Residential permit rules in Florida

Representative cities: Miami, Orlando, Tampa. Covers 16 common home projects.

Project	Permit?	Authority	Typical fee	Timeline	Go / No-Go	Key notes
🏠 Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)	Permit required	city	Permit and plan-review fees set by the city. Verify with the local building department.	Varies by city; 2–8 weeks.	Restricted	Florida has no statewide by-right ADU mandate; ADUs are allowed only where the local ordinance permits, with size/setback set by that ordinance. Exempt: Allowed where local zoning permits (e.g., Miami 21, Orlando, Tampa).
🪵 Deck / Porch	Conditional	city	Set by the city — typically a flat plus valuation-based fee. Verify with the city building department.	1–4 weeks.	Generally allowed	Attached or raised decks need a building permit. Exempt: Decks >30 in above grade or attached require a permit (FBC R105).
🧱 Fence / Wall	Conditional	city	Usually no building permit under the height threshold; zoning setback rules apply. Verify locally.	Same day / Over-the-Counter where required.	Generally allowed	Height/setback set by local zoning; HOA rules may also apply. Exempt: Typically no building permit under ~6 ft (zoning).
🛖 Shed / Outbuilding	Conditional	city	No fee under the exemption; a permit fee applies if over the threshold.	Same day / Over-the-Counter where required.	Generally allowed	Larger or serviced sheds need a building permit. Exempt: One-story detached accessory structure ≤120 sq ft is exempt (FBC R105.2).
🪜 Basement Finish	Permit required	city	Valuation-based building permit fee. Verify with the city building department.	2–6 weeks.	Generally allowed	Uncommon in Florida; finishing a basement requires egress and permits. Exempt: N/A
🚗 Garage / Carport	Permit required	city	Valuation-based fee. Verify with the city building department.	2–8 weeks.	Generally allowed	A new garage requires a building permit under the Florida Building Code Residential. Exempt: N/A
☀️ Rooftop Solar PV	Permit required	city	Electrical permit fee set by the city. Verify with the city building department.	2–4 weeks.	Generally allowed	Rooftop PV requires an electrical permit; products in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (Miami-Dade, Broward) require Florida Product Approval / NOA. Exempt: N/A
🌡️ HVAC Replacement	Permit required	city	Mechanical permit fee set by the city. Verify with the city building department.	1–2 weeks.	Generally allowed	Furnace, AC, or heat-pump replacement requires a mechanical permit and inspection. Exempt: N/A
🍳 Kitchen Remodel	Permit required	city	Building + electrical + plumbing permit fees. Verify with the city building department.	2–6 weeks.	Generally allowed	Moving plumbing/electrical or walls triggers permits. Exempt: N/A
🛁 Bathroom Remodel	Permit required	city	Building + plumbing + electrical fees. Verify with the city building department.	2–6 weeks.	Generally allowed	Plumbing/electrical relocation requires permits. Exempt: N/A
🏗️ Room Addition	Permit required	city	Valuation-based building permit; impact fees may apply. Verify with the city building department.	3–8 weeks.	Generally allowed	Expanding the footprint requires FBC plan review and zoning compliance. Exempt: N/A
🪟 Window / Door Replacement	Conditional	city	Permit fee if changing the opening; in-kind swap is often exempt.	Same day / Over-the-Counter where required.	Restricted	In the HVHZ (Miami-Dade, Broward) windows within 1 mile of the coast must be impact-rated / Florida Product-Approved. Enlarging openings needs a permit. Exempt: In-kind same-size replacement generally needs no permit.
🏘️ Roof Replacement	Permit required	city	Roofing permit fee set by the city. Verify with the city building department.	1–3 weeks.	Generally allowed	Re-roofing requires a roofing permit; the HVHZ requires product-approved materials. Exempt: N/A
🅿️ Driveway / Parking Pad	Conditional	city	Private flatwork generally needs no building permit; right-of-way/curb cut needs a separate permit.	Varies.	Generally allowed	A curb cut or work in the public right-of-way requires a separate permit from the city / public works. Exempt: N/A
🏊 Swimming Pool / Spa	Permit required	city	Building permit + electrical; fee set by the city. Verify with the city building department.	3–8 weeks.	Generally allowed	Pools require a permit and barrier per FBC Section 454 / R4101 (self-closing gate, alarms, entrapment protection). Exempt: N/A
🧱 Retaining Wall	Conditional	city	No fee under the exemption; a permit applies if over the threshold.	2–4 weeks if required.	Generally allowed	Taller or surcharge-supporting walls need design and a permit. Exempt: Retaining walls ≤4 ft (bottom of footing to top), not supporting a surcharge, are exempt (FBC R105.2).

State-wide sources: Florida Building Commission — 8th Ed. (2023) Florida Building Code · City of Miami — Building & Permitting (iBuild)