Florida's $7,500 Permit Exemption: What HB 803 Actually Covers

Florida's House Bill 803 took effect on July 1, 2026, promising to simplify the permitting process for certain small residential projects. The headline attracted plenty of attention: work valued at less than $7,500 may no longer require a building permit. But as cities across Florida begin implementing the law, homeowners and contractors are discovering that the exemption is much narrower than that headline suggests.

A Project Is Not Automatically Exempt Because It Costs Less Than $7,500

HB 803 does not create a blanket exemption for every home improvement project below $7,500. To qualify, the project must involve an existing single-family dwelling, and the owner or contractor must submit a written exemption request to the local building department. That request must include a contract or other documentation showing the nature and value of the proposed work. The building department then determines whether the work qualifies. Cities including Miami, Cape Coral, and North Miami have already established forms or review procedures for these requests. In practical terms, homeowners may still have to contact the building department and receive written confirmation before beginning work.

Structural Work Still Requires a Permit

The exemption does not cover electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas, or structural work. That exclusion eliminates many of the projects homeowners might initially assume would qualify. Local governments have identified several common improvements as structural work:

• Roofing
• Windows and exterior doors
• Siding and soffits
• Elevated decks
• Railings and guards
• Pool barriers and certain fences

The final determination can depend on the project and the local building official. A low contract price does not override the permit requirement when the work falls into one of the excluded categories.

The Exemption Does Not Apply in Flood Hazard Areas

HB 803 also excludes work on property located partially or entirely within a flood hazard area as defined by the Florida Building Code. This has a major effect in coastal Florida. Cape Coral, for example, reports that more than 60% of the city lies within a FEMA-mapped Special Flood Hazard Area. The city has warned residents that, when combined with the structural and trade-work exclusions, the new exemption will not apply to most projects there. Similar limitations will affect homeowners throughout South Florida, Southwest Florida, the Florida Keys, and other low-lying communities.

Local Approval Processes Are Not Completely Uniform

The underlying eligibility requirements come from state law, but local governments are administering the exemption through their own systems. Some cities require an online exemption request. Others provide a downloadable form or direct applicants to the building department. Miami states that city staff will review the submission and issue written confirmation when the work qualifies. This creates a period of adjustment as contractors and homeowners learn each jurisdiction's process. The safest approach is to obtain written confirmation from the applicable building department before beginning work.

Zoning and Other Local Requirements Still Apply

An exemption from a building permit does not necessarily eliminate every other government approval. A project may still be subject to zoning regulations, setback requirements, historic-district requirements, drainage regulations, easements, right-of-way approvals, tree-removal or landscape permits, and homeowners' association restrictions. Some cities have expressly warned that the HB 803 exemption does not replace planning, zoning, right-of-way, or landscaping approvals.

Projects Cannot Be Divided to Avoid Permitting

HB 803 prohibits owners and contractors from breaking a larger project into several smaller contracts for the purpose of keeping each portion below $7,500. The value must reflect the actual project. Artificially separating labor, materials, or phases to avoid a permit could result in enforcement action and may create problems during a future sale, insurance claim, or property inspection.

Three Steps Before Relying on HB 803

Property owners should take three steps before relying on HB 803 to skip a permit:

• Confirm whether the property is in a FEMA flood hazard area.
• Ask whether any portion of the project is structural or involves a regulated trade (electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas).
• Submit the required documentation and obtain written confirmation from the local building department.

HB 803 may simplify genuinely minor projects, but it should not be treated as permission to begin any job under $7,500 without first checking the details. For most coastal Florida homeowners — especially those in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Sarasota, Miami-Dade, and Broward counties — the traditional permitting rules will continue to apply to the vast majority of projects.