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Florida County
Citrus County, Florida
Swimming with manatees and Florida's Nature Coast - from Crystal River's Three Sisters Springs (the only place in the US where visitors can legally swim with wild Florida manatees in their natural habitat) to Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, the Withlacoochee State Trail's 46-mile rail-to-trail conversion, and a Gulf Coast county whose spring-fed rivers have made it one of Florida's most significant natural and wildlife tourism destinations.
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Office: Citrus County Emergency Management – (352) 249-2702 | citrusbocc.net/em
Alert System: Citrus County Alert; Florida FDEM; CodeRED; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Multiple shelter locations in Crystal River and Inverness; contact OEM
FEMA Region: Region 4
Notes: West-central Florida Gulf Coast county; Inverness is county seat; hurricane risk (Gulf Coast exposure; 2016 Hermine passed through; 2023 Idalia Gulf landfall area was north – significant wind and surge); flooding (Withlacoochee River; Crystal River springs and coastal marsh); severe thunderstorms; sinkholes (central Florida karst geology); wildfire risk; Crystal River is famous for manatee viewing – the only place in the continental US where it is legal to swim with manatees in the wild (in season); nuclear power plant (Crystal River Unit 3 – decommissioned but site management ongoing)
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Roads: Citrus County Public Works – (352) 527-7660
Transit: Citrus County Transportation – (352) 527-7630; very limited; primarily auto-dependent
Notes: US-19 (north-south through Crystal River and Inverness – the primary Gulf Coast highway through Citrus County; connects to Tampa south and Gainesville/Ocala area east); SR-44 (east-west to I-75 via Ocala); SR-200 (northeast to Ocala); Citrus County is about 75 miles north of Tampa and about 30 miles west of I-75; the county has no major interstate; Crystal River is a significant nature tourism destination
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Citrus County Building Division – (352) 527-5350 | citrusbocc.net
Services: County permits; Crystal River (separate – coastal nature tourism), Inverness (separate), Beverly Hills, Floral City, Hernando separate
Notes: Active retirement and coastal development; Crystal River nature tourism drives some development; Florida’s “Nature Coast” is an attractive destination for retirement; limited overall commercial development; solar energy development increasing
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Citrus County Veterans Services – (352) 341-6743
VA Medical: Bay Pines VAMC (St. Petersburg – about 80 miles south); Gainesville VA (about 50 miles east); Lecanto VA CBOC – (352) 503-7082 (local outpatient access)
Services: Benefits claims; Lecanto CBOC provides good local outpatient access; large retirement community veteran population
Notes: Citrus County has a large veteran population given its retirement community demographics; Lecanto CBOC is important; Bay Pines and Gainesville accessible for hospital care
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Citrus County Library System – (352) 527-5699 | citruslibrary.com
Branches: Inverness (main), Crystal River, Lecanto, Homosassa
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs; Nature Coast heritage; springs and manatee heritage; Crystal River heritage
Notes: Library system reflects the Nature Coast’s ecotourism culture; manatee and springs heritage in collections; the county’s unique combination of Spring swimming and manatee viewing makes it a distinctive Florida destination
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Federal: Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge (Crystal River – the ONLY place in the continental US where swimming with manatees in the wild is legally permitted; the Crystal River spring system supports one of the largest winter manatee congregations in Florida; Kings Bay spring (72°F year-round) is the primary congregation point; manatees return every winter (November-March) to warm spring water; guided tours with snorkel permit swimming near (not touching or chasing) manatees; one of Florida’s most extraordinary wildlife experiences)
State Parks: Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park (Homosassa – the spring run and wildlife park where a hippo named Lu lived for decades (he was a performing hippo who was grandfathered into the park when Florida outlawed exotic animal permits; he was an honorary Florida citizen by a state act; Lu became a beloved local institution until his death in 2024); manatees in the spring; Florida wildlife exhibits); Withlacoochee State Forest (second largest state forest in Florida – excellent hunting, OHV, hiking, cycling); Fort Cooper State Park (Inverness – Civil War era fort site; excellent swimming in Lake Holathlikaha)
Regional: Crystal River (charming small city on the Gulf; the Three Sisters Springs (a cluster of freshwater springs within Kings Bay that manatees heavily use; one of the most scenic spring environments in Florida; accessible by kayak or snorkeling); the Crystal River Preserve State Park surrounding the springs provides natural buffer)
Notes: Crystal River’s manatee swimming experience is completely unique in the US – it is the only place where manatees can be legally swum with in the wild; the Crystal River NWR’s Kings Bay spring system (where 70°F+ water emerges year-round from the aquifer) provides critical thermal refuge for manatees; during cold weather events hundreds of manatees congregate in the spring; the experience of snorkeling among dozens of manatees in crystal-clear spring water is genuinely extraordinary; the late Lu the hippo was one of Florida’s most beloved animal residents – a former circus hippo who arrived at Homosassa Springs in 1964 and was designated an “honorary citizen of Florida” by the state legislature
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Citrus County GIS – citrusbocc.net; Florida DEP spring system maps; Crystal River NWR maps; SWFWMD spring monitoring; Three Sisters Springs maps
Notes: County GIS; Crystal River spring system hydrological monitoring maps; Withlacoochee State Forest maps; Kings Bay bathymetry and spring vent mapping
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Citrus County Animal Services – (352) 746-8400; Citrus County Humane Society
