, gate or…

Homestead Code § 23.5-6 entitles each residence to semi-monthly curbside pickup of up to ten cubic yards of bulky trash, yard and garden waste, white goods or noncombustible refuse…

Homestead gives each residence semi-monthly curbside pickup of up to 10 cubic yards of yard and garden waste, but it must be separated from garbage, kept out of garbage containers, and…

Homestead Code § 23.5-5(a) bans depositing or burying garbage, refuse, rubbish, trash or waste in any street, alley, sidewalk, lot, storm sewer, canal or watercourse, or keeping it…

Homestead lets residents block handbill distributors and solicitors by posting a sign near the entrance reading "No Trespassing," "No Peddlers or Agents," or "No Advertisement." Once…

Anyone peddling, soliciting or canvassing door-to-door in Homestead must get a license under City Code Article XIV before starting, backed by a police background check and a $35…

Homestead's carnival ordinance defines a carnival to include fairs, and bars any of them from operating unless the city council approves a special exception permit by a unanimous vote…

Sidewalk and open-air cafes in Homestead are allowed only as an ancillary use tied to a restaurant in the B-1 or B-2 districts under City Code § 30-419. Public-sidewalk dining is…

Anyone renting a City of Homestead park facility for a fundraising or profit-making event must apply at least 30 days ahead under Code Section 20-34, carry liability insurance…

In unincorporated Miami-Dade County, closing a street for a parade, procession, or block party requires a special event permit from the county's Department of Transportation and Public…

In unincorporated Miami-Dade County, a parade or procession cannot occupy, march, or proceed along any street without a special event permit issued by the Department of Transportation…

Filming or taking photos on publicly-owned property in Miami-Dade County requires a permit, and the County coordinates that permitting into the 34 municipalities that have signed…

Homestead bars anyone from operating as a secondhand dealer, including pawnbrokers and junk dealers, without first obtaining and paying for a license under Sec. 16-222. The fee is…

Homestead only allows towing agencies that hold a current license under Miami-Dade County Code Section 30-464 and are selected through the city's procurement process, and every agency…

Sexually oriented businesses in Homestead can't open within 1,000 feet of a church, library, school, the boundary of any residential zoning district, or a park adjacent to one, and…

Massage and bath parlors may operate only in Homestead's B-3 general commercial district, and only after the city council grants a special exception by ordinance following a public…

Homestead licenses pawnbrokers as secondhand dealers under Article X of Chapter 16. Sec. 16-221 folds pawnbrokers into the secondhand-dealer definition, Sec. 16-222 bars operating…

Miami-Dade County bans self-service display of e-cigarettes and other nicotine dispensing devices at retail, requiring vendor-assisted sales unless the store restricts entry to adults…

It's illegal to tattoo a minor anywhere in Miami-Dade County unless a parent or guardian gives written consent first: a decades-old countywide ordinance still on the books for tattoo…

In unincorporated Miami-Dade (UMSA), you can only fix your own car at home, in daylight, and only minor work finished within 72 hours.

Homestead taxes film production as its own local business tax classification under Sec. 16-40: code 79996, marked a new fee in the schedule, costs $100.00 before an economic…

Miami-Dade County waives its public-property film permit for crews under three people only if their noise isn't frequent, habitual, or long and can't be heard past 100 feet: cross that…

Miami-Dade County waives its film and photo permit fee for students and faculty producing exclusively educational content on county-owned or controlled property, provided the school…

New buildings in Homestead must meet specific lock hardware standards under City Code Section 6-391: exterior exit doors need a key-operated exterior lock offering at least 6,000…

Any plumbing work in Homestead needs a permit under City Code Section 6-36, which folds plumbing into the same article covering construction, electrical, mechanical, demolition and…

Homestead requires a permit before any construction, reconstruction, structural alteration, demolition or addition, plus separate trade permits; starting work before the permit issues…

Homestead requires its own electrical permit before wiring work begins, separate from a general construction permit, priced at 2.0% of the value of the electrical work plus a $116…

Miami-Dade requires most buildings, except single-family homes, duplexes, and small minor structures, to undergo structural and electrical recertification inspection once they reach a…

Miami-Dade County Code Section 14-62 requires most sprinkler systems, countywide in both incorporated and unincorporated areas, to meet strict fire-code standards, but expressly…

Miami-Dade County fast-tracks permit review for green buildings certified or registered under recognized rating systems like LEED, instead of imposing a separate green building code.

