Bolthole Index

Seminole County, Florida

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Longwood, Florida

Longwood, Florida, in Seminole County, zones its own land under the Longwood Development Code1, and its Community Development office takes building permit applications through the SmartGov portal2. Septic permits are a separate track: Florida requires one for any septic system3, and the Florida Department of Health in Seminole County issues them4. Living in an RV is limited to owner's guests with a city clerk permit5.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes: Longwood Development Code land use districts16
Building permit
Applied for through the City of Longwood's SmartGov portal2
Septic permit
Required statewide; issued by the Florida Department of Health in Seminole County34
RV living
Guests of the owner only, with a city clerk permit, 30 days in any 90-day period5
Accessory dwellings
Allowed as accessory structures, with size and height limits7
Minimum home size
900 sq ft in the CE and LDR single-family districts8
Owner-builder
Florida lets owners act as their own contractor on a one- or two-family home they own9
Floodplain
The city engineer is the floodplain administrator10

Who to call

Building permits

City of Longwood Community Development

Building permit applications, plan review, inspections and certificates of occupancy inside Longwood city limits, filed through the SmartGov portal

407-260-3462

[email protected]

174 West Church Avenue, Longwood, FL 32750

Online permits →

Septic permits

Florida Department of Health in Seminole County, Environmental Public Health

Onsite sewage treatment and disposal system (septic) permits, site evaluations and inspections for Seminole County

407-665-3604

[email protected]

400 W. Airport Blvd., Sanford, FL 32773

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

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Does Longwood, Florida have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Yes. Longwood administers zoning through the Longwood Development Code, which sorts land into districts1. The residential districts are CON, CE, LDR, MDR-7 and MDR-15, and the code also has downtown, commercial, mixed-use and industrial districts6. Check which district a parcel sits in before you plan anything.

In the CE and LDR single-family districts, a home must be at least 900 square feet8. Residential buildings in those districts top out at 35 feet11, and impervious surface is capped at 55 percent12. In LDR, setbacks are 20 feet in front, 7 feet on the side and 15 feet in the rear13.

Tiny homes: we could not confirm Longwood's use rules for them, so ask Community Development2. RVs are covered below.

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

Longwood has its own Community Development office, which takes permit applications, schedules inspections, collects fees and prints certificates of occupancy through its SmartGov portal2. Florida applies one Florida Building Code to residential construction everywhere in the state14. We did not confirm the city's exact permit thresholds, fees or exemptions, so ask Community Development whether your project needs a building permit before you start.

Seminole County's Building Division serves unincorporated land only. Inside city limits, start with Longwood. For land outside the city, see the Seminole County page.

How do septic permits work in Longwood?

Florida requires a permit to install, replace, repair, modify or abandon a septic system3. In Seminole County, the Florida Department of Health in Seminole County, Environmental Public Health, handles septic permits and inspections415. The city does not issue them.

We did not confirm whether a given Longwood address must connect to city sewer. Florida can require an existing septic owner to connect when public sewer becomes available16, so ask the city's utilities staff and the health department before assuming a septic system is an option. Wells need their own state permit17.

Can you live in an RV or accessory dwelling in Longwood?

Not in an RV as a regular home. Longwood's code says recreational vehicles or trailers may not be occupied for temporary living, sleeping or housekeeping, except by guests of the property owner with a permit from the city clerk, for no more than 30 days in any 90-day period5. RVs also may not be stored in the public right-of-way or front yard5.

Accessory dwelling units, including mother-in-law suites, are allowed as accessory structures7. Standalone units over 200 square feet or 10 feet tall must meet the setbacks of the main building7.

Building a home in Longwood: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel's zoning district in the Longwood Development Code6.
  2. Check the district's minimum home size, height, setbacks and impervious limit13.
  3. Ask Community Development about building permit requirements, then apply through SmartGov2.
  4. Ask whether sewer is available; if not, apply for a septic permit through the health department15.
  5. Check flood status with the city engineer, who is the floodplain administrator10.
  6. Schedule inspections through SmartGov and finish with a certificate of occupancy2.

A Florida owner may act as their own contractor on a one- or two-family home they own, by signing the owner-builder disclosure9.

What stays with Seminole County, and what to check before you buy

Septic and well permits sit with the health department and state, not the city4. Seminole County's building and planning offices serve unincorporated land, so land outside Longwood follows the county's rules.

County-level figures apply to the whole county, not just Longwood. Seminole County's effective property tax rate is about 0.7 percent18, and nearly none of its soils rate well for a conventional septic drain field19. Conventional drain fields rate poorly across Florida, so expect a site evaluation and sometimes an engineered system.

Watch-outs

  • Longwood's permit thresholds, fees and inspection rules were not confirmed; call Community Development before you buy or build2.
  • Guest RV stays need a city clerk permit and are capped at 30 days in any 90-day period5.
  • Floodplain rules apply to development in flood hazard areas inside the city, and the city engineer administers them10.

