Bolthole Index

Putnam County, Florida

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Interlachen, Florida

The Town of Interlachen, Florida issues building-permit and zoning applications at Town Hall.1 Interlachen has municipal zoning, while the Florida Department of Health in Putnam County handles septic permitting and inspections.23 Before buying land, confirm the parcel's zoning and proposed use with Town Hall because rules for RV living, tiny homes, setbacks and minimum lot size could not be confirmed from the Town's published materials.

At a glance

Building permits
Apply through Interlachen Town Hall; confirm the permit needed for your project14
Zoning
Yes; the Town administers zoning inside Interlachen2
Septic
Permits and inspections go through the Florida Department of Health in Putnam County35
Private wells
Well permitting is delegated to the Putnam County Health Department program6
RV living
Ask Town Hall before placing or occupying an RV on private land7
Site plan
Required for construction in Interlachen; the residential checklist calls for three copies, with one digital copy potentially accepted8

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Interlachen Building and Zoning

Building-permit and zoning applications, plus code-enforcement questions inside Interlachen

[email protected]

215 Atantic Ave, Interlachen, FL 32148

Building permits

Putnam County Building Department

Explains that Interlachen is outside the County's interlocal building-services arrangements and directs applicants to the Town

Septic permits

Florida Department of Health in Putnam County - Environmental Health

Septic permitting and inspections for property in Putnam County, including Interlachen

386-326-3240

[email protected]

2801 Kennedy St., Palatka, FL 32177

Online permits →

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 9, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Interlachen, Florida?

Start with the Town of Interlachen Building and Zoning office: the Town says building-permit and zoning applications are issued at Town Hall.1 Construction inside Interlachen is subject to the statewide Florida Building Code.4 The Town's published page does not spell out which repairs or small projects are exempt, so describe the exact work to Town Hall before ordering materials or hiring a contractor.

For a residential application, plan on submitting a site plan: the official checklist says site plans are required for construction in Interlachen and calls for three copies, although one digital copy may be accepted for review.8 Building-permit fees for work inside town limits could not be confirmed; ask Town Hall for the current fee and required application materials rather than relying on Putnam County's fee schedule.

Who issues building permits in Interlachen, and how do you reach them?

Town of Interlachen Building and Zoning handles building-permit and zoning applications at Town Hall and directs questions about building, zoning and code enforcement to the Town Clerk or Deputy Town Clerk.1 The official Town page lists Town Hall at 215 Atantic Ave, Interlachen, FL 32148 and gives [email protected] as the contact email.1

This local handoff matters because Putnam County says its development-services office has no interlocal services agreement with Interlachen and directs people building within town limits to the relevant municipal office.9 Do not assume the county's online permitting portal, fee schedule or inspection instructions apply to a project inside Interlachen. Confirm the application form, plan-review route, inspection scheduling and certificate-of-occupancy steps directly with Town Hall before filing.

Does Interlachen have zoning?

Yes. The Town of Interlachen administers zoning under Zoning Ordinance 2012-1 and later amendments, and special exceptions and variances go through the Town's zoning process.2 The official municipal zoning layer maps district classes inside town limits, and Town materials identify residential, commercial, industrial, public or institutional, conservation and estate categories.10

A parcel's district controls the useful answer, not simply an Interlachen mailing address. Ask Town Hall to confirm that the parcel is inside town limits, identify its zoning district and future land-use designation, and explain whether the proposed home or accessory use is allowed. The Town's complete dimensional schedule was not available, so minimum lot size, setbacks, lot coverage and building height should be confirmed for the specific parcel. Land division is also regulated by the Town, which adopted subdivision regulations.11

How do septic permits and private wells work in Interlachen?

Septic authority does not move to Town Hall. The Florida Department of Health in Putnam County continues to handle septic permitting and inspections for property in Interlachen, while the Florida Department of Environmental Protection implements the statewide septic laws and rules.3 A septic permit is required through the county health office.5 Owners or authorized contractors may hire a private provider for a septic inspection, subject to the state process.12

Contact Environmental Health at 386-326-3240 or visit 2801 Kennedy St., Palatka, FL 32177.13 Putnam County soils are challenging for conventional drain fields: only about 5.2% of county soils avoid a severe limitation rating, so make the site evaluation an early contingency in a land purchase.14 Private-well permitting in Putnam County is also delegated to the county health department program.6

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Interlachen?

