Bolthole Index

Pasco County, Florida

Building permits, zoning and septic in New Port Richey, Florida

New Port Richey, Florida requires a building permit for most construction inside city limits.1 The city sets parcel zoning; septic permits come from the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.23 A New Port Richey ZIP code does not establish city jurisdiction, so confirm the parcel boundary before choosing a building permit office.4

At a glance

Building permits
City building permit required for most construction1
Zoning
City zoning; confirm the parcel district with Development25
Septic permits
Florida Department of Health in Pasco County3
RV living
No permanent legal residence in mobile-home parks; separate flood-hazard placement restrictions6
Owner-builder
Conditional exemption; notarized disclosure required before city building permit issuance7
Floodplain development
City floodplain development permit required in flood-hazard areas8

Who to call

Building permits

New Port Richey Development Department — Building Division

City building permit applications, construction review, inspections and permit searches

(727) 853-1047

[email protected]

5919 Main Street

Online permits →

Planning & zoning

New Port Richey Development Department — Planning Division

Current city zoning information and development coordination

(727) 853-1049

5919 Main Street

Septic permits

Florida Department of Health in Pasco County

Septic permits, inspections, repairs and existing-system approvals

727-841-4425

[email protected]

7509 State Road 52, Hudson, FL 34667

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 New Port Richey means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in New Port Richey, FL?

New Port Richey requires a building permit for most construction, including renovations, additions, replacement windows and doors, plumbing and electrical work, roofs, fences, sheds and paved driveways.1 The city Building Division handles construction review, building permits and inspections inside city limits.4 Before applying, confirm that the parcel is actually in the city: New Port Richey ZIP codes also cover properties outside city limits.4 For land outside the city, use the Pasco County guide to identify the county building permit requirements.4

Who handles New Port Richey building permits and permit searches?

Contact the New Port Richey Building Division through the Development Department at (727) 853-1047; City Hall is at 5919 Main Street.4 The Citizen Access Portal accepts building permit applications and inspection requests.9 The portal also searches existing building permits, plans, requests, inspections and licenses.4 If the portal is unavailable, submit the application by email to [email protected] or in person at the Development Department.94 Ask Building Services for the fee schedule and submission requirements for the specific project before preparing the application.4

Does New Port Richey have zoning, lot limits and setbacks?

New Port Richey assigns a zoning district to each parcel, and district regulations govern allowed uses, development intensity, layout, parking and landscaping.2 Confirm current zoning with the city Development Department rather than treating an outside parcel listing as the final answer.5 For zoning information, call the Planning Division at (727) 853-1049.10 District limits are not interchangeable: in the MHP Mobile Home Park District, mobile-home coaches, carports, cabanas and similar improvements may cover no more than 65% of each mobile-home lot, and structures may not exceed 25 feet in height.1112 Ask Planning for the lot-size and setback standards for the parcel’s actual district.10

How do septic permits work inside New Port Richey?

New septic installations, repairs, modifications and approvals of existing systems inside New Port Richey require a permit from the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.3 The county health department continues to handle septic permitting and inspections, separately from city building permits and zoning.1312 Contact Environmental Health at 727-841-4425, Option 3, or [email protected] for the applicable septic application.14 Operating permits also apply to aerobic treatment units, performance-based treatment systems, commercial systems and systems on industrial or manufacturing-zoned land or its equivalent.3 We could not confirm a complete city rule for composting or incinerating toilets; ask Environmental Health and city Development before designing off-grid sanitation.1410

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in New Port Richey?

New Port Richey prohibits using recreational vehicles as permanent legal residences within mobile-home parks.6 In flood-hazard areas, temporary RV placement must be for fewer than 180 consecutive days or involve a fully licensed, highway-ready vehicle with quick-disconnect utilities and security devices and no permanent attachments.6 Flood-hazard RVs that fail those temporary-placement conditions must meet the city’s manufactured-home requirements.6 These provisions do not establish permission to live in an RV on an ordinary residential lot; ask city Planning about the proposed occupancy and parcel zoning.610 We could not confirm a complete tiny-home or accessory-dwelling rule for New Port Richey; ask Planning about the proposed dwelling type before buying.10

Building a home in New Port Richey: what are the steps?

