How to Get a Building Permit in Broward County, Florida

If you own a home or investment property in South Florida's Broward County and you're planning any construction, renovation, or systems work, you'll need a building permit — and the permitting process here has some unique wrinkles that homeowners elsewhere in Florida don't face. Broward sits in Florida's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), which imposes the strictest building code requirements in the country. And unlike many Florida counties, Broward operates a split-jurisdiction system: the county handles permits in unincorporated areas, while more than 30 incorporated municipalities — from Fort Lauderdale to Hollywood to Coral Springs — each run their own building departments.

This guide covers everything you need to know about Broward County building permits in 2026, including how to figure out which office handles your permit, what projects require one, how fees are calculated, and what changed under Florida HB 803.

Who Issues Building Permits in Broward County?

This is the first question to answer — and the answer depends entirely on where your property is located. Broward County's Building Code Services Division issues permits only for properties in unincorporated Broward County. If your property is inside any of Broward's 31 incorporated municipalities, that city's building department — not the county — handles your permit.

Broward's largest cities each maintain their own building departments:

• Fort Lauderdale — City of Fort Lauderdale Building Services (Accela portal)
• Hollywood — Hollywood Building Division (online portal)
• Pembroke Pines — Pembroke Pines Building Division
• Coral Springs — Coral Springs Building Division
• Miramar — Miramar Building and Zoning
• Pompano Beach — Pompano Beach Building Division
• Deerfield Beach — Deerfield Beach Building Department

If you're in unincorporated Broward County — areas like parts of West Davie, Unincorporated Weston, or portions of the western county — your permits go through the Broward County Building Code Services Division at the Government Center West in Plantation. To submit online, use ePermits OneStop at broward.org/ePermits, which centralizes submissions for county permits and associated approvals regardless of whether you're in an incorporated or unincorporated area.

For comparison with other South Florida counties, see our guides for Miami-Dade County and Palm Beach County.

What Projects Require a Permit in Broward County?

Broward County (and its municipalities) require building permits for virtually any work that affects your home's structure, building envelope, or mechanical systems. Projects that always require a permit include:

• Roof replacements and major repairs — Florida requires a roof permit statewide for all re-roofing; see our roof permit guide for details
• Electrical work — panel upgrades, new circuits, sub-panels; see electrical permit requirements
• Plumbing — pipe replacements, fixture additions, water heater replacements; see plumbing permit rules
• HVAC and mechanical — new equipment, ductwork modifications; see HVAC permit requirements
• Windows and doors — especially critical in the HVHZ; see window and door replacement permits
• Additions and room conversions — any square footage added to the home
• Screen enclosures and lanais — structural framing must meet wind-load requirements; see lanai screen enclosure permits
• Pools and spas — see pool permit requirements
• Demolition work

Minor cosmetic repairs that don't involve the structure or trade systems may qualify for Florida's new HB 803 permit exemption if the project value is under $7,500, but that exemption does not apply to electrical, plumbing, mechanical, structural, or gas work at any price point.

How Do You Apply for a Building Permit in Broward County?

If your project falls under Broward County's jurisdiction (unincorporated area), submit through ePermits OneStop at broward.org/ePermits. The portal accepts applications, associated documents, and payment electronically. You no longer need to visit the Government Center West in Plantation in person for standard applications.

As of March 9, 2026, only the revised Broward County Uniform Building Permit Application dated January 8, 2026, is accepted. Earlier versions of the form are rejected. Before submitting, verify you're using the current application form from the county's Building Code Services Division website.

Most permit applications require:

• Completed uniform permit application (current version)
• Construction drawings or plans (requirements vary by project scope)
• Florida Product Approval numbers and, for HVHZ projects, Miami-Dade NOA documentation for all major building components
• Contractor license and insurance information (or owner-builder affidavit for owner-builder permits)
• Notice of Commencement for projects over the county's dollar threshold, recorded with the county clerk before work begins

If you're in an incorporated city, go directly to that city's building portal — the application form, submittal requirements, and fee schedules vary by municipality, even though they all operate under the same Florida Building Code.

