Building and Permitting

What work does and does not require a permit? Find out here.

The below documents will be required for each application type:

Standard Permits

Permits expire after 180 days if no required inspections have been approved. In order for a project to be complete, it must pass final inspection(s), fees paid, and have all holds released.

Florida Building Code Section 105.4.1.2

If a new permit is not obtained within 180 days from the date the initial permit became null and void, the building official is authorized to require that any work which has been commenced or completed be removed from the building site. Alternately, a new permit may be issued on application, providing the work in place and required to complete the structure meets all applicable regulations in effect at the time the initial permit became null and void and any regulations which may have become effective between the date of expiration and the date of issuance of the new permit.

If your permit expires and becomes null and void you have the option to do one of the following:

1. Obtain a demolition permit to remove all construction in connection with your expired permit from the building site.
2. Resubmit documents for a new permit which comply with all codes, amendments, ordinances and regulations in effect from the time the permit expired until a new permit was issued and pay all appropriate fees.
3. Submit application for an extension prior to expiration of your permit.

Any person who is not licensed and registered with the Construction Industry Licensing Board is working illegally. In addition, the State Attorney General's Office has stated that contracts made with an unlicensed contractor are not enforceable under law. Another reason is the license provides some protection to the owner from being charged for work and materials not provided or paying twice for them (material suppliers and sub-contractors can place a lien on your home if they do not receive payment from your contractor). There are also trade licenses for those persons doing other work to provide some assurance that they have adequate knowledge and training in those fields.

No. A homeowner who owns and occupies a 1 or 2 family dwelling can do their own construction work, as long as they can demonstrate that they are knowledgeable of the code requirements of concern. You may not use or hire unlicensed people to help you or to do the work for you.

Mobile Food Dispensing Vehicles or Hot Dog Carts require licensure by Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulations, Division of Hotels and Restaurants.

They can be reached online or by phone:

Department of Business & Professional Regulation
Hotels and Restaurants
Mobile Food Dispensing Vehicle or Hot Dog Cart
or call Customer Contact Center at (850) 487-1395

Manatee County only has jurisdiction over the unincorporated area of the county and does not issue vending permits or licenses however, we do require the following regulations be adhered to:

• Must be located on active commercial property with the approval of the property owner, cannot block any drive aisles or parking spaces.
• Cannot be located in the County Right-of-Way.

Note: Permanent power supply will reclassify use from Mobile Food Dispensing to Restaurant and will require Final Site Plan approval.

To schedule or cancel an inspection you may either do so through Online Services or the IVR system. 

Please note: You can cancel an inspection up to 4:00 p.m. of the day before the inspection. After that time, you will need to wait until after 7:00 am the day of the inspection to determine who your inspector is.  You may then call your inspector the day of the inspection to cancel. 

Inspections via Automated Phone System

You may reach our automated phone system at (941) 749-3047.

Press (1) for English or Press (2) for Spanish. You may also press (7) to use Speech Recognition.
Press (1) to schedule an inspection.
Press (2) to cancel an inspection.
Press (3) to obtain inspection results or hear the assigned inspector.
Press (5) to listen to your permit's plan review information
Press (6) to request a copy of Certificate of Occupancy (C/O) or Certificate of Completion (C/C).

After you have scheduled the Inspection, you will be able to request an automated call back with inspection results after the inspection has been completed.

Please have your record number, including the prefix, available, as you will be prompted for this (example: BLD1803-1234). It may also be helpful to know the inspection code that you are calling for. If you do not know your inspection code, please refer to your permit card. You will also be asked if you want to hear the entire list of inspections.

View further instructions for the automated phone system.

Inspections via Text Messaging

Development Services also offers the option to manage your inspections via toll free text messaging.

To get started, please send a text to (833) 392-8861. You will then be prompted to enter either Schedule, Cancel, Reschedule, and Results. As with the automated phone system, please have your record number and inspection code available, as you will be prompted to provide them.

Further information on managing your inspections via text messaging.

Virtual Inspections Now available! 

Manatee County Development Services is excited to announce that Virtual Residential Roof Express Inspections and Door/Window Inspections (Change out size of size.  No shutters) are now available.   Live video inspections in real-time with onsite Contractor and offsite Inspector. 

You can schedule here!

VIRTUAL INSPECTION PROCESS

 

 

1.   Low Voltage Commercial applications must select Standard Electrical Application. This includes standalone applications for low voltage electrical systems such as telephones, data transmissions, fire and security systems, closed-circuit and cable television, paging systems and speakers.

• Applicants will use their existing license to apply. If the license begins with EC, ES, EF, or EG and is not already registered and active in Online Services, the contractor will need to register or renew their license first.

2.   Low Voltage Residential Applications must select Express Electrical Application. This includes standalone applications for low voltage electrical systems such as telephones, data transmissions, fire and security systems, closed -circuit and cable television, paging systems and speakers for jobs exceeding $5,000 in costs within any 12-month period. 

• Applicants will use their existing license to apply. If the license begins with EC, EF, EG or ES and is not registered and active in Online Services, the contractor will need to register/renew their license through Online Services first. For EF, EG, or ES, the applicant must then appear in person to submit their application as the license will have to be manually added to the application by County staff.

 3.   All Commercial and Residential Applications will not have a separate permit application for the low voltage work included in the scope of their application. 

• For sub-contractors’ licenses beginning with EC, ES, EF or EG, the license must first be registered with Online Services before it can be added to the application. Then they will be added as a sub-contractor under the License Professional List during the application process.

All inspections must be scheduled by calling Inspections at 941-742-4190. The following inspections are available: 

• 221 Low Voltage Rough In
• 222 Low Voltage Final