Daytona Beach Building Department 2026: Permits, Inspections & Services

Daytona Beach Building Permits & Inspections: 2026 Guide

If you are remodeling a home, replacing a roof, installing new windows, adding a fence, putting in a pool, changing an air-conditioning system, building an addition, or starting new construction in Daytona Beach, the City of Daytona Beach Permits & Licensing Department is usually your starting point.

The city uses its iMS online permitting system for permit applications, plan uploads, permit searches, project status and inspection scheduling. The important part is to confirm jurisdiction and zoning first, then prepare the documents for your exact type of work. Doing those two things before submitting can save a frustrating round of corrections.

Open the official Daytona Beach Permits & Licensing page  ·  Open the official iMS permit portal

First: Make Sure Daytona Beach Is Actually Your Permit Authority

A postal address that says “Daytona Beach” does not always mean the City of Daytona Beach issues the permit. Nearby municipalities and unincorporated Volusia County have their own building-permit operations.

If you are unsure, have the property address and parcel number ready before calling the city. This is worth checking before you pay for plans or submit an application.

How to Apply for a Daytona Beach Building Permit

1. Confirm zoning before designing the project.
   Daytona Beach specifically advises applicants to start with zoning. Check that the use, structure, addition, fence, pool, driveway or other improvement is allowed on the property. If you already have a survey, review it for existing structures, property lines and flood-zone information.
2. Identify the correct permit type.
   Do not submit a generic building application when the work has a more specific permit type. Daytona Beach publishes documentation requirements for roofing, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, pools, sheds, fences, windows, generators, solar systems, additions and other work.
3. Prepare your documents before starting the online application.
   Depending on the project, this may include a survey, site plan, construction drawings, engineering, product approvals, energy calculations, roof supplement, stormwater form, pool-safety documents or a detailed scope of work.
4. Open the official iMS portal.
   Go to Daytona Beach iMS . Register or sign in when the transaction requires an account. The city uses this system for permit applications, plan submissions, status tracking and inspection scheduling.
5. Enter the project details carefully.
   Use the correct job address, parcel number, owner information, contractor information, project description and construction value. Upload the required documents under the appropriate permit record rather than creating duplicate applications.
6. Watch for review comments.
   Plan reviewers may request revised drawings, missing forms or additional information. Respond through the existing permit record. Incomplete applications generally take longer because staff cannot complete review until the missing information is provided.
7. Complete permit issuance requirements.
   Pay any amount that remains due, satisfy applicable conditions and make sure required documents such as a Notice of Commencement are handled at the correct stage.
8. Request inspections as construction progresses.
   Once the permit is issued and the work reaches an inspection point, use the iMS permit record to request the appropriate inspection. Do not cover work that must first be inspected.
9. Complete final inspection and closeout.
   A project is not finished simply because construction is physically complete. Required final inspections, corrections and closeout documents must be completed before the permit is properly finalized or a Certificate of Occupancy is issued when one is required.

Need the city’s forms before you begin? Open Daytona Beach permit applications and forms . For project-specific checklists and supplemental documents, use the official submittal documents page .

Documents You May Need by Project Type

Daytona Beach publishes a detailed permit-type document matrix. The table below condenses the most common residential requests so you can prepare before opening the portal.

New Single-Family Home Requirements

Daytona Beach’s single-family checklist is more detailed than a basic permit application. Applicants should be ready for several layers of documentation.

• Online permit application submission.
• Recorded Notice of Commencement when applicable.
• Utility application or Volusia County septic approval when applicable.
• Owner-builder disclosure for qualifying owner-builders.
• Architectural approval for LPGA or Pelican Bay where applicable.
• Permit authorization from the license holder when applicable.
• Warranty deed if ownership differs from Property Appraiser records.
• Signed and sealed survey.
• Elevation Certificate when applicable in a mapped flood area.
• Tree permit form and landscape information.
• Engineered construction drawings.
• Signed and sealed truss engineering.
• Product Approval Form.
• Energy forms.
• Applicable subdivision plot information.

