Bolthole Index

Palm Beach County, Florida

Building permits, zoning and septic in Town of Highland Beach, Florida

Town of Highland Beach, Florida requires building permits for construction unless exempt, and the town issues those building permits.1 In Palm Beach County, Highland Beach sets its own zoning, while septic permitting and inspections stay with the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County.23 Highland Beach prohibits trailer parking for human habitation, so do not plan to live in an RV on the lot while building.4

At a glance

Building permit
Required for construction unless exempt; issued by the town1
Zoning
Municipal zoning with district-specific rules25
Septic permits
Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County3
RV living
Trailer parking for human habitation prohibited4
Accessory dwelling
Conditional; no rental; maximum 1,000 gross square feet of living area, with specified exclusions6
Owner-builder
State exemption has conditions; building permits still required7
Manufactured homes
Prohibited in flood hazard areas; rule elsewhere unconfirmed8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Highland Beach Building Department

Town building permits, plan review and construction inspections

561-278-4540

[email protected]

3616 S Ocean Boulevard

Online permits →

Zoning

Town of Highland Beach Town Planner

Town zoning, development applications and zoning verification

[email protected]

Septic permits

Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County - Environmental Public Health

Septic permitting and inspection; private-well plan review

561-840-4500

Floodplain permits

Town of Highland Beach Building Department - Flood Protection

Flood-zone lookup and elevation-certificate information

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Town of Highland Beach, FL?

Town of Highland Beach requires a building permit for construction unless the work is exempt, and the town building official or designee issues the building permit.1 Highland Beach enforces the Florida Building Code with town amendments, alongside applicable local ordinances and floodplain requirements.9 Highland Beach construction receives inspections during the work and a thorough inspection before a certificate of occupancy is granted.10 Treat building approval and permission to occupy as separate milestones: a Highland Beach building or structure generally cannot be used or occupied until the building official issues its certificate of occupancy.11

Who issues building permits in Town of Highland Beach?

The Town of Highland Beach Building Department is the building-permit counter; call 561-278-4540 or use the Highland Beach Customer Portal for online applications.12 Highland Beach requires new submittals and revisions online and accepts the January 2024 edition of the Universal County-Wide/Municipal Building Permit Application.12 Plans undergo specialist review before a building permit is issued.12 Florida allows qualifying owners to act as their own contractor for a residence for their own use, with direct onsite supervision and other statutory conditions; owner-builder status does not remove building-permit or code requirements.7 Ask the Highland Beach Building Department which owner-builder documents and current fee schedule your project needs.12

Does Town of Highland Beach have zoning and setback rules?

Town of Highland Beach has municipal zoning regulating buildings, structures and land uses within zoning districts.2 Highland Beach districts include RE, RS, RML, RMM, RMH, RPUD and GSD; identify the parcel’s district before designing a home.5 The Town Planner’s page provides the official zoning map, a zoning-verification letter application and a development-order application packet.13 We could not confirm district-specific minimum lot sizes, minimum dwelling sizes, setbacks, lot coverage or height limits; ask the Town Planner for the dimensional requirements for your parcel.13 One confirmed design constraint is that Highland Beach driveways serving single-family and two-family dwellings must be at least 20 feet long.14

How do septic permits work inside Town of Highland Beach?

Septic permitting and inspection for Highland Beach remain with the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, while Florida DEP implements the applicable onsite-sewage statutes and regulations.3 Where a Highland Beach project uses septic, the health department must approve system plans before a building permit can be issued.15 Final well and septic approvals must be recorded before the building department issues a certificate of occupancy.16 Private-well drillers also submit location plans to the health department before drilling.17 We could not confirm a town-specific new-home water or sewer connection rule or permission for off-grid sanitation; ask the Building Department and health department before planning independent utilities.1217

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Town of Highland Beach?

Town of Highland Beach prohibits motor or auto trailer parking for human habitation by declaring such parking and trailer camps a public nuisance.4 The same Highland Beach prohibition covers trailer camps and trailer parking for habitation, so an RV should not be your assumed accommodation while building.18 We could not confirm a separate Highland Beach tiny-home occupancy rule; ask the Town Planner about the proposed dwelling type and use.13 Highland Beach permits accessory dwellings in RE, RS, RML, RMM, RMH, RPUD and GSD subject to conditions: no rental, use by guests or domestic employees of the principal dwelling’s owners or residents, and at most 1,000 gross square feet of living area, excluding non-air-conditioned spaces such as porches and garages.6 Detached accessory dwellings must meet required setbacks.6

What are the steps to build a home in Town of Highland Beach?

Use this order to organize a Highland Beach home project:

  1. Identify the zoning district with the Town Planner’s map or zoning-verification application, then request parcel-specific development requirements.13
  2. Check the town’s flood-zone and elevation-certificate information before committing to a design.19
  3. If proposing septic or a private well, arrange health-department plan review before seeking the building permit.17
  4. Submit the accepted building-permit application and plans through the Highland Beach online portal; plan review precedes building-permit issuance.12
  5. Obtain construction inspections, complete any required well and septic approvals, and secure the certificate of occupancy before moving in.101611

What should you check before buying in Town of Highland Beach?

