Buying a Home in Stuart, FL: City Limits, Utilities, Waterfront Permits and Flood Insurance

The wide St. Lucie River under a blue sky with scattered clouds, seen from the Stuart Riverwalk in Stuart, Florida.

By Jeremy Beckham, REALTOR®, SFR | Last updated: November 14, 2026

The short answer: Before buying a home in Stuart, FL, check the parcel’s levy code to see if it’s inside city limits (code 3100), find out whether City of Stuart or Martin County Utilities serves it and whether it’s on septic, confirm who permits the dock or seawall, and quote flood insurance knowing the County’s discount may not apply.

Stuart is my home market. My office is on Colorado Avenue, a few blocks from the Riverwalk, and I’ve sold houses on both sides of the Roosevelt Bridge for 17 years. The question I get most from buyers moving here is some version of “Is this house in Stuart?” The honest answer is that the mailing address doesn’t tell you.

The City of Stuart is small. A huge share of homes with a Stuart address sit in unincorporated Martin County, and that one fact changes your tax rate, who sends the water bill, which fire department covers you, who permits your dock and whether your flood policy gets a discount. Here’s how I sort it out for a buyer before we write an offer.

The Florida rules that apply everywhere in my market (flood disclosure, HOA disclosure, inspections and insurance during your inspection period) live in my Boca Raton buyer guide, so I won’t repeat them here. For the neighborhoods themselves, start with my Stuart area guide, or browse what’s for sale on my Stuart home search page.

Key takeaways

  • A Stuart mailing address can be in the City of Stuart or in unincorporated Martin County, even inside the same ZIP code. The Martin County Property Appraiser lists Stuart as levy code 3100.
  • For 2026, the total millage inside Stuart is 17.1323. Unincorporated levy codes run from 15.4145 to 15.6581, so city parcels pay roughly 1.5 to 1.7 mills more.
  • The city runs its own water and sewer for about 4,000 households. Unincorporated homes are on Martin County Utilities, a private well or septic.
  • City of Stuart Fire Rescue holds an ISO Class 1 rating, renewed in June 2024.
  • Martin County’s Class 5 flood insurance discount applies to unincorporated residents, so a city parcel needs its own check.

Stuart buyer checklist at a glance

Question Where to check Why it matters
City of Stuart or unincorporated? Martin County Property Appraiser parcel record (levy code) Levy code 3100 is Stuart; it sets taxes, permits, code and fire
What’s the 2026 tax rate? MCPA 2026 Final Millage Codes Stuart 17.1323 total vs. 15.4145 to 15.6581 unincorporated
Who supplies water and sewer? City of Stuart Utility Division or Martin County Utilities Different deposits, rates and account steps
Is the house on septic? Seller disclosure, inspection, City sewer expansion zones Connection costs and a grinder pump may come later
Who permits the dock or seawall? City of Stuart Building (OpenGov portal) or Martin County (dock, seawall) Unpermitted marine work is a repair bill you inherit
Flood zone and elevation certificate? Martin County FEMA Flood Zones Map Sets lender requirements and your flood quote
Zoned public schools? Martin County School District attendance boundary map Boundaries follow the address, not the ZIP code

Is a Stuart, FL address inside city limits?

Often it isn’t. The City of Stuart is a small municipality, and much of the land around it with a Stuart mailing address is unincorporated Martin County. The Property Appraiser’s parcel record shows a levy code. Code 3100 means City of Stuart. Codes like 5005 or 6006 mean unincorporated County.

I ran a few addresses through the U.S. Census Bureau’s geocoder on November 14, 2026 to show how mixed it is. 2500 SE Willoughby Blvd and 600 SE Ocean Blvd came back inside Stuart city limits. 2100 NW Federal Hwy, just north of the river, came back in the North River Shores census area with no city. 3200 SE Salerno Rd came back in Port Salerno, and 5000 SE Federal Hwy came back unincorporated. All five use a Stuart mailing address.

The Census lookup is a good first pass. The levy code on the Property Appraiser’s record is the answer I put in writing.

How much more are property taxes inside Stuart city limits?

For 2026, the Martin County Property Appraiser lists a total millage of 17.1323 for Stuart (levy code 3100). The unincorporated County levy codes total between 15.4145 and 15.6581. Using District Five at 15.4780, a city parcel pays 1.6543 mills more, about $165 a year for every $100,000 of taxable value.

Here’s how the Stuart bill breaks down, straight from the Property Appraiser’s 2026 Stuart millage summary:

2026 taxing authority (Stuart, levy 3100) Mills
Martin County general operations 6.5614
School Board (local 2.2180 + state 2.6590) 4.8770
City of Stuart general operations 4.9500
City of Stuart voter-approved debt 0.1250
Children’s Services 0.3618
South Florida Water Management District (three lines) 0.2301
Florida Inland Navigation District 0.0270
Total 17.1323

The thing that surprises people: the County’s own general operations line is lower inside the city (6.5614) than in unincorporated District Five (9.9186). Stuart pays for its own fire department and police through the city line. So the gap isn’t the full 5.0750 city millage. On a $400,000 taxable value, the difference against District Five works out to about $662 a year.

