Bolthole Index

Pinellas County, Florida

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Town of Belleair Shore, Florida

The Town of Belleair Shore, Florida (Pinellas County) runs its own zoning, with a single zoning district capped at 1.39 homes per acre1. Building permit questions start with the town's Building Services page and its pre-permit application2. Septic permits come from the Florida Department of Health, not the town3. Living in an RV is not allowed4.

At a glance

Zoning
Town-run; one zoning district, maximum 1.39 homes per acre1
Building permit
Start with the town's pre-permit application; floodplain permit required for flood-area development56
Septic
Florida Department of Health permit, required before permitted development7
RV living
Not allowed; vehicles may not be used for living or sleeping4
Setbacks
At least 10 feet from side lot lines and 50 feet from the seawall line8
Wells
State water-well permit required in Florida9

Who to call

Also useful

Town of Belleair Shore (Town Clerk)

Town zoning questions and general contact for the town

(727)-593-9296

[email protected]

PO Box 8 Indian Rocks Beach FL 33785

Building permits

Town of Belleair Shore Building Services

Pre-permit application for building work inside Belleair Shore

[email protected]

Septic permits

Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County

Septic (onsite sewage) permitting and inspection for Pinellas County, including Belleair Shore

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 Town of Belleair Shore means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Does Belleair Shore have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and lot size?

Yes. The Town of Belleair Shore adopted its own zoning code, Chapter 46, which establishes a single zoning district for the whole town1. Residential density in that district is capped at 1.39 dwelling units per acre1. We did not find a separate minimum lot size, so ask the Town Clerk how the density cap applies to a specific parcel5.

Buildings must sit at least 10 feet from any side lot line and at least 50 feet from the established seawall line along the Gulf, with eaves and utility or pool equipment allowed to come 2.5 feet closer8. A Gulf Boulevard right-of-way setback of at least 50 feet also applies8.

Belleair Shore does not allow living in an RV. Recreational vehicles may not be used for living or sleeping, may not be parked overnight outside a garage, and are not permitted in special flood hazard areas4. Temporary housing units are allowed only under a declared housing emergency, with a permit4. We could not confirm any rule on tiny homes or accessory dwellings; ask the Town Clerk5.

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

Inside Belleair Shore, the town, not Pinellas County, is the place to start. The town's Building Services page directs applicants to a Belleair Shore pre-permit application, with the completed form, payment and receipt sent to the Town Clerk and the town's building official contact2. We could not confirm the general building permit rules, fees or inspection steps, so ask the Town Clerk what your project needs2.

Development in a flood hazard area needs a permit from the town's floodplain administrator, even for buildings exempt from the Florida Building Code6. Other state and federal permits, including the septic permit, are conditions of that approval6. Florida applies one statewide building code, so the code itself does not change from town to town10.

How do septic permits work inside Belleair Shore?

The Florida Department of Health, not the town, permits septic systems inside Belleair Shore3. Town building and floodplain permits are conditioned on getting that state permit first3. Florida requires a permit to install, repair, modify or abandon a septic system11, and Pinellas County is handled by its local county health department12.

Soil is a real constraint. Essentially no Pinellas County soils are rated free of limits for a conventional drain field13. That is a county-wide figure, but it means expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system.

What are the steps to build a home in Belleair Shore, in order?

  1. Ask the Town Clerk how the density cap and setbacks apply to your lot18.
  2. Submit the town's pre-permit application with payment2.
  3. Apply for the town floodplain permit if the site is in a flood hazard area6.
  4. Get the state septic permit from the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County before permitted development begins7.
  5. Get a state water-well permit if you plan a well9.

What stays with Pinellas County, and what should you check before you buy in Belleair Shore?

Pinellas County's own zoning and building permit rules apply to unincorporated land, not inside Belleair Shore14. For land outside town limits, see the Pinellas County page.

Pinellas County's effective property tax rate is 0.7%15. Check flood risk first: building in the flood hazard area triggers a town floodplain permit6, and the town's seawall line sets how close you can build to the Gulf8.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm the town's general building permit requirements, fees or inspection rules; ask the Town Clerk before you plan a project2.
  • Living in an RV is not permitted in Belleair Shore4.
  • Septic permits come from the state health department, and the town's permits are conditioned on having it3.

