"Do I need a permit for this?" sounds like one question. In Pinellas County it's at least three: what state law says, what the Florida Building Code says, and what the building department for that address says. There are more than a dozen building departments in the county, and their lists don't match.
This guide pulls the official rules together for contractors and handymen. Our earlier guide on handyman dollar limits covers who can do a job without a license; this one covers when the job needs a permit and who can pull it. It's educational information, not legal advice. Before you start a job, confirm with the building department for the address.
The short answer
- State law starts from "permit required." Section 553.79(1)(a), Florida Statutes, makes it unlawful to "construct, erect, alter, modify, repair, or demolish any building" without a permit, "Unless otherwise provided by law."
- The Florida Building Code has very few exemptions of its own. Florida's version of Section 105.2 lists exemptions only for gas, mechanical and plumbing work. Exemptions for things like sheds and fences appear on each building department's own list.
- The new under-$7,500 exemption is narrow. It covers only single-family work that isn't in a flood hazard area and isn't electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical or gas work, and only after a written request.
- For licensed work, permits go to contractors licensed in that category, or to owner-builders. For job scopes the state doesn't license, a local government can't require a license to get the permit. When a contractor is involved, the trade licensee pulls the trade permit.
What the Florida Building Code says
Section 105.1 of the 8th Edition (2023) Florida Building Code, Building, says an "owner or owner's authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any impact-resistant coverings, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system" must "first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit." The Residential code hands its permit rules to that chapter.
Section 105.2 then lists work exempt from permit, and it opens with a warning: "Exemptions from permit requirements of this code shall not be deemed to grant authorization for any work to be done in any manner in violation of the provisions of this code." Florida's list has only three headings: gas, mechanical and plumbing. Examples include portable heating and cooling units, replacing a part "that does not alter its approval or make it unsafe," and "the stopping of leaks" in drain, water, soil, waste or vent pipe. If a concealed pipe has to be removed and replaced, "such work shall be considered as new work and a permit shall be obtained."
Two more provisions matter on service calls:
- Emergency repairs (105.2.1): when equipment replacements and repairs "must be performed in an emergency situation, the permit application shall be submitted within the next working business day."
- Ordinary minor repairs (105.2.2): these may be made "with the approval of the building official without a permit," but not if they cut away a wall, remove a structural beam or load-bearing support, change egress, or add, alter, replace or relocate piping, "electric wiring systems or mechanical equipment."
The under-$7,500 exemption, and how each jurisdiction applies it
Since July 1, 2026, s. 553.79(1)(g) says a local government that issues building permits "shall exempt an owner of a single-family dwelling or the owner's contractor" from a permit for "any work valued at less than $7,500." It doesn't apply to work on property "partially or entirely located in a flood hazard area," or to "Any electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work." A project "may not be divided into more than one project" to evade the limit. The owner or contractor must submit "a written request for exemption" with "a copy of the contract or other documentation demonstrating the nature and the value of the work." The local government "has no legal duty" for exempted work.
The departments apply it differently:
| Jurisdiction | How it handles the exemption |
|---|---|
| Pinellas County (unincorporated) | Written request with a signed contract; the Building Official must approve it before work starts, and the stamped approval stays on site. Examples it lists: doors, overhead garage doors, roofs, siding, soffit/fascia, stucco. Exempt work isn't inspected. |
| Clearwater | Online request form. Nature of work choices: stucco, fence, drywall, driveway, patio, turf, non-impact shutters and temporary storm protection. |
| Largo | Written request to bldg_official@largo.com, approved before work begins. Its list says "$7,500 or less"; the statute says "less than." |
| St. Petersburg | Its own exemption form. Excludes "structural components (including window and door replacement, roofing, soffit and fascia, or siding)." |
| Tarpon Springs | Request to exemptions@ctsfl.us with an itemized contract. Treats exterior window and door replacement, roofing and soffits as structural, so they're excluded. |
| Dunedin | Publishes the statute's text; names no examples. |
| Others | We found no published procedure for Pinellas Park, Seminole, Belleair, Madeira Beach or Treasure Island. The county's page names only unincorporated Pinellas, so ask its contract cities too. |
The county and St. Petersburg disagree about doors and roofs, so don't assume one department's example list works in another.
Who can pull the permit
Under s. 489.13(5), "A local building department shall not issue a building permit to any contractor, or to any person representing himself or herself as a contractor, who does not hold a valid active certificate or registration in the appropriate category." A local certificate of competency "is not sufficient" when the work requires state licensure.
For job scopes the state doesn't license, s. 489.117(4)(a)1. says "A local government may not require a state or local license to obtain a permit for such job scopes," which include painting, flooring, cabinetry, plastering, stuccoing, caulking and "handyman services." Our guide to what a handyman can do without a license covers that list.
Trade work stays with the trade. Section 489.113(3) says "A contractor shall subcontract all electrical, mechanical, plumbing, roofing, sheet metal, swimming pool, and air-conditioning work, unless such contractor holds a state certificate or registration in the respective trade category." When a contractor is involved, the trade licensee pulls the trade permit.
