You own acreage in unincorporated Palm Beach County, you parked a semi-truck or a work trailer at home, and then a code officer showed up. Lot size is not the test. Here is what the county code actually allows, how enforcement works and what to check before you buy.
In unincorporated Palm Beach County, the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) limits commercial vehicles on residential parcels in every zoning district, acreage included. Without a home-based business, one commercial vehicle is allowed per home, used by a resident, up to 12,500 pounds GVWR, 9 feet tall and 26 feet long. A semi-truck exceeds that. On AR land in the Rural Service Area, a licensed home-based business can have up to two commercial vehicles up to 16,000 pounds and two trailers, and a lot of five acres or more can apply for a limited Contractor Storage Yard, which can allow semi-trucks with Development Review Officer approval, screening and setback rules. Under Florida law, unpaid code fines can become liens on the property.
"It's my land" is not a defense under the county code. The ULDC has prohibited parking business vehicles over a set weight at homes since 1992, and the county's own staff memo says the limit rose to 12,500 pounds in 2005. In 2023 the County Commission discussed commercial vehicle parking in AR zoning at several meetings, and the code was revised in 2024. If you own or are buying acreage in The Acreage, Loxahatchee or other unincorporated areas, these are the rules that matter. Cities such as Westlake and Loxahatchee Groves have their own codes, so check with the right government.
If you are selling acreage
Open code cases come out in title work and lien searches, and they can derail a sale late. Florida law also requires an owner who sells during an open code case to disclose it in writing to the buyer, hand over the case papers and notify the code office within five days; skipping those disclosures creates a presumption of fraud. Resolve open cases and check for recorded liens before you list.
What the county code allows
- No home-based business: a maximum of one commercial vehicle per home. It must be registered, used by a resident, Class 1, 2 or 3 up to 12,500 pounds GVWR, no taller than 9 feet including any load or box, and no longer than 26 feet.
- Home-based business on AR land in the Rural Service Area: up to two commercial vehicles up to 16,000 pounds GVWR (Classes 1 to 4) and two trailers up to 10,000 pounds GVWR.
- Home-based business on other residential land: one commercial vehicle up to 12,500 pounds and one trailer up to 10,000 pounds.
- Business vehicles must park in legal spaces on an improved surface, not in the right-of-way, and refrigeration units cannot run while parked.
- Loading, unloading or moving parked commercial vehicles is not allowed between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
When a semi-truck can be allowed
The ULDC's limited Contractor Storage Yard is the path for semi-trucks on AR acreage in the Rural Service Area. On a lot of five acres or more it requires approval from the Development Review Officer before a Business Tax Receipt is issued. Trucks, trailers and equipment must be screened from roads and neighboring homes, kept out of the front yard and set back at least 25 feet, and parked on an improved surface such as asphalt or shell rock. No more than three vehicles or pieces of equipment are allowed unless there is more acreage; each additional ten acres can add one semi-truck or dump truck, one trailer and one piece of heavy equipment. A semi-truck operated by the license holder that is stored at home no more than two days a week is an exception to the ownership rule. Up to three employees who live elsewhere are allowed, with on-site parking for each.
How enforcement works under Florida law
- Complaints: Florida law says a code inspector may not start a case from an anonymous complaint. The person reporting must give a name and address, unless there is an imminent threat to health or safety.
- Notice and time to fix: when a violation is found, the owner is notified and given a reasonable time to correct it.
- Hearing: if it is not corrected, the case goes to a hearing. Palm Beach County holds code hearings before a special magistrate.
- Fines: state law caps fines at $250 a day for a first violation and $500 a day for a repeat one, unless a county with 50,000 or more residents adopts higher limits by ordinance, up to $1,000 a day for a first violation and $5,000 a day for a repeat. Fines keep adding up until the property complies.
- Liens: a recorded fine order becomes a lien on the property and on other property the violator owns. Florida law bars foreclosing a code lien on a homestead, but the lien still has to be dealt with to sell or refinance.
The best time to act is during the correction period, before a hearing or fines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park a semi-truck at my home on acreage in Palm Beach County? +
Does owning five or ten acres change the rules? +
Can a neighbor report me anonymously? +
How much are code enforcement fines? +
Can a code fine stop a sale? +
What should I check before buying acreage? +
If you are buying acreage
- Confirm the zoning and land use with Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building before you make an offer.
- Ask for a code lien search, and check for open cases on the parcel.
- Compare how the property is used today with what the code allows.
- Planning a business with trucks? Confirm whether a home-based business or a Contractor Storage Yard approval is possible on that lot, in writing.
- Read any deed restrictions too. Our guide to acreage deed restrictions (palmbeachcountyhomeforsale.com/blog/deed-restrictions-ccrs-acreage-florida-buyers) covers what to look for.
Our 2025 guide to semi-truck parking in The Acreage (palmbeachcountyhomeforsale.com/blog/the-acreage-semi-truck-parking-code-enforcement-2025) covers the same rules from a buyer's view, and you can browse homes for sale in The Acreage (palmbeachcountyhomeforsale.com/theacreagehomesforsale).
This page is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your parcel's rules with the county and talk to a land-use attorney about an open case.
Selling acreage in Palm Beach County?
Find out what your land and home are worth today, priced from recent sales near you.
Sources: Palm Beach County Unified Land Development Code, Article 6 (residential parking of commercial vehicles) and Article 4 (Home-based Business; Contractor Storage Yard), Supplement 32; Palm Beach County PZB memo on commercial vehicles in AR zoning (2023); Palm Beach County Code Compliance, Common Code Violations; Florida Statutes 162.06 and 162.09.
Code sections checked October 27, 2026.
Dealing with Code Enforcement or Worried About Your Acreage?
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Call or text Brian Wilder: 561-201-4717. Lucy Lopez: 561-285-8809. Keller Williams Realty.
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Wilder Real Estate Group at Keller Williams Realty
Brian Wilder 561-201-4717
Lucy Lopez 561-285-8809
Fifth-generation Palm Beach County resident, second-generation agent. 1,500+ homes sold. Investing in Palm Beach County real estate since 1996, licensed agent since 1998.
Email Brian@WilderREG.com
Sources: Flexmls (BeachesMLS) and the official city, county, school district and builder sources named in the text, checked on the dates shown (October 27, 2026). Figures current as of those dates. Double-check the listing you are interested in.