Miami-Dade County, FL Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Miami-Dade County, 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
- No irrigation
- 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. daily
- Even addresses
- Thursday and/or Sunday only
- Odd addresses
- Wednesday and/or Saturday only
- Scope
- Countywide, incorporated + unincorporated
- Exempt methods
- Drip, micro-irrigation, hand watering
Summary
Miami-Dade County bans landscape irrigation from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and limits sprinkler use to two assigned days a week by address number.
It shall be unlawful for any user to irrigate...any residential, commercial, institutional, governmental or industrial landscaping areas between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily...An Even-Numbered Address...shall only conduct necessary landscape irrigation on Thursday and/or Sunday. Odd-Numbered Addresses shall only conduct necessary landscape irrigation on Wednesday and/or Saturday.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 135).
Full Breakdown
Under Code § 32-8.2, irrigating existing landscaping between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. is unlawful countywide. Even-numbered addresses (and shared-zone or no-address properties) may irrigate only Thursday and/or Sunday; odd-numbered addresses only Wednesday and/or Saturday. New landscaping gets a temporary looser schedule for its first 90 days. Low-volume hand watering, drip/micro-irrigation and rain-barrel use are exempt from the day and time limits. The rule is a countywide minimum standard binding both unincorporated Miami-Dade (UMSA) and all 34 municipalities; the County enforces it in UMSA, and each municipality enforces it within its own boundaries unless it asks the County to do so, or adopts its own equal-or-stricter ordinance.
Violations & Fines
Code inspectors and police may issue one written warning, then cite under Chapter 8CC's civil penalty schedule; each day of violation is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apply inside the City of Miami and other municipalities?
Can I water outside my assigned day for new sod?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Miami-Dade County
How Miami-Dade County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Miami-Dade County to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview
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