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Division of Community Development

Special District Accountability Program

Official List of Special Districts

Special Purpose Totals and Statutory Authority as of October 27, 2020

This page summarizes special district special purposes, the number of active special districts with that special purpose, and the most often used statutory authority under which they operate and were created.

General authority includes Sections 189.02 (dependent), 189.031 (independent), 125.01(5)(a), 163.01 (interlocal agreement), and Chapter 165, Florida Statutes (see Online Sunshine: The Florida Statutes).

Many special districts have similar special purposes but are grouped separately because of the statutory authority under which they operate and were created. For more information, see Special Purposes Cross Referenced.

Since many special districts have more than one special purpose, adding the number of special districts will not provide accurate state totals. For state totals, see Special Purpose Totals and Statutory Authority as of October 27, 2020.


  1. Affordable Housing - Total: 1 - Section 189.02, Florida Statutes
  2. Airports / Air Navigation Facilities - Total: 23 - Chapter 332, Florida Statutes
  3. Aquatic Weed Control - Total: 1 - Section 189.031, Florida Statutes
  4. Beach and Shore Preservation - Total: 4 - Chapter 161, Part II, Florida Statutes
  5. Beach Facilities - Total: 3 - General Authority
  6. Business Improvement - Total: 6 - Chapter 170, Florida Statutes
  7. Capital Improvements - Total: 6 - General Authority
  8. Childrens Services - Total: 8 - Section 125.901, Florida Statutes
  9. Civic Facilities / Activities / Services - Total: 5 - General Authority
  10. Collaborative Client Information Systems - Total: 1 - Chapter 163, Part VI, Florida Statutes
  11. Common Facilities Maintenance - Total: 4 - Section 189.02, Florida Statutes
  12. Community Development - Total: 735 - Chapter 190, Florida Statutes
  13. Community Redevelopment - Total: 224 - Chapter 163, Part III, Florida Statutes
  14. Conservation - Total: 2 - Section 189.031, Florida Statutes
  15. County Development - Total: 8 - General Authority
  16. County Fine Arts - Total: 1 - Section 265.32, Florida Statutes
  17. County Health and Mental Health Care - Total: 1 - Section 154.331, Florida Statutes
  18. County Road and Bridge - Total: 1 - Chapter 336, Florida Statutes
  19. County Water and Sewer - Total: 10 - Chapter 153, Part II, Florida Statutes
  20. Downtown Development / Improvement - Total: 14 - General Authority
  21. Drainage and/or Water Control - Total: 83 - Chapter 298, Florida Statutes
  22. Economic Development - Total: 14 - General Authority
  23. Educational Facilities Benefit - Total: 2 - Section 1013.355, Florida Statutes
  24. Emergency Medical Services - Total: 5 - General Authority
  25. Environmental Protection / Management - Total: 9 - General Authority
  26. Erosion Control - Total: 1 - Section 189.02, Florida Statutes
  27. Expressway and Bridge - Total: 6 - Chapter 348, Florida Statutes
  28. Fire Control and Rescue - Total: 64 - Chapter 191, Florida Statutes
  29. Gulf Environmental and Economic Recovery - Total: 1 - Chapters 125 and 163, Part I, Florida Statutes
  30. Health Care - Total: 5 - Section 189.031, Florida Statutes
  31. Health Facilities - Total: 26 - Chapter 154, Part III, Florida Statutes
  32. Higher Educational Facilities Financing - Total: 10 - Chapter 243, Part II, Florida Statutes
  33. Historic Preservation - Total: 1 - Chapter 266, Florida Statutes
  34. Hospital - Total: 23 - Section 189.031, Florida Statutes
  35. Hospital - County - Total: 1 - Chapter 155, Florida Statutes
  36. Hospital - Lease Oversight - Total: 3 - Section 189.031, Florida Statutes
  37. Housing Authority - Total: 91 - Chapter 421, Part I, Florida Statutes
  38. Housing Finance - Total: 24 - Chapter 159, Part IV, Florida Statutes
  39. Industrial Development - Total: 23 - Chapter 159, Part III, Florida Statutes
  40. Infrastructure Development - Total: 16 - General Authority
  41. Inland Navigation and Waterways - Total: 16 - Chapter 374, Florida Statutes
  42. Juvenile Welfare - Total: 1 - Section 125.901, Florida Statutes
  43. Lake and Dam Maintenance - Total: 2 - General Authority
  44. Land Authority - Total: 1 - Section 380.0663, Florida Statutes
  45. Library - Law - Total: 9 - Chapter 189, Florida Statutes
  46. Library - Local - Total: 15 - General Authority
  47. Library - Regional - Total: 6 - Section 257.171, Florida Statutes
  48. Licensing and Regulation - Total: 2 - Section 189.031, Florida Statutes
  49. Mobile Home Park Recreation - Total: 2 - Section 418.30, Florida Statutes
  50. Mosquito Control - Total: 18 - Section 388.021, Florida Statutes
  51. Municipal-Type Services and Improvements - Total: 15 - General Authority
  52. Natural Gas Distribution and / or Transmission - Total: 3 - General Law Authority
  53. Neighborhood Enhancement - Total: 47 - Section 189.02, Florida Statutes
  54. Neighborhood Improvement - Local Gov. - Total: 23 - Section 163.506, Florida Statutes
  55. Neighborhood Improvement - Preserve/Enh - Total: 1 - Section 163.524, Florida Statutes
  56. Neighborhood Improvement - Property Own. - Total: 1 - Section 163.508, Florida Statutes
  57. Neighborhood Improvement - Special - Total: 2 - Section 163.511, Florida Statutes
  58. Nursing Home - Total: 1 - Section 189.02, Florida Statutes
  59. Parking Facilities - Total: 1 - General Authority
  60. Personnel Management - Total: 1 - Section 189.031, Florida Statutes
  61. Planning - Coordination - Total: 1 - General Authority
  62. Planning - Land Use and Transportation - Total: 1 - General Authority
  63. Planning - Regulation - Total: 1 - General Authority
  64. Port Facilities - Total: 15 - Chapter 315, Florida Statutes
  65. Qualifying Improvements to Real Property - Total: 6 - Section 163.08, Florida Statutes
  66. Recreational Facilities / Programs - Total: 22 - s. 418.20, F. S., Special Acts, or General Law
  67. Regional Transportation - Total: 3 - Chapter 343, Florida Statutes
  68. Regional Water - Total: 6 - General Authority
  69. Research and Development - Total: 5 - Chapter 159, Part V, Florida Statutes
  70. Road Maintenance - Total: 2 - General Authority
  71. Safety Enhancement - Total: 1 - Section 189.02, Florida Statutes
  72. Soil and Water Conservation - Total: 56 - Chapter 582, Florida Statutes
  73. Solid Waste Disposal - Total: 8 - General Authority
  74. Street Lighting - Total: 1 - Section 189.02, Florida Statutes
  75. Transportation Systems / Services - Total: 8 - General Authority
  76. Utility Systems / Services - Total: 8 - General Authority
  77. Water and/or Wastewater Systems - Total: 20 - General Authority
  78. Water Management - Total: 5 - Chapter 373, Florida Statutes
  79. Watershed Improvement - Total: 1 - General Authority