Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Town of Indian Shores, Florida

At a glance

Zoning

Town of Indian Shores sets its own zoning (Chapter 110 of the town code)¹

Building permits

Issued by the town Building Department, by online portal or in person²

Building code

Florida Building Code, Residential, with local flood modifications⁵

Flood elevation

Lowest floor at base flood elevation plus 4 feet, or design flood elevation if higher³

Certificate of occupancy

Required for each residential and business unit⁶

Manufactured homes

Not permitted without a permanent foundation⁷

Septic

Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County handles septic across the county; town-specific rules unconfirmed⁴

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 17, 2026.

Does Indian Shores, Florida have zoning?

Yes. The Town of Indian Shores has its own zoning, found in Chapter 110 of the town code, which divides the town into zoning districts¹. Pinellas County's zoning rules cover only unincorporated land, so the county's district lot sizes and setbacks do not apply inside town limits⁸.

We could not confirm the lot size, setback or height limits for the town's main residential districts. One rule we did confirm applies to special residential developments (townhouse and cluster projects): they need at least 4,840 square feet of contiguous land and may cover no more than 50 percent of the buildable area of the lot⁹¹⁰. Ask the Building Department for the district map and dimensional table for a specific address.

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

Building permits inside Indian Shores come from the town's own Building Department, not from Pinellas County, whose permit rules cover unincorporated areas¹¹. Applications go through the town's online permitting portal after contractor registration, or can be delivered to the department office². The department says to allow 2-3 days once all paperwork is in².

A certificate of occupancy is required for each residential and business unit in town⁶. Dwellings are built under the Florida Building Code, Residential, with local flood amendments⁵. Search results often show Indian River Shores, a different municipality; the town's page says the two are not the same². Whether inside inspections and owner-builder permits work differently here is unconfirmed; call the department.

What do Indian Shores flood rules mean for a new home?

All flood hazard areas in the Town of Indian Shores are designated coastal high hazard areas, and dwellings must be designed to section R322.3 of the residential code³. The lowest floor must sit at base flood elevation plus 4 feet, or at the design flood elevation if that is higher³. Basement floors and structural fill are prohibited, and enclosed areas below design flood elevation are limited to 299 square feet for parking, access or storage³.

For a buyer, that means elevation and foundation design shape the budget before anything else. Get the flood zone and elevation requirement for the exact parcel from the Building Department before you make an offer.

How do septic permits work in Indian Shores?

We could not confirm whether septic systems are allowed inside Indian Shores or who reviews them in town. Pinellas County is outside the counties where the state environmental agency took over septic permitting, so the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County handles septic permitting and inspections for the county⁴. Pinellas County also limits onsite systems to areas where public sewer connection is not required and the soils are suitable¹².

Florida requires a permit for any onsite sewage system¹³. Ask the Department of Health¹⁴ and the town Building Department whether your address is on public sewer.

Can you live in an RV, tiny home or manufactured home in Indian Shores?

Manufactured homes without a permanent foundation are not permitted in Indian Shores, and every manufactured home must meet the town's flood article and the Florida Building Code⁷. Camping overnight on the public beach or other public property in town is unlawful¹⁵. We did not find the town's rule for living in an RV or a tiny home on private land, so treat both as unconfirmed and ask the Building Department.

Building a home in Indian Shores: the steps, in order

1. Confirm the zoning district and its lot, setback and height limits with the town Building Department¹.
2. Get the flood zone and required first-floor elevation for the parcel³.
3. Ask whether the address is on public sewer; if not, contact the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County about a septic site evaluation⁴.
4. Register on the town's permitting portal and submit the building permit application².
5. Build to the Florida Building Code, Residential, with the town's flood modifications⁵.
6. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in⁶.

What stays with Pinellas County, and what to check before you buy in Indian Shores

Septic permitting stays with the county health department, not the town⁴. For land outside town limits, see the Pinellas County page, where county zoning and permits apply to unincorporated areas only⁸.

Before buying, check flood elevation, sewer availability and zoning district. Pinellas County's typical home value is $371,631¹⁶, its median property tax bill is $2,324 a year¹⁷, and its typical home insurance premium is $4,764 a year¹⁸; these are county-level figures.

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm the town's fee schedule, height limits, short-term rental rules, accessory dwelling rules or driveway rules; ask the Town of Indian Shores Building Department².
• Searches for Indian Shores often return Indian River Shores, a different town; confirm the page says Indian Shores, Pinellas County².
• Manufactured homes need a permanent foundation and must meet the flood article inside town limits⁷.

Sources

1. Indian Shores Code Sec. 110-348 Special residential developments (Town of Indian Shores), quoted and re-checked
2. Town of Indian Shores Building Department (myindianshores.com)
3. Indian Shores Code Sec. 86-63 Florida Building Code, Residential (Town of Indian Shores), quoted and re-checked
4. Onsite Sewage Disposal and Septic Tanks, quoted and re-checked
5. Indian Shores Code Sec. 86-63 Florida Building Code, Residential (Town of Indian Shores), quoted and re-checked
6. Indian Shores Code Sec. 110-1 Definitions (zoning) (Town of Indian Shores), quoted and re-checked
7. Indian Shores Code Sec. 86-79 Manufactured homes and recreational vehicles (Town of Indian Shores), quoted and re-checked
8. Zoning & Land Use - Pinellas County, quoted and re-checked
9. Indian Shores Code Sec. 110-348 Special residential developments (Town of Indian Shores), quoted and re-checked
10. Indian Shores Code Sec. 110-348 Special residential developments (Town of Indian Shores), quoted and re-checked
11. Building Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
12. Onsite Sewage Disposal and Septic Tanks, quoted and re-checked
13. OSTDS Application Information (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
14. Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County (pinellas.floridahealth.gov)
15. Indian Shores Code Sec. 106-2 Overnight camping on beaches prohibited (Town of Indian Shores), quoted and re-checked
16. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
17. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
18. Typical home insurance premium: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 17, 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.