Broward County Building Permits, Inspections & Official Resources
The Broward County Building Code Division handles building permitting and code-enforcement services for the Broward Municipal Services District, including unincorporated areas, and provides permitting services for Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The County also manages countywide functions such as contractor licensing and elevator regulation.
Broward County Building Department Contact Information
| Department detail | Current information |
|---|---|
| Official name | Broward County Building Code Division |
| Office | 2307 W. Broward Boulevard, Suite 300, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 |
| Main phone | 954-765-4400 |
| building@broward.org | |
| Office hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–3:30 PM Eastern Time, excluding County-observed holidays |
| Online permitting | Broward County ePermits |
| Forms and permit packets | Building Code and Permit Forms |
Broward County’s current Building page notes that its website and ePermits systems may occasionally be affected by website upgrades. If a portal is unavailable, use the Building Division page, permitting packet, telephone number, or published email for the current submission procedure.
First Confirm Which Building Department Handles Your Property
This step prevents one of the most common Broward County permitting mistakes. A Broward County mailing address does not automatically mean Broward County government issues the building permit. Most incorporated cities have their own building departments.
How to check your jurisdiction
- Open the Broward County Property Appraiser.
- Search the property by address, owner, or parcel information.
- Record the parcel/folio number and confirm the situs address.
- If jurisdiction remains unclear, use the Property Appraiser’s map or contact the relevant building department with the folio number.
- Do not rely only on the city shown in the postal address.
What Projects May Require a Broward County Building Permit?
For properties under County permitting jurisdiction, permits are generally required for new construction and regulated alterations, repairs, additions, relocation, or demolition. Separate trade permits may also be required.
| Project | What to check before starting |
|---|---|
| New home or commercial building | Building permit, zoning/development review, signed and sealed plans, trade permits, impact requirements, and inspections. |
| Addition or structural remodel | Building plans, setbacks, structural design, electrical/plumbing/mechanical work, and product approvals. |
| Roof replacement | Roofing permit, HVHZ requirements, approved assemblies/products, and required roofing inspections. |
| Windows and exterior doors | Permit, applicable Florida Product Approval or Miami-Dade NOA documentation, installation details, and HVHZ requirements. |
| Electrical work | Electrical permit for regulated service, wiring, panel, equipment, or system work. |
| HVAC / mechanical | Mechanical permit, equipment data, energy requirements, and applicable replacement forms. |
| Plumbing / gas | Applicable plumbing or gas permit, fixture/system details, plans when required, and inspections. |
| Swimming pool | Pool permit, electrical/bonding, barrier requirements, zoning/site information, and required inspections. |
| Fence, driveway, accessory work | Check both building-permit requirements and zoning, drainage, right-of-way, or development approvals. |
| Demolition | Demolition permit plus applicable utility, environmental, and asbestos review requirements. |
Minor work can be exempt from a building permit in limited situations, but a building-permit exemption does not automatically eliminate zoning, floodplain, licensing, electrical, environmental, or other approvals. Confirm the exact scope before beginning work.
How to Apply for a Broward County Building Permit
Determine whether the property is in the Broward Municipal Services District, another County-served jurisdiction, or an incorporated municipality with its own building department.
Building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, roofing, zoning, environmental, fire, asbestos, development review, and other approvals may be separate.
Use the official Forms page. Broward County specifically states that previous versions of its Uniform Permit Application will not be accepted.
Have the address, folio number, owner information, project description, construction value, contractor information, and applicable license details ready.
Depending on the project, this may include architectural, structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and civil drawings, surveys, calculations, product approvals, NOAs, energy documents, and specialty forms.
Open Broward County ePermits. First-time users must register and obtain access.
Follow the portal’s document requirements. Pay the required application or review charges and monitor the account for review comments.
Submit revised documents using the County’s required naming and certification process. Do not begin regulated construction simply because the application was submitted.
Keep the approved permit documents and approved plan set available for the jobsite.
Request each required inspection before work is concealed. Obtain the final inspection and any applicable Certificate of Completion or Certificate of Occupancy.
Documents to Prepare Before You Submit
The exact package depends on the permit type, but preparing the items below before opening the application can reduce correction cycles.
- Broward County’s current Uniform Permit Application.
- Property address and Broward County folio number.
- Broward County Property Appraiser property printout where applicable.
- Detailed project scope and estimated job value.
- Contractor license and registration information.
- Current general-liability and workers’ compensation documentation or applicable exemption.
- Site plan or survey when the project affects the site, setbacks, footprint, drainage, or zoning.
- Architectural and structural drawings where required.
- Electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and civil drawings where applicable.
