Bolthole Index

Orange County, Florida

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Edgewood, Florida

The City of Edgewood, Florida (in Orange County) adopts its own zoning1, and a building permit application starts with the city, which grants zoning approval before Orange County issues the permit and inspects2. Living in an RV on a residential lot is barred inside city limits3. Septic permits come from the Florida Department of Health in Orange County4; we could not confirm how septic is handled inside the city itself.

At a glance

Zoning
Edgewood adopts its own zoning code (Chapter 134)1
Building permit
Application goes to the city first for zoning approval; Orange County Building Safety issues the permit and inspects2
Septic
Florida Department of Health in Orange County handles septic permitting and inspection; inside-city specifics unconfirmed4
RV living
Not allowed on residential lots or streets; hardship waiver possible3
Minimum home size
Set by district: 500 sq ft in R-2, 1,200 sq ft in R-1AA-CA and R-1A-CA56
Owner-builder
Florida law lets a qualifying owner act as contractor on a one- or two-family home; Edgewood's own rule unconfirmed7

Who to call

Building permits

City of Edgewood, Building & Permitting

First stop for building permit applications: city review and zoning approval, with Orange County Building Safety issuing the permit and inspecting

(407) 851-2920

[email protected]

405 Bagshaw Way Edgewood, FL 32809

Septic permits

Florida Department of Health in Orange County, Environmental Health

Onsite sewage treatment and disposal system (septic) permits and inspections in Orange County

407-858-1497

[email protected]

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Edgewood means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Edgewood, Florida have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and lot size?

Edgewood adopts its own zoning, found in Chapter 134 of the city code, so the city and not Orange County sets use rules inside city limits1. Zoning varies by district. In the R-2 residential district a single-family dwelling needs at least 5,000 square feet of land8 and at least 500 square feet of floor area5, with 25-foot front and rear yards and 6-foot side yards9. In the R-1AA-CA and R-1A-CA districts, lots must be 10,000 and 7,500 square feet10, and homes need at least 1,200 square feet of living area6. Edgewood does not allow anyone to live, sleep or keep house in a recreational vehicle on a residential lot or street3. Garage apartments are listed only in R-2, and only with a single-family detached dwelling11. We could not confirm tiny-home rules in Edgewood, so ask the city before you plan one.

Do you need a building permit in Edgewood, and who issues it?

Yes. Edgewood's code ties building permit applications to a site plan12, and the process begins at city hall: you submit your application and plans to the City of Edgewood, which reviews them against city codes2. After the city grants zoning approval, you apply to the Orange County building department through its fast-track system, which issues the official permit and runs the inspections2. Specialized sub-permits such as roofing, plumbing or electrical work may go straight to Orange County2. The Florida Building Code applies statewide13. We could not confirm Edgewood's permit fee schedule, inspection rules or owner-builder policy inside the city; call the city at the number above.

How do septic permits work in Edgewood?

Septic permits are a health-department matter, not a city building-permit matter. Florida requires a permit to install, replace, repair, modify or abandon a septic system14, and the Florida Department of Health in Orange County says county health offices continue to do septic permitting and inspection4. We could not confirm whether the city adds any rule of its own or requires a sewer connection, so ask both the city and the health department before you buy a lot without sewer service. Orange County's soils matter too: only a small share of the county's soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system15.

Building a home in Edgewood: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the city for a zoning verification and confirm your lot's district, minimum lot size and setbacks1.
  2. If a private well or septic tank is planned, apply to the Florida Department of Health in Orange County first4.
  3. Submit your permit application and plans to the City of Edgewood for review and zoning approval2.
  4. Take the city's approval to Orange County's fast-track system for the official permit2.
  5. Pass the inspections Orange County conducts2.

What stays with Orange County, and what to check before you buy in Edgewood?

The county's own rules apply to unincorporated land, not to Edgewood lots; for land outside city limits see the Orange County page. County-level figures: Orange County's effective property tax rate is 0.8%16, and the typical home value is about $404,95917. Check the flood status of the lot, because Edgewood requires flood-damage review for subdivisions18. Before you buy, confirm septic and well permitting with the health department4 and ask the city about anything we could not confirm: fees, inspections, driveways and short-term rentals.

Watch-outs

  • RVs cannot be used for living, sleeping or housekeeping on a residential lot inside Edgewood, though the planning and zoning board can grant a hardship waiver3.
  • Edgewood's building permit starts at city hall, but Orange County issues the permit, so budget for both city review and county fast-track steps2.
  • We could not confirm Edgewood's septic, well, permit fee and tiny-home rules; call the City of Edgewood and the Florida Department of Health in Orange County before you commit4.

