Highlands County impact fees by project type
Where in Highlands County are you building?
Each jurisdiction applies its own fee schedule. Pick yours. = one or more fees are unconfirmed or have no published amount; the figure shown may not be the complete cost.
Unincorporated Highlands County: Single-Family Impact Fees
Unincorporated Highlands County has no published impact fee amounts for a new single-family home (rates sourced July 13, 2026). The schedule below documents the status of each fee.
Sewer Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated) and Water Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated) are set by the utility and not published online. County Impact Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated) is set by the county and has no published standard rate. Contact the levying jurisdiction or utility to verify before budgeting; they are not included as dollar figures here.
View the full fee schedule
- Water Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated)Requires confirmationNo county-owned water utility. Unincorporated parcels are served provider-by-provider: Lake Placid Regional Utility (LPRU) explicitly serves the surrounding unincorporated area (Town Code §135-205 water SDC, 3/4" = $1,800 inside Town; out-of-town rates 25%+ higher per §135-206 → ≈$2,250, plus $500 meter setting); Sun 'n Lake of Sebring and Spring Lake improvement districts serve their own areas; elsewhere private wells or PSC-regulated private utilities. $0 + Unconfirmed because there is no single countywide charge. VERIFY per-parcel provider: Highlands County Development Services (863) 402-6650.
- Sewer Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated)Requires confirmationNo county-owned sewer utility. Unincorporated parcels are served provider-by-provider: Lake Placid Regional Utility (LPRU) explicitly serves the surrounding unincorporated area (Town Code §135-304 sewer SDC, 3/4" meter = $3,200 inside Town; out-of-town rates are 25%+ higher per §135-206 → ≈$4,000); Sun 'n Lake of Sebring and Spring Lake improvement districts serve their own areas; elsewhere private septic or PSC-regulated private utilities. $0 + Unconfirmed because there is no single countywide charge. VERIFY per-parcel provider: Highlands County Development Services (863) 402-6650.
- City Impact Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated — N/A)$0.00Unincorporated area — no municipal government, so no city-level impact fees apply. County overlay impact fees are tracked separately (currently suspended, see County record).
- County Impact Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated)Requires confirmationHighlands CountyCode Ch. 13 (Ord. 05-06-44, eff. 1/1/2007) imposes county impact fees countywide (§13-51). §13-29(3) (Ord. 24-25-014) suspended all §§13-21—13-28 fees 'through and including June 30, 2026' — that suspension has now LAPSED (Municode current 7/1/2026; no further extension codified). New impact fee study (final report Apr 2026) went to BCC workshop 5/12/2026; NO fee/rate adopted as of 7/12/2026 (proposed ~$20,000/SFR). $0 + Unconfirmed pending confirmation of what the county is actually collecting today. VERIFY: Development Services (863) 402-6650 / lsauls@highlandsfl.gov.
Where in Highlands County are you building?
Each jurisdiction applies its own fee schedule. Pick yours. = one or more fees are unconfirmed or have no published amount; the figure shown may not be the complete cost.
Unincorporated Highlands County: Multifamily Impact Fees
Unincorporated Highlands County has no published impact fee amounts for a new multifamily unit (rates sourced July 13, 2026). The schedule below documents the status of each fee.
Water Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated, MF) and Sewer Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated, MF) are set by the utility and not published online. County Impact Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated, MF) is set by the county and has no published standard rate. Contact the levying jurisdiction or utility to verify before budgeting; they are not included as dollar figures here.
View the full fee schedule
- Water Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated, MF)Requires confirmationNo county-owned water utility; provider varies by parcel. Lake Placid Regional Utility serves the surrounding unincorporated area — its MF water SDC is the greater of $650/unit (inside Town; out-of-town 25%+ higher → ≈$813) or the installed meter-size SDC (Town Code §135-205(2), §135-206). Sun 'n Lake and Spring Lake improvement districts serve their own areas; elsewhere private wells / PSC-regulated utilities. $0 + Unconfirmed — no single countywide charge. VERIFY per-parcel provider: (863) 402-6650.
- Sewer Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated, MF)Requires confirmationNo county-owned sewer utility; provider varies by parcel. Lake Placid Regional Utility serves the surrounding unincorporated area — its sewer SDC is by water meter size, not per unit (Town Code §135-304(B); out-of-town 25%+ higher per §135-206). Sun 'n Lake and Spring Lake improvement districts serve their own areas; elsewhere private septic / PSC-regulated utilities. $0 + Unconfirmed — no single countywide charge and no per-unit basis. VERIFY per-parcel provider: (863) 402-6650.
