This is a complete list of Florida Building Departments, listed by county, with all the contact information you need to apply for a building permit.
The simple truth is that your local building department, and specifically your county building manager, can be a contractor or developer’s best resource. Our geotechnical engineering firm has built strong relationships with each of the building managers in Southwest Florida. They have helped us streamline our reporting and permit approvals tremendously.
In many situations, the local Building Manager has complete authority to interpret and apply the Florida Building Code. If you’re planning a new development anywhere in the Sunshine State, then knowing the local building officials is equally as important as knowing the building codes.
Now, let’s dive in.
Who regulates builders in Florida?
1. Florida Building Code, 8th Edition
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation just enacted the 8th edition of the Florida Building Code. Everything about your building plans needs to be compliant with this current edition—including geotechnical soil tests, foundation testing, septic plans, and water table measurements.
“The purpose of this code is to establish the minimum requirements to provide a reasonable level of safety, public health and general welfare through structural strength, means of egress facilities, stability, sanitation, adequate light and ventilation, energy conservation, and safety to life and property from fire and other hazards attributed to the built environment and to provide a reasonable level of safety to fire fighters and emergency responders during emergency operations.”
Florida Building Code 8th Edition
Click here to access the current edition of the Florida Building Code.
Make sure to check out the “Test Protocols for High Velocity Hurricane Zone” section as well.
2. Florida Building Departments (County Office)
Every Florida county can add more strict building requirements based on their local geography, economy, and hurricane risk.
Make sure to meet semi-regularly with your county building manager to catch any upcoming changes or specific questions they may have. Remember, they have worked their way up through the construction ranks to this position, but they might not be as familiar with new testing techniques or technology.
A little shop-talk will go a long way toward building a beneficial relationship for you both.
3. Incorporated Cities & Municipalities
Planning to build in a major city? You will need to apply for a permit from your city’s building department as well.
Either way, be prepared to show your work!
Example: The city of North Port has recently begun requiring sub-grade compaction testing for every construction project within the city limits. That’s not the type of test you want to skip and re-do on the second try.
How to Contact 2024 Florida Building Managers: Complete List of Counties
| County & Website (click name to visit) | Building Manager | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alachua | Holly Banner | hbanner@alachuacounty.us | |
| Baker | Folks Huxford | folks.huxford@bakercountyfl.org | (904) 259-3354 |
| Bay | Rick Holmes | rholmes@baycountyfl.gov | (850) 248-8140 |
| Bradford | Rod Crawford | rod_crawford@bradfordcountyfl.gov | (904) 966-6205 |
| Brevard | Terry Talbert | Terry.Talbert@BrevardFL.gov | (321) 633-2187 |
| Broward | Ronald Puentes | RPuentes@broward.org | (954) 765-4400 |
| Calhoun | rfarris@calhouncountyfl.gov | (850) 674-8046 | |
| Charlotte | Shawn McNulty | Shawn.McNulty@charlottecountyfl.gov | (941) 743.1314 |
| Citrus | Samuel Acosta | samuel.acosta@citrusbocc.com | (352) 527-5310 |
| Clay | Steve Schoeff | Steve.Schoeff@claycountygov.com | (904) 269-6307 |
| Collier | Richard Long | Richard.Long@colliercountyfl.gov | (239) 252-2400 |
| Columbia | Troy Crews | troy_crews@columbiacountyfla.com | (386) 758-1040 |
| DeSoto | Lester Hornbake | l.hornbake@desotobocc.com | (863) 993-4811 |
| Dixie | Leon Wright | building.official@dixie.fl.gov | (352) 498.1236 |
| Duval (Jacksonville) | Joshua Gideon | JGideon@coj.net | (904) 255-8500 |
| Escambia | permits@myescambia.com | (850) 595-3550 | |
| Flagler | Bo Snowden | BSNOWDEN@FLAGLERCOUNTY.COM | (386) 313-4003 |
| Franklin | permits@franklincountyflorida.com | (850) 653-9783 | |
| Gadsden | Roosevelt Morris | https://www.gadsdencountyfl.gov/departments/county-administrator/staff-directory | (850) 875-8665 |
| Gilchrist | Gene Stockman | permitting@gilchrist.fl.us | (352) 463-4620 |
| Glades | (863) 946-6018 | ||
| Gulf | Michael Hammond | (850) 229-8944 | |
| Hamilton | John Auer | buildingdepartment@hamiltoncountyfl.org | (386) 792-1060 |
| Hardee | Tom Fisher | tom.fisher@hardeecounty.net | (863 ) 773-3236 |
| Hendry | Jordan Lynn | lynn.jordan@hentryfla.net | (863) 675-5245 |
| Hernando | bldg@hernandocounty.us | (352) 754-4050 | |
| Highlands | Eric Longshore | elongshore@highlandsfl.gov | (863) 402-6643 |
