Alachua County, FL Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Alachua County Code §§ 74.19–74.22
- Applies in
- Unincorporated county, plus LaCrosse & Hawthorne
- Prohibited
- Junk and unserviceable-vehicle accumulation on any land
- Temporary allowance
- 48 hours for oversized junk set out for pickup
- Penalty
- Up to $500 fine / 60 days jail (§ 10.08)
- Enforcement
- Codes Enforcement & Law Enforcement Officers
Summary
Unincorporated Alachua County bans letting junk or an unserviceable vehicle accumulate on any land, including vacant lots. Codes Enforcement and law enforcement officers cite owners under Section 74.20, and the county can enter under the public-nuisance process to abate the condition and bill the owner if it isn't cleared.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person, including the owner of any land, to permit, cause, or have thereon any accumulation of junk, except for junk stored in enclosed litter receptacles or completely enclosed buildings, except for junk which will not fit into standard-sized litter receptacles and which is set out for no more than 48 hours for pickup and removal; except for recyclable material stored in receptacles provided for recycling of such material; except for junk stored in a lawfully established and maintained junkyard, garbage or waste disposal site, or sanitary landfill; and except for accumulations of vegetative wastes in agricultural districts. (b) It shall be unlawful for any person, including the owner of any land, to cause, permit or have stored thereon any unserviceable vehicle, except for unserviceable vehicles stored on the premises of a lawfully established and maintained junkyard, vehicle repair business, garbage or waste disposal site, or sanitary landfill; and except for vehicles stored within a completely enclosed building.
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
19 that junk and unserviceable-vehicle storage on private land creates health hazards and attractive nuisances and impairs neighboring property values, and it declared the condition a public nuisance. 20 makes it unlawful for any person, "including the owner of any land," to permit an accumulation of junk or to store an unserviceable vehicle on that land, with narrow carve-outs for enclosed buildings, lawfully operated junkyards or waste sites, recycling receptacles, oversized items set out no more than 48 hours for pickup, and vegetative waste in agricultural districts.
15 as litter, debris, dead or decaying vegetation, unserviceable auto and machinery parts, and nonfunctional furniture, tools or appliances, but it expressly excludes personal noncommercial compost piles. An "unserviceable vehicle" is one that has sat inoperable, or unlicensed, for 30 or more calendar days, with an exemption for antique vehicles over 20 years old undergoing active restoration. 13 limits the whole chapter to the unincorporated county plus the Town of LaCrosse and City of Hawthorne where an interlocal code-enforcement agreement is in place: it does not reach Gainesville or the county's other municipalities. 28), enter after 30 days' written notice, remedy the condition itself, and recover its costs from the owner.
Violations & Fines
A cited violation is punishable under Section 10.08 by a fine of up to $500.00, up to 60 days in the county jail, or both, enforced through the Chapter 24 code enforcement mechanism. If the county abates the nuisance itself after notice under Article IV, unpaid abatement costs 90 days after invoicing may become a non-ad valorem special assessment against the property, carrying the same legal weight as an ad valorem tax lien.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I store an old car on my vacant lot in unincorporated Alachua County?
Does the junk ban apply inside Gainesville or the other municipalities?
What happens if I don't clean up after a citation?
Is a compost pile on my vacant lot considered junk?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alachua County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Alachua County to another location·View the Florida property maintenance overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.