Services: Stray intake, adoptions; wildlife management (manatees – Crystal River/Kings Bay spring system; sea turtles on Gulf beaches; alligators; Florida black bears; gopher tortoises)
Notes: Manatee management in Crystal River is one of the most active wildlife management programs in Florida – the FWC and Crystal River NWR manage the manatee interaction rules, tour operator permitting, and manatee health monitoring; the manatee population in Kings Bay is well-studied; Florida black bears are increasingly common in Citrus County’s piney woods
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Citrus County Solid Waste – (352) 527-7620; transfer stations; recycling
Environmental: Florida DEP; Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD); Crystal River Nuclear Plant decommission (Duke Energy – the Crystal River nuclear plant Unit 3 was permanently closed in 2013 due to cracking in the containment building during a steam generator replacement; it is currently being decommissioned; the site is managed for safe decommission through the 2020s-2030s); Crystal River spring protection; Withlacoochee State Forest
Key Issues: Springs protection (Crystal River/Kings Bay spring system is the heart of the county’s ecology and economy; nitrogen pollution from residential septic systems and agricultural runoff has caused algal growth in the spring runs; the once-crystalline spring water has developed algae in some areas; septic-to-sewer conversion programs are underway to reduce nitrogen; the SWFWMD and DEP coordinate spring water quality monitoring and protection); Crystal River Nuclear Plant decommission (Duke Energy is managing the decommission of the Crystal River Unit 3 nuclear plant; low-level radioactive waste management and site cleanup are ongoing; the community has mixed feelings about the process – the plant provided significant tax revenue and employment); manatee protection (boat strikes are a significant mortality factor for Crystal River manatees; speed zones in Kings Bay and adjacent waters are enforced; education programs target local boaters and visitors)
Notes: Crystal River’s springs protection is intimately connected to the manatee experience – if the spring system’s water quality and temperature decline, manatees will seek warmer water elsewhere; the nitrogen pollution from septic systems (the county is converting many residential properties from septic to centralized sewer to reduce nitrogen inputs) is the primary threat; the nuclear plant decommission is a unique environmental management situation – Duke Energy is responsible for safe decommission of the facility including the spent fuel storage until permanent national storage is available (which does not currently exist); Withlacoochee State Forest’s management (second-largest state forest in Florida) includes prescribed burning for longleaf pine ecosystem restoration and OHV management
About Citrus County
Citrus County is Florida’s Nature Coast gem – a Gulf Coast county whose spring-fed rivers, crystal-clear water, and natural habitats attract wildlife enthusiasts, divers, and manatee watchers from around the world.
Crystal River’s Three Sisters Springs – accessible by boat and kayak – hosts the largest natural concentration of West Indian manatees in the United States during winter months. The springs maintain a constant 72-degree temperature year-round, drawing manatees seeking warm water and providing one of the world’s most extraordinary wildlife snorkeling experiences.
Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park preserves injured and non-releasable wildlife including the famous Lucifer the hippopotamus (a former circus animal grandfathered in as an “honorary Florida citizen”) alongside native Florida wildlife.
The county’s strong retirement community character – significant 55+ developments throughout – makes it one of Florida’s older-median-age counties, with services oriented toward retirees.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
The Citrus County Property Appraiser at 210 N. Apopka Avenue, Suite 200, Inverness, FL 34450, phone 352-341-6600, assesses at just value. Appeal to the Citrus County Value Adjustment Board. No FL estate or inheritance tax.
Courts & Legal
Citrus County Clerk of Court at 110 N. Apopka Avenue, Inverness, FL 34450, phone 352-341-6400, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK OF COURTS (Records, Marriage Licenses)
110 N. Apopka Ave., Inverness, FL 34450
(352) 341-6400
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Citrus County Clerk of the Circuit Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Citrus County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Citrus County Clerk of the Circuit Court, Probate Division 110 N. Apopka Avenue, Inverness, FL 34450 (352) 637-9425
Citrus County sits in Florida’s 5th Judicial Circuit. Clerk of Court & Comptroller: Traci Perry. Circuit Judges: Hon. Carol Falvey, Hon. Stacy Youmans, Hon. Peter M. Brigham.
IMPORTANT – a major statewide law change just took effect: Florida’s summary administration threshold DOUBLED from $75,000 to $150,000 effective July 1, 2026, under CS/HB 1337 (Chapter 2026-57, Laws of Florida). Confirm which threshold applies based on date of death when helping someone (see
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
1 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Inverness, FL 34450
(352) 726-1121
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS
120 N. Apopka Ave., Inverness, FL 34450
(352) 341-6740
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
FL Dept of Health — Citrus
3700 W. Sovereign Path, Lecanto, FL 34461
(352) 527-0068
FL DCF — Citrus
(352) 249-1200
FL Medicaid
(800) 299-4833
HCA Florida Citrus Hospital
hcafloridahospitals.com
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Florida DOH in Citrus County – (352) 527-0068 | citrus.floridahealth.gov
Services: Immunizations, WIC, STI testing, environmental health, vital records; behavioral health; manatee tourism health (waterborne illness risk in springs); power plant decommission health monitoring
Hospital: AdventHealth Citrus (Inverness – (352) 726-1551); Crystal River (HCA); Tampa hospitals for specialty care
Notes: Healthcare access challenges for a large rural county; retirement community drives high healthcare demand; behavioral health limited; Crystal River springs water quality monitoring for recreational health (springs are used for swimming and snorkeling – water quality is critical)
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Inverness
Population: 150,000
Area: 584 sq mi
Established: 1887
Tier: 3
Public Records
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