Florida's New $7,500 Building Permit Waiver (HB 803): What Homeowners Need to Know Before Starting a Project

The short version: Florida HB 803, signed by Governor DeSantis on May 6, 2026 and effective July 1, 2026, lets single-family homeowners skip the building permit on most small projects worth less than $7,500. Five trades still need a permit no matter the cost — electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, and gas. Flood-hazard areas still need permits too. The same law also stops HOAs from demanding a permit before they will even review your improvement plan.

Status Check — Yes, This Is Actually Law

Yes — HB 803 cleared both chambers unanimously and was signed into law. The full chronology:

The bill amends 11 sections of Florida Statutes — the headline change is the new permit-waiver provision at Fla. Stat. §553.79(1)(g). Other amended sections cover construction-bid procedures, contractor discipline, building inspector requirements, and the HOA architectural-review rule discussed later in this guide.

What the $7,500 Waiver Actually Says

The operative language is short. The new Fla. Stat. §553.79(1)(g)1 reads, verbatim:

Three details about this language are worth pausing on:

"Shall exempt" — this is mandatory, not optional. A city or county that issues building permits cannot opt out, cannot require permits as a matter of local policy for projects under the threshold, and cannot impose alternative requirements that effectively reinstate the permit. The state-level rule overrides local choice.

"Less than $7,500" — the threshold is strict. A project valued at exactly $7,500 does NOT qualify; the exemption applies only to work valued at $7,499.99 and below. The bill does not index the threshold for inflation.

"Work valued at" — the value test is on the work itself, not on materials alone or labor alone. The written-request requirement (described later) requires submitting "a copy of the contract or other documentation demonstrating the nature and the value of the work to be performed," which strongly suggests the value is the total contract value including both materials and labor.

What Qualifies for the Waiver

The waiver does not give a list of eligible work types. It covers anything that is not on the exclusion list. In practice, these are the kinds of small home projects that typically stay clear of the five excluded trades and easily come in under $7,500:

• Interior painting, drywall patches, and texture repair
• Exterior painting (without scaffolding or significant prep work)
• Cabinet and countertop replacement (when not involving plumbing rework)
• Trim, baseboard, crown molding, and millwork
• Floor refinishing and replacement (non-structural subfloor)
• Deck refinishing, board replacement, and railing repair
• Fence repair and replacement within the same footprint
• Screen porch repair (replacing screen panels, frame repairs)
• Gutter and downspout replacement
• Simple non-electrical sheds meeting local zoning requirements

To put real numbers on it: interior paint for a typical 1,800 sq ft Florida home runs roughly $2,500–$4,000. A standard fence replacement around an average lot runs $3,000–$6,000. A deck refinish runs $1,500–$4,000. All comfortably under the $7,500 cap. By contrast, a new HVAC condenser runs $5,000–$8,000 — even if the cost is below $7,500, it still needs a permit because it counts as "mechanical" work.

The list above is not exhaustive. Any project's eligibility depends on whether it touches one of the five excluded trades. A "simple deck repair" that includes running new outdoor lighting wiring is not eligible — the wiring is electrical work. A "cabinet replacement" that requires moving the plumbing for the sink is not eligible — moving the plumbing is plumbing work.

The Five Trades and Flood Areas Still Require Permits

Fla. Stat. §553.79(1)(g)2 carves two categories out of the exemption. Verbatim:

When a permit is required vs. when it is not, under HB 803. Click to zoom.

The five excluded trades cover most of what would actually trigger a code review. New wiring or a new circuit. A new electrical panel. Adding or moving a plumbing fixture. Connecting to the sewer or water service. Removing or altering a load-bearing wall. Installing HVAC ductwork or a new condenser. Connecting a new gas line. All of those still need a permit regardless of cost. That's the substantial majority of projects that affect safety, code compliance, or insurance risk.

The flood-hazard-area exclusion is broad in coastal Florida. The Florida Building Code uses FEMA's flood maps to define a flood hazard area — typically the high-risk flood zones whose names start with "A" or "V" on your county flood map. Significant portions of Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Lee, Collier, and Monroe Counties fall inside these zones. If your property is in one, the $7,500 waiver does not apply to your work. Pull up your county's flood map online and check your zone before assuming the waiver covers you. A homeowner on a barrier island, beachfront lot, or directly behind a tidal area almost always falls in the high-risk zone.

