The question I hear more than any other does not sound like a permitting question at all. It sounds like this: “I am putting up a fence. Do I really need a permit for that?” Or a shed. Or a roof. Or a water heater that failed on a Sunday. People are not asking because they want to dodge the system. They are asking because nobody has ever explained the rules to them in plain English.
Here is the honest answer I give every one of them. In Florida, if your project changes the structure of a building, touches plumbing, electrical, or mechanical systems, or changes the land itself, you should assume a permit is required until an official source tells you otherwise. That assumption will keep you safe about ninety-five percent of the time. The other five percent is what this post is for.
The short answer
Most structural, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and land-disturbing work needs a permit in Central Florida. Cosmetic work usually does not. That is the whole rule of thumb. Everything below is detail.
And one thing before we go further. I sit on the permitting side of this every day, so you should know my bias: I would rather you spend an hour confirming than six months untangling an unpermitted project. The information here is general. Your city or county makes the final call, and their rules control.
Projects that almost always need a permit
Across Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, and Polk counties, these are the projects that consistently require one:
- Fences. New fences almost always need a permit. Height and materials drive the specifics, and many jurisdictions exempt minor repairs under a cost threshold. If panels or posts are going into new ground, plan on a permit. If a swimming pool is involved, a barrier of at least 48 inches (four feet) is required by Florida swimming pool code, and the barrier rules are strict.
- Sheds and accessory structures. Thresholds vary, often around 100 to 150 square feet, but utilities change everything: electrical or plumbing to a shed means a permit regardless of size.
- Roof replacement. A reroof is real construction with real inspection points. Plan for a permit.
- Water heater replacement. Yes, even a like-for-like swap. Permits protect you here; some jurisdictions also require an expansion tank or drain pan that the inspector verifies.
- Electrical work. Panels, new circuits, and most service changes. Small like-for-like fixture swaps may be exempt, but panel work is not.
- Windows and doors. Replacing one in the same opening is often exempt. Changing the size means structural work, and structural work means a permit.
- Driveways and concrete work. New driveways and significant flatwork usually need one, especially where right-of-way or drainage is involved.
- HVAC replacement. New systems and air handlers need permits and inspections.
- Demolition and additions. Tearing things down or building new square footage. Always.
Work that usually does not need one
Paint and wallpaper. Flooring and tile. Cabinets and countertops in the same footprint. Like-for-like minor repairs, within limits your jurisdiction defines. Shallow decorative landscaping.
Notice how short that list is compared to the one above. That is not an accident. When people get surprised by an unpermitted work problem, it is almost always because they guessed from the short list when the project belonged on the long one.
What happens if you skip it
This is the part I wish more people heard before they poured concrete. Skipping a required permit does not save money. It defers the cost and adds interest:
- Stop-work orders. A neighbor calls, an inspector drives by, and the project freezes mid-build.
- Fines. Many jurisdictions assess violations per day until the permit is resolved.
- Forced removal. Unpermitted work can have to come out. I have seen fences and sheds torn out at the owner’s expense.
- Insurance problems. If unpermitted electrical work causes a fire, the carrier has room to deny the claim.
- Sale and disclosure issues. Unpermitted improvements surface in buyer inspections and can stall or kill a closing.
And there is a licensing side. If you hire someone, the permit is generally pulled by the licensed contractor doing the work. Florida takes unlicensed contracting seriously, and pulling a permit you are not entitled to pull does not fix that problem. Many jurisdictions do offer an owner-builder path for work on your own home, but it comes with disclosures and full code responsibility. It is not meant for paid work on someone else’s property.
What a permit actually costs
There is no statewide fee schedule. Each city and county sets its own, and fees usually scale with the size or valuation of the work. Simple permits often carry a flat fee. Larger projects can add plan-review costs. Ask the jurisdiction for its published fee schedule so the permit is a known line item before you commit, and remember re-inspection or resubmission fees if something comes back.
How long it takes
It depends on the type of review, not on a fixed statewide timeline. Simple permits can clear in a few business days or even over the counter. Projects that need plan review take longer because drawings and multiple departments are involved. Here is the part most people miss: the most common delay is upstream. An incomplete or incorrect application costs more time than any review queue. A clean submission is the single best thing you can do for your own timeline.
If you are preparing a submittal yourself, I put my full pre-submittal checklist in a separate post on avoiding permit delays.
The ten-minute check before you start
Before any project on the long list, do this:
- Get your exact address and jurisdiction. City limits matter: the same house can answer to the City of Orlando or Orange County depending on which side of a line it sits. If you are unsure whether you are in city limits, call; they will tell you in one phone call.
- Go to the official website. City of Orlando: orlando.gov and digitalpermits.orlando.gov. Orange County: orangecountyfl.net, with Fast Track for many residential permits. Search “residential permit requirements” plus your project type.
- Confirm the threshold for your project. Fence heights, shed square feet, repair cost exemptions. Write down what you find and where you found it.
- Check whether a Notice of Commencement applies. Substantial improvements in Florida record one with the county comptroller (occompt.com for Orange County). Getting this wrong can put a mechanics lien cloud on the property.
- If the website answer is not clear, call the permit counter. Ten minutes on the phone beats a correction notice every time.
Rules that change at the county line
Every jurisdiction in Central Florida administers the same Florida Building Code, but the applications, portals, thresholds, and fee schedules are local. The three projects I get asked about most, fences, sheds, and roofs, are exactly the ones where city and county rules diverge. I broke down the differences for Orlando versus unincorporated Orange County in this companion post.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a building permit cost in Florida?
There is no statewide fee. Each city and county sets its own schedule, and fees usually scale with the size or valuation of the work. Simple permits may carry a flat fee, while larger or commercial projects can add plan-review costs. Ask the jurisdiction for its published fee schedule so the permit is a known line item, and remember re-inspection or resubmission fees if something comes back.
How long does a permit take in Florida?
It depends on the type of review, not a fixed statewide timeline. Simple permits can clear in a few business days or over the counter; projects that need plan review take longer because drawings and multiple departments are involved. The most common delay is upstream, an incomplete or incorrect application, so a clean submission is the best way to protect the timeline.
Can I pull a permit without a contractor’s license in Florida?
If you are hiring someone, the permit is generally pulled by the licensed contractor doing the work, and contractor accounts are typically tied to a verified license. Many jurisdictions allow an owner-builder path for work on your own primary residence, but it comes with disclosures and full code responsibility and is not meant for paid work on someone else’s property. Unlicensed contracting is a problem in Florida, and pulling a permit you are not entitled to pull does not fix it.
Ask before you start
You do not need to become a permit professional to keep your project on track. You need to confirm the answer before you start, and if you do not have time to chase thresholds and county portals, that is a job worth handing to someone who does it daily.
That is exactly what my team does at MLPS. We help homeowners, contractors, and small-business owners figure out which permits a specific project needs, prepare complete applications, submit them correctly the first time, and track them through review, so a fence, shed, roof, or water heater does not turn into a stalled project. Start an intake or call us at (407) 649-9521 and we will help you confirm what your project needs, usually within one business day.
Where to verify your local requirements
- City of Orlando permitting: orlando.gov and digitalpermits.orlando.gov
- Orange County permitting and Fast Track: orangecountyfl.net and fasttrack.ocfl.net
- Orange County Comptroller (Notice of Commencement): occompt.com
Disclaimer: This post is general information, not legal advice. Permitting requirements and fees vary by jurisdiction and change over time. MLPS helps organize and manage the permit process; we do not guarantee approvals or interpret law on your behalf. Verify current requirements with your city or county before starting work.