Your bill resets after you buy, so don’t budget from the seller’s bill. My post on Martin County property taxes and Amendment 3 covers how exemptions apply once you file.

Who supplies water and sewer to a Stuart home?

If the house is inside the city’s utility service area, City of Stuart. The city’s Utility Division serves about 4,000 households and 500 businesses across roughly 3.4 square miles, covering most of the city plus a small piece of unincorporated land. Most unincorporated homes are on Martin County Utilities, a private well or septic instead.

The city draws from 30 wells and lime-softens its water at its own treatment plant, which averages 3.5 million gallons a day. It has won “best tasting” honors at the Florida Rural Water Association’s conference, and I’ve heard more than one buyer bring that up at a showing.

What do I need to open a City of Stuart water account?

The city’s Customer Service office at 101 SW Flagler Ave (772-288-5317) asks for a $34 setup fee, an application, a photo ID, proof of ownership such as your warranty deed or settlement statement, and a deposit. Bring the deposit and ID in person or call ahead to start service in your name on closing day.

The latest fee schedule the city has posted (Appendix A, FY2025) lists a $130 water and sewer deposit for the smallest residential meter inside city limits, plus a $50 garbage deposit. An owner with 23 months of on-time payments can ask to have the deposit waived.

A few billing details buyers notice later: residential sewer volume charges stop at 12,000 gallons a month, since the city assumes anything above that went on the lawn. There’s also a stormwater fee, which the city lists at $7.00 per equivalent residential unit per month. Rates adjust every October 1, so ask the seller for the last 12 months of bills.

What about Martin County Utilities?

Martin County Utilities serves unincorporated areas. You call 772-221-1434 or visit 3473 SE Willoughby Blvd, and a deposit may be required. Since May 11, 2026, same-day service for new accounts isn’t available after 2:30 p.m., so don’t leave this for closing-day afternoon.

Can a Stuart house on septic connect to city sewer?

Sometimes, depending on where it is. Stuart’s sewer expansion program extends low-pressure sewer lines down the street with a grinder pump station at each home. Neighborhoods can petition to get on the list sooner, and the connection cost is added to the monthly utility bill over ten years.

The city has mapped expansion zones by neighborhood, from Riverview Manor and Pelican to Dolphin, North Stuart and Monterey. If you’re looking at a city house on septic, I pull the zone map and check the property for an existing sewer agreement before the inspection period ends. A grinder pump is a piece of equipment you’ll own, so ask your inspector to look at it if one is already installed.

Unincorporated homes on septic fall under Martin County and state rules, and my Palm City seller guide covers the Martin County septic basics.

How does Stuart Fire Rescue’s ISO Class 1 rating affect buyers?

City of Stuart Fire Rescue was rated ISO Class 1 in April 2019, and the rating was renewed in June 2024. Only about 400 of more than 43,000 departments evaluated nationwide have reached it, according to the department. Many insurers factor the ISO protection class into homeowners pricing, so ask your agent to quote with it.

The department dates to 1915 and runs three stations, with Station 3 opening in December 2024. Under a 2026 interlocal agreement covered by WQCS, the closest available Stuart or Martin County unit now answers calls across the county, no matter which side of the city line you’re on. That’s good news for everybody near the boundary.

What should I check before buying a waterfront home on the St. Lucie River?

Confirm which government permits the dock and seawall, get a marine contractor to look at both, pull the permit history for every piece of marine work, and look at the flood zone and elevation certificate. Inside the city, Stuart’s coastal policy allows one dock per single-family waterfront lot.

That policy, in the city’s Comprehensive Plan Coastal Element, also says dock permits come from the local government plus the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and South Florida Water Management District. For a city parcel, the local permit goes through the City of Stuart Building Division on its OpenGov portal. For an unincorporated parcel, Martin County requires its own permits for a dock, boat lift or seawall through the office at 900 SE Ruhnke St (772-288-5916).

My local take on the river itself: the St. Lucie is beautiful and it changes. Water from the C-44 canal flows into the South Fork through the St. Lucie Lock (S-80). On November 14, 2026, the Corps of Engineers’ daily report showed the scheduled Lake Okeechobee release to the east at 0 cfs, while the 7-day average flow through S-80 was 3,028 cfs. Buyers who boat or fish want to know that the river’s color and salinity move with these flows. You can check the Corps’ daily Lake Okeechobee report yourself any day.

What questions do I ask the seller about the dock?

When was the dock or seawall last built or repaired, was it permitted and closed out, and who did the work? What size boat does the lift hold and has it been serviced? Has the seawall cap cracked or the yard behind it settled? A written answer to each one goes in the file.

Does the Martin County flood insurance discount apply inside Stuart?

Not automatically. Martin County says its Class 5 Community Rating System rating gives unincorporated residents 25% off flood insurance in a Special Flood Hazard Area and 10% off outside one. The County describes that rating as covering unincorporated residents, so have your agent confirm what applies to a city parcel.

