Daytona Beach, FL Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Daytona Beach, 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
- Ban hours
- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., every day
- Applies to
- Automatic and manual irrigation systems
- Overspray
- Prohibited onto sidewalks/driveways
- New systems
- Must be low-volume irrigation
- Exemptions
- New landscaping (30 days), reuse water, agriculture
- Enforcement
- City manager; Code Enforcement Board, F.S. ch. 162
Summary
Daytona Beach bans automatic and manual lawn irrigation between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., every day of the year, as its permanent base-level water conservation rule. Overspray onto sidewalks and driveways is separately prohibited, and every new irrigation system installed in the city must be a low-volume system.
(1)Base level. This is the base water conservation and use level and provides for permanent year-round water conservation and use as follows:a.The use of water by automatic and manual systems for landscape irrigation is prohibited between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. seven days a week.b.Excessive use of water for landscape irrigation or overwatering of landscaping is discouraged. Overspray of irrigation water onto impervious surfaces is prohibited. ... f.New landscape irrigation systems shall be low-volume irrigation systems.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 78 | Land Development Code: Supplement 36).
Full Breakdown
Section 98-139 of the Code of Ordinances sets Daytona Beach's year-round 'base level' of water conservation, which applies citywide under Section 98-137 to every user of the city's potable water system whether or not a shortage has been declared. , seven days a week, and separately bans overspray of irrigation water onto sidewalks, driveways, and other impervious surfaces. Any new landscape irrigation system installed must be a low-volume system designed to place water efficiently at the plant's root zone. The base level stacks on top of tougher, temporary restrictions the city can declare as water shortage Levels I through IV, mirroring the St.
Johns River Water Management District's own shortage phases, with the district's plan automatically overriding city rules whenever it is more restrictive. Section 98-141 exempts newly planted landscaping for its first 30 days, reclaimed or reuse-water irrigation systems, bona fide agricultural operations, and clay recreational courts. A user who needs relief beyond those exemptions can petition the Water Conservation Appeals Board, made up of the deputy city manager, utilities director, and finance director, under Section 98-142.
Violations & Fines
Watering landscaping between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., letting irrigation overspray onto pavement, or installing a non-low-volume system violates Section 98-139 and is enforceable under Section 98-143 through the general penalty in Section 1-14 or by the Code Enforcement Board under F.S. ch. 162. The city manager can also order water service disconnected under Section 98-144 after written notice and an appeal opportunity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can I run my sprinklers in Daytona Beach?
Is my newly sodded lawn exempt from the watering-hours rule?
Can the city shut off my water for violating the irrigation rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Daytona Beach
How Daytona Beach compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Daytona Beach to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Volusia County handle water restrictions.