Sources

  1. Longwood Development Code 5.3.0 Accessory structures (Longwood), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Longwood Community Development (longwoodfl.org)
  3. OSTDS Construction Application (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  4. Onsite Sewage and Disposal, quoted and re-checked
  5. Sec. 86-83 Boats/vessels, trailers and recreational vehicle parking (Longwood), quoted and re-checked
  6. Longwood Development Code 3.2.0 Site design standards (Longwood), quoted and re-checked
  7. Longwood Development Code 5.3.0 Accessory structures (Longwood), quoted and re-checked
  8. Longwood Development Code 3.2.0 Site design standards (Longwood), quoted and re-checked
  9. 2026 Florida Statutes § 489.103, Exemptions (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Longwood Development Code 4.5.0 Floodplains and flood zones (Longwood), quoted and re-checked
  11. Longwood Development Code 3.2.0 Site design standards (Longwood), quoted and re-checked
  12. Longwood Development Code 3.2.0 Site design standards (Longwood), quoted and re-checked
  13. Longwood Development Code 3.2.0 Site design standards (Longwood), quoted and re-checked
  14. Florida Statutes § 553.73 — Florida Building Code (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Florida Department of Health in Seminole County, Environmental Public Health (seminole.floridahealth.gov)
  16. flsenate.gov (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Water Well Contractor Licensing and Permitting (Florida statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  19. 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

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 Longwood

Longwood’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Longwood city limits

    • Zoning is administered through the Longwood Development Code (land use districts).
    “an accessory use or structure shall meet all site design requirements for the land use district in which it is located, including, but not limited to, height, setback, impervious surface, or location”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning categories inside Longwood city

    • Residential: CON, CE, LDR, MDR-7, MDR-15; others include DTN, DTS, GW, GC, IMU, NC, TVN, SW, L-IND, IND, P/I
    “conservation (con) 1.0 10 - - 7 - - 20 - - 5% na 35 35 900 sf -”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family districts CE and LDR inside Longwood city

    • MDR-7 and MDR-15 single-family minimum is 200 SF per table

    CE min dwelling: >= 900 sq ft · LDR min dwelling: >= 900 sq ft

    “country estates (ce) 0.25 20 - - 7 - - 15 - - 55%.25 35 35 900 sf -”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    CE and LDR districts inside Longwood city

    • Accessory structures generally 7 feet from side/rear lines (3 feet in MDR-7/MDR-15)
    • Eaves may encroach up to two feet

    LDR front setback: >= 20 feet · LDR side setback: >= 7 feet · LDR rear setback: >= 15 feet · CE rear setback: >= 15 feet

    “eaves and overhangs are allowed to encroach into the setbacks by no more than two feet.”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    CE and LDR districts inside Longwood city (maximum impervious surface ratio)

    LDR max impervious surface: <= 55 percent · CE max impervious surface: <= 55 percent

    “low density residential (ldr) * 4.0 20 - - 7 - 15 - - 55%.25 35 35 900 sf -”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential buildings in CE and LDR districts inside Longwood city

    • Incidental structures may exceed limit by up to five feet; architectural features by two feet

    max residential height: <= 35 feet (exceptions in 3.2.1.E.2)

    “low density residential (ldr) * 4.0 20 - - 7 - 15 - - 55%.25 35 35 900 sf -”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    RV occupancy on residential or downtown historic parcels inside Longwood city

    • RVs may not be stored in public right-of-way or front yard
    • Guest use requires a permit from the city clerk
    • Max two boats/trailers/RVs per parcel

    guest occupancy limit: 30 days in any 90-day period (guests of the property owner with city clerk permit)

    “under no circumstances shall recreational vehicles or trailers be occupied or used for temporary living, sleeping or housekeeping purposes, except by guests of the property owner(s) on which it is located with a permit obtained from the city clerk for a period no longer than 30 days in any 90-day period.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Temporary living in RVs/trailers on residential parcels inside Longwood city

    • Only guests of the owner with a city clerk permit, 30 days in any 90-day period
    “under no circumstances shall recreational vehicles or trailers be occupied or used for temporary living, sleeping or housekeeping purposes, except by guests of the property owner(s) on which it is located with a permit obtained from the city clerk for a period no longer than 30 days in any 90-day period.”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    Accessory dwelling units inside Longwood city

    • Accessory structure must be clearly subordinate to principal use
    • Standalone ADUs over 200 sq ft or 10 ft tall must meet primary structure setbacks
    • Accessory structures max 15 feet high and no larger than 50 percent of primary structure (75 percent if primary is under 1,200 sq ft)

    max accessory height: <= 15 feet (attached structures may match primary)

    “accessory dwelling units including mother-in-law suites are considered accessory structures and are allowed.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development in flood hazard areas inside Longwood city

    • Floodplain administrator is the city engineer
    • Based on the Seminole County FIS dated September 28, 2007 and later amendments
    • Administered with the Florida Building Code; more restrictive rule governs in a conflict
    “the city engineer is designated as the floodplain administrator.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Longwood or Seminole County directly.

  • Building permit — New home construction inside Longwood city
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder inside Longwood city
  • Building code adopted — Building code inside Longwood city
  • Inspections — Inspections inside Longwood city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Longwood city
15 more unanswered
  • Minimum lot size
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • 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 Longwood publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Seminole County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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