- City Impact Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated — N/A, MF)$0.00Unincorporated area — no municipal government, so no city-level impact fees apply. County overlay impact fees are tracked separately (currently suspended, see County record).
- County Impact Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated, MF)Requires confirmationHighlands CountyCode Ch. 13 (Ord. 05-06-44) county impact fees apply countywide and carry a separate multifamily rate column. §13-29(3) (Ord. 24-25-014) suspended all §§13-21—13-28 fees 'through and including June 30, 2026' — that suspension has now LAPSED (Municode current 7/1/2026; no further extension codified). New impact fee study went to BCC workshop 5/12/2026; NO fee/rate adopted as of 7/12/2026. $0 + Unconfirmed. VERIFY: Development Services (863) 402-6650 / lsauls@highlandsfl.gov.
Where in Highlands County are you building?
Each jurisdiction applies its own fee schedule. Pick yours. Totals shown are for a 50,000 sq ft building, including one-time water/sewer fees (assuming a 1-inch meter). * = one-time water/sewer connection charges only; no per-sq-ft impact fee schedule sourced for that jurisdiction. = one or more fees are unconfirmed or have no published amount; the figure shown may not be the complete cost.
Unincorporated Highlands County: Commercial Impact Fees
Commercial development in unincorporated Highlands County pays no per-square-foot impact fees (rates sourced July 13, 2026).
Sewer Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated) and Water Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated) are set by the utility and not published online. County Impact Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated, Commercial) is set by the county and has no published standard rate. Contact the levying jurisdiction or utility to verify before budgeting; they are not included as dollar figures here.
View the full fee schedule
- Water Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated)Requires confirmationVarious — no county water utility$0 + UNCONFIRMED — NO county-owned water utility, so there is no single countywide nonres connection/capacity charge. Unincorporated parcels are served provider-by-provider; VERIFY the provider for a given parcel and use that provider's nonres meter schedule: Highlands County Development Services (863) 402-6650. Known providers: (1) CITY OF SEBRING serves outlying unincorporated subdivisions (Sebring Hills, Sebring Country Estates, Lake Haven Estates, Highway 27 South) — Res. 2025-23 (eff. 11/1/2025) OUTSIDE-city commercial connection fee ladder: 3/4" $1,348.32; 1" $2,280.86; 1.5" $4,713.86; 2" $9,044.71; 3" $20,245.69; 4" $36,437.26; 6" $80,847.43; 8" $153,610.11, plus the outside-city meter setting charge (1" = $1,017.79) and, in those four subdivisions, an additional system development charge ($267.56–$535.12 per 3/4" meter, scaled proportionately for larger meters). (2) LAKE PLACID REGIONAL UTILITY (LPRU) serves the unincorporated area around the Town — its §135-205(2) meter ladder applies with the out-of-town uplift of 25%+ (§135-206), so a 1" nonres service is at least $5,625 SDC plus at least $844 meter setting. (3) Sun 'n Lake of Sebring and Spring Lake improvement districts serve their own areas under their own schedules. (4) Elsewhere: private wells or PSC-regulated private utilities. Audited 7/13/2026.
- Sewer Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated)Requires confirmationVarious — no county sewer utility$0 + UNCONFIRMED — NO county-owned sewer utility, so there is no single countywide nonres connection/capacity charge. Unincorporated parcels are served provider-by-provider; VERIFY the provider for a given parcel and use that provider's nonres meter schedule: Highlands County Development Services (863) 402-6650. Known providers: (1) CITY OF SEBRING serves outlying unincorporated subdivisions — Res. 2025-23 (eff. 11/1/2025) sets outside-city sewer connection fees at 125% of the inside-city ladder: 3/4" $2,128.52; 1" $3,624.48; 1.5" $7,461.83; 2" $14,151.68; 3" $31,978.79; 4" $57,561.53; 6" $127,921.16; 8" $243,078.68. (2) LAKE PLACID REGIONAL UTILITY (LPRU) serves the unincorporated area around the Town — its §135-304 meter ladder applies with the out-of-town uplift of 25%+ (§135-206), so a 1" nonres service is at least $6,825. (3) Sun 'n Lake of Sebring and Spring Lake improvement districts serve their own areas under their own schedules. (4) Elsewhere: private septic or PSC-regulated private utilities. Audited 7/13/2026.
