Off-Grid Living in Union County, Florida

I've been digging into what it actually takes to live off-grid in Union County, Florida, the state's smallest county by land area, tucked into the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) region. Here's what the official sources tell me, and where I'd still pick up the phone before you buy land.

Zoning. Union County has a countywide Land Development Code and Comprehensive Plan that governs unincorporated land, administered by the Planning & Zoning Section. If your parcel sits inside Lake Butler, Raiford, or Worthington Springs, though, you're under that town's own zoning ordinance instead, so the county rules don't automatically apply. First call: confirm whether your land is unincorporated or inside a municipal boundary.

Dwellings, tiny homes, and RVs. The county has a defined process for mobile/manufactured home installation, and installers must be licensed through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles per state law. I did not find a countywide minimum square footage rule for tiny or site-built homes, so the Florida Building Code's baseline requirements likely apply by default. Worth confirming directly with the Building Department before you design anything unconventional.

Building permits. Union County requires building permits countywide, issued by the Building Department. To apply, you'll need a survey and legal description, a 911 address, proof of the county's Special Assessment Tax payment, and either a septic permit/letter from the Health Department or a City of Lake Butler water/sewer tap-in receipt. Applications run through the Cloudpermit portal, and the county's own materials describe review timeframes, so ask the Building Department directly what to expect for your specific project.

Septic and composting toilets. Union County is not one of the 16 counties where Florida DEP has taken over septic permitting, so the Florida Department of Health in Union County still issues onsite sewage disposal (OSTDS) permits, under the state's Chapter 62-6 standards. Composting toilets aren't addressed separately in county materials, so state Department of Health rules for alternative systems would govern.

Greywater and rainwater. I found no Union County-specific ordinance on either topic. That means the state's general Florida Building Code framework, which is fairly restrictive on greywater reuse, is what applies by default, and rainwater catchment for non-potable use looks essentially unregulated at the local level, but this isn't confirmed in county code.

Wells. Well construction and water use permitting here falls to the Suwannee River Water Management District, not the county. Typical single-family domestic wells are generally exempt from a full Water Use Permit, but the well itself still needs a construction permit through SRWMD.

Full off-grid disconnection. There's no explicit county ordinance banning it, but in practice, the building permit process requires proof of an approved sewage method (septic permit or municipal tap-in), so a fully "off-grid" dwelling still needs that piece squared away even if you skip electricity entirely.

Bottom line: Union County gives you real flexibility on power and water sourcing, but septic and building permits are non-negotiable gatekeepers. Call ahead and confirm specifics for your parcel.