For Highland Beach land, check flood status alongside zoning: development requiring floodplain approval is subject to inspection, and manufactured homes are prohibited in flood hazard areas.208 The town’s Flood Protection page links flood-zone and elevation-certificate information.19 Ask the Building Department for current building-permit charges and applicable impact fees; its page announces a Palm Beach County impact-fee change effective January 2026.12 For an existing septic system, Florida’s available-sewer law generally requires connection within 365 days after written notice for a properly functioning system, excluding an approved onsite graywater system.21 For land outside town limits, use the Palm Beach County guide: the county’s general zoning rules apply to unincorporated land.22

Watch-outs

  • Highland Beach accessory dwellings cannot be rented and are reserved for guests or domestic employees of the principal dwelling’s owners or residents.6
  • Highland Beach prohibits manufactured homes in flood hazard areas; we could not confirm a complete townwide rule outside those areas.8
  • We could not confirm Highland Beach’s district-specific dimensional limits or a distinct tiny-home rule; request a parcel-specific answer from the Town Planner.13

Sources

  1. Highland Beach Code, Chapter 30, Sec. 30-122 (Town of Highland Beach), quoted and re-checked
  2. Highland Beach Code, Chapter 30, Sec. 30-2 (Town of Highland Beach), quoted and re-checked
  3. Wastewater Systems (Town of Highland Beach), quoted and re-checked
  4. Highland Beach Code, Chapter 16, Sec. 16-34 (Town of Highland Beach), quoted and re-checked
  5. Highland Beach Code, Chapter 30, Sec. 30-62 (Town of Highland Beach), quoted and re-checked
  6. Highland Beach Code, Chapter 30, Sec. 30-67 (Town of Highland Beach), quoted and re-checked
  7. 2026 Florida Statutes § 489.103, Exemptions (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Highland Beach Code, Chapter 20, Sec. 20-353 (Town of Highland Beach), quoted and re-checked
  9. Highland Beach Amendment to the 8th Edition of the Florida Building Code (Town of Highland Beach), quoted and re-checked
  10. Building Department (Town of Highland Beach), quoted and re-checked
  11. Highland Beach Amendment to the 8th Edition of the Florida Building Code (Town of Highland Beach), quoted and re-checked
  12. Town of Highland Beach Building Department (highlandbeach.us)
  13. Town of Highland Beach Town Planner (highlandbeach.us)
  14. Highland Beach Code, Chapter 30, Sec. 30-67 (Town of Highland Beach), quoted and re-checked
  15. Wastewater Systems (Town of Highland Beach), quoted and re-checked
  16. Wastewater Systems (Town of Highland Beach), quoted and re-checked
  17. Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County - Environmental Public Health (palmbeach.floridahealth.gov)
  18. Highland Beach Code, Chapter 16, Sec. 16-34 (Town of Highland Beach), quoted and re-checked
  19. Town of Highland Beach Building Department - Flood Protection (highlandbeach.us)
  20. Highland Beach Code, Chapter 20, Sec. 20-345 (Town of Highland Beach), quoted and re-checked
  21. flsenate.gov (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Planning, Zoning & Building - Zoning (2026 county census)

Written October 11, 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 Town of Highland Beach

Town of Highland Beach’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction inside Highland Beach town limits.

    • The requirement applies unless otherwise exempted.
    • Permits are issued by the building official or designee.
    • Permit expiration and completion rules apply under Sec. 30-122.
    “All construction within the Town of Highland Beach, unless otherwise exempted, shall require a building permit issued pursuant to the provisions of this Code.”
  • Building code adoptedPartial

    Building construction and occupancy inside Highland Beach town limits.

    • The town enforces the Florida Building Code and has town-specific amendments.
    • Other local ordinances and floodplain requirements may be more stringent.
    “[A] 101.2.1 Appendices. Provisions in the appendices shall not apply unless specifically adopted. The Town of Highland Beach adopts Appendices H & K (except K111.4) of the Florida Building Code.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction and renovations inside Highland Beach town limits.

    • Construction sites are inspected regularly during construction.
    • A thorough inspection is made before a certificate of occupancy is granted.
    “Construction sites are inspected regularly during the building process, and a thorough inspection is made before a Certificate of Occupancy is granted.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Use or occupancy of buildings and structures inside Highland Beach town limits.

    • Certificates are not required for work exempt from permits under Florida Building Code Section 105.2.
    • A temporary certificate may be issued before all work is complete if the occupied portion is safe.
    • The certificate follows inspection by the building official.
    “A building or structure shall not be used or occupied, and a change in the existing use or occupancy classification of a building or structure or portion thereof shall not be made, until the building official has issued a certificate of occupancy therefor as provided herein.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Zoning regulation inside Highland Beach town limits.

    • The town's zoning code regulates construction, alteration, relocation, and use of buildings, structures, and land within zoning districts.
    “(e) Zoning districts. Divide the town into zoning districts, and regulate construction, reconstruction, alteration, relocation, and use of buildings, structures, and land within such districts.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Highland Beach town limits.