Do not rely on Putnam County's unincorporated-area RV or tiny-home rules for land inside Interlachen. Interlachen applies its own zoning, and the Town's published materials do not establish a general right to occupy an RV or tiny home on a private lot.2

One Town zoning record found no permissible RV use as a special exception or accessory use for a particular church proposal in the PLI district, but that case does not answer every parcel or zoning district.7 Ask Town Hall whether the intended unit is classified as an RV, park model, manufactured home, modular home or site-built dwelling; whether the district allows that classification; and whether temporary occupancy during construction is possible. Also ask for the applicable minimum dwelling size, utility requirements, setbacks and any time limit in writing before buying or moving a unit onto the property.

Building a home in Interlachen: what are the steps?

  1. Ask Interlachen Town Hall to verify town limits, the parcel's zoning district, the proposed dwelling type and any special-exception or variance need.2
  2. Confirm the Town's current building-permit forms, fees, plan requirements and inspection sequence; building-permit and zoning applications are issued at Town Hall.1
  3. Prepare the site plan required for Interlachen construction; the residential checklist calls for three copies, with one digital copy potentially accepted.8
  4. If the property will use septic, obtain the required approval through the Florida Department of Health in Putnam County and coordinate the site evaluation before fixing the house location.5
  5. If the property needs a private well, contact the delegated Putnam County health department program before construction, repair or abandonment.6
  6. Ask Town Hall which inspections and final occupancy approval apply; the complete Town-specific inspection and certificate process could not be confirmed.

What should you check before buying land in Interlachen?

Get a parcel-specific zoning determination from Interlachen Town Hall before treating a listing's description as proof that a house, RV, tiny home or manufactured home is allowed. Interlachen has mapped zoning districts and its own zoning administration.10 Confirm minimum lot size, setbacks, lot coverage, building height, legal access, floodplain requirements and whether a lot split was lawfully created; the Town's complete standards for those items could not be confirmed from its published materials.

Treat septic feasibility as a purchase contingency because only about 5.2% of Putnam County soils avoid a severe limitation rating for conventional drain fields.14 Putnam County's effective property-tax rate is about 0.8%, with a median annual property-tax bill of about $1,196, but parcel assessments and exemptions determine the actual bill.1516 For private water, confirm well permitting with the Putnam County health department program.6

Watch-outs

  • Putnam County's unincorporated-area zoning standards do not substitute for Interlachen's municipal zoning; verify the parcel and proposed use with Town Hall.2
  • A Town zoning record addresses one RV request in the PLI district but does not answer general RV occupancy, tiny-home permission, minimum dwelling size or district setbacks; ask Town Hall for a parcel-specific written answer before purchase.7
  • A site plan is required for construction in Interlachen, so settle zoning and septic feasibility before finalizing the house location.85

Sources

  1. Town of Interlachen Building and Zoning (interlachen-fl.gov)
  2. Town of Interlachen Planning Commission Public Hearing Minutes (Town of Interlachen), quoted and re-checked
  3. Onsite Sewage Disposal (Town of Interlachen), quoted and re-checked
  4. When is a Permit Required? (Town of Interlachen), quoted and re-checked
  5. Onsite Sewage Disposal (Town of Interlachen), quoted and re-checked
  6. Well Construction in Florida (Town of Interlachen), quoted and re-checked
  7. Town of Interlachen Zoning Board of Adjustment Public Hearing Minutes (Town of Interlachen), quoted and re-checked
  8. Permitting Requirements for Residential Applications (Town of Interlachen), quoted and re-checked
  9. Putnam County Building Department (putnam-fl.gov)
  10. Municipal Zoning: Town of Interlachen (Town of Interlachen), quoted and re-checked
  11. Interlachen Town Council Minutes (Town of Interlachen), quoted and re-checked
  12. Onsite Sewage Disposal (Town of Interlachen), quoted and re-checked
  13. Florida Department of Health in Putnam County - Environmental Health (putnam.floridahealth.gov)
  14. 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
  15. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  16. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 9, 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 Interlachen

Town of Interlachen’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside the Town of Interlachen; the Town administers zoning through Zoning Ordinance 2012-1 and its Zoning Board of Adjustment.

    • District uses may require special exceptions, variances, or other approvals.
    “The PLI District allows for a church by Special Exception. The application for the SE includes a request for temporary use of an RV while the church is being built. Based on the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Ordinance 2012-1, Zoning Ordinance Amendment 2023-8, and review of SE 2023-1, staff does not find a permissible use for an RV as a Special Exception or an Accessory Use.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Present — Land inside Interlachen town limits; the Town administers zoning under Zoning Ordinance 2012-1 and amendments.
      “Discussion and Consideration of the Planning Commission’s Recommendation for Amending Zoning Ordinance 2012-1. Council Member Yonts moved to approve the Planning Commission’s Recommendation for Amending Zoning Ordinance 2012-1. Council Member Bakker seconded. The motion passed by a unanimous roll call vote of the Council.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside Interlachen town limits; the town’s land-development regulations contain zoning-district sections, and an official municipal zoning layer identifies mapped district classes for the town.

