Building Permits in Florida: What Homeowners Need to Know

A building permit is the local building department's permission to do construction work, plus a promise that inspectors will check it. In Florida, permits are how the state's demanding hurricane and flood rules actually get applied to your home.

One code, many building departments

Florida has a single statewide building code, the Florida Building Code. The 8th Edition (2023) has been in effect since December 31, 2023. The Florida Building Commission's work plan sets the 9th Edition (2026) to take effect on December 31, 2026, and some building departments say applications submitted on or after that date must meet the new edition. If your project straddles that date, ask your contractor which edition it will be permitted under.

The code is the same everywhere, but permits are local:

• Unincorporated areas are permitted by the county building department.
• Inside city limits, most cities run their own building departments.
• Consolidated governments such as Jacksonville and Duval County handle most of the county.

Each department publishes its own checklists, fees and forms. Our local guides by county link to the official pages.

Which projects need a permit?

Exact lists vary, but in Florida these generally need a permit:

• Structural work: removing or changing walls, beams, roof framing or openings
• Roof replacement and most re-roofing (roof permits)
• Window, door and garage door replacement (window and door permits)
• Hurricane shutters and other opening protection
• Electrical, plumbing, gas and air conditioning work (electrical permits)
• Additions, garage conversions and enclosing a porch or lanai
• Pools, pool barriers and screen enclosures (screen enclosure permits)
• Sheds, decks and fences, depending on the county and size (sheds, decks, fences)

Cosmetic work usually doesn't: painting, flooring, cabinets and countertops in the same place, and replacing fixtures without changing pipes or wiring.

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The new $7,500 exemption

A state law signed in May 2026 (HB 803) created a permit exemption, effective July 1, 2026, for some work valued under $7,500 on single-family homes. You have to request it in writing, and it doesn't cover electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas or structural work, or property partly or entirely in a flood hazard area. Our small project permit exemption guide explains how it works and what to check.

Permit timelines

Florida law sets deadlines for local governments to approve, approve with conditions or deny a complete permit application when you use the local plans reviewer:

• 30 business days for many single-family permits (structures under 7,500 sq. ft.)
• 5 business days, since July 1, 2026, for certain listed permit types, such as roofing, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas and structural permits, on an existing single-family home when the work is valued under $15,000 and the local plans reviewer is used

The clock runs on a complete, sufficient application. If the department asks for corrections, you have a set time to respond. Missed deadlines can lead to fee reductions. You can also hire a private provider to do plan review and inspections; see building inspections in Florida.

Before and during the job

1. Decide who pulls the permit. Usually the licensed contractor. Homeowners can act as owner-builders in limited cases.
2. Record a Notice of Commencement if the job is over $5,000. It protects you under Florida's lien law. See Notice of Commencement.
3. Post the permit card where inspectors can see it.
4. Pass every inspection. Don't cover work that hasn't been inspected.
5. Get the final inspection and confirm the permit shows as finaled or closed.

HOAs, flood zones and zoning

A permit doesn't replace HOA approval, and HOA approval doesn't replace a permit. Under the 2026 law, an HOA can't make you get a building permit before it reviews your application. Zoning rules (setbacks, height, lot coverage) apply even when no building permit is needed. In flood zones, larger renovations can trigger the FEMA 50% rule.

Open and expired permits

A permit that was never finaled stays open on the property's record. Open permits regularly come up during sales and can complicate insurance claims. Before you buy a home or start a new project, ask the building department for the permit history, and close out old permits when you finish.

Local permit guides

For who issues permits in your area and how to apply, see our guides to building permits in Brevard County, Indian River County and Volusia County, or find your county on our local guides page. Beachfront homes may also need a state coastal construction control line permit.