The survey should identify proposed improvements and setbacks, driveway and A/C-pad locations, finished-floor elevation, relevant site elevations, drainage direction and FEMA flood-zone information.

Daytona Beach’s checklist also notes that Volusia County impact fees may be due before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued. These are separate from the city’s temporary building permit fee waiver.

Does a Daytona Beach Project Need a Permit in 2026?

Most regulated construction, structural work and electrical, plumbing, mechanical or gas work requires permitting unless a specific legal exemption applies.

A major change took effect in Florida on July 1, 2026. Florida Statute 553.79 now requires local governments to provide a limited building-permit exemption for qualifying work on a single-family dwelling when the total work is valued at less than $7,500.

The exemption does not apply when:

• The property is partially or entirely in a Florida Building Code flood hazard area.
• The work is electrical.
• The work is plumbing.
• The work is structural.
• The work is mechanical, including regulated HVAC work.
• The work involves gas.
• A project is artificially split into smaller jobs to fall below the value threshold.

To qualify, the owner or owner’s contractor must submit a written exemption request to the local enforcement agency along with a contract or other documentation showing the nature and value of the work.

You can review the current state requirement directly in Florida Statute 553.79 .

2026 Daytona Beach Permit Fee Waiver

As of October 24, 2026, the city’s current public notice says eligible building permit and inspection fees are waived through January 31, 2027.

The city specifically identifies projects such as:

• New construction
• Interior renovations
• Roof replacements
• Electrical upgrades
• Fire-suppression upgrades
• Fences
• Doors and windows
• Driveways
• Air-conditioning units

Check the city’s current building permit fee-waiver notice before submitting or paying.

The waiver should not be treated as a promise that every development-related charge will be zero. Impact fees, utility charges, planning or zoning fees, state-required charges and other project-specific costs can be separate. Review the actual invoice for your project.

Published base fees for reference

Daytona Beach’s published 2025–2026 fee schedule contains the following normal building permit rates. These are useful for understanding the underlying fee structure, but eligible permit and inspection fees may currently be waived.

These figures come from the city’s published 2025–2026 schedule and are not a guaranteed project quote. The temporary waiver can change what is actually charged.

How to Search a Daytona Beach Building Permit

The iMS portal includes active and historical permit searches. This is useful when you are checking your application, reviewing work on a property, buying a home or trying to determine whether a past project was permitted.

1. Open the official Daytona Beach iMS portal .
2. Select the permit-record search option.
3. Use the permit number when you have it; it is normally the most precise search.
4. Otherwise search using the property information supported by the portal.
5. Open the matching record and confirm that the job address is correct.
6. Review the permit description, current status and available inspection information.

The portal also provides searches for contractors, cases, planning projects and property addresses. If a record is not appearing, avoid assuming that no permit exists. Older or unusual records may require help from Permits & Licensing.

How to Schedule a Daytona Beach Building Inspection

Inspections are connected to the issued permit. The city identifies iMS as the system used for scheduling inspections.

1. Sign in to the Daytona Beach iMS portal.
2. Find the issued permit.
3. Open the permit record.
4. Choose the inspection function available for that permit.
5. Select the required inspection type.
6. Submit the request and review the record for confirmation or updates.

Before requesting an inspection, make sure the work is actually ready, required documents have been accepted, the site can be accessed and the approved permit documents are available as required.

Construction often requires several inspections rather than a single final visit. Depending on the project, inspections can occur at foundation, framing, rough electrical, rough plumbing, mechanical, roofing, insulation and final stages.

Notice of Commencement: Do Not Miss This Step

Florida’s construction-lien rules make the Notice of Commencement an important part of many permitted projects.

Under Florida Statute 713.135, when the direct contract is more than $5,000, the permitting authority generally must receive the required Notice of Commencement information before the first inspection. The statute provides a specific exception for repair or replacement of an existing heating or air-conditioning system when the direct contract is under $15,000.

Daytona Beach also lists a recorded Notice of Commencement on its single-family-home submittal checklist.

The city’s forms page includes its Notice of Commencement form. Record it through the appropriate Volusia County recording process when required, then make sure the required recorded information is available to the permitting authority before the inspection stage specified by law.