  1. Confirm city jurisdiction before selecting a building permit office; a New Port Richey ZIP code alone is insufficient.4
  2. Confirm the parcel’s zoning and proposed residential use with city Development before designing around a district assumption.25
  3. Ask the city about floodplain development approval if the parcel is in a flood-hazard area.8
  4. If the project uses septic, obtain the appropriate approval from the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.3
  5. Submit the city building permit application through the Citizen Access Portal; an owner-builder must first complete, notarize and return the Owner-Builder Disclosure Statement to Building Services.97
  6. Schedule city building inspections through the portal.9

Watch-outs

  • New Port Richey floodplain development requires a permit; city zoning approval alone does not resolve flood-hazard development requirements.82
  • New manufactured homes are prohibited in floodways and coastal high-hazard areas except in an existing manufactured-home park or subdivision.15
  • The owner-builder exemption allows an owner to act as contractor under restrictions; it does not remove New Port Richey’s building permit application or notarized disclosure requirement.7
  • We could not confirm the private-well permit authority inside New Port Richey; ask city Development and Pasco Environmental Health before planning a well.1014

Sources

  1. Building Division - City of New Port Richey (New Port Richey), quoted and re-checked
  2. Planning Division - City of New Port Richey (New Port Richey), quoted and re-checked
  3. OSTDS Permits - Florida Department of Health in Pasco County (New Port Richey), quoted and re-checked
  4. New Port Richey Development Department — Building Division (cityofnewportrichey.org)
  5. Planning Division - City of New Port Richey (New Port Richey), quoted and re-checked
  6. New Port Richey Land Development Code § 7.17.00 MHP Districts (New Port Richey), quoted and re-checked
  7. Building Division - City of New Port Richey (New Port Richey), quoted and re-checked
  8. Flood Risk - City of New Port Richey (New Port Richey), quoted and re-checked
  9. Building Division - City of New Port Richey (New Port Richey), quoted and re-checked
  10. New Port Richey Development Department — Planning Division (cityofnewportrichey.org)
  11. New Port Richey Land Development Code § 7.17.00 MHP Districts (New Port Richey), quoted and re-checked
  12. New Port Richey Land Development Code § 7.17.00 MHP Districts (New Port Richey), quoted and re-checked
  13. Onsite Sewage Treatment & Disposal Systems - Florida Department of Health in Pasco County (New Port Richey), quoted and re-checked
  14. Florida Department of Health in Pasco County (pasco.floridahealth.gov)
  15. New Port Richey Land Development Code § 7.17.00 MHP Districts (New Port Richey), quoted and re-checked

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 New Port Richey

New Port Richey’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Most construction activities inside New Port Richey city limits.

    • The city page lists renovations, additions, windows and doors, plumbing and electrical work, roofs, driveways, fences, sheds, pools, decks, docks and other activities as examples.
    • The page says most construction activities, not every possible activity.
    “The city requires a permit for most construction activities including (but not limited to):”
  • Owner-builder exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    Property owners performing construction work on their own property inside New Port Richey city limits.

    • The city states the exemption is under Florida Statute § 489.103(7)(a) and has restrictions.
    • Before a building permit can be issued to an owner-builder, the Owner-Builder Disclosure Statement must be completed, notarized, and returned to Building Services.
    “There is an exemption under Florida Statute, Section 489.103(7)(a) that allows an owner to act as a contractor with certain restrictions.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land within the New Port Richey incorporated area; the city assigns zoning districts and maintains city zoning.

    • Zoning information is parcel-specific and should be confirmed with the City Development Department.
    “A zoning district is assigned to each parcel of land by the City Council, and the zoning district regulations specify allowed uses, maximum intensity and general layout of development, and required infrastructure such as vehicle parking spaces and landscaping.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts and zoning maps for parcels inside New Port Richey city limits.