The anti-splitting clause is enforceable. The statute explicitly forbids dividing a single project into more than one project to stay below the threshold. A homeowner who splits a $9,000 deck rebuild into a $4,500 "framing" project and a $4,500 "decking" project does not qualify for the exemption, and a local enforcement agency that detects the split can require a permit and pursue other available remedies.

Single-Family Only — Condos and Townhomes Likely Out

The law specifically says "single-family dwelling." That phrase is narrower than it sounds in everyday speech. A separate part of the same bill — the hurricane and flood barrier exemption — uses a broader phrase: "single-family or two-family dwelling or townhouse." Because the legislature chose the narrower phrase for the $7,500 waiver, the waiver almost certainly does not extend to:

• Condominium units (interior unit work is governed by the condominium association under Chapter 718 in any event)
• Townhomes
• Two-family / duplex properties
• Multi-family rental properties
• Mobile and manufactured homes (which have their own permitting structure)

Owners of those property types should confirm with their local building department whether any local-option extension of the waiver is available, but the safer default is to assume the $7,500 waiver applies only to detached single-family dwellings.

The Paperwork You Still Owe the City

"No permit" does not mean "no paperwork." Fla. Stat. §553.79(1)(g)3 requires that, to qualify for the exemption, the owner or owner's contractor must:

The mechanics are simple: send the city or county a brief written request stating that the project qualifies, attach a copy of the contract or a written description of the work that shows its value is under $7,500, and keep a copy of what you sent. Many local building departments are expected to publish a simple online form by July 1.

Subparagraph 4 then adds an important consequence:

"Successors or assigns" means anyone who later owns the home or anyone you transfer your interest to — future buyers, heirs, and so on. So in plain English: the city is not standing behind this work, for you or for anyone who comes after you. The state waived the permit. It also told local governments they bear no liability for what happens next. That makes choosing a good contractor, meeting the building code, and keeping good records more important, not less.

HB 803 Also Stops HOAs From Demanding a Permit First

One of the most consequential pieces of HB 803 is not in the permit section at all — it is in the homeowners' association statute. Section 11 of the bill adds a new paragraph to Fla. Stat. §720.3035 (architectural control covenants), which reads verbatim:

The HOA permit-first delay tactic, before and after HB 803. Click to zoom.

For the millions of Florida homeowners living in HOA-governed communities, this is a substantial change. A common HOA practice has been to demand that an owner obtain a building permit before the architectural review committee will even look at the application — effectively forcing the owner to incur permit fees and design costs for a project the HOA might then reject on aesthetic grounds. As of July 1, 2026, that practice is unlawful. The association can still require its own architectural review, can still apply its own aesthetic standards, and can still ultimately deny or condition approval. What it can no longer do is gatekeep that review behind a city-issued permit.

This provision pairs sensibly with the $7,500 waiver itself: if the work no longer requires a permit at the city level, demanding one as a precondition for HOA review would have functionally killed the legislative purpose. The HOA provision closes that loophole.

No Permit Does Not Mean No Florida Building Code

This is the single most misunderstood point about HB 803, and it is worth stating directly: the work still has to meet the Florida Building Code. A permit waiver is a procedural waiver — it removes the requirement to file an application, pay fees, and undergo a pre- and post-work inspection. It does not relax the substantive standards the work must meet.

For a coastal or hurricane-prone state, those substantive standards matter:

• Wind-resistance requirements for any exterior work
• Coastal construction requirements in CCCL areas
• Energy-code requirements for envelope work
• Smoke-detector and carbon-monoxide-detector requirements for any work in living spaces
• Egress requirements for any door or window changes

If a future inspection (triggered by a complaint, a buyer's inspection, or a later permit on related work) determines that exempt work was not code-compliant, the homeowner is responsible for bringing it into compliance — and may bear the cost of any related damage.

Your Contractor Still Needs to Be Licensed

HB 803 does not change Florida's contractor-licensing rules. A contractor performing any of the five excluded trades (electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas) still needs the proper state or local license for that trade. The waiver doesn't authorize unlicensed work.

