Florida permit requirements
We have read and dated 280 permit rules across 28 jurisdictions in Florida. They do not all say the same thing: shed thresholds alone run from 36 to 600 sq ft across 19 of them.
- Jurisdictions
- 28
- Verified rules
- 280
- Permit always required
- 187
- Depends on the project
- 81
Do you need a building permit in Florida?
Usually yes, but not from Florida itself: permits are issued by the city or county, not the state, so the rule that governs your project is the one your own jurisdiction publishes. 187 of those local rules require a permit outright, 81 depend on a size or scope condition the office publishes, and 3 need none. Florida sets the building code those local rules derive from; your city or county sets the threshold and the fee.
Recent rule changes in Florida
Starting July 1, 2026, Florida local governments must exempt minor single-family home work under $7,500 from permits, unless it is electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, gas work, or on a flood hazard parcel.
Statewide, Florida · ch. 2026-63 (HB 803), F.S. 553.79 · published
Effective May 1, 2025, Broward County's Ordinance 2025-038 sets a $125 minimum permit fee and charges structural, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits at 3.0 percent of job value up to $10 million.
Broward County, FL · Ord. 2025-038 · published
Do Florida jurisdictions agree?
Every row below is a measurement at least two Florida jurisdictions publish, compared against each other. This is the question a statewide answer cannot settle, because the number that governs your project is the one your own city or county publishes.
| Project | Published threshold | Jurisdictions | Agreement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shed | 36 to 600 sq ft | 19 | 10 different numbers |
| Roof Replacement | 500 to 7,500 USD | 10 | 3 different numbers |
| Pool | 24 to 42 inches | 12 | 2 different numbers |
| Deck | 18 to 30 inches | 2 | 2 different numbers |
| Fence | 6 to 8 feet | 2 | 2 different numbers |
| Deck | 100 to 120 sq ft | 2 | 2 different numbers |
| Roof Replacement | 100 sq ft | 5 | Same number in all 5 |
| Roof Replacement | 25 percent | 2 | Same number in all 2 |
2 of 8 comparable measurements are uniform across Florida; 6 are not. Latest verification 2026-08-13.
Where Florida jurisdictions split
The verdict for each project across the 28 Florida jurisdictions we cover. On 9 of 10 projects they do not give the same answer, which is why a statewide answer is not one.
| Project | Permit required | Depends | No permit | Across the state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deck | 22 | 6 | Answer varies | |
| Electrical | 25 | 3 | Answer varies | |
| Fence | 14 | 11 | 3 | Answer varies |
| HVAC | 22 | 6 | Answer varies | |
| Plumbing | 24 | 4 | Answer varies | |
| Pool | 19 | 9 | Answer varies | |
| Roof Replacement | 16 | 12 | Answer varies | |
| Shed | 12 | 16 | Answer varies | |
| Patio | 6 | 14 | Answer varies | |
| Solar | 27 | Same answer everywhere |
Building without a permit in Florida
Building without a required permit is illegal under Florida state law: section 553.79(1)(a), Florida Statutes, makes it unlawful to construct, erect, alter, modify, repair, or demolish any building without first obtaining a permit, and section 489.127(1)(h) separately prohibits any person from starting permit-required work before the permit is in effect. For an unlicensed person, and a homeowner doing the work personally is unlicensed under chapter 489, violating that prohibition is a first degree misdemeanor under section 489.127(2)(a), punishable by up to 1 year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000 under sections 775.082(4)(a) and 775.083(1)(d).
Penalties, the as-built path, and what the statute actually says
What you can build without a permit in Florida
3 of the 271 answered rules across Florida need no permit at all and 81 turn on a size or scope condition the jurisdiction publishes, by project and jurisdiction, in each office's own words.
What a permit costs in Florida
There is no single Florida permit fee. Each jurisdiction in Florida sets and publishes its own, and they do not use the same pricing model, so the figure that applies to your project is the one your own city or county publishes. Below is every Florida project where we have quoted one, verbatim, from the office's own schedule.
| Project in Florida | Jurisdictions publishing a fee |
|---|---|
| Electrical | 25 |
| HVAC | 25 |
| Plumbing | 25 |
| Roof Replacement | 25 |
| Pool | 24 |
| Shed | 22 |
| Deck | 21 |
| Solar | 21 |
| Fence | 18 |
| Patio | 11 |
Each row links to the Florida table carrying every quoted fee, its source and its verification date. We do not publish a Florida average: the notes mix flat minimums, valuation percentages and per-fixture charges, so an average would be a number no office charges.
Building code in Florida
Florida Building Code, Residential. Based on the International Residential Code (IRC), with extensive Florida amendments including High Velocity Hurricane Zone provisions.
Administered by Florida Building Commission (Department of Business and Professional Regulation). Official source
South Florida counties apply additional High Velocity Hurricane Zone requirements.
Most local permit thresholds derive from this code. See our sources and standards.
What each Florida jurisdiction publishes
One line per jurisdiction, written from its own rules rather than from a state summary. This is the section that used to be a list of links, and the states with the fewest jurisdictions to compare are the ones it says the most about.
- Alachua County 10 rules
7 of 9 projects always need a permit and 2 turn on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are roof replacement and shed. Published thresholds include roof replacement at 100 sq ft and shed at 150 sq ft. 1 question is unresolved because the jurisdiction publishes no answer.
