St. Lucie County, FL Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- St. Lucie County Code § 38-27
- Registration deadline
- 10 days after property is abandoned
- Residential fee
- $100.00 per year
- Commercial/multifamily fee
- $150.00 per year
- Sign size
- At least 18 by 24 inches
- Sunset date
- Originally set to expire Jan. 1, 2022
Summary
When a lender files foreclosure on a St. Lucie County property, County Code § 38-27 requires the mortgagee to register the site with code enforcement within ten days of finding it abandoned, name a local agent, and pay a $100 (or $150 commercial/multifamily) annual fee or face code-enforcement penalties.
Upon the filing of a lis pendens and/or any action to foreclose upon a mortgage or similar instrument, all mortgagees must register with the county code enforcement division, on forms provided by the division, or, when available, electronically, all abandoned real property within ten calendar days after the mortgagee determines the real property is abandoned. The mortgagee must designate and retain a local individual or local property management company as the local agent responsible for the security and maintenance of the real property. All registrations must state the property address; the owner's name, mailing address and telephone number; the mortgagee's name, mailing address, and telephone number; and the local agent's name, mailing address, telephone number and e-mail address. Mailing addresses may not be a post office box. ... An annual registration fee of $100.00 for residential real property and $150.00 for multifamily residential real property or commercial ... shall accompany each registration form.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 32 | Land Development Code: Supplement 36).
Full Breakdown
Section 38-27 of the St. Lucie County Code governs "abandoned real property": any vacant lot, dwelling, mobile home or commercial building unoccupied more than 15 days after a lis pendens or foreclosure filing. Once a mortgagee determines the property is abandoned, § 38-27(a)(1) requires registration with the county code enforcement division within ten calendar days, on forms listing the property address, the owner's and mortgagee's contact information, and a designated local agent's name, address, phone number and e-mail; a post office box does not satisfy the address requirement. Registration is valid for one calendar year and must be renewed 15 days before expiration with a $100.00 fee for residential property or $150.00 for multifamily residential or commercial property, plus any changes reported to the county within ten days at no extra charge.
Beyond registering, § 38-27(b) and (c) make the owner responsible for maintaining the property to sanitary- and building-code standards, installing storm shutters or five-eighths-inch marine plywood over openings once a state of emergency is declared, and keeping the site closed, locked and secured, with any pool or excavation filled in or closed off. The mortgagee's local agent must inspect the property monthly and again after any emergency declaration, keep written proof of those inspections, and post a sign at least 18 by 24 inches with the local agent's name and a 24-hour contact number. The county code enforcement division can inspect at its discretion and cite violations under Chapter 1, Article II, Division 2 or F.S. § 125.69, with each day of noncompliance treated as a separate offense. The registration program is subject to sunset review and was originally set to expire January 1, 2022 unless extended by the board of county commissioners.
Violations & Fines
Failing to register an abandoned property within ten days, letting the registration lapse, or ignoring the maintenance, security or inspection duties in § 38-27 is a code violation the county can pursue under Chapter 1's enforcement provisions or F.S. § 125.69, with each day of continued noncompliance charged as a separate offense against the mortgagee and owner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to register an abandoned property in St. Lucie County?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Lucie County
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