What does it mean when a code enforcement lien is recorded on my property?
It generally means a certified copy of an order imposing a fine in a code enforcement case was recorded in the public records, where under Chapter 162, Florida Statutes it becomes a lien on the property. The order ties back to a violation that was cited at the property and was not corrected by the compliance date set by the code enforcement board or special magistrate.
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The nuance that matters most: the lien is the money side of the case, and the violation itself may still be open. While a violation stays open, a daily fine can keep running, so correcting the condition that was cited is the part an owner can start on now — what is owed, and whether any process exists to ask about it once the property complies, is decided by the board, magistrate or local government named on the order.
How it works
In Florida, code enforcement is handled locally under Chapter 162, Florida Statutes, which lets cities and counties use either a code enforcement board or a special magistrate. A case usually begins with a notice of violation that describes the problem and gives a reasonable time to correct it. If it is not corrected, the case is set for a hearing, and the board or magistrate issues an order with a compliance date.
A fine may be imposed for each day the violation continues past that date, and a certified copy of the order imposing the fine can be recorded in the public records against the property. The exact steps, deadlines and amounts are stated on the paperwork and vary by city and county, so confirm them with the code enforcement office named on your order.
A recorded order often comes to light at a sale or a refinance, when the title search finds it — sometimes years after the original notice. In those cases the underlying condition may have changed, been partly repaired, or still be exactly as cited, so the first job is matching the order to what is actually at the property today.
What you can check yourself
- Read the order from the topFind the violation description, the compliance date, and the office and case number printed on it. That office is who answers questions about your case.
- See whether the violation is still openAn order can be recorded while the cited condition remains uncorrected. The code office named on the order can tell you the current status of the case.
- Walk the property with the order in handPhotograph each item listed — overgrowth, debris, a fence, a roof, a pool barrier, unpermitted work. Keep away from anything unsafe, children above all, and do not attempt structural or roof repairs yourself.
- Check permit historyAn open or expired permit stays on the property record until it is properly closed out. Your local building department can confirm what is open under the address.
- Note any hearing dateIf the paperwork lists another hearing, write the date down and contact the code office about it rather than letting it pass.
When to call us
Call when the order points to physical work: repairs, clean-up, a structure that has to be brought up to code, or work done earlier without a permit. The Florida Building Code (section 105.1) requires a permit for most construction, alteration and repair, and work already done without one generally has to be permitted after the fact, which can mean drawings, inspections and opening up finished surfaces so the work can be seen.
Have the notice, the recorded order and your photos ready. The estimate is free: we read the order with you, look at the property, then give the price, and work starts only once you agree it. We are a contractor, not a law firm — we do not represent owners at hearings and we do not negotiate fines or liens; questions about deadlines, hearing dates, fines and liens go to the code enforcement office named on your order, and legal questions go to a Florida attorney. Call (954) 906-7864 or send a request through the form.
What we will do
- Identify the violation behind the orderWe read the recorded order and the property record to pin down exactly which condition was cited and what the property looks like now.
- Correct the cited conditionWe repair, replace, clear or haul away what the order describes, working under our Florida Certified Building Contractor licence CBC1267336.
- Pull the permit where one is neededWe pull the permit under our licence, after-the-fact permits included. Electrical, plumbing and air-conditioning work is done by our Florida-licensed subcontractors, who pull that trade's permit.
- Schedule inspections and close outWe schedule the inspections and work to get the permit closed out with the building department with jurisdiction over the property.
- Hand you the paperworkYou get the permit and inspection records to take to the code office named on your order to show the condition has been corrected.
Work by 360 Home Improvements, Florida Certified Building Contractor CBC1267336. Electrical, plumbing and AC work goes to our Florida-licensed subcontractors, who pull that trade's permit.
Related questions
- Does fixing the violation remove the lien?
- No. A contractor fixes the property; it does not settle a lien. What is owed, and whether any process exists to ask about it once the property complies, is for the board, magistrate or local government named on the order.
- Can a city or county bill me for clearing an overgrown lot?
- Overgrown lots, junk and debris are governed by local property-maintenance ordinances rather than one statewide rule. Many local governments can, after giving notice, mow or clear a lot themselves and bill the owner or record a lien for the cost — check your local ordinance and your notice.
- The order is years old. Is it too late to do the work?
- The condition can still be corrected whenever you are ready, and doing so is what stops a violation from continuing to be open. The status of the case and anything already recorded is for the code office named on the order to confirm.
- What does a code violation repair cost?
- It depends on the scope of the violation, whether a permit or an after-the-fact permit and drawings are needed, whether finished work has to be opened up for inspection, the materials involved, and whether licensed trade work such as electrical, plumbing or AC is part of it. The estimate is free and the price is agreed before work starts.
This page is general information about Florida code enforcement, not legal advice. For questions about your own case (deadlines, hearing dates, fines or liens), contact the code enforcement office named on your notice, or a Florida attorney.
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Code Violation Solver is run by 360 Home Improvements, a licensed Florida contractor. We fix the condition behind the violation; the code office named on your notice decides the case.