Artificial turf installation
Artificial Turf in Tampa Bay, Installed to Florida's 2026 Rule
4.7 170+ Google reviewsFree on-site estimatesOver 35 years creating Florida-friendly landscapes
Built to Florida's synthetic turf rule with a draining stone base. Free on-site estimate.
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Artificial turf in Tampa Bay, on single-family lots of 1 acre or less, now has statewide minimum standards: Florida Rule 62-308.100, effective May 19, 2026. It sets limits on infill, drainage, edges and trees, and it bars turf in swales and ditches. Inside the City of Tampa, a permit adds plan review and one final inspection. Medscapes installs turf built to Florida's synthetic turf rule, and the estimate is free and on site.
- State rule
- Rule 62-308.100, effective May 19, 2026
- Infill
- Natural material or coated silica sand; rubber only in a playground equipment footprint (not in Tampa)
- City of Tampa
- Plan review, one final inspection
- Estimate
- Free and on site
Side yards, dog runs and worn spots on a Tampa Bay lot
- Side yards
- As of November 2026, Rule 62-308.100 bars turf in a swale, ditch or stormwater pond, and the City of Tampa also bars right-of-way and public easement areas. A strip between the house and the fence still has to stay out of tree drip lines and add no runoff toward a neighbor's lot.
- Dog runs and worn spots
- UF/IFAS Extension says dead spots from high traffic and animal waste can ruin a green lawn, and pet urine is a major culprit of lawn damage from dogs. Artificial turf is one way to cover a patch worn out like that, and the rule's infill, drainage and edge limits still apply to it.
- Under trees
- The drip line sets the limit: no turf inside a tree's drip line, on your lot or a neighbor's, unless a certified arborist certifies it would not harm the tree, or Chapter 581 defines the tree as noxious.
Sources: Rule 62-308.100, Synthetic Turf; City of Tampa turf page; UF/IFAS Extension, lawn care with dogs.
Florida's May 2026 turf rule: what it requires
As of November 2026, Florida Rule 62-308.100 is final, effective May 19, 2026. It sets minimum installation standards for synthetic turf on single-family lots of 1 acre or less, and under FS 125.572(3) a local government may not adopt or enforce synthetic turf rules that are inconsistent with them.
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issues no turf permit and runs no inspections, and it directs questions about local permitting to your local government. DEP's FAQ adds that the rule does not cover condominiums, duplexes, parks, athletic fields or commercial properties.
- Materials: no heavy metals or intentionally added PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in turf, backing or infill, and all of it disposable under normal conditions at a permitted Florida landfill.
- Stormwater: designed to prevent pooling or an increase in runoff to adjacent properties, with runoff directed to pervious ground on your lot where possible, and no change to the permitted stormwater system.
- Sprinklers: in-ground irrigation cannot water turf areas, and where a system is already installed, a local government may require heads removed and pipe capped.
- Waterbodies: where no buffer zone has been established, turf stays at least 10 feet from a natural or man-made waterbody, unless a physical barrier such as a seawall or bulkhead sits between.
- Edges: anchored at all edges and seams against wind and flooding, installed to the manufacturer's specifications, with septic tank access left clear.
Sources: Rule 62-308.100, Synthetic Turf; DEP rule FAQ; FS 125.572.
The state rule and the City of Tampa, point by point
Inside the City of Tampa, the state rule and the City's own policies apply together. The City names a narrower infill list, a stone grade for pervious credit and a Forester review of trees.
| Point | Florida rule | City of Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Infill | Clean silica sand, rock, shell or other natural material, or coated silica sand; rubber only in playground footprints | Clean silica sand and/or zeolite only; rubber not permitted |
| Base stone | Natural material or compliant crushed concrete, washed so fines do not bind | For pervious credit: 4 inches or more of clean washed stone meeting Florida DOT (FDOT) grades #89, #57 or #4 (#89 minimum), no screenings |
| Permeability | Permeable turf and backing over a pervious subgrade; a local government may set a permeability standard of up to 10 inches an hour for all layers | For pervious credit: at least 10 inches an hour for the turf and all other layers; no impermeable layer such as visqueen |
| Trees | No turf inside a drip line, on your lot or a neighbor's, unless a certified arborist certifies it would not harm the tree or Chapter 581, F.S., defines the tree as noxious | The City Forester Examiner reviews separation from trees and roots; the plan shows on-site trees and trees within 20 feet of the property; the City's example site plan marks tree protection zones where turf is not allowed |
| Off limits | Swales, ditches, stormwater ponds | Also right-of-way and public easements |
| Permit | DEP issues none | Verification Statement, site plan, plan review, one final inspection |
Sources: City of Tampa turf page; City of Tampa permit packet.