Martin County’s flood maps went into effect February 19, 2020. The County keeps most elevation certificates for homes built after 1991 in a Special Flood Hazard Area. On the County’s FEMA Flood Zones Map, a yellow dot on the parcel means a certificate is on file and you can download it. If there’s no dot, budget for a survey.

I order the flood quote in the first week of the inspection period, not the last. On the river, it can swing the payment more than the tax difference does. My Port St. Lucie flood zone checklist walks through how to read a quote.

Which public schools serve a Stuart address?

Martin County School District assigns schools by address using its attendance boundary map, and the boundary doesn’t follow the city line or the ZIP code. Enter the exact street address in the district’s map to see the zoned elementary, middle and high school, then call the district at 772-219-1200 to confirm.

The district is headquartered on SE Federal Highway in Stuart and also lists school choice and enrollment options on its website. Boundaries can change, so I always check the map for the specific house rather than going by what a neighbor said.

My take on buying in Stuart right now

I love this town. Downtown and the Riverwalk are a big part of why people stay. What I tell every buyer is that “Stuart” is really two places on the paperwork: the city and the County around it. Neither one is better. They’re different, and the difference shows up in your tax bill, your water account, your dock permit and your flood quote.

If you’re weighing Stuart against Palm City, my Palm City vs. Stuart comparison lays the two side by side. If you already own here and are thinking about moving up, my Stuart seller guide covers the other side of the deal.

Frequently asked questions

Is North River Shores part of the City of Stuart?

No. When I ran 2100 NW Federal Hwy through the U.S. Census Bureau geocoder on November 14, 2026, it came back in the North River Shores census-designated place with no incorporated city. The area uses a Stuart mailing address but sits in unincorporated Martin County. Confirm any single parcel with the Property Appraiser’s levy code before you rely on it.

How much higher is the tax rate inside Stuart city limits?

For 2026, the Martin County Property Appraiser lists Stuart’s total millage at 17.1323, while the unincorporated levy codes total 15.4145 to 15.6581. Against District Five at 15.4780, that’s 1.6543 mills more, or about $165 a year per $100,000 of taxable value. Your own bill depends on your exemptions and your reset assessed value.

How much is the City of Stuart water deposit?

The city’s latest posted fee schedule (Appendix A, FY2025) lists $130 for water and sewer on the smallest residential meter inside city limits, plus a $50 residential garbage deposit and a $34 account setup fee. An owner with 23 months of on-time payments can ask for a deposit waiver. Call Customer Service at 772-288-5317 to confirm current amounts.

How does Stuart’s sewer expansion program charge homeowners?

Stuart’s program runs low-pressure sewer lines along the street and puts a grinder pump station at each home. Under the Neighborhood Initiated Sewer Expansion Program, residents can petition to move their area up, and each owner’s share of the cost is added to the monthly utility bill over ten years. Check for an existing agreement before you buy.

Who permits a new dock on a Stuart waterfront lot?

It depends on the parcel. Inside city limits, the City of Stuart Building Division handles the local permit, and the city’s coastal policy allows one dock per single-family waterfront lot. Unincorporated parcels go through Martin County’s permit office at 900 SE Ruhnke St. State and federal agencies, including FDEP and the Army Corps, may also need to sign off.

What ISO rating does City of Stuart Fire Rescue have?

ISO Class 1, first awarded in April 2019 and renewed in June 2024, according to the department. It operates three stations, all licensed at the Advanced Life Support level. Many insurers use ISO protection classes in pricing, so give your insurance agent the exact address and ask whether the rating applies to your quote.

How do I find the elevation certificate for a Stuart home?

Open Martin County’s FEMA Flood Zones Map and search the address. A yellow dot on the parcel means an elevation certificate is on file, with a link to download it. The County has most certificates for homes built after 1991 in a Special Flood Hazard Area. Older homes may need a new one from a licensed surveyor.

Thinking about buying in Stuart?

I’ll pull the levy code on the exact parcel, figure out who serves the water and sewer, check for septic and a sewer agreement, chase down the dock and seawall permits, and get the flood quote moving in week one. Call or text me at 772.475.5371.

About the author

Jeremy Beckham, REALTOR®/SFR with NextHome Treasure Coast, has spent 17 years helping buyers and sellers from Fort Pierce through Martin County and south through Palm Beach County to Boca Raton. His office is at 414 S Colorado Ave in Stuart. See how I source my numbers, the utilities by county and city guide, the Florida home buyers guide, or my buyer services.

This post is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Millage rates, utility fees, permit rules, flood ratings and school zones change. Confirm details with the City of Stuart, Martin County, Martin County Utilities, the Martin County Property Appraiser and Tax Collector, the Martin County School District, your insurance agent and a Florida real estate attorney.

Sources

Featured photo: The St. Lucie River from the Stuart Riverwalk, photographed April 15, 2025 by Wikimedia Commons user Dough4872, via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped from the original.