- City Impact Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated — N/A, Commercial)$0.00Highlands CountyUnincorporated area — no municipal government, so no city-level impact fee can apply. Confirmed $0 by definition. County overlay impact fees (Ch. 13) are tracked in the separate County record for this jurisdiction.
- County Impact Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated, Commercial)Requires confirmationHighlands CountyHighlands County Code Ch. 13 (Ord. 05-06-44, eff. 1/1/2007). In the unincorporated area the nonres components are Transportation (§13-28), EMS (§13-24) and Fire Rescue (§13-23). Correctional (§13-21), Law Enforcement (§13-22), Library (§13-25), Parks & Recreation (§13-26) and Education (§13-27) are residential-only and publish no nonres rows. §13-29(3) suspended ALL §§13-21—13-28 fees 'through and including June 30, 2026' — lapsed on paper (Municode current through 7/1/2026; no further extension codified) — but the county has collected no impact fees since 2009 and its own Impact Fee Study page (checked 7/12/2026) states the Board has yet to decide which fees to adopt and at what rate following the 5/12/2026 workshop on the April 2026 consultant report. §13-29(2) further imposes these fees at only 30% of the codified rate, subject to annual index resolutions (none adopted since 2009). $0 + Unconfirmed. Codified (suspended) nonres Commercial rates, per 1,000 sf, schedule row 'Retail 50,000 gsf or less' (ITE 820): Transportation $12,153; EMS $113.65; Fire Rescue $1,261.42. Retail measured on gross LEASABLE area per §13-2(a)(8). Transportation and Parks fees are split into Avon Park / Sebring / Lake Placid benefit districts, but the nonres rate table is countywide (single rate). VERIFY: Development Services (863) 402-6650 / lsauls@highlandsfl.gov.
Where in Highlands County are you building?
Each jurisdiction applies its own fee schedule. Pick yours. Totals shown are for a 50,000 sq ft building, including one-time water/sewer fees (assuming a 1-inch meter). * = one-time water/sewer connection charges only; no per-sq-ft impact fee schedule sourced for that jurisdiction. = one or more fees are unconfirmed or have no published amount; the figure shown may not be the complete cost.
Unincorporated Highlands County: Industrial Impact Fees
Industrial development in unincorporated Highlands County pays no per-square-foot impact fees (rates sourced July 13, 2026).
Sewer Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated) and Water Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated) are set by the utility and not published online. County Impact Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated, Industrial) is set by the county and has no published standard rate. Contact the levying jurisdiction or utility to verify before budgeting; they are not included as dollar figures here.
View the full fee schedule
- Water Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated)Requires confirmationVarious — no county water utility$0 + UNCONFIRMED — NO county-owned water utility, so there is no single countywide nonres connection/capacity charge. Unincorporated parcels are served provider-by-provider; VERIFY the provider for a given parcel and use that provider's nonres meter schedule: Highlands County Development Services (863) 402-6650. Known providers: (1) CITY OF SEBRING serves outlying unincorporated subdivisions (Sebring Hills, Sebring Country Estates, Lake Haven Estates, Highway 27 South) — Res. 2025-23 (eff. 11/1/2025) OUTSIDE-city commercial connection fee ladder: 3/4" $1,348.32; 1" $2,280.86; 1.5" $4,713.86; 2" $9,044.71; 3" $20,245.69; 4" $36,437.26; 6" $80,847.43; 8" $153,610.11, plus the outside-city meter setting charge (1" = $1,017.79) and, in those four subdivisions, an additional system development charge ($267.56–$535.12 per 3/4" meter, scaled proportionately for larger meters). (2) LAKE PLACID REGIONAL UTILITY (LPRU) serves the unincorporated area around the Town — its §135-205(2) meter ladder applies with the out-of-town uplift of 25%+ (§135-206), so a 1" nonres service is at least $5,625 SDC plus at least $844 meter setting. (3) Sun 'n Lake of Sebring and Spring Lake improvement districts serve their own areas under their own schedules. (4) Elsewhere: private wells or PSC-regulated private utilities. Audited 7/13/2026.
