Florida Building Permit Guide

In Florida, licensed contractors are legally responsible for obtaining permits for work they perform. The contractor who pulls the permit is financially and legally responsible for ensuring the work meets code. Homeowners can pull "owner-builder" permits for their own principal residence, but this shifts all code compliance liability to you. If a contractor asks you to pull the owner-builder permit for work they're doing, walk away — this is a red flag and may be illegal.

Unpermitted work can create serious problems: it may need to be disclosed when you sell your home, your insurance company may deny claims related to the work, and you may be required to tear out and redo the work to pass inspection. Local building departments can issue stop-work orders and fines for unpermitted construction discovered mid-project. Retroactive permitting ("permit after the fact") is available in most counties but often requires exposing walls or structure for inspection.

Simple permits (HVAC, water heater) can be issued in 1–5 business days in many counties. Complex residential permits (additions, structural changes) typically take 2–6 weeks. Miami-Dade and Broward counties often run longer due to HVHZ review requirements. After major hurricanes, permit processing times may increase significantly as building departments handle storm damage repair volume.

Permit fees vary by county and project scope. Simple permits (re-roofing, HVAC): $150–$500. Complex residential permits (additions, pool construction): $500–$2,000+. High-value commercial projects can run significantly higher. These fees should be included in your contractor's quote — verify this before signing.

Yes — most Florida counties offer online permit status lookup by address, permit number, or contractor license. See our county-by-county list above for direct links to each building department portal.

A Notice of Commencement (NOC) is a document required under Florida Statute §713.13 that must be recorded in county public records before construction begins on any permitted project. Your contractor typically records this. It establishes the official project start date for construction lien law purposes and must be posted visibly at the job site.

A final inspection is the last official inspection by a licensed building inspector confirming the completed work meets code requirements. The permit is "closed" when the final inspection passes. An open permit on a property — work that was permitted but never received a final inspection — is a red flag that will appear in permit records and can cause problems during a home sale.

Yes. Florida permits typically expire if no inspections are requested within 6 months of permit issuance, or if the project is not completed within the permit's validity period (usually 2 years for residential). Expired permits can be renewed, but may require re-review of plans under current code.