Report a Code Violation (Unincorporated Lee County)
- Code
Enforcement Specialists cover Lee County’s unincorporated areas. If you’re
uncertain about the location of a potential violation, click on the link above
to find out if the property is within the unincorporated portion of the county.
- If
you are within an incorporated area, please contact your city/town/village
directly for information about their code enforcement services.
- We may already be investigating the issue. Using the link above, search by address or parcel number; look for records that begin with CPL or VIO.
- Use the interactive story map to view and track active nuisance accumulation violation cases.
- View what Code Enforcement investigates below. For issues Code Enforcement does not investigate, use the links to connect with the appropriate enforement agency.
- File a compliant online or email CodeEnforcement@leegov.com or call 239-533-8895. When filing a compliant, you must include the address of the property in question.
- If you filed a complaint, you can follow the status here. Search by record, address or parcel number.
Important Notice
- Under Florida Statute 125.69, anyone reporting a potential code violation must provide their full name and address.
- Lee County does not accept anonymous complaints and will not create a case without this required information. Your name and address may be verified through public records.
- Please be aware that Florida has a broad public records law, meaning any information you provide, including your name and address, will become part of the public record and may be disclosed upon request.
Complaint & Inspection Process
- Upon receiving a complaint, staff conducts an inspection and investigation to determine whether a code violation exists.
- If a violation is found, a Notice of Violation (NOV) is issued to the property owner. The NOV includes:
- A description of the violation
- A compliance deadline
- Contact information for the Code Enforcement Specialist handling the case
- Cases not brought into compliance by the deadline may be presented to the Lee County Hearing Examiner, who determines:
- Whether the violation is valid
- A new compliance deadline
- Any applicable fines
- Once compliance is achieved and verified by a compliance inspector, the case is closed.
What to Do If You Receive a Code Violation Notice
Review the Notice Carefully
- Review the Notive of Violation (NOV) to understand the issue and what needs to be corrected.
- If anything is unclear, contact the Code Enforcement Specialist listed on your notice. The assigned Code Enforcement Specialist is a resource and can respond to questions about the NOV, provide guidance on corrective actions, and address concerns about the follow-up process and timeline.
Don’t Ignore the Violation
- Failing to respond can lead to serious consequences, including:
- Daily accumulating fines
- Property liens
- Court action, such as foreclosure
- For structures deemed unsafe by the Building Official, demolition orders
- Addressing the violation promptly is the best way to avoid penalties.
Correct the Violation
Take action as soon as possible. Once your compliance period ends, the property will be re-inspected. If the violation is resolved, your case will be closed.
Request More Time (If Needed)
If more time is required to complete the corrective actions, the Code Enforcement Specialist may be able to work with you to grant an extension, depending on the circumstances.
Code Enforcement Hearing
The hearing process is required for cases that remain out of compliance after the NOV deadline. The Hearing Examiner, after receiving testimony under oath, may:
- Issue orders with the force of law requiring actions necessary for compliance.
- Levy fines up to:
- $1,000 for a first violation (per day) or
- $5,000 for a repeat violation (per day)
- Assess property liens if violations remain uncorrected after the timeframe specified in the Hearing Examiner’s order.
Hearing Schedule & Location
Code Enforcement Hearings are typically held the first and third Mondays and Tuesdays of each month at the Lee County Public Works Building, 1500 Monroe Street, 2nd Floor, Fort Myers, FL.
Lien Mitigation Request
- A lien mitigation request form may be completed to request the fine or assessed costs resulting from a Hearing Examiner's order be reduced.
- Lien mitigation requests are only considered after the violation has been corrected.
- The Hearing Examiner does not have the authority to mitigate liens resulting from costs for the county to abate i.e. lot mowing, nusiance accummulation removal, or unsafe structure demolition and removal.
Resources
Frequently Asked Questions - Review Code Enforcement FAQ's in the Community Development Knowledge Base.
Nuisance Accumulation Interactive Story Map - Learn how Nuisance Accumulation is managed in Lee County using our Interactive Story Map.
Common Code Violations
What Lee County Code Enforcement Investigates:
- Overgrown grass / lot mowing issues
- Trash and nuisance accumulation (on private property)
- Inoperable, unlicensed, or abandoned vehicles (on private property)
- Building without permits or with expired permits
- Signs in the public right of way
- Zoning violations or unpermitted uses
- General building maintenance and unsafe structures
- Dock and shoreline issues
- Environmental issues, including:
- Non-compliance with landscaping codes, development order requirements, and/or zoning conditions
- Tree protection violations
- Sea turtle protection regulations
- Indigenous preserve and exotic vegetation removal
- Protected species management plans & monitoring reports
What We Do NOT Investigate:
Please contact the responsible enforcement agency to report a violation regarding any of the above issues.
Contact Lee County Code Enforcement
Phone: 239-533-8895
Lee County Code Enforcement covers Lee County unincorporated areas. For information about the code enforcement process within one of Lee County's municipalities, please contact them directly.