    • The code establishes RE, RS, RML, RMM, RMH, RPUD, and GSD districts; the provided Sec. 30-62 excerpt specifically describes RE, RS, RML, RMM, RMH, and GSD.
    “For the purposes of this Code, the zoning districts listed below are established for the Town of Highland Beach:”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Parking space for motor or auto trailers for human habitation inside Highland Beach town limits.

    • The code declares motor or auto trailer camps and parking space for motor or auto trailers for human habitation a public nuisance.
    • Separate recreational-vehicle parking restrictions prohibit visible overnight parking between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., subject to listed exceptions and permits.
    “Motor or auto trailer camps designed for the purpose of furnishing toilet and other sanitary accommodations and parking space for the occupants of motor or auto trailers, and parking space for motor or auto trailers for human habitation, are hereby declared to be a public nuisance and the chief of police shall prevent or abate the same.”
  • Camping on your landProhibited

    Motor or auto trailer camps and parking for motor or auto trailers for human habitation inside Highland Beach town limits.

    • The code provides for prevention or abatement by the chief of police.
    “Motor or auto trailer camps designed for the purpose of furnishing toilet and other sanitary accommodations and parking space for the occupants of motor or auto trailers, and parking space for motor or auto trailers for human habitation, are hereby declared to be a public nuisance and the chief of police shall prevent or abate the same.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes in flood hazard areas inside Highland Beach town limits.

    • Manufactured homes are not permitted in flood hazard areas.
    • The source does not establish a complete townwide rule for manufactured homes outside flood hazard areas.
    “Manufactured homes are not permitted in flood hazard areas.”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    Accessory dwellings in RE, RS, RML, RMM, RMH, RPUD, and GSD zoning districts inside Highland Beach town limits.

    • The accessory dwelling may be attached, detached, or located within a principal structure.
    • It may not be rented.
    • It must be used by guests or domestic employees of the owners or residents of the principal dwelling.
    • A detached accessory dwelling must be within all required setbacks.
    • It may not exceed 1,000 gross square feet of living area, excluding non-air-conditioned spaces such as covered or screened porches and garages.

    maximum living area: <= 1000 sq ft (Excludes non-air-conditioned spaces such as covered or screened porches and garages.)

    “a. The dwelling shall not be for rent. b. The dwelling shall be utilized by guests or domestic employees of the owners or residents of the principal dwelling. c. If detached from the principal structure, the accessory structure shall be located within all required setbacks. d. The structure shall not exceed one thousand (1,000) gross square feet of living area, excluding non-air conditioned spaces such as covered or screened porches and garages.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Residential developments containing zero-lot-line dwellings inside Highland Beach town limits.

    • Such developments must be subdivided and platted under the town code, Chapter 30, and Florida Statutes Chapter 177.
    “Residential developments containing zero lot line dwellings shall be subdivided and platted pursuant to the requirements of this Code, this chapter, and F.S. ch. 177.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Driveways serving single-family and two-family dwellings inside Highland Beach town limits.

    • Driveways for single-family and two-family dwellings must be at least 20 feet in length.
    • The requirement appears in the off-street parking provisions.

    minimum driveway length: >= 20 feet (Single-family and two-family dwellings only.)

    “Driveways for single-family and two-family dwellings shall be a minimum of twenty (20) feet in length.”
  • Building in a floodplainLimited

    Development inside designated flood hazard areas or otherwise requiring a floodplain development permit or approval in Highland Beach town limits.

    • Development requiring a floodplain development permit or approval is subject to inspection.
    • Floodplain requirements apply together with the Florida Building Code and other applicable regulations.
    • Manufactured homes are not permitted in flood hazard areas.
    “Development for which a floodplain development permit or approval is required shall be subject to inspection.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Highland Beach

Town of Highland Beach does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

    Onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems inside Highland Beach town limits.

    • Florida DEP implements the applicable OSTDS statutes and regulations.
    • The Palm Beach County health department continues permitting and inspection for septic tanks.
    “Effective July 1, 2021, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is responsible for implementing the Florida Statutes and regulations applicable to OSTDS. Under Florida’s Clean Waterways Act of 2020, the county health department offices will continue to do the permitting and inspection for septic tanks; please continue to work with them for all of your permitting-related needs.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Septic systems inside Highland Beach town limits when onsite sewage disposal is proposed.

    • Palm Beach County health department offices perform septic permitting.
    • Plans must be approved before a building permit can be issued.
    “Plans are reviewed for compliance with all applicable state and county regulations and must be approved by the section before a building permit can be issued.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Septic systems inside Highland Beach town limits when onsite sewage disposal is proposed.

    • County health department offices conduct septic inspections.
    • Final inspection and approval must be recorded before a certificate of occupancy is issued.
    “Final inspection and approval of wells and septic systems are forwarded to the section by our field offices and must be recorded in the building department’s computer prior to issuing a certificate of occupancy.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Highland Beach or Palm Beach County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permitting inside Highland Beach town limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Highland Beach town residential districts.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in Highland Beach town residential districts.
  • Setbacks — Required setbacks in Highland Beach town zoning districts.
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage in Highland Beach town zoning districts.
7 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Tiny homes
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Town of Highland Beach publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Palm Beach County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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