Sources

  1. Edgewood Code Sec. 134-219 Uses permitted (Edgewood), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Edgewood, Building & Permitting (edgewood-fl.gov)
  3. Edgewood Code Sec. 62-33 Recreational equipment (Edgewood), quoted and re-checked
  4. Florida Department of Health in Orange County, Environmental Health (orange.floridahealth.gov)
  5. Edgewood Code Sec. 134-257 R-2 Site development standards (Edgewood), quoted and re-checked
  6. Edgewood Code Sec. 134-224 R-1AA-CA and R-1A-CA site standards (Edgewood), quoted and re-checked
  7. 2026 Florida Statutes § 489.103, Exemptions (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Edgewood Code Sec. 134-257 R-2 Site development standards (Edgewood), quoted and re-checked
  9. Edgewood Code Sec. 134-257 R-2 Site development standards (Edgewood), quoted and re-checked
  10. Edgewood Code Sec. 134-224 R-1AA-CA and R-1A-CA site standards (Edgewood), quoted and re-checked
  11. Edgewood Code Sec. 134-255 R-2 Permitted uses (Edgewood), quoted and re-checked
  12. Edgewood Code Sec. 134-258 Site plan (R-2) (Edgewood), quoted and re-checked
  13. 61G20-1.001 Florida Building Code Adopted (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. OSTDS Construction Application (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  16. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  17. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  18. Edgewood Code Sec. 106-261 Flood subdivisions minimum requirements (Edgewood), quoted and re-checked

Written October 16, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Edgewood

Edgewood’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Building permits in the R-2 residential district inside Edgewood city

    • Site plan must be submitted to city clerk and approved by city council before permit
    • Plans for three or more dwelling units referred to the city engineer
    “any application for a building permit shall be accompanied by a site plan incorporating the applicable regulations established herein.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Edgewood city limits; the city adopts its own zoning (Code Chapter 134 - Zoning)

    “Only the following uses shall be permitted in any UE (urban estate), R-1-AAA, R-1-AA or R-1-A single-family dwelling district:”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the R-2 district inside Edgewood city

    • One-family garage apartment: 400 sq ft

    minimum floor area: >= 500 sq ft

    “single-family, two-family and three-family dwellings, 500 square feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1AA-CA (10,000 sq ft) and R-1A-CA (7,500 sq ft) districts inside Edgewood city

    • Minimum lot width 85 ft (R-1AA-CA) and 75 ft (R-1A-CA)

    R-1AA-CA minimum lot area: >= 10000 sq ft · R-1A-CA minimum lot area: >= 7500 sq ft

    “minimum lot area 10,000 square feet 7,500 square feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Sites with up to four dwelling units in the R-2 district inside Edgewood city

    • Setback of 50 feet from every natural surface water body, measured from normal high water
    • Major street setbacks in article V, division 4 apply

    front yard: >= 25 feet · side yard: >= 6 feet · rear yard: >= 25 feet

    “yards: 1. front, 25 feet. 2. side, 6 feet. 3. rear, 25 feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    R-1AA-CA and R-1A-CA districts inside Edgewood city

    • Impervious surface may be exceeded for pool/patio applications submitted after 10/17/2023 by city council approval upon a finding of no adverse impact
    • R-2 sites require 55 percent minimum open space

    maximum impervious surface: <= 45 percent (city council may approve excess for pool/patio)

    “Maximum Impervious Surface 1 45% 45% 1 The maximum impervious surface can be exceeded for a pool/patio construction application”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-2 district inside Edgewood city (R-1AA-CA and R-1A-CA also 35 feet)

    • No structure above one story within 100 feet of the side or rear lot line of any existing single-family residential district

    maximum height: <= 35 feet (or two stories)

    “the maximum height of any structure shall be two stories, or 35 feet, provided that no structure shall exceed one story in height within 100 feet of the side or rear lot line of any existing single-family residential district.”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Living in recreational vehicles/equipment on residential lots, streets or rights-of-way inside Edgewood city

    • Applies when parked on a street or right-of-way, or stored/parked on a residential lot, or any location not approved for such use
    • Parking/storage allowed in enclosed garage, carport, or behind/beside the residence with screening
    • Hardship waiver available from planning and zoning board
    • Flood hazard areas: RVs must be on site fewer than 180 consecutive days or be road-ready (Sec. 106-331)
    “No recreational equipment shall be used for living, sleeping, or housekeeping purposes when parked on a street or right-of-way or when stored or parked on a residential lot, or in any location not approved for such use.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Temporary tent structures in commercial districts inside Edgewood city

    • Temporary permit required; fee set by resolution
    • Residential camping use of recreational equipment is barred by Sec. 62-33(c)(6)

    tent duration: <= 30 days

    “temporary structures such as tents may be permitted in any commercial district for a period not to exceed 30 days. a temporary permit shall be required, and the fee for such permit shall be established by resolution.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Garage apartments in the R-2 residential district inside Edgewood city

    • Only in conjunction with a single-family detached dwelling
    • Single-family districts (UE, R-1-AAA, R-1-AA, R-1-A) list only single-family dwellings and customary accessory uses

    minimum garage apartment living area: >= 400 sq ft

    “in conjunction with a single-family detached dwelling, a garage apartment with a minimum living area of 400 square feet.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision proposals inside Edgewood city (flood-damage review in Chapter 106)

    • Must minimize flood damage, locate utilities to avoid flood damage, and provide adequate drainage
    • Full subdivision/platting code not reviewed
    “subdivision proposals, including proposals for manufactured home parks and subdivisions, shall be reviewed to determine that:”
  • Permit processPartial

    R-2 district building permit site plan review inside Edgewood city

    • Plans for three or more dwelling units referred to city engineer
    • Approved site plan becomes part of the land use and building permit
    “any application for a building permit shall be accompanied by a site plan incorporating the applicable regulations established herein.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Edgewood or Orange County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Edgewood city
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Edgewood city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Edgewood city
  • Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Edgewood city
  • Manufactured homes — Manufactured homes inside Edgewood city
10 more unanswered
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Edgewood publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Orange County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Orange County: county rules, score and offices