The Tampa permit, from site plan to final inspection
As of November 2026, the City requires a Business Tax License and workers' compensation insurance before it issues a turf permit, and a historic district can add Historic Preservation approval.
- Apply
The City record is a BLD Miscellaneous permit, type Driveway, Patio Slab, Deck, and the City says the turf installer should add a license to the record.
- Submit
A site plan shows lot coverage, boundaries and trees on the lot or within 20 feet of the property, plus a cross-section of the turf system. The construction plan adds grades, drainage and utilities.
- Review
City plan review follows, and the City Forester Examiner reviews proposed turf areas for separation from trees and roots. A civil engineer's seal is not typically required, though the City reserves the right to require sealed plans.
- Finish
The approved plan stays on site. Before the one inspection, the Verification Statement goes on the permit record. The City says the form must be notarized, and it certifies the installation as pervious and built to the City's stormwater and tree codes. The product documents and an FDOT receipt of purchase or verification are also required. When the BLD Final passes, the permit is complete.
Sources: City of Tampa turf page; City of Tampa permit packet.
A turf installation, from estimate to final inspection
Estimate
Doug walks the yard and writes the quote himself. The estimate is free and on site.
Permits and 811
We pull the permits your job needs and call Sunshine 811 before digging on every job that needs it. Florida's one-call law sets the notice at least 2 full business days before excavation.
Built to the rule
The turf goes on a draining stone base, built to Florida's synthetic turf rule. The rule sets the drainage, stone, edge and infill requirements, and the City of Tampa adds its own limits on stone and infill.
Final inspection
Inside the City of Tampa, one BLD Final inspection closes the permit.
Sources: FS 556.105, Sunshine 811 notice.
Artificial turf and your HOA: what Florida law covers
As of November 2026, FS 720.3045 says an association may not restrict a parcel owner from installing items that are not visible from the parcel's frontage, an adjacent parcel, an adjacent common area or a community golf course, unless a general law or local ordinance prohibits them. The statute names artificial turf.
Turf that is in view
FS 720.3045 protects only items that are not visible from the places it lists, so it gives no protection to turf that is. DEP's FAQ states that the state rule does not address HOA requirements, deed restrictions or other private agreements. Read your association's documents before you sign a contract.
Community development districts
As of November 2026, FS 125.572(3)(b) says the limits it places on local governments do not apply to a community development district's resolutions, orders, rules or policies that enforce deed restrictions.
Sources: FS 720.3045; FS 125.572.
Surface heat on artificial turf
A UF/IFAS turfgrass scientist says natural turf was often more than 10 C (18 F) cooler than synthetic turf and water-scarce landscapes such as xeriscapes in a California study. He adds that on the hottest summer days artificial turf surfaces can reach 79 C (174 F), hot enough to burn skin, while natural turf stays closer to 39 C (102 F).
The study used airborne thermal imaging of four Southern California counties in the summers of 2018 and 2019. CSA News reports daytime surface temperatures on natural turf 2.17 to 7.71 C cooler than on artificial turf near the coast and 4.47 to 18.41 C cooler inland.
The scientist calls the study a cautionary tale for Florida, which is wetter and more humid than California, and says that in Florida's humid climate, replacing a lawn can make backyards and neighborhoods feel hotter. He adds that in some cases homeowners may end up watering artificial turf to make it tolerable.
Sources: UF/IFAS news, July 30, 2025; CSA News, June 12, 2025.
Turf or sod for the same patch
UF/IFAS says a zoysia or St. Augustine lawn does not perform as well without supplemental irrigation in dry periods.
UF/IFAS rates wear tolerance poor to fair for St. Augustine, good to excellent for zoysia and excellent for Bermuda, and it rates Bermuda poor in shade. Medscapes also lays St. Augustine, zoysia and Bermuda sod.
Sources: UF/IFAS Extension LH005.
A turf quote starts with Doug Wilson in your yard
- Doug Wilson, Director of Operations, walks every yard and writes every quote himself
- One crew handles landscape design, installation and artificial turf
- Over 35 years creating all types of Florida-friendly landscapes, and over 100 years of combined experience across Doug and his team
- Licensed and insured, with references available on request
Where we install turf
Outside the City of Tampa, questions about a turf permit go to the local government that covers your address; DEP issues none. We pull the permits your job needs. Medscapes works from Wesley Chapel across Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, from Land O' Lakes, Odessa and Trinity to Tampa, New Tampa, Lutz, Westchase and Carrollwood.
