Alachua County, FL Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height cap
- 18 inches from soil level, excluding seed heads
- Applies to
- 'Improved property' in unincorporated Alachua County
- Exempt land
- Agricultural, conservation, waterway, government-owned
- Responsible party
- Owner of the improved property
- Effective date
- Ord. No. 2023-03, adopted 3-14-23
Summary
Alachua County Code § 74.36 caps 'nuisance overgrowth', weeds, grasses, shrubs, and underbrush left to grow uncontrolled, at 18 inches from the soil on any improved property in unincorporated Alachua County, excluding seed-head height. Agricultural, conservation, waterway, and government-owned land are exempt; the owner of improved property is responsible for mowing, cutting, and clearing.
(a)Prohibition. Nuisance overgrowth in excess of 18 inches in height, measured from the soil level, and excluding the height of seed heads, is prohibited on any improved property, as defined, unless exempted as provided in this article. It is the responsibility of the owner of the improved property to mow, cut, and clear nuisance overgrowth.(b)Exemptions from prohibitions. The following properties, lots, tracts, and parcels located within the unincorporated Alachua County are exempt from this prohibition:(1)Lands with a rural agriculture land use designation;(2)Any property classified as agricultural by the county property appraiser pursuant to F.S. Ch. 193...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 63).
Full Breakdown
Article VI of Chapter 74 (Nuisances) was added in 2023 specifically to address overgrown vegetation as a public-health and fire hazard. 35 finds that unkept, excessively overgrown vegetation, including dead or non-viable trees that could fall onto neighboring property or roadways, can breed mosquitoes and vermin, create fire and windstorm hazards, and hurt neighboring property values, and declares abatement a public purpose. 15. The duty to mow, cut, and clear falls on the owner of the improved property. S. Chapter 193; land with a conservation or preservation designation or easement; waterways, lakes, and designated wetland buffers; rights-of-way of the county, a municipality, the state, or the federal government; and property owned by the county, a municipality, the state, or the federal government.
The exemption does not extend to accumulated junk, trash, rubbish, or hazardous/dangerous structures on the same property, which remain separately regulated. 23, the county may instead use the Article IV nuisance-abatement process, entering the property to cut the vegetation and billing the owner or placing a non-ad valorem special assessment on the property for the cost.
Violations & Fines
A property owner in violation of the 18-inch cap under § 74.36(a) may be cited through the county's standard code enforcement mechanism (Chapter 24) and is subject to Alachua County Code § 10.08's general penalty: up to a $500.00 fine, up to 60 days in jail, or both. Where overgrowth is declared a public nuisance under § 74.23, the county may instead abate it directly under Article IV and recover its full abatement cost from the owner, including via a non-ad valorem special assessment lien on the property if unpaid after 90 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can grass or weeds legally get on my property in unincorporated Alachua County?
Are farms exempt from the Alachua County overgrowth ordinance?
Who is responsible for mowing an overgrown lot in Alachua County?
What happens if I don't mow after Alachua County cites me for overgrowth?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alachua County
How Alachua County compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Alachua County to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview
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