Miami-Dade County requires every operator and employee of a child care facility or day care home to pass a Miami-Dade Police Department criminal background investigation, renewed every…

A Homestead structure is legally "unsafe" under City Code Section 6-531 if it is structurally dangerous, unsanitary, lacks adequate egress, is a fire or windstorm hazard, or sits…

Homestead caps untended weed and plant growth at 8 inches on improved lots and 12 inches on unimproved lots citywide under Sec. 19-95. Lots must also stay free of stagnant water…

Homestead Code § 24-1 bans placing trash, lumber, wood, glass or any other obstruction on a public street, lane, alley or sidewalk, and requires removal within six hours of city…

Any private work in a Homestead public right-of-way, from a new sidewalk to a driveway approach, needs a Public Works ROW permit starting at $200; starting work without one triples the…

Homestead Code § 24-65 puts the duty to maintain an abutting sidewalk on the property owner, including damage from the owner's own tree roots or vehicle traffic. If the city determines…

Homestead makes it unlawful to sleep anywhere on the city's streets, avenues or other public property under City Code Sec. 17-17, with no exception for people who lack shelter; the…

Every mobile food dispensing vehicle (MFDV) in Homestead needs an annual MFDV Zoning Verification Certificate from the Development Services Department under City Code Sec. 16-393, plus…

Homestead confines mobile food dispensing vehicles to Commercial zoning districts that aren't adjacent to residential property and are outside the Crash and APZ I/II overlay near…

Homestead bans mobile vending on its streets, sidewalks and private property outright under City Code Sec. 16-377, unless a vendor fits one of the narrow exceptions in Sec. 16-378…

Homestead makes it unlawful for a property owner or business operator to let anyone publicly drink alcoholic beverages on a business's exterior, or in an interior visible from outside…

Miami-Dade County Code Section 21-31.4 makes it a criminal offense to aggressively beg or to obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic in any public place. 'Aggressively beg' covers…

Adults who control a residence face criminal penalties if they let an open house party happen there while a minor possesses or drinks alcohol or uses drugs, and they knew or should…

Miami-Dade officers can issue a $100 civil citation instead of an arrest for possessing 20 grams or less of cannabis, countywide including all 34 municipalities, entirely at the…

Miami-Dade County makes it a crime to loiter on public streets, sidewalks, bridges or overpasses in a way that blocks pedestrian or vehicle passage, punishable by up to $500 in fines.

Miami-Dade County bans smoking at all County-operated parks and public beaches, including Haulover, Crandon and Homestead Bayfront, with escalating fines for violators.

Homestead runs red light cameras under City Code Article II (Secs. 18-5 to 18-21), enforced through the state's Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act with a $158 civil penalty, plus…

Every new development inside Homestead's Rapid Transit Development Overlay District must build a dedicated loading and unloading zone for ridehail and taxi passengers under City Code §…

Miami-Dade County bans stopping, standing, or parking a vehicle on any bicycle path at all times, and bars parking in an exclusive bicycle lane except for a momentary passenger stop.

On Crandon Boulevard between Key Biscayne and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Miami-Dade County caps e-scooters and e-bikes at 20 mph, bans sidewalk riding except to park, and…

Florida flips the usual assumption: a golf cart is barred from public roads unless a county, a municipality, or a water control district has affirmatively designated that road for cart…

Homestead's noise ordinance defines 'alarm' to include a motor vehicle alarm and doesn't exempt it: Sec. 19-22 counts a vehicle alarm as a covered sound source, and Sec. 19-23's…

Homestead makes both the bar operator and the performing DJ or musician separately liable when amplified sound from a business premise crosses into a noise disturbance, under City Code…

Miami-Dade law requires stationary generators and other combustion engines to vent exhaust through a muffler that prevents loud or explosive noise, countywide.

