Florida building departments

How permitting works in Florida

Statewide Florida Building Code, local enforcement. The Florida Building Code applies in every city and county, including unincorporated areas, and products such as windows, doors, and roofing generally need state or local product approval. Contractors are state-certified or locally registered.

A county name is only a geographic starting point. Depending on the address, a city, town, borough, township, or county office may issue your permit. How to check who issues your permit.

Florida building codes and licensing

Residential code

Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023) – Residential; effective December 31, 2023. The 9th Edition (2026) is still in development

Commercial code

Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023) – Building; effective December 31, 2023

Adopted by

Florida Building Commission (opens in a new tab)

Outside city limits

Every local government and enforcement district with statutory authority enforces the Florida Building Code on public and private buildings, so counties enforce it in unincorporated areas.

Contractor licensing

Certified contractors may work anywhere in Florida; registered contractors may work only in the local jurisdictions where they met competency requirements. Casual or minor jobs under $2,500 are exempt unless they're part of a larger job or the person advertises as a contractor. Construction Industry Licensing Board (Florida DBPR) (opens in a new tab)

What is different in Florida

• The Florida Building Commission runs a statewide product evaluation and approval system that works with the Florida Building Code.
• Owner-builders may build or improve their own one- or two-family home for their own use, not for sale or lease. They must sign the permit application in person and the required disclosure statement, and they must directly supervise unlicensed work.
• The Florida Building Code may not include IRC provisions that require residential fire sprinklers, and local amendments may not add them. Ordinances in effect since January 1, 2010 are exempt.
• A permit applied for before a new code edition takes effect stays under the code in effect on the application date for the life of the permit.

Florida department guides

Browse Florida counties

Bold counties have at least one researched department guide.

Planning a project in Florida?

Start with what the model codes say, then confirm local rules with the department that serves your address.

• Do I Need a Permit for a Deck
• Do I Need a Permit for a Fence
• Do I Need a Permit for a Shed
• Do I Need a Permit to Replace a Roof
• Do I Need a Permit to Replace a Water Heater
• Do I Need a Permit for a Kitchen Remodel
• How Much Does a Building Permit Cost
• Building Inspection Stages Explained

Sources

1. Florida Building Commission
2. Florida Building Commission – 2026 (9th Edition) Code Development Process
3. Florida Statutes 553.73 – Florida Building Code
4. Florida Statutes 553.80 – Enforcement
5. Florida Statutes 553.842 – Product evaluation and approval
6. Florida Statutes 489.103 – Exemptions (owner-builder, minor work)
7. Florida Statutes 489.105 – Definitions (certified vs. registered contractor)

State facts checked October 21, 2026. Local amendments can change these rules; the department serving your address has the final word.