Boca Raton, FL Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Boca Raton, FL, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Boca Raton Code Sec. 17-57
- No-water day
- Friday, all day
- Daytime ban
- 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Sat-Thu
- Session cap
- 4 hours, parcels under 5 acres
- Third-violation penalty
- Up to $500 fine plus water shutoff
Summary
Boca Raton bans lawn and landscape irrigation on Friday and between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. every other day. Outside those hours, odd-numbered addresses may water Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, and even-numbered addresses Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, capped at 4 hours per session on parcels under 5 acres.
The use of water for sprinkling and irrigation is prohibited on Friday and between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Saturday through Thursday.(b)Water use between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. Saturday through Thursday shall be limited to 3 days a week as follows:1.Properties with odd-numbered addresses shall be permitted to irrigate on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday...2.Properties with even-numbered addresses shall be permitted to irrigate on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday...3.Irrigation shall not extend beyond a 4-hour period on any given parcel of property less than 5 acres in size. Irrigation should only be done as needed to supplement rainfall, applying no more than ¾-inch to 1 inch of water per week.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
and golf courses irrigating with reclaimed water are exempt from all day-of-week and time restrictions. m. Saturday through Thursday. During the permitted evening-to-morning window, watering is limited to 3 days a week by address parity: odd-numbered addresses, meaning house numbers ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 or the letters N through Z, may irrigate Monday, Wednesday and Saturday; even-numbered addresses, ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 or letters A through M, may irrigate Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. On any parcel smaller than 5 acres, a single irrigation session cannot run longer than 4 hours, and the section directs users to apply no more than three-quarters to one inch of water per week, only as needed to supplement rainfall.
A resident or business facing substantial hardship from the fixed schedule can ask the utility services director for a variance, but must then post a notice of the variance at the property. Every police officer and code enforcement officer in the city is directed to enforce the schedule, and the city manager may delegate enforcement to other departments as well.
Violations & Fines
Section 17-57(5) tiers the penalty by repeat offense: a first violation draws a fine up to $50.00, a second up to $150.00, and a third up to $500.00 plus termination of water service to the property until the violation is corrected. Each day in violation counts as a separate offense, though officers may issue one written warning before citing, and the city can seek an emergency injunction on top of any fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What days can I run my sprinklers if my house number is even?
Do the watering-day rules apply if I irrigate with reclaimed water?
What is the penalty for watering on the wrong day in Boca Raton?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boca Raton
How Boca Raton compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Boca Raton to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Palm Beach County handle water restrictions.