- Product approvals or Miami-Dade NOAs for regulated exterior components where required.
- Energy-code documentation where applicable.
- Notice of Commencement when required.
- Special-inspector, private-provider, or other specialty forms when applicable.
Digital plan requirements
Broward County’s current electronic-permitting guidance accepts plans in PDF format and lists a maximum file size of 99 MB per file. The guidance recommends grouping pages instead of uploading every plan sheet separately where practical.
Plans requiring professional certification must comply with the County’s digital-signature/seal requirements. Review the latest official ePermits application instructions before uploading because electronic-certification requirements can change.
Broward County Building Permit Fees in 2026
Broward County’s current published Building Code fee schedule reflects fee changes effective May 1, 2025. Permit totals depend on project type, valuation, required plan review, inspections, trade permits, revisions, and applicable surcharges.
| Published fee item | Amount / calculation |
|---|---|
| Minimum base structural permit fee | $125 |
| Minimum base roofing permit fee | $250 |
| Structural permit fee — job value below $10 million | 3.0% of job value when that calculation exceeds the applicable minimum |
| Structural permit fee — job value over $10 million | 2.5% under the published valuation provision |
| Certificate of Occupancy / Completion / Temporary CO | $50 per discipline for inspection under the published schedule |
| Preinspection | $100 |
| Reinspection for the same violation | $100; subsequent reinspections may increase in $100 multiples |
| Overtime inspector | $132 per hour or fraction, subject to the published three-hour minimum |
| Overtime plan examiner | $147 per hour or fraction, subject to the published three-hour minimum |
How to Check a Broward County Permit or Application Status
Use the system associated with your application. For Broward County ePermits applications, the County instructs users to sign in, open My Applications, and review the available status information.
Go to the ePermits OneStop page and select the sign-in option.
Locate the project or associated County approval.
Check whether fees, corrections, documents, County approvals, or other actions remain outstanding.
County permit records can show inspection types, requested dates, completion dates, and results where available.
If the record is missing or an older document is unavailable online, use the Building Code Division’s Building Records Request option or contact the department with the property address and permit number.
How to Schedule Broward County Building Inspections
Do not cover work that must be inspected. The required inspection sequence depends on the approved permit, plans, and trade work.
Broward County’s online inspection-request system requires both items.
Use your permit documents and approved plan set to determine whether you need foundation, framing, roofing, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, final, or another inspection.
Use the Broward County Request Inspection system.
Make the work accessible, keep required plans and permit documents available, and ensure the work being inspected is complete.
If an inspection is disapproved, correct the listed deficiencies before requesting another inspection. Reinspection fees can apply.
Notice of Commencement: When to Prepare It
Florida construction-lien law requires a Notice of Commencement for qualifying improvements. Broward County’s current BMSD electronic-permitting guide states that a recorded Notice of Commencement is required for projects with a job value of $5,000 or more, or $15,000 or more for air-conditioning replacement and repairs, subject to the applicable statutory rules.
For County-administered projects, the guide instructs applicants to obtain a current certified copy of the recorded Notice of Commencement and submit the required copy before scheduling the first inspection.
Practical steps
- Complete the Notice of Commencement with the required property and project information.
- Record it with Broward County Records, Taxes and Treasury as applicable.
- Obtain the certified recorded copy when required.
- Provide it to the Building Code Division according to the permit instructions.
- Keep the required documentation at the project site.
Open Broward County’s official Notice of Commencement instructions →
Which Building Code Applies in Broward County in 2026?
As of this October 2026 review, the Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), remains the effective statewide code edition. Its effective date was December 31, 2023. Florida’s planned 9th Edition (2026) is scheduled for an effective date of December 31, 2026, so it should not be treated as the governing edition for permits submitted before its legal effective date unless an applicable transition rule states otherwise.
Broward County also has locally applicable Chapter 1 and technical amendments administered through the Broward County Board of Rules and Appeals. Check the current amendments for the discipline involved in your project.
High-Velocity Hurricane Zone requirements
Broward County is within Florida’s High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ). This is especially important for roofs, windows, doors, shutters, exterior systems, structural connections, and product approvals. A product being sold in Florida does not automatically mean it is acceptable for every Broward County application.
When your permit involves exterior components, check the applicable Florida Product Approval or Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance documentation and make sure the exact model, installation method, design pressure, substrate, fasteners, and limitations match the project conditions.
Broward County Building Safety Inspection Program
Broward County’s Building Safety Inspection Program is separate from ordinary construction inspections. The County’s current program brochure describes structural and electrical safety inspections for qualifying buildings or structures that have reached 25 years of age, followed by subsequent inspections at 10-year intervals.
