Remodeling in Vero Beach and Sebastian
A local guide to remodeling in Vero Beach, Sebastian and Indian River County, with permits, wind and flood rules, septic-to-sewer and nearby St. Lucie.
Updated October 12, 2026
Treasure Coast
Remodeling in Indian River County
Indian River County, on the Treasure Coast, includes Vero Beach, Sebastian, Fellsmere, the barrier island towns of Indian River Shores and Orchid, and unincorporated communities such as Vero Lake Estates, Gifford and Wabasso. The county Building Division issues permits for unincorporated areas and for the City of Vero Beach, which shares the county's building department, through the MyGovernmentOnline (MGO) portal. Sebastian, Fellsmere, Indian River Shores and Orchid run their own building departments. Homes near the Indian River Lagoon also face state septic-to-sewer deadlines.
Checked against official Indian River County sources:
Roof replacement in Indian River County
Reroofing needs a permit. The county's roofing inspection guide calls for the approved permit documents and the product approval or Miami-Dade NOA to be on site at inspection, and lets roofing contractors, but not owner-builders, file a sheathing affidavit instead of a sheathing inspection. Confirm current forms with the Building Division.
Our Florida roof permit guideWindows and doors in Indian River County
Replacement windows and doors need product approvals for the site's wind loads, and impact protection where the wind-borne debris rules apply. The county has a separate permit application for garage doors. Confirm what a size-for-size replacement needs with the Building Division.
Our window and door permit guideScreen enclosures in Indian River County
Confirm with the Building Division what a new or rebuilt screen enclosure needs. Expect engineered drawings for the aluminum frame, sized for local design wind speeds.
Our screen enclosure permit guideFences in Indian River County
Fences in unincorporated areas and Vero Beach need a permit. The county's fence application asks for a survey or site plan showing the fence's location, type, height and gates, notes pool barriers, and needs planning sign-off.
Our Florida fence permit guideSheds in Indian River County
Confirm with the Building Division before you buy or build a shed. Ask about setbacks, wind anchoring and whether a prefabricated shed needs a state approval or engineering.
Our Florida shed permit guideContractor licensing in Indian River County
Check state licenses at MyFloridaLicense.com. State-certified contractors must register with the county Building Division before working in unincorporated areas or Vero Beach. Ask the county's contractor licensing staff about locally issued certificates; Indian River Shores stopped accepting county certificates of competency on July 1, 2025.
How to check a contractorBuilding departments in Indian River County
The rules above are the county's, for unincorporated areas. These cities run their own building departments, so if you live inside city limits, start with your city.
- City of Sebastian
Takes most permit applications, payments and inspection requests through the MGO Connect customer portal; owner-builder applications start in person.
- City of Fellsmere
Its Building Division handles plan review, permits and inspections, including fences, pools and sheds.
- Town of Indian River Shores
Moving to the MGO portal in fall 2026, and accepts state contractor licenses with town registration rather than county certificates of competency.
- Town of Orchid
Recommends getting community association architectural approval before applying for a town permit.
Official Indian River County links
- Building Division (Indian River County)
- Permit applications, checklists and forms (Indian River County)
- Fence permit application (Indian River County / City of Vero Beach)
- Contractor license registration (Indian River County)
- Flood information (Indian River County)
- Building-related resources (City of Vero Beach)
- Coastal construction control line program (Florida DEP)
Indian River County guides
Roof replacement cost in Vero Beach
What a new roof costs in Vero Beach, Sebastian and the Treasure Coast, published local estimates, barrier island cost drivers and local permits.
Updated October 12, 2026
Building permits in Indian River County
Who issues permits in Vero Beach, Sebastian, Fellsmere and the rest of Indian River County, the online portals and what work needs a permit.
Updated October 12, 2026