| Hillsborough | permitting@hcfl.gov | (813) 272-5600 | |
| Holmes | Keith Bennett | hcbd@holmescountyfl.org | 850-547-1119 |
| Indian River | Scott McAdam | smcadam@indianriver.gov | (772) 226-1268 |
| Jackson | Allen Biggs | biggsa@jacksoncountyfl.gov | (850) 482-9802 |
| Jefferson | James Kaufman | jkaufman@jeffersoncountyfl.gov | (850) 342-0223 |
| Lafayette | Leon Wright | lafcobldg@gmail.com | (386) 294-3611 |
| Lake | permitting@lakecountyfl.gov | (352) 343-9653 | |
| Lee | Thomas Delnay | TDelnay@leegov.com | (239) 533-8329 |
| Leon | Justin Poole | PooleJ@leoncountyfl.gov | (850) 606-1333 |
| Levy | David Meyer | meyer-david@levycounty.org | (352) 486-5198 |
| Liberty | Gary Millender | (850) 643-5463 | |
| Madison | Rick Anderson | bldgofficial@madisoncountyfl.com | (850) 973-6785 |
| Manatee | Bill Palmer | bill.palmer@mymanatee.org | (941) 748-4501 EXT. 3887 |
| Marion | Michael L. Savage, Sr. | buildingpermits@marionfl.org | (352) 438-2400 |
| Martin | Jeffrey Dougherty | https://www.martin.fl.us/employee-contact/jeffrey-dougherty | (772) 288-5491 |
| Miami-Dade | Edward A. Rojas | (305) 468-5900 | |
| Monroe | Rick Griffin | Griffin-rick@monroecounty-fl.gov | 305-289-2521 |
| Nassau | Keith Ellis | kellis@nassaucountyfl.com | (904) 530-6250 |
| Okaloosa | Purl Adams | padams@myokaloosa.com | 850-651-7180 |
| Okeechobee | Kevin Throop | kthroop@safebuilt.com | (863) 763-5548 |
| Orange | permittingservices@ocfl.net | (407) 836-5550 | |
| Osceola | Buildingmailbox@osceola.org | (407) 742-0200 | |
| Palm Beach | Doug Wise | DWise@pbcgov.org | (561) 233-5100 |
| Pasco | JP Murphy | bcscustomerservice@mypasco.net | (727) 847-8126 |
| Pinellas | Building@Pinellas.gov | (727) 464-3888 | |
| Polk | Benjamin Dunn | benjamindunn@polk-county.net | (863) 534-6080 |
| Putnam | Leo Wadeson | leo.wadeson@putnam-fl.gov | (386) 329-0359 |
| Santa Rosa | Lee Tambre | tambrel@santarosa.fl.gov | (850) 981-7042 |
| Sarasota | Kathleen Croteau | kcroteau@scgov.net | (941) 861-6678 |
| Seminole | Bob Pike | BPCustomerservice@seminolecountyfl.gov | (407) 665-7050 |
| St. Johns | Howard White | hwhite@sjcfl.us | (904) 827-6800 |
| St. Lucie | Mark Thornbloom | thornbloomm@stlucieco.org | (772) 462-2186 |
| Sumter | Steve Wilcox | building@sumtercountyfl.gov | (352) 689-4400 |
| Suwannee | Mack Hinkle | permits@suwcountyfl.gov | (386) 364-3407 |
| Taylor | Earl Ketring | planning@taylorcountygov.com | (850) 838-3500 |
| Union | Wilson Whiddon | buildingdept@unioncounty-fl.gov | (386) 496-2676 |
| Volusia | Kerry Leuzinger | kleuzinger@volusia.org | (386) 736-5925 |
| Wakulla | Clyde Collins | ccollins@mywakulla.com | (850) 926-0919 EXT.710 |
| Walton | Billy Bearden | beabilly@co.walton.fl.us | |
| Washington | Dana Whipple | dwhipple@washingtonfl.com | (850) 638-6200 |
FAQs About Florida Building Permits
How to apply for a building permit in Florida.
- Get the application – Most applications are available on the county’s website, and can be completed directly online.
- Complete the application – Get the details right, they matter!
- Turn in the application (with required plans & reports) – Submit your completed application, along with your full building plans and any other foundation tests required.
- Get approved – Get the green light from your building manager before moving forward with construction.
How much does a building permit cost in Florida?
Building permit costs vary for each county, according to building size and type. Your fees can end up anywhere from $10 to $500+, but that will depend largely on whether you’re developing a commercial property or building a single-family home.
When should you contact your local building manager?
Many Florida counties can approve building permits within a couple of business days.
Usually, the process of getting a building permit is relatively straightforward. But it never hurts to reach out and introduce yourself beforehand. If you’re building in the area for the first time, or building a new type of structure, then expect a slower process.
Septic Engineering & Geotechnical Testing for Your Florida Project
With over 30 years of experience working with county building managers, inspectors, and office managers, we understand the value of building strong relationships with your local building official.
Confusing site plans or a half-done geotechnical report can mean postponed projects, angry clients, and lost revenue. If you’re planning a residential development project or commercial building in Southwest Florida, then we’d love to learn more about your goals to see if there is a good fit.
Creek Engineering is a family-owned engineering firm that values long-term construction partnerships. Our team is highly skilled and dedicated to providing top-tier engineering services. We have a proven track record of delivering reliable and professional services to Florida contractors and home builders.