Homestead requires every mixed-use and non-residential development to design its site lighting to prevent direct glare, light spillage, and hazardous interference on adjacent streets…

In unincorporated Miami-Dade County, area lighting for parking lots, sports fields and security must be shielded, deflected and permitted before installation.

Miami-Dade County caps digital billboard brightness at 500 nits from sunset to sunrise (5,000 nits by day), bans flashing or scrolling illumination, and requires ambient-light sensors…

Any tree in Homestead with a trunk 18 inches or more in diameter at breast height is a protected 'specimen tree.' Removing one requires a permit from the Development Services…

New Homestead development must plant a drought-tolerant, wind-tolerant canopy tree along each side of every roadway, spaced no more than 35 feet apart on center, taken from the…

Mangrove trees anywhere in Homestead, and any tree growing on land that meets Miami-Dade County's definition of wetlands, are carved out of the city's own tree-removal exemptions…

Homestead's landscape ordinance caps how much of a development's open space can be planted in grass: 60 percent of required landscaped open space for residential and mixed-use…

When Homestead finds a leak in a customer's private sewer lateral, lift station, or other private piping outside a building, it must notify the owner in writing. The owner then has 30…

Miami-Dade County requires water customers who use reclaimed water as an auxiliary supply to install a backflow preventer on their potable water connection, per WASD's cross-connection…

Homestead bans the sale, propagation, planting, importation and transportation of every plant on Miami-Dade County's exotic pest plant species list, with one exception, Ficus…

Homestead's R-1 one-family district caps residential buildings at three stories or 35 feet, whichever is less, under City Code § 30-114(2). The same three-story/35-foot ceiling applies…

Homestead's R-1 one-family district requires a 25-foot front yard, side yards equal to 10 percent of the lot's average width (minimum 5 feet, 15 feet on corners), and a 25-foot rear…

Homestead caps total lot coverage in the R-1 one-family district at 55 percent of the lot area, counting buildings, driveways, sidewalks, swimming pools and every other impervious…

Homestead enforces a juvenile curfew prohibiting minors under 17 from being on public streets and places during late-night hours without parental supervision or a valid reason. Curfew…

County parks close between sunset and sunrise unless a park is specifically posted with different hours, and staying inside after closing is a violation of the county's park rules.

Downtown Homestead's design rules live inside the Rapid Transit Development Overlay District's zoning code, not a separate manual. City Code § 30-396.582 makes new projects follow the…

Homestead lets developers in medium-density residential zones like R-2, R-TH, R-3, R-CH, and R-TND add up to 10 extra dwelling units per acre above the base 8-unit cap under City Code…

Florida law (FL Statute Section 163.04) strongly protects homeowners' rights to install solar panels and severely limits HOA authority to restrict solar energy systems. HOAs cannot…

Solar panel installations in Homestead require building and electrical permits. The HVHZ building code imposes strict wind load requirements for rooftop panels. Florida law (FL Statute…

Homestead caps one-day-only yard sales at four per property per year under Sec. 16-144(a): the first is a no-fee permit, and each of the next three costs $25.00. Multi-day sales run on…

Homestead's code compliance department fines most Code violations, from unpermitted fences to overgrown lots, at $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a repeat, and $5,000 for a second…

A County Code Inspector who finds a violation sets a correction deadline based on severity and practicality, then serves a written civil violation notice by mail, hand delivery, or…

Miami-Dade code inspectors don't work off a fixed clock. Section 8CC-3(d) has them weigh severity, danger, and ease of fixing the problem to set a reasonable correction deadline…

Homestead's housing code requires every exterior property area to stay free of conditions that harbor insects, vermin and rodents. Sec. 15-112 orders owners to eliminate any breeding…

