Building permits in Hillsborough County, Florida
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Hillsborough County, 6 need a permit outright and 4 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 2 official sources
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 10
- in Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County Development Services
- 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, FL 33602
- Phone: (813) 272-5600
- Email: permitting@hcfl.gov
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County permit records are public, and you can check a property's permit history online.
What needs a permit in Hillsborough County
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Hillsborough County, 6 need a permit outright and 4 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Residential Misc Projects permit fee is $380 flat, covers decks, sheds, carports and... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Residential Electrical (General) trade permit fee is $130 flat for inspection-only work... |
| Fence Permit | It depends | PVC wood and chain-link fences are exempt; electrical or concrete fences require a permit | No fence line item in the fee schedule |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Residential Mechanical (General) and HVAC Equal Change Outs trade permit fee is $130... |
| Patio Permit | It depends | open concrete slabs may be exempt; screen enclosures and covered patios require a permit | Not published |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Residential Plumbing (General) trade permit fee is $130 flat, inspection-only with no... |
| Pool Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Residential in-ground Pool/Spa permit fee is $475 flat, or $150 flat for an above ground... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | permit required when more than 25 percent of total roof area is replaced or recovered in a 12-month period; separately, under F.S. 553.79(1)(g) (HB 803, ch. 2026-63, effective 2026-07-01), work valued at less than $7,500 on a single-family dwelling qualifies for exemption upon a written exemption request with documentation of the nature and value of the work; the exemption excludes electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, and gas work and any property in a flood hazard area; the statute does not name roofing, so a non-structural reroof under that value can qualify; confirm with Hillsborough County Development Services. | Residential Roofing trade permit fee is $250 flat, inspection-only single-trade permit... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | sheds under 150 sq ft are exempt; 150 sq ft or larger require a building permit | Residential Misc Projects fee of $380 flat covers sheds and includes a $50 application fee |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Not specified | Residential Photovoltaic trade permit fee is $250 flat, inspection-only with no plan... |
Planning a project in Hillsborough County?
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Schedule an inspection in Hillsborough County
Permitted work is not finished until it passes inspection. Hillsborough County 'Inspections' page under Permits and Records; covers in-person inspections, virtual inspections, fire marshal inspections, and inspector contacts..
Schedule or request a Hillsborough County inspection
When the portal will not take the date you need, the office still books by phone: (813) 272-5600.
Checked . If the office has changed its process, report it.
Hillsborough County permit fees compared with nearby Florida localities
| Florida locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough County | Residential Misc Projects permit fee is $380 flat, covers... | Residential Mechanical (General) and HVAC Equal Change... | Residential Electrical (General) trade permit fee is $130... |
| Alachua County | No deck-specific flat fee is published. | Flat fee: Res Mechanical Alt/Repair $110.00, per the... | No electrical-specific flat fee is published |
| Brevard County | Not published | Brevard's Residential HVAC/Mechanical Permit Application... | Brevard's Residential Electrical Permit Application fee... |
| Broward County | No separate deck fee line | Mechanical (air conditioning and ventilation) permit is... | Electrical permit is the greater of a $125 minimum base... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that Florida jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Hillsborough County penalty for work started without a permit
Hillsborough County publishes what it charges when work begins before the permit, quoted here from the schedule or permit page we verified.
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After-the-fact permits carry a 100 percent penalty surcharge.
Hillsborough County hvac permit page · last checked
The Florida statute, the after-the-fact permit path and who may pull the permit: building without a permit in Florida.
Hillsborough County permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Hillsborough County?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for Hillsborough County, 6 always require a permit (for example a deck permit), 4 depend on size or scope (a fence permit, for instance). Each Hillsborough County permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Hillsborough County?
- Hillsborough County publishes a fee for 9 of the 10 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by Hillsborough County Development Services; we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Hillsborough County?
- Hillsborough County Development Services issues permits in Hillsborough County, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at (813) 272-5600. The Hillsborough County official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
- What is the penalty for building without a permit in Hillsborough County?
- Hillsborough County publishes its own charge for work started before the permit: After-the-fact permits carry a 100 percent penalty surcharge. That is the local bill; the Florida statute, the after-the-fact permit path and who may pull the permit are on the Florida building-without-a-permit page.
How the Hillsborough County pages were verified. 10 permit types, 9 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from Hillsborough County Development Services or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Hillsborough County is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.
Permitting activity in Hillsborough County
In 2024, Hillsborough County authorized permits for 9,053 new residential housing units (4,402 single-family, 4,651 in multi-family buildings), valued at $2.2B , down from 12,716 the year before. That works out to about 5.7 permits per 1,000 residents. It is a useful gauge of how busy the local permit office is.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual data · population 1,581,426.
About Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County has about 618,220 housing units. The median home is valued at $333,300, against a median household income of $75,011. About 61% of homes are owner-occupied, and the typical home was built around 1990.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year.