- Sewer Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated)Requires confirmationVarious — no county sewer utility$0 + UNCONFIRMED — NO county-owned sewer utility, so there is no single countywide nonres connection/capacity charge. Unincorporated parcels are served provider-by-provider; VERIFY the provider for a given parcel and use that provider's nonres meter schedule: Highlands County Development Services (863) 402-6650. Known providers: (1) CITY OF SEBRING serves outlying unincorporated subdivisions — Res. 2025-23 (eff. 11/1/2025) sets outside-city sewer connection fees at 125% of the inside-city ladder: 3/4" $2,128.52; 1" $3,624.48; 1.5" $7,461.83; 2" $14,151.68; 3" $31,978.79; 4" $57,561.53; 6" $127,921.16; 8" $243,078.68. (2) LAKE PLACID REGIONAL UTILITY (LPRU) serves the unincorporated area around the Town — its §135-304 meter ladder applies with the out-of-town uplift of 25%+ (§135-206), so a 1" nonres service is at least $6,825. (3) Sun 'n Lake of Sebring and Spring Lake improvement districts serve their own areas under their own schedules. (4) Elsewhere: private septic or PSC-regulated private utilities. Audited 7/13/2026.
- City Impact Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated — N/A, Industrial)$0.00Highlands CountyUnincorporated area — no municipal government, so no city-level impact fee can apply. Confirmed $0 by definition. County overlay impact fees (Ch. 13) are tracked in the separate County record for this jurisdiction.
- County Impact Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated, Industrial)Requires confirmationHighlands CountyHighlands County Code Ch. 13 (Ord. 05-06-44, eff. 1/1/2007). Unincorporated nonres components: Transportation (§13-28), EMS (§13-24), Fire Rescue (§13-23). Correctional, Law Enforcement, Library, Parks and Education fees are residential-only. §13-29(3) suspended ALL §§13-21—13-28 fees through and including 6/30/2026 — lapsed on paper (Municode current 7/1/2026; no further extension codified) — but the county has collected no impact fees since 2009 and its Impact Fee Study page (checked 7/12/2026) says the Board has yet to decide which fees to adopt and at what rate after the 5/12/2026 workshop. §13-29(2) imposes these at only 30% of the codified rate, subject to annual index resolutions (none since 2009). $0 + Unconfirmed. Codified (suspended) nonres Industrial rates, per 1,000 sf GFA, schedule row 'General industrial/industrial park' (ITE 110): Transportation $4,663; EMS $27.32; Fire Rescue $303.27. VERIFY: Development Services (863) 402-6650 / lsauls@highlandsfl.gov.
Where in Highlands County are you building?
Each jurisdiction applies its own fee schedule. Pick yours. Totals shown are for a 25,000 sq ft building, including one-time water/sewer fees (assuming a 1-inch meter). * = one-time water/sewer connection charges only; no per-sq-ft impact fee schedule sourced for that jurisdiction. = one or more fees are unconfirmed or have no published amount; the figure shown may not be the complete cost.
Unincorporated Highlands County: Office Impact Fees
Office development in unincorporated Highlands County pays no per-square-foot impact fees (rates sourced July 13, 2026).
Sewer Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated) and Water Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated) are set by the utility and not published online. County Impact Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated, Office) is set by the county and has no published standard rate. Contact the levying jurisdiction or utility to verify before budgeting; they are not included as dollar figures here.
View the full fee schedule
- Water Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated)Requires confirmationVarious — no county water utility$0 + UNCONFIRMED — NO county-owned water utility, so there is no single countywide nonres connection/capacity charge. Unincorporated parcels are served provider-by-provider; VERIFY the provider for a given parcel and use that provider's nonres meter schedule: Highlands County Development Services (863) 402-6650. Known providers: (1) CITY OF SEBRING serves outlying unincorporated subdivisions (Sebring Hills, Sebring Country Estates, Lake Haven Estates, Highway 27 South) — Res. 2025-23 (eff. 11/1/2025) OUTSIDE-city commercial connection fee ladder: 3/4" $1,348.32; 1" $2,280.86; 1.5" $4,713.86; 2" $9,044.71; 3" $20,245.69; 4" $36,437.26; 6" $80,847.43; 8" $153,610.11, plus the outside-city meter setting charge (1" = $1,017.79) and, in those four subdivisions, an additional system development charge ($267.56–$535.12 per 3/4" meter, scaled proportionately for larger meters). (2) LAKE PLACID REGIONAL UTILITY (LPRU) serves the unincorporated area around the Town — its §135-205(2) meter ladder applies with the out-of-town uplift of 25%+ (§135-206), so a 1" nonres service is at least $5,625 SDC plus at least $844 meter setting. (3) Sun 'n Lake of Sebring and Spring Lake improvement districts serve their own areas under their own schedules. (4) Elsewhere: private wells or PSC-regulated private utilities. Audited 7/13/2026.