Owner-builders. Section 489.103(7) lets owners act as their own contractor, for example on their own one- or two-family home, providing "direct, onsite supervision themselves of all work not performed by licensed contractors." The owner "must personally appear and sign the building permit application," and a sale or lease within a year after completion creates a presumption the work was for sale or lease. The statute's disclosure statement includes this warning: "it is a frequent practice of unlicensed persons to have the property owner obtain an owner-builder permit that erroneously implies that the property owner is providing his or her own labor and materials." If a customer is pulling the permit so you can work under it, that's the arrangement the warning describes. Our unlicensed contracting penalties guide covers the consequences.
Which building department covers the address
Pinellas County says it issues permits "for unincorporated Pinellas County, Belleair Beach, Belleair Shores, Indian Rocks Beach, Kenneth City, Safety Harbor and Oldsmar." Each handles it differently: Safety Harbor sends windows, doors, garage doors, roofs, A/C changeouts and trade permits solely to the county, with a city substantial-improvement review first in the flood zone; Oldsmar requires a city pre-permit approval letter except for trade, window, door, roof, soffit, fascia and siding permits, which may go straight to the county; window, door, soffit, fascia and siding work still needs city review first in the CRA, along the Tampa Road corridor or in a flood zone; Indian Rocks Beach gives zoning and flood approval first for most permits. Clearwater, Largo, St. Petersburg, Dunedin, Pinellas Park, Tarpon Springs, Seminole, Treasure Island, Madeira Beach and Belleair run their own departments. Belleair Bluffs moved permitting and inspections to SAFEbuilt on Aug. 15, 2025. The county says to look an address up on the Property Appraiser's site (pcpao.gov) to find which municipality it's in.
Job by job: what the official pages say
"P" means the page says a permit is required. "Excluded" means the page excludes it from the $7,500 exemption. "Call" means we couldn't confirm it on an official page. In a flood hazard area, the $7,500 exemption doesn't apply.
Windows and doors, water heaters, re-roofs and A/C changeouts
| Jurisdiction | Windows and doors | Water heater | Re-roof | A/C changeout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinellas County | P (express permit); county lists doors as a possible $7,500-exemption example | P (express permit) | P (express permit); county lists roofs as a possible $7,500-exemption example | P (express permit) |
| Clearwater | P, filed online by contractors | P, filed online | P, filed online | P, filed online |
| Largo | Generally P (window and exterior door replacement) | Generally P (plumbing) | Generally P | Generally P (mechanical) |
| St. Petersburg | Excluded from the exemption (structural) | P (not on the exempt list) | Excluded from the exemption | P (exempt list covers only small ductless plug-in and portable units) |
| Dunedin | P | P | P | P |
| Tarpon Springs | Excluded from the exemption (structural) | Excluded from the exemption (plumbing) | Excluded from the exemption | Excluded from the exemption (mechanical) |
| Treasure Island | P ("impact-resistant coverings such as windows, doors or shutters") | Call | P | P (altering the HVAC system; maintenance exempt) |
| Madeira Beach | Call | P (plumbing) | P | P (mechanical) |
| Safety Harbor | County (city flood review first in the flood zone) | County | County | County |
| Oldsmar | County directly (city review first in the CRA/Tampa Rd corridor or a flood zone) | County directly | County directly | County directly |
| Indian Rocks Beach | City zoning/flood approval, then county | City zoning/flood approval, then county | City zoning/flood approval, then county | County; city approval if in a side setback |
| Pinellas Park, Seminole, Belleair | Call | Call | Call | Call |
Fences, sheds, decks and structural repairs
| Jurisdiction | Fence | Shed | Deck | Structural repair |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinellas County | No building permit at 6 ft or less; zoning clearance may apply | Zoning clearance for sheds with foundation under 100 sq ft; call | Call | P for most structural work |
| Clearwater | P, all fence types (fence is on its $7,500 request form) | None at 100 sq ft or less | Call | Call |
| Largo | Call | P | P | P |
| St. Petersburg | Exempt for single-family wood, chain link, plastic or wrought iron fences built to city code | Exempt under 100 sq ft, with conditions | Exempt if not more than 12 in. above grade, with conditions | Excluded from the exemption |
| Dunedin | P | P | P | P (alterations or renovations) |
| Tarpon Springs | Call | Exempt at 100 sq ft or less | Call | Excluded from the exemption |
| Treasure Island | P (fallen panels without posts: no permit) | Call | Call | P for adding or removing walls; call |
| Madeira Beach | P, with a survey | P | Call | Call |
| Safety Harbor | City permit (non-masonry, no columns) | City permit up to 100 sq ft | Call | Call |
| Pinellas Park, Seminole, Belleair | Call | Call | Call | Call |
A few notes from the source pages:
- St. Petersburg's exempt list is dated January 1, 2014. It also says work valued at "$1,000 or more" needs a licensed contractor; the current statute's minor-work exemption is under $2,500 (s. 489.103(9)).
