Permit needed, by project type
General guidance for residential work in the Orlando metro. Thresholds differ by jurisdiction — always confirm with the office handling your address before work starts.
| Project | Permit | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Roof replacement or re-roof | Yes | Required throughout Florida, including partial re-roofs over a set percentage of the roof area. Inspections include dry-in. |
| Structural changes, additions, removing a wall | Yes | Plans are typically required, sealed by a Florida engineer or architect. |
| Electrical panel or service upgrade | Yes | Pulled by a licensed electrical contractor; utility coordination is usually needed. |
| Water heater replacement | Yes | Commonly overlooked. Required in most Orlando-area jurisdictions. |
| Re-pipe or new drain lines | Yes | Plumbing permit plus rough-in inspection before closing walls. |
| HVAC changeout | Yes | Mechanical permit; load calculation may be requested. |
| Windows and exterior doors | Yes | Product approval documentation for wind load is part of the submittal. |
| Pools, spas, and screen enclosures | Yes | Barrier and safety requirements are inspected separately. |
| Fences, sheds, and driveways | Usually | Thresholds and setbacks vary by jurisdiction and HOA; confirm before ordering materials. |
| Interior painting, wallpaper, trim | No | Cosmetic finish work generally does not require a permit. |
| Flooring replacement | No | No permit for like-for-like flooring; subfloor structural repair changes that. |
| Cabinet or countertop swap | Sometimes | No permit for a straight swap; moving plumbing or electrical triggers one. |
| Landscaping and sod | No | Tree removal, irrigation backflow, and grading changes are separately regulated. |
Where to apply
Orange County Building Safety (Division of Building Safety)
Unincorporated Orange County and cities without their own building department
Official permit page →Seminole County Building Division
Unincorporated Seminole County — Sanford, Longwood, Altamonte Springs, Casselberry, and Winter Springs run their own departments
Official permit page →Osceola County Building Department
Unincorporated Osceola County; Kissimmee and St. Cloud permit their own city limits
Official permit page →Several metro cities operate their own building departments, including Kissimmee, Apopka, Sanford, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs. Check the city first if your address is inside city limits.
The owner-builder trap
Florida lets a homeowner pull a permit as an owner-builder for work on their own property. It exists for people genuinely doing their own work. It is also the most common workaround used by contractors who can't pull a permit themselves.
When you sign as owner-builder, you become the party responsible for code compliance and inspections, you may be treated as the employer of anyone injured on site, and you generally give up the license-based recourse that protects homeowners who hired a licensed contractor. If a contractor's estimate depends on you pulling the permit, verify their license before going any further.
Permit questions homeowners ask
- Who is supposed to pull the permit — me or the contractor?
- The licensed contractor performing the work pulls the permit. If a contractor asks you to pull it yourself as an owner-builder, they are moving the legal responsibility for code compliance, inspections, and any injured worker onto you — and it often means they cannot pull it themselves.
- What happens if work was done without a permit?
- Unpermitted work commonly surfaces at resale, during an insurance claim, or at the next inspection. Jurisdictions can require an after-the-fact permit, opening finished walls for inspection, or removal of the work. Insurers can also deny claims tied to unpermitted alterations.
- How does a permit affect my homeowners insurance in Florida?
- Insurers frequently ask for roof documentation, and a permitted, inspected roof with a final inspection on record is far easier to insure and to claim on than one with no permit history. Wind mitigation credits generally rely on documented, code-compliant installation.
- Which city do I apply in if I'm just outside the city limits?
- Permits follow the jurisdiction of the property address, not the mailing city. Many Orlando-area addresses use an Orlando or Kissimmee mailing address but sit in unincorporated county territory. Confirm the jurisdiction with the county property appraiser before applying.
- Do I need a permit during a declared state of emergency?
- Yes — emergency declarations sometimes relax timelines but do not remove permit requirements, and contracting without a license during a declared emergency is a felony at any project value under § 489.127, Florida Statutes, regardless of the amount.
For homeownersPost a job, get bids
Instead of contacting contractors one at a time, describe your project once on Knuckl and let licensed Orlando-area subcontractors bid on it.