Building permits in Sarasota County, Florida
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Sarasota 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 Sarasota County
Building Division, Sarasota County Planning and Development Services (PDS)
- PDS One Stop, 870 Apex Road, Sarasota, FL 34240; also R.L. Anderson Administration Center, 4000 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice, FL 34293
- Phone: 941-861-5000
- Email: building@scgov.net
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
Look up a permit in Sarasota County
Sarasota County permit records are public, and you can check a property's permit history by address or parcel number online.
What needs a permit in Sarasota County
Of the 10 common home projects we have verified in Sarasota 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | A permit is required to construct a raised residential deck (one with footings) and for all decks on commercial property; no permit is required for a residential deck placed directly on grade without footings, in any material. |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size |
| Fence Permit | It depends | A chain link, wood, or vinyl fence does not need a building permit when it meets the county's standards for height, placement, and finished side facing the neighbor or right-of-way; fences and walls that do not meet those standards require a permit. A permit is also required when the property is in a flood zone or the fence is part of a larger project scope. |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size |
| Patio Permit | It depends | No permit is required for a residential patio placed directly on grade without footings, in any material; a permit is required for patios that involve footings, are part of a larger project scope, or are on commercial or multi-family property. |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Any size |
| Pool Permit | Permit required | Any size |
| Roof Replacement Permit | Permit required | A building permit is not required for repair of a small, incidental roof leak limited to one roofing square and $500 or less in cost; a permit is required for roof replacement and for repair or replacement of structural roof components such as sheathing. |
| Shed Permit | It depends | Plastic or rubber storage containers less than 7 feet tall and less than 65 square feet that meet any applicable setback requirements do not need a building permit; all other storage or utility sheds require a permit. |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size |
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Schedule an inspection in Sarasota County
Permitted work is not finished until it passes inspection. Inspections are scheduled online through the Accela portal or by phone via the IVR system at 941-861-6441 (available in Spanish); the Inspections Hotline for questions is 941-861-3271 or 941-861-3273. Select storm-related permits can also use VuSpex virtual inspections for eligible work types.
Schedule or request a Sarasota County inspection
When the portal will not take the date you need, the office still books by phone: 941-861-5000.
Checked . If the office has changed its process, report it.
Sarasota County permit fees compared with nearby Florida localities
| Florida locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarasota County | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 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 | ...fee table lists a Building Code Review fee of $75.00... | ...fee table lists a Building Code Review fee of $75.00... |
| Broward County | ...the Structural permit schedule, the greater of a $125... | ...and ventilation) permit is the greater of a $125... | 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.
Sarasota County permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Sarasota County?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for Sarasota County, 6 always require a permit (for example an electrical permit), 4 depend on size or scope (a deck permit, for instance). Each Sarasota County permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Sarasota County?
- Sarasota County publishes a fee for 0 of the 10 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule. Fees are set by Building Division, Sarasota County Planning and Development Services (PDS); we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Sarasota County?
- Building Division, Sarasota County Planning and Development Services (PDS) issues permits in Sarasota County, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at 941-861-5000. The Sarasota County official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
How the Sarasota County pages were verified. 10 permit types, 5 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from Building Division, Sarasota County Planning and Development Services (PDS) or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Sarasota County is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.