- Clearwater says no permit is needed for "repairing a very small and minor roof leak less than $500." A contractor who isn't a licensed roofer must still subcontract roofing work (s. 489.113(3)).
- Tarpon Springs exempts residential roof repair of "less than 1 square annually."
Notice of Commencement
Under s. 713.13(1)(a), the owner must record a Notice of Commencement before starting an improvement, except work exempt under s. 713.02(5) (a direct contract price of $2,500 or less). The permit office must require a copy "before the first inspection" if "the direct contract is greater than $5,000" (s. 713.135(1)(e)), and that subsection "does not apply to a direct contract to repair or replace an existing heating or air-conditioning system in an amount less than $15,000" (s. 713.135(1)(f)). The statute also says a building department may not require a recorded notice "as a condition of the application for, or processing or issuance of, a building permit."
Local pages don't all match. Pinellas County's "Applying for a Building Permit" page says $2,500 ($7,500 for HVAC), while its Permitting Guide says $5,000 and $15,000. Clearwater's page says to file "prior to issuance of a permit." Check the statute and confirm with the department.
Where the official pages disagree
- Permit life. For a single-family dwelling, s. 553.79(1)(c) says a permit "expires 1 year after the issuance of the permit or on the effective date of the next edition of the Florida Building Code, whichever is later." Pinellas County's FAQ still says six months; Madeira Beach says 180 days, and Pinellas Park says permits "generally" expire after 180 days if no inspections have been made.
- The $500 line. Pinellas County's Building FAQ says a permit is required for work "in excess of $500.00 or requires an inspection," and its application page exempts "Repairs costing less than $500" that don't involve structural, electrical, plumbing or mechanical work. That's a permit rule, not a licensing rule. Our dollar limits guide explains the difference.
- Unpermitted work. Pinellas Park says a stop work order "will immediately be issued" and you'll "pay additional fees (twice the amount of the original fee)"; Madeira Beach says penalties "may be assessed at 5 times the normal rate."
Frequently asked questions
What requires a building permit in Pinellas County?
State law requires a permit to construct, alter, repair or demolish a building unless the law provides otherwise (s. 553.79(1)(a)). Pinellas County's FAQ says unincorporated work needs one if it's "in excess of $500.00 or requires an inspection." Each city keeps its own list.
Do you need a permit to replace windows in Florida?
In the Pinellas jurisdictions we checked that address it, generally yes. The Florida Building Code requires a permit to alter or repair a building (FBC-B 105.1), the local pages list window replacement as permitted work, and St. Petersburg and Tarpon Springs exclude window and door replacement from the $7,500 exemption as structural work. Pinellas County lists doors as a possible exemption example, so ask the department for the address.
Does the $7,500 permit exemption apply to my job?
Only if it's single-family work valued under $7,500, not in a flood hazard area, with no electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical or gas work, and you submit a written request with the contract (s. 553.79(1)(g)). Pinellas County, Largo and Tarpon Springs say the request must be approved before work starts.
Can a homeowner pull a permit and let me do the work?
The owner-builder exemption requires the owner to supervise the work directly, and it doesn't cover anyone who "acts in the capacity of a contractor" for the owner (s. 489.103(7)). The statute's disclosure statement warns about this arrangement.
Who pulls the permit for electrical, plumbing or A/C work?
When a contractor is involved, the licensed trade contractor does. Section 489.113(3) requires contractors to subcontract that work unless they hold the trade license.
Sources
- Florida Statutes s. 553.79 (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 489.13 (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 489.103 (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 489.113 (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 489.117 (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 713.02 (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 713.13 (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 713.135 (2026)
- ICC Digital Codes: 2023 Florida Building Code, Building, Chapter 1 (8th Edition)
- ICC Digital Codes: 2023 Florida Building Code, Residential, Chapter 1 (8th Edition)
- Pinellas County: Building departments in Pinellas County
- Pinellas County: Applying for a building permit
- Pinellas County: Building FAQs
- Pinellas County: Permitting guide
- Pinellas County: Permit exemptions for work under $7,500
- Pinellas County: Express permits
- City of Clearwater: Get a building permit
- City of Clearwater: Shed permit checklist
- City of Clearwater: Exempt building permit request portal
- City of Largo: Building Services
- City of Largo: Exempt from permits, 2026 (PDF)
- City of St. Petersburg: Building permits
- City of St. Petersburg: List of exempted permits (2014; PDF)
- City of Dunedin: Residential building permits, a homeowner's guide (PDF)
- City of Dunedin: Permit exemptions effective July 1, 2026 (PDF)
- City of Tarpon Springs: Permit exemptions under HB 803 (PDF)
- City of Tarpon Springs: Permit exemption request form (PDF)
- City of Tarpon Springs: Building Development guide to permitting (PDF)
- City of Tarpon Springs: Permit document requirements
- City of Treasure Island: When homeowners must obtain permits
- City of Madeira Beach: Building Department FAQs
- City of Pinellas Park: Building FAQs
- City of Indian Rocks Beach: Planning, zoning and permitting
- City of Oldsmar: Building Division
- City of Safety Harbor: Permits