Highlands County, FL Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Exempt land
- Unimproved lots with natural Florida vegetation
- Includes
- Pastureland, orange groves, farming land
- Condition
- Must comply with any other applicable legislation
- Not exempt
- Trash, debris, dumping and derelict vehicles
- Citation
- Highlands County Code § 5.6-2(6)
Summary
Highlands County's nuisance chapter does not require you to mow a truly unimproved lot. Code § 5.6-2(6) exempts unimproved land covered by natural Florida grasses and weeds, pastureland, orange groves and other farmland from the chapter entirely, so long as the land otherwise complies with any other applicable law.
Improved lot or property: Land upon which a residential, commercial or industrial building is located. ... (6)This chapter shall not apply to unimproved lots, parcels or tracts of land covered by living grasses, weeds or other growth typical of Florida, pastureland, orange groves or other lands used for farming purposes or those lands protected by other legislation, provided these lands are in full compliance with all other legislation.
Full Breakdown
6-2(1), do not apply to unimproved lots, parcels or tracts covered by living grasses, weeds or other growth typical of Florida, pastureland, orange groves, or other land used for farming, or land otherwise protected by other legislation, as long as that land is in full compliance with whatever other legislation does apply to it. The exemption is narrow: it covers only natural vegetation on genuinely unimproved land, not other nuisance conditions. 6-2(2)'s separate nuisance listing, and separately, dumping or allowing waste to accumulate on any land, improved or unimproved, remains banned outright under Chapter 5's Article II, section 5-17.
A vacant lot owner in unincorporated Highlands County therefore does not have to mow natural growth, but is not free to let trash or a derelict vehicle accumulate on the same lot.
Violations & Fines
There is no citation for tall natural grasses or weeds on a qualifying unimproved lot, because section 5.6-2(6) removes that condition from Chapter 5.6's nuisance definition outright. That exemption does not extend to accumulated trash or debris on the same lot, which section 5.6-2(2) still treats as a nuisance subject to the notice, hearing and lien process in sections 5.6-4 through 5.6-7, or to dumping and derelict vehicles, which remain separately banned under Chapter 5, Article II.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to mow my vacant lot in unincorporated Highlands County?
Does the exemption cover trash or a junk car left on my vacant lot?
What counts as 'improved' for purposes of this exemption?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Highlands County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Highlands County to another location·View the Florida property maintenance overview
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