Alachua County, FL Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- 2021 International Property Maintenance Code
- Heat requirement
- Year-round supply of heat required
- Insect screens
- Required year-round (§ 304.14 amended)
- Enforcement chapters
- Chapter 10 and Chapter 24
- Max penalty
- $500 fine and/or 60 days jail
- Applies to
- Structures and premises, unincorporated county
Summary
Alachua County enforces the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code as its housing and maintenance code for structures and premises under County Code § 332.01, with local amendments requiring a year-round supply of heat and year-round insect screens. Violations are enforced under Chapters 10 and 24 of the county code.
(a)The following code is hereby adopted, as the County's housing and maintenance code for structures and premises, incorporated as fully as if set out in length herein, with the exception of the exclusions and amendments made in subsection (b) below: International Property Maintenance Code, 2021 edition.(b)The 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) is adopted by the County, except for the following which are amended or excluded:...(3)Section 602 is excluded from adoption, however a supply of heat, available year-round, is required....(9)Section 304.14 Insect Screens of the IPMC is amended to have an applicable period of year-round.
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
01 adopts the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) as Alachua County's housing and maintenance code, applying to structures and premises generally, including rental housing, in unincorporated Alachua County. The county excludes several IPMC sections and amends others to fit local practice. 14 (Insect Screens) so that the screening requirement applies year-round rather than seasonally, reflecting Florida's climate. 2 Enclosures, and 308 Rubbish and Garbage, for these topics, other chapters of the county code govern instead. Where the IPMC conflicts with the Florida Building Code or Florida Fire Prevention Code as locally adopted, those state-based codes control.
Chapter 7 of the IPMC (fire safety) is likewise excluded in favor of the Florida Fire Prevention Code adopted in Chapter 362 of the county code. Code enforcement officers, referred to in the IPMC as 'code official,' inspect for compliance with the adopted maintenance standards for owner-occupied and rental structures alike.
Violations & Fines
Section 332.02 makes it unlawful for any person, business or entity to violate the adopted Housing and Maintenance Code, with enforcement proceeding under Chapter 10 and Chapter 24 of the Alachua County Code. Chapter 10's general penalty, Section 10.08, allows a fine of up to $500.00 or up to 60 days in the county jail, or both, per violation, in addition to any code-enforcement board remedy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my landlord required to provide heat in Alachua County?
Are window screens required on a rental in Alachua County?
Who enforces housing maintenance standards in the county?
Does Alachua County use the full International Property Maintenance Code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alachua County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Alachua County to another location·View the Florida rental property rules overview
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