Division of Community Development
Special District Accountability Program
Official List of Special Districts
Special Purpose Totals and Statutory Authority as of July 07, 2022
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 July 07, 2022.
- Affordable Housing - Total: 1 - Section 189.02, Florida Statutes
- Airports / Air Navigation Facilities - Total: 22 - Chapter 332, Florida Statutes
- Aquatic Weed Control - Total: 1 - Section 189.031, Florida Statutes
- Beach and Shore Preservation - Total: 4 - Chapter 161, Part II, Florida Statutes
- Beach Facilities - Total: 3 - General Authority
- Business Improvement - Total: 5 - Chapter 170, Florida Statutes
- Capital Improvements - Total: 6 - General Authority
- Children's Services - Total: 10 - Section 125.901, Florida Statutes
- Civic Facilities / Activities / Services - Total: 4 - General Authority
- Collaborative Client Information Systems - Total: 1 - Chapter 163, Part VI, Florida Statutes
- Common Facilities Maintenance - Total: 4 - Section 189.02, Florida Statutes
- Community Development - Total: 843 - Chapter 190, Florida Statutes
- Community Redevelopment - Total: 221 - Chapter 163, Part III, Florida Statutes
- Conservation - Total: 2 - Section 189.031, Florida Statutes
- County Development - Total: 8 - General Authority
- County Health and Mental Health Care - Total: 1 - Section 154.331, Florida Statutes
- County Road and Bridge - Total: 1 - Chapter 336, Florida Statutes
- County Water and Sewer - Total: 10 - Chapter 153, Part II, Florida Statutes
- Downtown Development / Improvement - Total: 13 - General Authority
- Drainage and/or Water Control - Total: 82 - Chapter 298, Florida Statutes
- Economic Development - Total: 15 - General Authority
- Educational Facilities Benefit - Total: 2 - Chapter 1013, Florida Statutes
- Emergency Medical Services - Total: 5 - General Authority
- Environmental Protection / Management - Total: 9 - General Authority
- Erosion Control - Total: 1 - Section 189.02, Florida Statutes
- Expressway and Bridge - Total: 6 - Chapter 348, Florida Statutes
- Fire Control and Rescue - Total: 63 - Chapter 191, Florida Statutes
- Gulf Environmental and Economic Recovery - Total: 1 - Chapters 125 and 163, Part I, Florida Statutes
- Health Care - Total: 5 - Section 189.031, Florida Statutes
- Health Facilities - Total: 25 - Chapter 154, Part III, Florida Statutes
- Higher Educational Facilities Financing - Total: 10 - Chapter 243, Part II, Florida Statutes
- Hospital - Total: 23 - Section 189.031, Florida Statutes
- Hospital - County - Total: 1 - Chapter 155, Florida Statutes
- Hospital - Lease Oversight - Total: 3 - Section 189.031, Florida Statutes
- Housing Authority - Total: 91 - Chapter 421, Part I, Florida Statutes
- Housing Finance - Total: 24 - Chapter 159, Part IV, Florida Statutes
- Human Resources - Total: 1 - Section 189.031, Florida Statutes
- Industrial Development - Total: 23 - Chapter 159, Part III, Florida Statutes
- Infrastructure Development - Total: 18 - General Authority
- Inland Navigation and Waterways - Total: 17 - Chapter 374, Florida Statutes
- Juvenile Welfare - Total: 1 - Section 125.901, Florida Statutes
- Lake and Dam Maintenance - Total: 2 - General Authority
- Land Authority - Total: 1 - Section 380.0663, Florida Statutes
- Library - Law - Total: 9 - Chapter 189, Florida Statutes
- Library - Local - Total: 15 - General Authority
- Library - Regional - Total: 6 - Section 257.171, Florida Statutes
- Licensing and Regulation - Total: 2 - Section 189.031, Florida Statutes
- Mental Health Care - Total: 1 - Section 189.02, Florida Statutes
- Mobile Home Park Recreation - Total: 2 - Section 418.30, Florida Statutes
- Mosquito Control - Total: 18 - Section 388.021, Florida Statutes
- Municipal-Type Services and Improvements - Total: 15 - General Authority
- Natural Gas Distribution and / or Transmission - Total: 3 - General Law Authority
- Neighborhood Enhancement - Total: 46 - Section 189.02, Florida Statutes
- Neighborhood Improvement - Local Gov. - Total: 18 - Section 163.506, Florida Statutes
- Neighborhood Improvement - Preserve/Enh - Total: 1 - Section 163.524, Florida Statutes
- Neighborhood Improvement - Property Own. - Total: 1 - Section 163.508, Florida Statutes
- Neighborhood Improvement - Special - Total: 2 - Section 163.511, Florida Statutes
- Nursing Home - Total: 1 - Section 189.02, Florida Statutes
- Parking Facilities - Total: 1 - General Authority
- Planning - Coordination - Total: 1 - General Authority
- Planning - Land Use and Transportation - Total: 1 - General Authority
- Planning - Regulation - Total: 1 - General Authority
- Port Facilities - Total: 15 - Chapter 315, Florida Statutes
- Qualifying Improvements to Real Property - Total: 6 - Section 163.08, Florida Statutes
- Recreational Facilities / Programs - Total: 21 - Section 418.20, Florida Statutes, Special Acts, or General Law
- Regional Transportation - Total: 3 - Chapter 343, Florida Statutes
- Regional Water - Total: 5 - General Authority
- Research and Development - Total: 5 - Chapter 159, Part V, Florida Statutes
- Road Maintenance - Total: 2 - General Authority
- Safety Enhancement - Total: 1 - Section 189.02, Florida Statutes
- Soil and Water Conservation - Total: 56 - Chapter 582, Florida Statutes
- Solid Waste Disposal - Total: 8 - General Authority
- Street Lighting - Total: 1 - Section 189.02, Florida Statutes
- Transportation Systems / Services - Total: 7 - General Authority
- Utility Systems / Services - Total: 9 - General Authority
- Water and/or Wastewater Systems - Total: 19 - General Authority
- Water Management - Total: 5 - Chapter 373, Florida Statutes
- Watershed Improvement - Total: 1 - General Authority