Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed legislation that will exempt certain small residential projects from local building permit requirements beginning July 1.
The measure, HB 803, removes permit requirements for some work valued at less than $7,500 on single-family homes, part of what supporters describe as an effort to reduce delays and streamline minor repairs across Florida.
“A local government that issues building permits shall exempt an owner of a single-family dwelling or the owner’s contractor from the requirement to obtain a building permit to perform any work valued at less than $7,500 on the owner’s property,” the bill states.
The legislation, which passed unanimously in both the Florida House and Senate, specifies that projects cannot be artificially divided into smaller jobs to avoid permitting requirements.
The law also preserves local governments’ authority to require permits for electrical, plumbing, gas, mechanical and structural work regardless of project cost.
Supporters of the measure said the changes could help homeowners complete smaller projects more quickly while reducing administrative burdens on local permitting offices.
The legislation also includes several provisions tied to disaster response and recovery.
One section allows certain out-of-state licensed building officials to work in Florida for up to one year following a declared state of emergency, a change intended to help address staffing shortages after hurricanes or other disasters.
Another provision exempts certain temporary residential hurricane and flood-protection walls from permit requirements, allowing homeowners to install some emergency protective barriers more quickly ahead of storms.
The bill takes effect July 1 statewide.
According to legislative staff analyses, the law applies specifically to qualifying work on single-family residential properties and does not eliminate safety oversight for higher-risk projects involving structural systems or utilities.