For the work that qualifies for the waiver, Florida's licensing rules already have several built-in exemptions for general handyman-type tasks — but those exemptions have their own conditions. The safest practice is to ask any contractor for proof of license before they start, even when a permit is not required. A licensed contractor's liability insurance is also what backstops any damage they cause to your home.

Doing the work yourself? Florida lets a homeowner do certain work on their own home without a contractor's license, but with conditions: you have to live in the home for at least a year after the work, and you cannot sell or rent it during that year. If you might sell sooner, hire a licensed contractor instead.

Insurance and Resale — Still Risks Worth Managing

Two practical concerns survive HB 803 and deserve attention before any homeowner takes advantage of the waiver:

Insurance. If exempt work fails or causes damage, the homeowner's insurer may decline coverage under the policy's exclusions for damage caused by the insured's own work or by code violations. Florida insurers have shown willingness to deny claims where the underlying repair was not performed to code, even where no permit was required. Protections: hire licensed contractors, keep documentation showing the work meets the Florida Building Code, and consider asking the insurer about the implications before starting a non-trivial project.

Resale. Florida's seller-disclosure rule (under the well-known Johnson v. Davis case) requires you to tell a buyer about anything that materially affects the home's value and is not obvious to them just by looking. Work done under HB 803 is permit-free under state law, but a careful buyer's agent or inspector will still ask whether work was done and whether there are records. Keep the written exemption request you sent the city, the contractor's invoice and contract, photos of the work, and any voluntary inspection records. Title companies and lenders generally check for "open permits" only — HB 803 work will show no open permits, which is the result you want — but your records are what protects you if a buyer or future inspector asks questions.

Practical Checklist Before Starting a Project

Steps to take in order, starting before you order any materials:

• Confirm the effective date. The waiver does not apply until July 1, 2026. Until then, current permit rules apply. Do not start unpermitted work in June expecting July to absolve it.
• Confirm the project value is under $7,500. Include both materials and labor. A reasonable buffer (e.g., budget for $6,500 if you expect the actual project to come in around $6,500) protects against scope creep that pushes the project over the threshold.
• Confirm the project does not touch the five excluded trades. If it involves any electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work, you still need a permit regardless of cost.
• Check your flood zone. If your property is partially or entirely in a flood hazard area under the Florida Building Code definition, the exemption does not apply. Pull your county's flood map online before assuming the waiver applies.
• Confirm your property is a single-family dwelling. Townhomes, condos, two-family duplexes, and multi-family properties likely do not qualify.
• Submit the written request to your local enforcement agency. Include the contract or a written description showing the nature and value of the work. Keep a copy of what you sent and any acknowledgment.
• Hire a licensed contractor regardless of whether a permit is required. Ask for proof of Chapter 489 license. Avoid any contractor who insists the licensing requirement was waived along with the permit — it was not.
• Document everything. Take before, during, and after photos. Keep the contract, all receipts, and any product specs. Hold on to the records for at least as long as you own the home — Florida gives a homeowner 4 years after the work is finished to sue over a defect that was visible at the time, so the records protect you for that whole window too.
• If you are in an HOA, you still need their architectural approval — but they cannot demand a permit first. Submit your application to the HOA's architectural review committee per the governing documents. If they refuse to review until you produce a permit, cite Fla. Stat. §720.3035(1)(c) as enacted by HB 803.
• Verify code compliance, especially on wind-resistance. No permit does not mean no Florida Building Code. For any exterior work in a hurricane-exposed area, code-compliant fasteners, wind ratings, and connection methods still apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions Florida homeowners ask about HB 803 and the new $7,500 permit waiver, answered with the underlying statute or enrolled bill text cited.

Share this guide

Property Exemption Team

Written and fact-checked by the Property Exemption team. Every quoted statutory passage in this article was extracted from the enrolled text of CS/CS/HB 803 (Engrossed 2) on flsenate.gov and verified verbatim. Legislative dates and vote tallies confirmed against the official bill pages at flsenate.gov and flhouse.gov. This guide is educational only and is not legal advice. Confirm the specific treatment of your project with your local building department and a Florida-licensed contractor or attorney before starting work. About us