Important exemptions apply. Current Broward materials identify exemptions that include one- and two-family dwellings, qualifying fee-simple townhouses, certain government and school buildings, and minor structures below the program’s specified size threshold.
Common Permit Problems and the Fastest Next Step
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Property is not found under County jurisdiction | Check the Broward Property Appraiser record and confirm whether the site is inside an incorporated municipality. |
| Application is returned | Read every review comment, correct only the affected documents, and resubmit through the authorized portal. |
| Plans are too large | Follow Broward’s PDF and 99 MB-per-file guidance; organize plan sets logically. |
| Contractor cannot submit | Confirm license registration, workers’ compensation status, general-liability coverage, and qualifier information. |
| Inspection cannot be requested | Verify the permit number, phone access code, permit status, and whether required documents such as the NOC are on file. |
| Inspection failed | Review the inspector’s comments, correct the cited work, obtain revised plans if the design changed, and request reinspection. |
| Permit is close to expiring | Use the County’s Building Permit Renewal/Extension process before relying on an expired authorization. |
| Old permit or plans are missing online | Use the official Building Records Request process and provide the address, folio, permit number, and approximate project date. |
Verify a Broward County Contractor
Before hiring a contractor, verify the license that applies to the work instead of relying only on an advertisement, business card, or proposal.
- Open the Broward County Contractor License Search.
- Search by contractor name, license number, or company name.
- Match the contractor or qualifying agent to the company on your contract.
- Confirm the license category covers the work being performed.
- For state-certified contractors, also confirm applicable state licensing information before signing the contract.
Official Broward County Building Resources
Related USBuilding.org Guides
Permit procedures vary significantly between jurisdictions. These related guides can help if you are researching another property or comparing how local building departments work:
Broward County Building Department FAQs
1. Does the Broward County Building Department issue permits for every city in Broward County?
No. Broward County directly handles permitting for the Broward Municipal Services District and other areas it serves, while incorporated municipalities generally operate their own building departments. County approvals may still be required for municipal projects.
2. Where is the Broward County Building Code Division located?
The County lists the Building Code Division at 2307 W. Broward Boulevard, Suite 300, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312. Published office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM–3:30 PM, excluding County-observed holidays.
3. How do I apply for a Broward County building permit online?
Use Broward County ePermits. Register or sign in, select the appropriate application, upload the current permit application and required PDF documents, pay assessed fees, respond to review comments, and wait for issuance before starting regulated work.
4. What documents should I have before applying?
Prepare the property address and folio number, current permit application, project description and valuation, contractor information, plans, surveys or site plans when required, applicable product approvals, trade documents, insurance information, and project-specific forms.
5. How much is a Broward County building permit?
There is no single price. The current schedule lists a $125 minimum base structural permit fee and a $250 minimum roofing permit fee, while many fees depend on job value. Plan review, trade permits, reinspections, surcharges, and other services can increase the total.
6. How do I request a Broward County building inspection?
Use Broward County’s online Request Inspection system. You will need the permit number and phone access code. Select the required inspection, make sure the jobsite and approved work are ready, and review the inspection result afterward.
7. How can I check my Broward County permit status?
For ePermits applications, sign in to the official ePermits system, open My Applications, and review the applicable status and outstanding actions. Permit records can also contain inspection history. For unavailable historic records, use the County’s Building Records Request process.
8. When is a Notice of Commencement required in Broward County?
Broward County’s current BMSD electronic-permitting guide identifies a recorded Notice of Commencement for qualifying projects valued at $5,000 or more, or $15,000 or more for air-conditioning replacement and repairs, subject to Florida law and project-specific requirements.
9. Which Florida Building Code applies in Broward County during October 2026?
The Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), effective December 31, 2023, remains the current statewide edition as of this review. The planned 9th Edition (2026) is scheduled for December 31, 2026. Broward County amendments and HVHZ requirements also apply where relevant.
10. What is Broward County’s Building Safety Inspection Program?
It is a periodic structural and electrical safety inspection program for qualifying older buildings. Broward’s current program information describes inspections beginning at 25 years of age with subsequent inspections at 10-year intervals, subject to listed exemptions and program rules.
Before You Submit
Confirm four things: the correct jurisdiction, the exact permit type, the current document requirements, and the current fee/inspection procedure. Then use the official portal only for the final action—submitting the application, paying fees, scheduling inspections, or obtaining the authoritative project-specific decision.
Information reviewed: October 19, 2026. USBuilding.org is an independent informational resource and is not Broward County government. Permit rules, fees, portal procedures, code editions, and office information can change, and the responsible building official remains the final authority for a specific project.