Flood Zones Can Change the Permit Process

Flood requirements are especially important in Daytona Beach. Before investing in design work, know whether the property lies in a Special Flood Hazard Area.

Daytona Beach states that development within the Special Flood Hazard Area requires city permitting before building, filling, regrading or otherwise developing the property.

The city also applies substantial-improvement and substantial-damage rules. If qualifying reconstruction, rehabilitation, additions or other improvements reach or exceed 50% of the building’s assessed value, additional flood-compliance requirements can apply.

The city’s published guidance identifies an elevation standard of the FEMA Base Flood Elevation plus one foot of freeboard for applicable substantially damaged or improved buildings. Its single-family checklist also calls for proposed finished-floor elevation information and applicable elevation certificates.

Check the property’s flood information using the official Daytona Beach Flood Protection page before assuming that a small project qualifies for the 2026 permit exemption.

Which Building Code Applies in Daytona Beach in 2026?

As of October 24, 2026, the statewide code in effect is the Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), which became effective December 31, 2023.

Daytona Beach’s single-family checklist specifically references the 2023 Florida Building Code, 8th Edition. Florida is also completing its 9th Edition (2026) update process, with the new edition planned for the end of 2026.

Current statewide information is available from the Florida Building Commission .

Owner-Builder Permits

Florida law allows qualifying property owners to act as owner-builders in certain situations, but this should not be treated as simply a way to avoid hiring a licensed contractor.

Daytona Beach provides an Owner-Builder Affidavit of Acknowledgment and Disclosure Statement. The owner accepting an owner-builder permit takes legal and financial responsibility for the work and must comply with applicable building codes, zoning rules and other legal obligations.

If you are unsure whether you qualify as an owner-builder, ask Permits & Licensing before submitting the application. Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and specialty work can also involve licensing requirements that are separate from the building permit itself.

Common Reasons a Permit Application Gets Delayed

• Wrong permitting jurisdiction.
• Zoning or setback issue discovered after plans are prepared.
• Missing survey or incomplete site plan.
• Plans do not clearly describe the full scope of work.
• Missing signed or sealed engineering where required.
• Missing Florida product-approval information for regulated exterior products.
• Roof supplement or stormwater form omitted.
• Flood-zone documentation not included.
• Owner, parcel or contractor information does not match supporting records.
• Review comments are answered without uploading the corrected plans.

A few minutes spent checking the city’s permit-type documentation list before submitting can prevent days of avoidable back-and-forth.

Daytona Beach Building Department Contact Information

A Simple Checklist Before You Submit

• Confirm the property is actually within Daytona Beach city jurisdiction.
• Check zoning and setbacks before paying for final plans.
• Check the FEMA flood status.
• Select the exact permit type.
• Read the city’s project-specific document requirements.
• Prepare survey, plans, engineering and product approvals as applicable.
• Determine whether a Notice of Commencement will be required.
• Use the official iMS portal for the application.
• Respond to every review comment under the existing record.
• Confirm what the current fee waiver does and does not cover.
• Do not start regulated work until the required authorization is issued.
• Schedule each required inspection before covering inspected work.
• Complete the final inspection and permit closeout.

Other Florida Permit Guides

Building permitting in Florida is local, so procedures can change significantly from one city or county to another. If your project is outside Daytona Beach, see our guides to the Brevard County building permit process , Cape Canaveral building permits and inspections , or the Bradenton permit and inspection process .

Frequently Asked Questions

Official Resources

• City of Daytona Beach Permits & Licensing
• Daytona Beach iMS Permit Portal
• Permit Applications & Forms
• Submittal Checklists & Supplemental Documents
• Current Building Permit Fee Waiver Notice
• Daytona Beach Flood Protection Information
• Florida Building Commission
• Florida Statute 553.79 — Building Permits & Inspections

Information reviewed October 24, 2026. USBuilding.org is an independent informational resource and is not affiliated with the City of Daytona Beach. Permit requirements, code editions, flood determinations, fee programs and portal procedures can change. The responsible building official makes the final decision for a specific property and project.