- Brevard County 10 rules
4 of 9 projects always need a permit and 5 turn on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are electrical, fence, plumbing, pool and shed. Published thresholds include shed at 100 sq ft and pool at 24 inches. 1 question is unresolved because the jurisdiction publishes no answer.
- Broward County 10 rules
9 of 10 projects always need a permit and 1 turns on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are roof replacement. Published thresholds include roof replacement at 7,500 USD.
- Charlotte County 10 rules
9 of 10 projects always need a permit and 1 turns on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are shed. Published thresholds include shed at 68 sq ft and pool at 24 inches.
- Clay County 10 rules
7 of 8 projects always need a permit and 1 turns on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are fence. Published thresholds include fence at 7,500 USD. 2 questions are unresolved because the jurisdiction publishes no answer.
- Collier County 10 rules
9 of 10 projects always need a permit and 1 turns on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are patio. Published thresholds include roof replacement at 1,500 USD.
- Escambia County 10 rules
9 of 10 projects need a permit, and 1 does not. The ones that depend on the project are roof replacement and shed. No permit at all for fence. Published thresholds include shed at 120 sq ft and roof replacement at 2 squares.
- Hernando County 10 rules
6 of 10 projects always need a permit and 4 turn on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are HVAC, patio, pool and shed. Published thresholds include shed at 120 sq ft and pool at 24 inches.
- Hillsborough County 10 rules
6 of 10 projects always need a permit and 4 turn on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are fence, patio, roof replacement and shed. Published thresholds include roof replacement at 25 percent and shed at 150 sq ft.
- Jacksonville 10 rules
9 of 10 projects need a permit, and 1 does not. The ones that depend on the project are HVAC, patio and plumbing. No permit at all for fence.
- Lake County 10 rules
5 of 9 projects always need a permit and 4 turn on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are deck, fence, pool and shed. Published thresholds include pool at 42 inches and shed at 120 sq ft. 1 question is unresolved because the jurisdiction publishes no answer.
- Lee County 10 rules
7 of 10 projects always need a permit and 3 turn on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are patio, pool and roof replacement. Published thresholds include pool at 24 inches and roof replacement at 7,500 USD.
- Leon County 10 rules
6 of 10 projects always need a permit and 4 turn on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are deck, fence, patio and shed. Published thresholds include shed at 100 sq ft and deck at 100 sq ft.
- Manatee County 10 rules
2 of 10 projects always need a permit and 8 turn on the size or scope of the work. Only roof replacement and solar work always needs one. Published thresholds include deck at 120 sq ft and shed at 120 sq ft.
- Marion County 10 rules
6 of 9 projects always need a permit and 3 turn on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are deck, HVAC and shed. Published thresholds include shed at 100 sq ft and deck at 1 step. 1 question is unresolved because the jurisdiction publishes no answer.
- Miami-Dade County 10 rules
7 of 10 projects always need a permit and 3 turn on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are deck, patio and roof replacement. Published thresholds include deck at 18 inches and shed at 400 sq ft.
- Orange County 10 rules
9 of 10 projects always need a permit and 1 turns on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are roof replacement. Published thresholds include shed at 120 sq ft and roof replacement at 7,500 USD.
- Osceola County 10 rules
Every one of the 9 projects we checked needs a permit. 1 question is unresolved because the jurisdiction publishes no answer.
- Palm Beach County 10 rules
7 of 10 projects always need a permit and 3 turn on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are patio, pool and roof replacement. Published thresholds include shed at 36 sq ft and pool at 24 inches.
- Pasco County 10 rules
3 of 10 projects always need a permit and 7 turn on the size or scope of the work. Only deck, pool and solar work always needs one. Published thresholds include patio at 500 sq ft and roof replacement at 7,500 USD.
- Pinellas County 10 rules
7 of 10 projects always need a permit and 3 turn on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are fence, roof replacement and shed. Published thresholds include shed at 100 sq ft and roof replacement at 7,500 USD.
- Polk County 10 rules
5 of 10 projects always need a permit and 5 turn on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are fence, patio, pool, roof replacement and shed. Published thresholds include fence at 8 feet and shed at 50 sq ft.
- Santa Rosa County 10 rules
8 of 9 projects need a permit, and 1 does not. The ones that depend on the project are shed. No permit at all for fence. Published thresholds include shed at 600 sq ft. 1 question is unresolved because the jurisdiction publishes no answer.
- Sarasota County 10 rules
6 of 10 projects always need a permit and 4 turn on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are deck, fence, patio and shed. Published thresholds include roof replacement at 500 USD and shed at 65 sq ft.
- Seminole County 10 rules
7 of 9 projects always need a permit and 2 turn on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are HVAC and pool. Published thresholds include HVAC at 10 lbs refrigerant and pool at 24 inches. 1 question is unresolved because the jurisdiction publishes no answer.
- St. Johns County 10 rules
Every one of the 10 projects we checked needs a permit. Published thresholds include pool at 150 sq ft.
- St. Lucie County 10 rules
7 of 10 projects always need a permit and 3 turn on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are patio, pool and roof replacement. Published thresholds include pool at 24 inches and roof replacement at 25 percent.
- Volusia County 10 rules
7 of 10 projects always need a permit and 3 turn on the size or scope of the work. The ones that depend on the project are fence, patio and shed. Published thresholds include shed at 480 sq ft.