The Orlando rule, and the new $7,500 exemption
The City's residential requirements page says "Permits are required for most construction projects", and that for residential construction "Trade permits are also required for electrical, plumbing, gas or other applicable work."
What changed is HB803. "Effective July 1, 2026, a new state law (HB803) exempts owners and contractors of single-family dwellings from the requirement to obtain a building permit for work valued at less than $7,500, when exemption eligibility requirements are met" (City of Orlando, read 23 October 2026). The City's exemption guide then lists what is not eligible "regardless of cost":
| Not eligible, at any price | Could qualify if under $7,500 and not in a flood hazard area |
|---|---|
| Electrical, plumbing, mechanical or gas work | Non-structural interior work with no trade work |
| Structural work, including railings, guards, pool barriers or fences | |
| Windows and doors, siding and soffits, roofing | |
| Elevated decks | |
| Any work on a property partly or wholly in a flood hazard area |
The left column covers most of what a remodel is. A kitchen with a new circuit or a moved sink, a bathroom with a new shower valve, a window replacement, a new back door: all need permits whatever they cost. And the exemption is not automatic. "You must submit an exemption request to the City after confirming all exemption criteria are met", with "a copy of the written contract, or other documentation demonstrating the nature and value of the work". Splitting a job to get under $7,500 is ruled out in so many words.
How to apply
For an exemption: check the City's flood-zone map, submit the online request form with the contract, and wait; the City says it reviews requests "within five business days" and you can track the MET case number in Permit Lookup.
For a permit:
- Building permit application, plus a separate trade permit for each of electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work.
- Plans dimensioned and drawn to scale, showing what is existing and what is proposed. The City lists missing or undimensioned site plans and unsigned or un-notarized applications among the most common reasons for disapproval.
- Notice of Commencement: "A recorded Notice of Commencement is required when the construction value exceeds $5,000 for a building permit."
- Contractor paperwork before issue: Florida license, business tax receipt, workers' comp proof, and for registered contractors a surety bond and competency card.
- Inspections. Building codes on a remodel can include 130 framing, 140 insulation, 135 above ceiling and 600 final (Inspection Codes Guide).
Review times are set by Florida law. For an existing single-family home with work under $15,000, the City responds within 5 business days of a complete application; you then have 10 business days to answer comments or the application is denied (Building Permit Guidelines).
A homeowner doing the work signs the Owner/Builder Declaration in person at City Hall. It warns that a house you substantially improve and then sell or lease within a year is presumed to have been improved for sale, which the exemption does not allow.
What it costs
From the 2026 residential fee schedule:
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Building permit, 1 or 2 units | $66.24 for the first $1,000 of construction cost, plus $4.41 per additional $1,000; cost is the contract price or ICC valuation, whichever is greater |
| Surcharges | 1.5% Administrative Inspection Fund, 1% DCA trust fund, 5% concurrency, 3% technology |
| Plan revision (third or later submittal) | $50 |
| Re-inspection (failed) | $150 |
| Work without a permit | An additional 100% of the permit fee |
Worked out from the schedule: a $20,000 remodel is $66.24 + 19 × $4.41 = $150.03, about $166 with surcharges; the electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are charged on their own schedules. The City says it is reviewing fees after HB803 (fee page).
What 4,716 Orlando remodel permits show
| Measure | Orlando remodel and repair |
|---|---|
| Permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026 | 4,716 |
| Firms | 800 |
| Firms with a permit in the last 12 months | 411 |
| Usual filed value | $11,257 |
| Middle half of firms' usual value (3+ permits) | $7,524 to $23,750 |
| Usual days from issue to final | 59 |
| Firms with one permit in three years | 438 (54.8%) |
| Busiest / quietest month | July (117) / September (87) |
The usual remodel permit was filed at $11,257, above the $7,500 line, and our remodel trade includes window, door and garage-door replacements, which are excluded from the exemption at any price. So HB803 will take few of these permits off the books. More than half the firms (54.8%) filed a single Orlando remodel permit in three years, against 35.3% of roofers; ask for addresses of past Orlando jobs. Prices by job size: Orlando remodel cost page.
See every Orlando remodeler by days to final →
Next steps
Compare firms on the Orlando remodel list and check the DBPR license in the Orlando contractor license lookup. Check past permits on the house with Orlando building permit search; monthly counts are on Orlando permit statistics. National guides: home remodel cost, do I need a permit for a home remodel, kitchen and bathroom.
What this does not tell you
Our file runs to September 2026, only three months into HB803, so it cannot yet show how many jobs the exemption removed; exempt work leaves an exemption case, not a permit. City of Orlando only. Almost every Orlando permit is eventually closed, so we show speed to final instead of a finished share.
How we know this
The HB803 exemption, its exclusions and the request process are quoted from City of Orlando pages read 23 October 2026, as are the residential requirements, review times and inspection codes; fees from the residential schedule effective January 2026, with the worked example computed by us. Counts are City of Orlando permits on one- and two-family homes classified as remodel and repair, October 2023 to September 2026; days to final are the median from issue.
Numbers come from City of Orlando building permits for one- and two-family homes, data through October 17, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Do I need a permit to remodel my house in Orlando?
Usually. Since 1 July 2026, Florida's HB803 exempts single-family work valued under $7,500 from a building permit, but only if it involves no electrical, plumbing, mechanical or gas work, nothing structural (windows, doors, siding, roofing, railings and others), and the house is not in a flood hazard area. You must also file an exemption request with the City.
- How does the Orlando permit exemption work?
You check the criteria, confirm you are not in a flood zone, and submit the City's exemption request with the contract or other proof of the work's nature and value. The City says it reviews requests within five business days; the status shows in Permit Lookup under a MET case number.
- Can I split a remodel into smaller jobs to stay under $7,500?
No. The City says a project 'may not be divided into multiple smaller projects for the purpose of staying under the $7,500 threshold'; the exemption covers only complete single projects under $7,500.
- How much is a remodel permit in Orlando?
The 2026 building permit fee is $66.24 for the first $1,000 of construction cost plus $4.41 for each further $1,000, then surcharges of 1.5%, 1%, 5% and 3%. A $20,000 remodel is $150.03 before surcharges, about $166 with them; trade permits are extra.
- How long does a remodel permit take in Orlando?
For an existing single-family home with work under $15,000, the City says it responds within 5 business days of a complete application. Once issued, the usual Orlando remodel permit in our file reached final 59 days later.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Orlando building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Albuquerque building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Ames building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Austin building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
For one city
- Apply for a Residential Building Permit Exemption — City of Orlando (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Residential Building Permit Exemption Guide (HB803) — City of Orlando (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Residential Permitting Requirements — City of Orlando (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Permitting Development Fees — Residential (1 or 2 units), effective January 2026 — City of Orlando (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Permit Development & Impact Fees — City of Orlando (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Building Permit Guidelines (FL 553.792) — City of Orlando (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Inspection Codes Guide — City of Orlando (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Owner/Builder Declaration — City of Orlando (accessed 2026-10-23)