Miami-Dade's contracted needle exchange program, authorized countywide under Sec. 2-78, must maintain written security procedures for every exchange site, including safe disposal of…

Florida lacks a specific bed bug statute, but landlords must maintain habitable rental units under FL §83.51. Miami-Dade Code Compliance enforces minimum housing standards under…

In Homestead's B-3 liberal business district, a barbecue stand or barbecue pit is a permitted use, but City Code § 30-296(10) requires any establishment that cooks with wood burning to…

Homestead's code enforcement director can inspect any dwelling, rooming house or hotel unit to check for housing code violations, but Sec. 15-28 requires the occupant's or possessor's…

Miami-Dade's Minimum Housing Enforcement Officer inspects rental dwellings countywide on complaint or owner request, not on a routine schedule, under the Minimum Housing Standards…

Homestead's AU agricultural district allows farms, groves, nurseries, cattle grazing and commercial poultry raising as permitted uses under City Code § 30-391, layering in required…

Sellers of AU-zoned or AU-adjacent land in Miami-Dade County must give buyers a signed statement warning that farm activity nearby is lawful and may be shielded from nuisance suits…

Homestead's code enforcement director sets each business's local business tax classification, and an applicant who disagrees can appeal straight to the city council under City Code…

In unincorporated Miami-Dade County (UMSA), decorative yard elements on residential lots in the AU, EU, GU, and RU zoning districts must sit in front of the principal structure's…

Miami-Dade County bans operating any recreational drone or model aircraft on, above, or within a defined buffer of any County airport. Section 25-11 of the Code of Miami-Dade County…

Miami-Dade County confines radio-controlled and model aircraft, including hobby drones, to areas specifically set aside for that use inside every County park. Rule 15 of Section 26-1…

Miami-Dade County bans flying drones within one statute mile of runway ends and a half-mile of runway centerlines at every county airport, plus anywhere on or above airport property.

Commercial drone operations in Florida are regulated by federal FAA Part 107 and state law; local governments cannot impose additional commercial operation restrictions.

Miami-Dade requires every HOA, condo and co-op association to file an annual registration disclosing current special assessments, fees and financial statements to the County.

Every condominium, cooperative and homeowners' association governing residential property in Miami-Dade County must file a written registration with the Department of Regulatory and…

County zoning bars HOA architectural boards in townhouse, rowhouse and cluster-development districts from blocking temporary hurricane storm panels, but leaves HOA sign-off intact for…

Under Fla. Stat. § 720.303(2), Florida HOA board meetings must be open to members with notice posted at least 48 hours ahead. Section 720.306 governs member meetings and elections, §…

Florida Statute 163.04 bars homeowner association deed restrictions and local ordinances from prohibiting clotheslines, solar collectors, or other renewable-resource energy devices in…

Florida law bars HOA declarations, articles, and bylaws from prohibiting Florida-friendly landscaping, defined by statute as drought-tolerant, water-conserving design. Section…

Florida law bars homeowners associations from stopping owners from flying up to two flags, each no larger than 4 1/2 by 6 feet, including the U.S. flag, Florida's state flag, military…

Under Fla. Stat. § 720.305, a Florida HOA may fine up to $100 per violation and $1,000 in the aggregate unless the governing documents allow more. The association must give at least 14…

A Florida association can foreclose an assessment lien in the same manner a mortgage is foreclosed, but only after two separate 45-day notices, and fines are largely off limits: a…

Florida limits how homeowners' associations can restrict renting out a home, but only in communities governed by Chapter 720, not condos or co-ops. Under Fla. Stat. § 720.306(1)(h), a…

Miami-Dade County's Historic Preservation Board can designate any building, structure, landscape feature, or archaeological zone as a protected individual site, district, or cultural…

Florida §500.90 preempts local bans on polystyrene foam containers in private commerce. Miami-Dade cannot ban Styrofoam at private restaurants. The county does prohibit polystyrene at…

Florida Statute §403.7033 preempts all local regulation of disposable plastic bags. Miami-Dade and its cities cannot ban or tax single-use plastic bags. Miami Beach passed a bag ban in…

A combined 3% county bed tax hits short stays under six months at hotels, motels, apartments and condos across Miami-Dade, with three cities carved out.