How Much Does a Building Permit Cost in Broward County?

For permits issued by Broward County (unincorporated areas), the base structural permit fee is calculated at 1.85% of the project's declared job value, with a minimum base fee of $125. Plan review fees are charged separately at roughly 50% to 65% of the building permit fee — so a permit with a $300 base fee may carry an additional $150–$195 in plan review fees.

Additional fee categories to budget for:

• Premium/expedited review service: $107 per hour for customers who request enhanced plan review or inspection scheduling priority
• Certificate of Occupancy: $50 per discipline inspected
• Re-inspections: Separate fee for each required re-inspection after a failed or incomplete inspection visit

For a project valued at $25,000, the structural permit fee alone would run approximately $462.50 (1.85% × $25,000), plus plan review fees of $230–$300 and any applicable sub-permit fees for electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work. For a full breakdown of permit costs across project types and counties, see our complete Florida building permit costs guide.

If your project qualifies and you use a Florida-licensed private provider for all plan review and inspections, HB 803 now requires a 50% reduction in the county's permit fees — a meaningful savings on larger projects. Partial-scope private provider use qualifies for a 25% fee reduction.

How Long Does Broward County Permit Review Take?

Plan review timelines for Broward County permits typically run 10 to 30 business days depending on the complexity of the project. Simple single-trade permits may be approved more quickly; new construction and complex multi-discipline projects land at the longer end. Submitting a complete, accurate application — with all required Florida Product Approvals, NOA documentation, and engineering stamps — is the single most effective way to avoid plan review rejections and re-submission delays.

Under HB 803, when a homeowner or contractor uses a licensed private provider for plan review, the building department's review deadline drops to 10 business days for standard projects, and 5 business days for single-trade work on a single-family or two-family home. That's a significant acceleration compared to the standard queue for complex projects.

What Are Broward County's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone Requirements?

Broward County — along with Miami-Dade County — sits entirely within Florida's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), the most stringent wind-resistance designation in the country. This has two major practical consequences for any permitted project in Broward:

1. Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) required: Every major building component — roofing materials, windows, exterior doors, garage doors, skylights — must carry a valid Miami-Dade NOA in addition to a standard Florida Product Approval (FL#). Standard products sold at national home improvement stores often carry only an FL# and fail HVHZ plan review. Always verify your materials have active NOA documentation before purchasing for an HVHZ project.
2. Higher design wind speeds: Structures in the HVHZ are designed for significantly higher wind loads than the rest of Florida. Framing, anchoring, and fastening requirements are more demanding, and engineering review for those elements is standard for most permitted work.

The Florida Building Code 9th Edition, effective December 31, 2026, is expected to expand HVHZ requirements in some respects. If you're planning permitted work in Broward County, it may be worth getting your permit application filed under the current 8th Edition before year-end. See our Florida Building Code 9th Edition guide for a full breakdown of upcoming changes.

What Happens If You Build Without a Permit in Broward County?

Skipping a required permit in Broward County carries the same consequences as anywhere in Florida — plus some risks that are amplified by the HVHZ context. If code enforcement discovers unpermitted work, you'll face fines and a stop-work order. If the work involves the building envelope (roof, windows, doors, garage door), you may be required to open walls or remove installed materials so an inspector can verify concealed work — at your expense.

In Broward's insurance market — one of the most stressed in the country — unpermitted work on the building envelope is particularly risky. An unpermitted roof replacement or window installation that hasn't been verified against HVHZ requirements may give your wind insurer grounds to deny a claim. And when you go to sell, a four-point inspection or title search will surface any unpermitted work, often killing a deal or requiring costly retroactive permitting at double the standard fee. For a full breakdown of the consequences, read our guide on what happens if you build without a permit in Florida.

Skip the headache — tell us about your project and we'll match you with a licensed permit pro in Broward County.