est. 2026 · Florida

The Villages — Rules & Deed Restrictions

Florida’s largest 55+ community, spanning Sumter, Lake, and Marion counties. Here’s how its deed restrictions actually work — and why the rules for a specific home come down to that neighborhood’s recorded declaration.

Deed-restricted · CDD55+ / age-restricted

How The Villages is governed

The Villages isn’t governed by one rulebook. It’s a federation of roughly 14 Community Development Districts (plus the Lady Lake / Lake County district) containing 1,000+ platted neighborhoods— each called a “Unit,” and each with its own separately recorded Declaration of Restrictions. Every one of the community’s ~80,000 homes is bound by the declaration recorded for its specific Unit.

Two developer eras produced two declaration templates: the core (recorded by The Villages of Lake-Sumter, Inc.) and the newer southern/western expansion (recorded by The Villages Land Company, LLC). The rules rhyme across the whole community, but the exact terms can differ by Unit and era — so the verdicts below are the community-wide pattern, and the precise rule for a given address comes from that address’s recorded declaration.

The rules, across The Villages

Age / 55+ occupancy

Restricted (55+)

Every occupied home must have at least one resident aged 55 or older, and no one under 19 may be a permanent resident (under-19 guests may visit up to 30 days total per year). This holds community-wide.

“The Subdivision is an adult community designed to provide housing for persons 55 years of age or older. All Homes that are occupied must be occupied by at least one person who is at least fifty-five (55) years of age. No person under nineteen (19) years of age may be a permanent resident of a Home, except that persons below the age of nineteen (19) years may be permitted to visit and temporarily reside for periods not exceeding thirty (30) days in total in any calendar year period.”

Villages of Sumter Unit 188, Declaration of Restrictions §2.24 (Instr. 201360008028)

Exterior changes

Needs approval

Any exterior alteration, addition, repainting, or modification needs prior written approval — reviewed by each District's Architectural Review Committee (Districts 1–10 & Lady Lake/Lake) or Architectural Review Hearing Officer (Districts 11–14).

“After the Home has been constructed, no reconstruction, additions, alterations, or modifications to the Home, or in the locations and utility connections of the Home will be permitted except with the written consent of the Developer, or an architectural review committee appointed by the Developer.”

Villages of Sumter Unit 188, Declaration of Restrictions §2.5

RVs, boats & big trucks

Not allowed

Recreational vehicles, boats, and trucks over 3/4 ton may not be parked or stored on a homesite or street unless fully enclosed in a garage (temporary service vehicles excepted).

“No trucks in excess of 3/4 ton size, boats, or recreational vehicles shall be parked, stored or otherwise remain on any Homesite or street, except for (a) service vehicles located thereon on a temporary basis while performing a service for a resident or (b) vehicles fully enclosed in garages located on the Homesite.”

Villages of Sumter Unit 188, Declaration of Restrictions §2.9

Home business

Restricted

Homes are for residential use only. A quiet home office is fine, but no commercial or professional activity that requires keeping inventory, equipment, or customer/client visits.

“Properties within the Subdivision are intended for residential use and no commercial, professional or similar activity requiring either maintaining an inventory, equipment or customer/client visits may be conducted in a Home or on a Homesite.”

Villages of Sumter Unit 188, Declaration of Restrictions §2.10

Signs

Needs approval

No signs visible to the public without written consent — except a customary name/address sign and one 12-by-12-inch for-sale-or-rent sign placed inside a window. Lawn ornaments are limited to short seasonal displays.

“No sign of any kind shall be displayed to public view on a Homesite or any dedicated or reserved area without the prior written consent of the Developer, except customary name and address signs and one sign advertising a property for sale or rent which shall be no larger than twelve (12) inches wide and twelve (12) inches high and which shall be located wholly within the Home and visible through a window of the Home.”

Villages of Sumter Unit 188, Declaration of Restrictions §2.16

Pets

Allowed, with limits

Household pets — dogs, cats, birds, fish — are generally allowed, leashed and cleaned up after; livestock and poultry are barred.

“Birds, fish, dogs and cats shall be permitted, with a maximum of two (2) pets per Homesite. Each Owner shall be personally responsible for any damage caused... and shall be responsible to keep such pet on a leash. No other animals, livestock, or poultry of any kind shall be raised, bred, or kept on any Homesite.”

Villages of Sumter Unit 188, Declaration of Restrictions §2.23

Varies by neighborhood: Pet limits vary by neighborhood: core Villages of Sumter units cap it at two pets per homesite, while some newer expansion units (e.g. Villages of West Lake) set no numeric cap.

Fences

Restricted — varies

Owner fences are tightly controlled, and the exact rule differs by neighborhood.

“No arbor, trellis, gazebo, pergola (or similar item), awning, fence, barrier, wall or structure of any kind or nature shall be placed on the property without prior written approval of the Developer.”

Villages of Sumter Unit 188, Declaration of Restrictions §2.18

Varies by neighborhood: In core Sumter units a fence needs prior written approval; in some newer expansion units (e.g. Villages of West Lake) owner fences are prohibited entirely — only developer-built walls and fences are permitted.

Renting your home

Not on record

The recorded unit declarations we've reviewed don't expressly restrict or cap owner rentals. Silence is not permission — confirm with the District and check for later recorded amendments and any rental rules before relying on this.

Why the same question can have different answers

Two real recorded declarations, same developer family, different terms:

TopicVillages of Sumter U188 (core)Villages of West Lake U83 (expansion)
PetsMax 2 pets per homesiteNo numeric cap
FencesAllowed with written approvalNot allowed (developer-built only)
DeclarantThe Villages of Lake-Sumter, Inc.The Villages Land Company, LLC
CountySumterLake (Leesburg)

Who enforces the rules

Exterior changes are reviewed by each District’s Architectural Review Committee (Districts 1–10 and Lady Lake/Lake County) or an Architectural Review Hearing Officer(Districts 11–14). Each District also adopts Rules to enforce certain external deed restrictions under Chapter 190, Florida Statutes, and the District’s Community Standards Department handles deed-compliance complaints. Any property owner — and the developer — may also enforce the restrictions directly.