Miami-Dade cannot mandate paid sick leave or predictable scheduling for private employers. House Bill 433 (2024) preempts all local employment benefits, hours, scheduling, and leave…

Florida Statute 218.077 prohibits local governments from establishing a minimum wage other than the state or federal rate, preempting city and county living-wage ordinances except for…

Florida Statute 509.032(7) and broader employment preemption framework prevent local governments from requiring private employers to follow predictive or fair-scheduling rules beyond…

Florida allows permitless concealed carry of firearms by law-abiding adults under FS 790.01 and continues to issue concealed weapon licenses through FS 790.06, with both regimes…

Florida Statute 790.33 expressly preempts the entire field of firearm and ammunition regulation to the state, voiding all local ordinances and imposing personal civil penalties on…

Florida's open carry ban (FS 790.053) was struck down by the First District Court of Appeal in McDaniels v. State on September 10, 2025. The Florida Attorney General issued guidance on…

Florida Statute 790.25(5) allows any law-abiding person 18 or older to possess a concealed firearm in a private vehicle for self-defense, provided the firearm is securely encased or…

Florida cardrooms operate only inside licensed pari-mutuel facilities, dog tracks, horse tracks, and jai alai frontons, under a license from the Florida Gaming Control Commission. Fla…

Florida lets charitable, nonprofit, and veterans' organizations run bingo without applying for any state gaming license: the statute itself sets the eligibility bar and the limits. A…

Florida law exempts small-stakes card and tile games from gambling crimes under Fla. Stat. § 849.085, but only under strict conditions: winnings per hand can't exceed $10, the game…

Sports wagering is legal in Florida only through the Seminole Tribe's Hard Rock Bet platform, authorized under the state's gaming compact codified at Fla. Stat. § 285.710(13)(b)7…

Florida allows sobriety checkpoints, and the discretion of the individual trooper is what gets constrained. Fla. Stat. § 321.05(1) gives Florida Highway Patrol officers the power to…

Florida is an all-party consent state, but that rule reaches less far than it sounds. Fla. Stat. § 934.03(2)(d) makes interception lawful only when every party consents, while §…

Florida has no general stop-and-identify statute. The Florida Stop and Frisk Law, Fla. Stat. § 901.151(2), lets an officer temporarily detain you to ascertain your identity when…

Florida wrote the automobile exception into its statutes in 1927. Fla. Stat. § 933.19 adopts the United States Supreme Court's decision of March 2, 1925 in the Carroll case, reported…

Florida Statute 569.101 prohibits the sale or delivery of tobacco and nicotine products to persons under 21, aligning with federal law and applying uniformly statewide under the…

Florida is one of the states that says yes to underbody lighting in so many words. Fla. Stat. § 316.235(3) provides that any motor vehicle may be equipped with one or more lamps or…

Florida does not give dash cameras a windshield carve-out. Fla. Stat. § 316.2952(2) is written as a closed list of exactly four things that may be attached to, or located in or upon, a…

Florida bans lane splitting in so many words. Fla. Stat. section 316.209(3) states that no person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows…

Florida treats an obscured plate as a crime, not a ticket. Fla. Stat. section 320.061(1) makes it unlawful to apply or attach any substance, reflective matter, illuminated device…

A driver of a private passenger vehicle may use a radar detector in Florida. No section of the Florida Statutes prohibits owning, carrying or operating one, and chapter 316, which…

Florida does not ban studded tires and does not restrict them to a winter season. The one wheel-surface provision in the traffic code, Fla. Stat. section 316.299, prohibits driving on…

Florida sets a separate light transmittance floor for each piece of glass rather than one statewide number. Side wings and side windows forward of or next to the driver must pass at…