The same fence, on the same street, can need two different permits with two different fees, on two different portals, depending on which side of the city line the post hole lands. That is not a riddle. It is Tuesday in Central Florida permitting.
Fences, sheds, and roofs are the three projects I get asked about most, and they are exactly the ones where City of Orlando rules and unincorporated Orange County rules diverge. This post compares the two side by side. If you have not already confirmed that your project needs a permit at all, start with Do I Need a Permit for That?, then come back here for the jurisdiction split.
First, figure out whose rules you are under
Before anything else, confirm your jurisdiction. Orlando has enclaves and pockets, so the honest answer for some addresses is not intuitive. The reliable method:
- Check whether your street address has an Orlando, Maitland, Winter Park, Edgewood, or other municipal mailing city, then verify on the jurisdiction’s site or with the property appraiser, because mailing city and actual jurisdiction do not always match.
- Orange County’s official site, orangecountyfl.net, offers an address lookup that tells you whether you are in unincorporated Orange County or inside a municipality.
- If it is genuinely unclear, call the permit counter with your address. One call settles it.
Orlando: the city process
The City of Orlando runs permitting through orlando.gov, with applications in the digital permits portal at digitalpermits.orlando.gov. The city publishes an owner-builder declaration and an exemption affidavit for qualifying minor work, and permit technicians at the counter will tell you quickly whether a project qualifies.
For the big three:
- Fences. Orlando requires permits for fence installation and replacement. Height and materials drive the requirements, and different rules apply near canal areas or right-of-way easements, so bring your site plan questions to the counter.
- Sheds. Like the rest of Florida, size thresholds apply, and any electrical or plumbing to a shed triggers a permit regardless of size.
- Roofs. Reroofs are permitted through the city portal and get real inspections, including during active work, so your contractor needs to schedule them on time.
City timelines vary by workload, but simple residential permits frequently clear within a couple of weeks, and some over-the-counter categories can be same-week.
Unincorporated Orange County: the county process
Outside city limits, unincorporated Orange County handles permitting through orangecountyfl.net, with many common residential permit types available through its Fast Track Online Permitting system at fasttrack.ocfl.net. The county publishes permit guides for common projects, and its inspection requests run through its own automated line.
For the big three, county-side:
- Fences. Orange County requires permits for fence installation, and county rules spell out height and material requirements by zone, with specific rules for corners, lakes, and drainage easements.
- Sheds. The county’s accessory structure rules include size thresholds; utilities to any shed mean a permit regardless of size.
- Roofs. Reroofs are permitted through the county system with required inspections at defined stages.
Fast Track exists precisely because these are high-volume permits, and simple residential categories move quickly once a complete application is in. The most common county-side delay I see is the same one I see everywhere: an incomplete or incorrect application, not the review queue.
Side-by-side: what actually differs
Both jurisdictions administer the same Florida Building Code. What differs is the process around it:
- Portal. City projects live in digitalpermits.orlando.gov. County projects live in Fast Track at fasttrack.ocfl.net. Contractors registered in one are not automatically registered in the other.
- Forms. The city leans on its owner-builder declaration and exemption affidavit; the county leans on its own published permit guides and Fast Track applications. The substance is similar, the paperwork is not interchangeable.
- Thresholds. Shed size thresholds and fence specifics are set locally and are not guaranteed to match. Verify the current number for your address before you commit to a design.
- Timelines. Both move reasonably fast for simple residential work when the application is complete. Neither publishes a fixed statewide-style guarantee, and both can slow during storm season volume.
- Fees. Fee schedules are local. The same reroof can carry different permit costs on either side of the line, so pull each jurisdiction’s published fee schedule for a real budget number.
The trap I see most: the mailed envelope
A homeowner hires a fence company from a neighboring county. The company pulls permits under the jurisdiction it knows, maybe the one where its office sits. Work starts. Then the city or county inspector shows up at the wrong jurisdiction’s permit, and the project stalls with a stop-work order until the right application is filed and paid for. Every one of those dollars and weeks was avoidable with one phone call on day one.
Contractors who work across jurisdiction lines carry this whole map in their heads. Homeowners should not have to. It is fair to ask any contractor you are considering two questions: which jurisdiction will the permit be pulled in, and which portal will inspections be scheduled through? A contractor who answers those two questions without blinking is a contractor who has done this before.
The three fixes that work everywhere
Whatever jurisdiction you land in, three habits prevent almost every fence, shed, and roof permit problem:
- Confirm the jurisdiction first. Not the mailing city, the actual jurisdiction. One lookup or one call.
- Verify current thresholds. Shed square footage and fence rules are local numbers and they change. Check the official site for your address, not a forum.
- Submit complete. Site plan, contractor license, product approvals where required, and the application form your jurisdiction actually uses. My pre-submittal checklist covers the full list.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for a fence in Orlando?
Yes. The City of Orlando requires permits for fence installation and replacement. Height, materials, and location drive the specifics, and rules near canal areas or rights-of-way add requirements. Confirm the current requirements on orlando.gov or with the permit counter before you sign a contract.
Do I need a permit for a shed in Orange County?
Usually yes above a local size threshold, and always if you run electrical or plumbing to it regardless of size. Orange County publishes accessory structure guidance on orangecountyfl.net, and many common residential permits move through Fast Track at fasttrack.ocfl.net. Verify the current threshold for your address before you buy the shed.
How long does a roof permit take in Orlando vs. Orange County?
Both jurisdictions can turn simple residential reroofs around quickly, often within a couple of weeks and sometimes faster, once a complete application is in. Timelines move with workload and storm season volume, and neither jurisdiction guarantees a fixed number. The biggest timeline risk is the same on both sides: an incomplete application that bounces back for corrections.
One intake, either jurisdiction
MLPS files in both the city and county systems every week. We confirm your jurisdiction, prepare the application your address actually requires, submit it complete the first time, and track it through inspections so the fence goes up, the shed goes together, and the roof goes on without a stop-work surprise.
Start an intake or call (407) 649-9521. Tell us the project and the address, and we will tell you which set of rules you are under, usually within one business day.
Where to verify
- City of Orlando: orlando.gov and digitalpermits.orlando.gov
- Orange County: orangecountyfl.net, Fast Track at fasttrack.ocfl.net
- Not sure which one you are in? Call either counter with your address; they will point you to the right one.
Disclaimer: This post is general information, not legal advice. Permitting requirements, thresholds, 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 jurisdiction before starting work.