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Florida building permits

Adopted codes, fees, and permit requirements for every covered Florida city — browse by county, sourced from official records.

CountyCities

Orange County1 city covered
Hillsborough County1 city covered
Pinellas County1 city covered
Lee County1 city covered
Broward County1 city covered
Alachua County1 city covered
Duval County1 city covered

Florida building permits issuedNew privately-owned residential construction activity by city — U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, data through 2026-08 Growth & permit costs for FloridaHow residential permit fees vary across growing cities Download the 2026 Florida Permit Requirements GuideFree PDF covering Florida’s most active building jurisdictions — share it with your association or crew.

Do I need a permit? — Florida guides

Window ReplacementUsually no — but yes if you change the size of the opening.
FenceSometimes — many fences need only zoning/setback approval; a building permit kicks in mainly for fences over 7 feet or with structural elements.
DeckYes — unless it's a small ground-level platform under 200 sq ft.
Water HeaterYes — even for a like-for-like replacement.
Basement FinishYes — any framing, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work requires a permit.
Solar PanelsYes — both a building and electrical permit are required.
Roof ReplacementYes — all roof replacements and re-roofing projects require a permit.
Hot TubYes — at minimum an electrical permit for the 240V circuit.
ShedUnder 200 sq ft and under 10 feet tall? Usually no. Bigger? Yes.
Furnace ReplacementYes — even a like-for-like furnace swap requires a mechanical permit.
EV ChargerLevel 2 (240V) chargers yes. Level 1 (120V plug-in) no.
Patio Cover / PergolaSolid roof covers yes. Open-lattice pergolas may be exempt.
Home BusinessYes — most cities require a home occupation permit.
ADU / In-Law SuiteOften yes — many states now require cities to allow at least internal ADUs.
Concrete / DrivewayOnly if it connects to the street, modifies drainage, or is a structural element.
Commercial Tenant ImprovementAlmost always yes — a commercial tenant improvement needs a building permit, usually with electrical, mechanical, and fire permits alongside it.
Florida PermitsYes, and the code behind it is a single statewide code adopted by rule. Under Florida Statutes § 553.73 the Florida Building Commission adopts the Florida Building Code, and a local government may amend it only in one direction — local amendments must be more stringent than the state minimum, and technical amendments additionally require an advertised hearing, evidence of a local need, and may be adopted no more than once every six months.

Permit types across Florida

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Compare a permit type’s fees across every Florida city we cover.

Residential Building Permit (New Construction)