    • The official town minutes state that the land-development regulations were adopted in 1968 and updated in 2012.
    • The minutes identify current sections 4 and 9-28 as zoning-district sections, but the opened minutes do not reproduce the district use tables, dimensional standards, or all operative district text.
    • The official municipal zoning layer identifies mapped zoning classes, including C-1, C-2, C-3, CON, and CPO; the layer is published by Putnam County GIS for the Town of Interlachen.
    “4. Zoning Districts . [...] 9-28. Zoning Districts.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Published — Zoning districts inside Interlachen town limits, including residential, commercial, industrial, public/institutional, conservation, and estate categories shown in the Town zoning materials.
      “Name: Municipal Zoning: Town of Interlachen Display Field: ZONECLASS Type: Feature Layer Geometry Type: esriGeometryPolygon”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision inside Interlachen town limits.

    • The Town Council minutes record adoption of Ordinance 2021-8, Subdivision Regulations, on second reading.
    “Ordinance 2021-8; Subdivision Regulations. – 2nd Reading. By unanimous general consent Ordinance 2021-8 was read by title only. Council Member Conner moved to adopt Ordinance 2021-8 on second reading. Council Member Bennett seconded. Motion passed by a unanimous roll call vote of the Council.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Residential permit application materials for construction inside Interlachen town.

    • The official county checklist states that site plans are required for construction in the Town of Interlachen.
    • Other project-specific requirements may apply.

    site-plan copies: 3 copies (One digital copy may be accepted for review.)

    “Site plans are also required for construction in City of Palatka, Town of Interlachen, Town of Pomona Park and City of Crescent City.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Interlachen

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

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction inside Interlachen town limits subject to the Florida Building Code.

    • The cited Putnam County brochure states that the requirement applies to work regulated by the Florida Building Code.
    “The initial adoption of, and any subsequent update or amendment to, the Florida Building Code by the commission is deemed adopted for use statewide without adoptions by local government.”
  • Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

    Septic systems inside Interlachen town limits through the Putnam County Health Department, with DEP enforcing statewide OSTDS law and rules.

    • The Florida Department of Health states that DEP enforces Florida OSTDS laws and rules while local county health departments handle septic permitting and inspections outside the 16 transferred counties.
    • Interlachen is in Putnam County.
    “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-system permitting for property inside Interlachen town limits through the Putnam County Health Department.

    • The county health department continues septic permitting in Putnam County; DEP enforces the governing OSTDS laws and rules.
    “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 inspectionRequired

    Septic-system inspections for property inside Interlachen town limits through the Putnam County Health Department.

    • Private-provider inspections may also be used by owners or contractors with owner authorization beginning July 1, 2022.
    • Operating permits apply only to counties that use them and are required for ATUs, PBTS, commercial septic systems, and industrial or manufacturing-zoned or equivalent septic systems.
    “Starting July 1, 2022, owners or contractors with owner authorization have the option to hire a private provider to perform inspections of OSTDS.”
  • Well permitRequired

    Drinking-water well permitting applicable in Putnam County, including Interlachen, through the delegated Putnam County Health Department program.

    • DEP establishes statewide well-construction requirements under section 373.309, Florida Statutes and Chapter 62-532, Florida Administrative Code.
    • District-specific rules also apply, including St. Johns River Water Management District Chapter 40C-3 rules.
    “The following county health departments are delegated to perform the well permitting program: Baker, Brevard, Broward, Clay, Miami-Dade, Flagler, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lake, Marion, Martin, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Putnam, St. Lucie, Sarasota, and Volusia”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Putnam County's published building-permit fee materials; applicability inside Interlachen must be confirmed with the Town because the County reports no interlocal agreement for building services.

    • The County building page links a document titled 2025 Permit Fees.
    • The County page directs applicants to the relevant municipality for building inside Interlachen.
    “2025 Permit Fees Building Forms & Applications”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building work inside Interlachen town limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions for construction inside Interlachen town limits.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Interlachen town limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Interlachen town.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential districts inside Interlachen town limits.
15 more unanswered
  • Minimum lot size
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

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

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