Sources

  1. Belleair Shore Code Sec. 46-136 Maximum density (Town of Belleair Shore), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Belleair Shore Building Services (belleairshore.com)
  3. Belleair Shore Code Sec. 38-60 Other permits required (Town of Belleair Shore), quoted and re-checked
  4. Belleair Shore Code Sec. 46-139 Parking (Town of Belleair Shore), quoted and re-checked
  5. Town of Belleair Shore (Town Clerk) (belleairshore.com)
  6. Belleair Shore Code Sec. 38-53 Permits required (Town of Belleair Shore), quoted and re-checked
  7. Belleair Shore Code Sec. 38-60 Other permits required (Town of Belleair Shore), quoted and re-checked
  8. Belleair Shore Code Sec. 46-125 Setback limitation (Town of Belleair Shore), quoted and re-checked
  9. Water Well Contractor Licensing and Permitting (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Florida Statutes § 553.73 — Florida Building Code (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. OSTDS Construction Application (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County (pinellas.floridahealth.gov)
  13. 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
  14. Building Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
  15. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

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 Town of Belleair Shore

Town of Belleair Shore’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Belleair Shore town; the town has a Chapter 46 Zoning with a single zoning district established in section 46-101

    • Maximum density 1.39 dwelling units per acre

    maximum density: <= 1.39 dwelling units per acre

    “A maximum of 1.39 residential dwelling units per acre is permitted within the zoning district established in section 46-101”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Residences and buildings in Belleair Shore's single zoning district

    • Eaves, utility equipment and pool equipment may approach 2.5 feet nearer to side lot lines and seawall line
    • Housing-emergency temporary units have setbacks waived

    Gulf Boulevard right-of-way setback: >= 50 feet · side lot line setback: >= 10 feet (eaves, utility and pool equipment 2.5 ft nearer) · seawall line setback: >= 50 feet (eaves, utility and pool equipment 2.5 ft nearer)

    “no building nor any part thereof as set forth above, except eaves, utility equipment and pool equipment, which may approach 2½ feet nearer, shall approach nearer than ten feet to any side lot line of the lot upon which the same is constructed, or nearer than 50 feet to the established seawall line paralleling the gulf of mexico.”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Recreational and commercial vehicles parked within Belleair Shore town limits

    • Parking of RVs permitted only if not overnight outside a garage and in driveway or garage by day
    • Seven-day loading/unloading exceptions, up to three each per year, with police notice
    • RVs not permitted in special flood hazard areas
    • Temporary housing units allowed only under a housing emergency declaration with permit
    “vehicles shall not be used for living or sleeping purposes.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in flood hazard areas inside Belleair Shore town

    • Applies to development wholly or partly in a flood hazard area, including buildings exempt from the Florida Building Code
    • Other state and federal permits (SWFWMD, FDOH septic, FDEP CCCL) also conditioned
    “shall first make application to the floodplain administrator, and the building official if applicable, and shall obtain the required permit(s) and approval(s).”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Belleair Shore

Town of Belleair Shore 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 septicState (with conditions)

    On-site sewage treatment and disposal systems inside Belleair Shore town are permitted by the Florida Department of Health

    • Town building and floodplain permits carry a condition that the state on-site sewage permit be obtained
    “Florida Department of Health for on-site sewage treatment and disposal systems; F.S. § 381.0065, and Chapter 64E-6, F.A.C.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    On-site sewage systems inside Belleair Shore town

    • Obtained from Florida Department of Health before commencing permitted development
    “Florida Department of Health for on-site sewage treatment and disposal systems; F.S. § 381.0065, and Chapter 64E-6, F.A.C.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Belleair Shore or Pinellas County directly.

  • Building permit — New construction inside Belleair Shore town
  • Inspections — Inside Belleair Shore town
  • Certificate of occupancy — Inside Belleair Shore town
  • Minimum dwelling size — Inside Belleair Shore town
  • Minimum lot size — Inside Belleair Shore town
13 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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 Belleair Shore publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Pinellas County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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