Florida Building Permit Search

Looking for information on permits that have been issued in Central Florida? Wondering if a property you’re interested in has had any work done recently? Our Florida Building Permit Search resource can help! Every home in Florida falls under the jurisdiction of either the city or county permitting offices. Most offices even include an online tool lets you see a list of all the permits that have been issued in your area, so you can get a better idea of what’s been going on at a property. In this guide were going to break down how to determine which permitting office you should contact based on where your home is and provide quick links to each permit search tool.

Why Do We Look Up Florida Building Permits?

Florida building permits are required for a variety of home improvement projects, including roofing, electrical work, plumbing, and more. The building permit search process helps to ensure that all work is completed by licensed contractors and that the work meets all local code requirements. As home inspectors, we routinely conduct a roof permit search for wind mitigations and four-point inspections because roof permits are required to prove the age of roofs. As a homeowner, it is important to be aware of what type of work requires a permit in order to avoid any potential fines or other penalties. The permitting office is always a good resource to start with if you have any questions about the permitting process. So, whether you’re a home inspector, real estate agent, or simply a concerned homeowner, be sure to look up your local building permitting office before making any changes to your property.

Which Local Permit Office Should You Use?

When determining which permit search to use, it’s important to know where your home is located geographically within city or county limits. For example, let’s say you’re looking for a permit in the Orange County area. If your home is located within the city limits of Orlando, you would need to use the Orlando permit search. However, if your home is located in an unincorporated section of Orange County, you would need to use the Orange County permit search. By knowing where your home is located, you can ensure that you’re using the correct permit search and avoiding any delays or complications.

Sometimes, figuring out which office handles permits for your specific location can be a bit of a challenge. If you call the wrong office, they’ll be quick to point you in the right direction. Trust me, it’s not a surprise to have both the county and city office say that you need to call the opposite office! The best way to avoid this runaround is to do some research ahead of time. Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of offices we frequently use that can help you determine which office handles permits for your specific location.

How To Search for Florida Building Permits

If you’re looking for a building permit in Florida and you’re not having any luck with the local permit office search tools, don’t despair. There are a couple of other ways to find the information you need. Here are some options to utilize.

Use Local Property Appraiser Websites

If you’re trying to find building permits in Florida that may not be easily accessible through the local permit office search tools, your best bet is to use the local city or county property appraisers’ office. These offices maintain records of all the properties in their jurisdiction, and they should be able to help you track down the permits you’re looking for. In Orange County, for example, you can search for permits online through the Orange County Property Appraiser’s Office. Using these resources should help you find the information you’re looking for. In many cases when I’ve conducted a roof permit search and couldn’t find information, I’ve found it on the property appraisers’ website.

Not All Permits are Online

Looking up building permits in Florida can be a bit of a challenge, as many city and county records are only made available from certain dates to the current year. Each office is different on their records and the timespan of years they have searchable online Often times if a permit is not available online, you will need to call the building department directly to have them conduct a permit search within their system or look at physical documents in storage. You can also try searching for Florida building permits on your local county recorder’s website, which has a database of all recorded documents.

Use Mutiple Search Methods

When searching for a building permit in Florida, it’s important to use multiple search methods in order to get the most accurate results. You can search by address, parcel number or name, but using each method independently will often give you the best results. For example, when searching by address, you may need to include the direction (North or South) or use the abbreviations (N. or S.) in order to get more accurate results. The same is true when searching by parcel number – including the full number may give you more results than just searching by a portion of the number. And finally, when searching by name, be sure to try different variations of the name (e.g., Robert vs. Bob) in order to get the most complete list of results. By using all of these search methods, you’ll be sure to find the building permit information you’re looking for.

Central Florida Building Permit Offices by County

Here is a collection of local county permit offices and their best contact information within Central Florida.

Central Florida Building Permit Offices by City

Here is a collection of local city permit offices and their best contact information within Central Florida.

As you can see, there are a few different ways to search for Florida building permits. If you have any questions or need help finding the right permit office, don’t hesitate to reach out. HOMESHAPE Inspections is here to help with all of your home inspection needs!