Hillsborough County, FL Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- 8,000-25,000 sq ft
- 1 loading berth required
- Min dimensions
- 12 ft wide, 16 ft clearance
- Largest tier
- 100,000+ sq ft = 5 berths
- Storage use
- Loading space can't store vehicles
Summary
Unincorporated Hillsborough County requires new commercial, industrial and hotel buildings to provide off-street loading berths sized to floor area, up to five berths for the largest sites, plus loading spaces sized and surfaced to code.
Every use requiring the receipt or distribution, by vehicles, of materials and merchandise shall have one or more loading berths or other space for standing, loading and unloading on the same or adjoining premises in accordance with the requirements of the table below. Loading space shall be sufficient to allow normal loading and unloading operations of a kind and magnitude appropriate to the property served. Loading spaces shall not be used for the storage of vehicles or materials, or to meet off-street parking requirements, or in conducting the use.
2. The requirements in the table below shall apply to new structures or additions to structures, and shall not be considered to make any existing structure non- conforming for lack of such off-street loading.
3. Fire lanes may be required pursuant to the current edition of the Florida Fire Prevention Code.
4. For any land use which is not listed in the table below, the Administrator, upon review of the proposed use, shall specify the required number of loading spaces to be provided, using generally accepted traffic engineering practices and standards.
Off-Street Loading Requirements
Land Use Classification Space Requirements
Hotel/Motel uses One loading berth for every 100,000
Full Breakdown
The LDC's off-street loading table sets minimum berths by building size: one berth for 8,000-25,000 square feet, two for 25,000-50,000, three for 50,000-100,000, and up to five for larger sites, plus one hotel/motel berth per 100,000 square feet of floor area. Loading spaces must fit a WB-50 semi-trailer in one continuous maneuver, observe the same setbacks required for structures, and use an all-weather surface. Each space needs at least 12 feet of width and 16 feet of vertical clearance, with lengths of 30 feet for local delivery trucks and 60 feet for semitrailers. Spaces can't double as vehicle storage or count toward parking requirements.
Violations & Fines
Hillsborough County Code Enforcement can order corrections for undersized or missing loading facilities; per LDC § 11.06.03, violations are prosecuted as misdemeanors carrying up to a $500 fine and 60 days in jail, with each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many loading berths does a Hillsborough County business need?
Can I use my loading space for extra parking?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hillsborough County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Hillsborough County to another location·View the Florida parking rules overview
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