    • The city maintains zoning information through the Development Department and publishes zoning-district data layers and a zoning map.
    • Current parcel zoning should be confirmed with the city because zoning information may change.
    “City zoning is maintained by the Development Department.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Recreational-vehicle occupancy in New Port Richey city limits, including mobile-home parks and flood-hazard areas.

    • Recreational vehicles may not be used for permanent legal residence within mobile home parks.
    • In flood hazard areas, temporary placement requires fewer than 180 consecutive days or a fully licensed, highway-ready vehicle attached only by quick-disconnect utilities and security devices, without permanent attachments.
    • Flood-hazard RVs not meeting temporary-placement limits must meet the manufactured-home requirements in § 22.13.00.

    temporary flood-hazard placement duration: < 180 consecutive days (or fully licensed and ready for highway use under § 22.14.01(2))

    “Recreational vehicles and park trailers placed temporarily in flood hazard areas shall: (1) Be on the site for fewer than one hundred eighty (180) consecutive days; or (2) Be fully licensed and ready for highway use”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured-home occupancy inside New Port Richey city limits.

    • Mobile home parks must be located in an MHP zoning district approved by the city council.
    • New manufactured homes are not permitted in floodways or coastal high hazard areas except in an existing manufactured-home park or subdivision.
    • Flood-hazard manufactured homes must comply with applicable Florida Building Code and anchoring, foundation, elevation, enclosure, and utility-equipment requirements.
    “Installation of new manufactured homes shall not be permitted in floodways or in coastal high hazard areas (Zone V) except in an existing manufactured home park or subdivision.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    New septic installations, repairs, modifications, and approvals of existing septic systems inside New Port Richey city limits.

    • The permit is issued by the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.
    • Operating permits additionally apply to aerobic treatment units, performance-based treatment systems, commercial septic systems, and industrial or manufacturing-zoned or equivalent septic systems.
    “All proposed new installations, repairs, modifications and approvals of existing systems require a permit from the The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Septic systems inside New Port Richey city limits.

    • The county health department conducts septic inspections under the state OSTDS program.
    • Private-provider inspections are optionally available beginning July 1, 2022, with owner authorization.
    “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.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in flood-hazard areas inside New Port Richey city limits.

    • The city regulates floodplain development through flood-hazard standards, zoning, subdivision regulations, building and housing codes, and sanitary codes.
    • Specific district and flood-zone requirements may include elevation, anchoring, foundation, floodway, coastal-high-hazard, and utility restrictions.
    “All floodplain development is subject to permit.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building permit and inspection processing inside New Port Richey city limits.

    • Applications may be submitted through the Citizen Access Portal.
    • If the portal is unavailable, applications may be submitted digitally by email or in person at the Development Department.
    • Inspections are scheduled through the Citizen Access Portal.
    “The Citizen Access Portal tool can be used to: Request inspections. Apply for all building permits.”

Rules another office applies inside New Port Richey

New Port Richey does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    MHP Mobile Home Park District.

    • No more than 65 percent of each mobile-home lot may be devoted to the mobile-home coach, carport, cabana, or similar improvements.

    maximum mobile-home lot coverage: <= 65 percent

    “No more than sixty-five (65) percent of the land area of each mobile home lot shall be devoted to the mobile home coach, carport, cabana, or other similar improvements.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    MHP Mobile Home Park District.

    maximum structure height: <= 25 feet

    “The maximum height of a structure shall not exceed 25 feet.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask New Port Richey or Pasco County directly.

  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside New Port Richey city limits.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside New Port Richey city limits.
  • Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation systems inside New Port Richey city limits.
  • Well permit — Private wells inside New Port Richey city limits.
  • Agricultural exemption — Agricultural or farm-related construction and land uses inside New Port Richey city limits.
3 more unanswered
  • 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 New Port Richey publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Pasco County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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