- Wesley Chapel
- Land O' Lakes
- Odessa
- Trinity
- Tampa
- New Tampa
- Lutz
- Westchase
- Carrollwood
Paver paths, a driveway and planted beds from our jobs
Paver and flagstone paths, a paver driveway, planted beds and potted plants on Medscapes jobs.
What homeowners say about the crew
4.7170+ reviews on GoogleDoug & his team listen, interpret and work their magic. They turned a barren back yard into warm, beautiful, grandchild-friendly natural-looking zones. Crews are efficient, careful, thorough and personable. WOW every time Medscapes provides a service.
Mary Jane Gwyn Google review, 2022
We had a Great Experience with Medscapes. Doug was amazing! He worked with us on a Landscaping design of our entire front and side yards. He made lots of suggestions on plants he would recommend. He and his team selected the plants, and installed them. They worked with us on any tweaks we wanted to make after the install. …
Phyllis Sacone Google review, 2023
Doug made the process of understanding what was needed and developing a plan very easy. The crews doing the clean up and new plantings were timely, pleasant, and conscious of making sure things were done right. I've also been very pleased with the weekly lawn maintenance services and their efforts in keeping the yard looking great. …
Pedro Fierro Google review, 2023
Our lawn has seriously never looked better. We love the hard working employees and business owner so much that we've recommended their exceptional service to our entire community, friends and family!! They are professional and very thorough. Providing us with an entrancing lawn we can enjoy all year round. …
Savannah Google review, 2018
I hired MedScapes earlier this year for some landscaping around my home and it turned out fantastic from design to ease of care is exactly what I asked for. When life and a new job got too busy for me to keep up with my basic lawn care, MedScapes was there to handle it for me. Now I come home to a beautifully manicured yard weekly !! …
Ryann Roser Google review, 2024
The crew was very professional and worked hard throughout the day to make sure the job was done. The front yard looks way better and I can’t wait to see how some of these beautiful plants grow! Everyone was very responsive to questions throughout the process and it was all handled in a timely manner! …
Michelle V. Crespo-Melendrez Google review, 2023
Artificial turf questions for Tampa Bay homeowners
Not answered here? Call (813) 382-5801 or book a free on-site estimate.
How does the permit process work for artificial turf in Tampa?
As of November 2026, the City of Tampa runs turf through a Verification Statement and site plan, City plan review, then one final inspection. We pull the permits your job needs.
Can I use rubber infill in a Florida yard?
As of November 2026, on a single-family lot of 1 acre or less, Rule 62-308.100 allows rubber or other synthetic infill only inside a playground equipment footprint. The City of Tampa goes further: it bars rubber outright and limits infill to clean silica sand and/or zeolite.
Can artificial turf go under a mature tree?
Not inside the tree's drip line, on your lot or a neighbor's, unless a certified arborist certifies that turf there would not harm the tree, or Chapter 581 defines the tree as noxious. We offer tree consultations; the certification comes from an arborist.
What happens to my sprinklers when the lawn becomes turf?
The state rule bars in-ground irrigation from watering synthetic turf areas, and a local government can require heads removed and pipe capped. We do not install or repair irrigation.
Can my HOA stop me from installing artificial turf?
As of November 2026, FS 720.3045 bars an association from restricting artificial turf that is not visible from your parcel's frontage, an adjacent parcel, an adjacent common area or a community golf course, unless a general law or local ordinance prohibits it. The statute does not protect turf that is in view, and DEP's FAQ says the state turf rule does not address HOA requirements or deed restrictions, so read your association's documents first.
Is artificial turf hotter than grass in Florida?
A UF/IFAS turfgrass scientist says natural turf was often more than 10 C (18 F) cooler than synthetic turf in a California study, and that artificial turf surfaces can reach 79 C (174 F) on the hottest summer days, against about 39 C (102 F) for natural turf. Those are not Tampa Bay readings. He also says that in Florida's humid climate, replacing a lawn can make backyards feel hotter.
Do you install artificial turf for dogs in Tampa?
Yes. Dog runs are one of the places we install turf, along with side yards and spots where grass keeps failing. Rule 62-308.100 sets no separate standard for dog runs, so a dog run follows the same infill, drainage and edge rules as any other turf area on a single-family lot.
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Start with a free on-site turf estimate
Tell us which patch of the yard you want to turf. The estimate is free and on site.
- 1Call or book online
- 2Doug walks the yard with you
- 3You get a written quote
Book a free on-site estimateCall (813) 382-5801
Monday to Friday, 7 AM to 5 PM · Based in Wesley Chapel