- Sewer Connection Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated)Requires confirmationVarious — no county sewer utility$0 + UNCONFIRMED — NO county-owned sewer utility, so there is no single countywide nonres connection/capacity charge. Unincorporated parcels are served provider-by-provider; VERIFY the provider for a given parcel and use that provider's nonres meter schedule: Highlands County Development Services (863) 402-6650. Known providers: (1) CITY OF SEBRING serves outlying unincorporated subdivisions — Res. 2025-23 (eff. 11/1/2025) sets outside-city sewer connection fees at 125% of the inside-city ladder: 3/4" $2,128.52; 1" $3,624.48; 1.5" $7,461.83; 2" $14,151.68; 3" $31,978.79; 4" $57,561.53; 6" $127,921.16; 8" $243,078.68. (2) LAKE PLACID REGIONAL UTILITY (LPRU) serves the unincorporated area around the Town — its §135-304 meter ladder applies with the out-of-town uplift of 25%+ (§135-206), so a 1" nonres service is at least $6,825. (3) Sun 'n Lake of Sebring and Spring Lake improvement districts serve their own areas under their own schedules. (4) Elsewhere: private septic or PSC-regulated private utilities. Audited 7/13/2026.
- City Impact Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated — N/A, Office)$0.00Highlands CountyUnincorporated area — no municipal government, so no city-level impact fee can apply. Confirmed $0 by definition. County overlay impact fees (Ch. 13) are tracked in the separate County record for this jurisdiction.
- County Impact Fee (Highlands County Unincorporated, Office)Requires confirmationHighlands CountyHighlands County Code Ch. 13 (Ord. 05-06-44, eff. 1/1/2007). Unincorporated nonres components: Transportation (§13-28), EMS (§13-24), Fire Rescue (§13-23). Correctional, Law Enforcement, Library, Parks and Education fees are residential-only. §13-29(3) suspended ALL §§13-21—13-28 fees through and including 6/30/2026 — lapsed on paper (Municode current 7/1/2026; no further extension codified) — but the county has collected no impact fees since 2009 and its Impact Fee Study page (checked 7/12/2026) says the Board has yet to decide which fees to adopt and at what rate after the 5/12/2026 workshop. §13-29(2) imposes these at only 30% of the codified rate, subject to annual index resolutions (none since 2009). $0 + Unconfirmed. Codified (suspended) nonres Office rates, per 1,000 sf GFA, schedule row 'Office 50,000 sf or less' (ITE 710 — the tier containing 25,000 sf): Transportation $12,380; EMS $66.13; Fire Rescue $734.00. VERIFY: Development Services (863) 402-6650 / lsauls@highlandsfl.gov.
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How impact fees work in Florida
Florida impact fees are one-time charges on new development, governed by Section 163.31801, Florida Statutes (the Florida Impact Fee Act). The statute requires fees to be based on the most recent and localized data, spent on the infrastructure category they were collected for, and adopted by ordinance.
Since 2021, the law also limits how fast fees can rise: increases up to 25% phase in over two years, increases of 25–50% phase in over four years, and increases above 50% are allowed only with a demonstrated extraordinary-circumstances study and at least a two-thirds vote of the governing body.
Counties and cities can both levy impact fees. Inside an incorporated city, a project typically pays the county's countywide fees plus any municipal fees the city has adopted, which is why totals differ between a city and the unincorporated county around it.
Frequently asked questions
How much are commercial impact fees in Highlands County?
Unincorporated Highlands County does not currently levy impact fees on commercial development.
Do cities in Highlands County charge their own impact fees?
Yes. Every incorporated city applies its own fee schedule. 3 of 3 cities in Highlands County levy municipal impact or utility fees; each city page shows the full schedule that applies inside its limits.
Can Florida impact fees increase at any time?
No. Section 163.31801, Florida Statutes limits increases to 50% at most, phased in over two to four years, unless the local government makes extraordinary-circumstances findings and approves the increase by at least a two-thirds vote.
Fee amounts on this page are compiled from official published schedules and are provided for planning purposes only. Rates change, and project specifics (unit size, meter size, location within special districts) can alter what applies. Always verify current fees with the jurisdiction and utility before relying on them.