Florida Permit Desk
County permit guide

Manatee County Permits: Search and Common Jobs

Last updated: (checked against official sources)How we research

Independent guide, not a government site. Confirm every requirement with the building office for your address before starting work. Items marked Unverified could not be confirmed on an official page.
Office (unincorporated Manatee County)Manatee County Development Services, Building and Permitting Division
AddressManatee County Administration Building, 1112 Manatee Ave. West, Bradenton, FL 34205
Phone941-748-4501 ext. 3800 · permitting@mymanatee.org
HoursMonday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Online permit searchAccela → Building → Search by Address or Parcel Number

Short answer: Manatee County has six cities and towns: Anna Maria, Bradenton, Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach, Palmetto and Longboat Key.[11] Each runs its own building department.[13][15][16][17][18][19] The Manatee County Building and Permitting Division covers the unincorporated county and issues permits through Accela Online Services.[1][6] Longboat Key sits partly in Manatee County and partly in Sarasota County.[21]

Who issues permits for your address

  • Unincorporated Manatee County: Manatee County Development Services, Building and Permitting Division.[1]
  • Inside a city or town: see the table below.

Check the parcel on the Manatee County Property Appraiser website before you search.[12] Unverified (We found no official Manatee page explaining how to read city limits from a parcel record. If you aren't sure, ask the County or the city.)

How to search Manatee permits by address

Unincorporated county: use the County's Accela Online Services. You can search without an account.[5]

  1. Click Building, then Search Applications.[6]
  2. Choose Search by Address and enter the street number and street name, or search by parcel number.[7]
  3. Open the record and click Record Info, then Processing Status, to see reviews and due dates.[5]

Older permits: the County posts downloadable spreadsheets (.csv) of historical permit data from 1991 to 21 Feb. 2018.[8] Whether every permit after that date is in Accela isn't stated. Unverified (We found no official statement of when Accela records begin. For gaps, call Permitting at 941-748-4501 ext. 3800.)

Inside a city: use that city's portal. Bradenton and Longboat Key use Accela, Palmetto uses BS&A Online, and Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach each link to their own online permit portal.[14][20][15][17][18][16]

Common jobs

These rules come from the County's list for unincorporated Manatee County.[3] Cities set their own.

Needs a permit:

  • New roofs and re-roofs. Mobile homes as delivered from the factory are an exception: re-roofs need a license but no permit.[3]
  • Windows and doors, including new or closed-in openings, and new or replacement siding, fascia and soffits.[3]
  • A/C replacement or new install, and new or replacement duct work.[3]
  • Water heaters, including tankless and gas units (see the exception below).[3]
  • Sheds (including prefabricated, except the small ones below), attached decks, masonry fences and walls, and pools over 24 inches deep.[3]

No permit:

  • An electric-to-electric water heater change-out of the same size in the same location.[3]
  • Repair or replacement of a residential A/C coil, compressor or refrigerant piping by a licensed A/C or mechanical contractor, and duct repair.[3]
  • Non-structural fences (wood, chain link, vinyl) on a one- or two-family lot outside a flood hazard area.[3]
  • Prefabricated sheds up to 120 sq ft and 8 ft high (zoning and flood rules still apply), painting, flooring and re-screening.[3]

The County offers express permits for residential A/C change-outs, electrical, roofing and plumbing with no documents required before issuance. Door and window express permits need Florida Product Approval numbers.[2] Questions: 941-748-4501 ext. 3800.[3]

Work under $7,500 (HB 803)

The County's list says that since 1 July 2026, some non-structural residential projects under $7,500 may be exempt. The exemption doesn't cover electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas or structural work, or any property partly or fully in a flood hazard area.[3] The County treats railings, pool barriers and fences, windows and doors, siding and soffits, roofing and elevated decks as structural.[3] You can't split a project to get under the limit.[3][22]

To qualify, the owner or contractor sends a written request with a copy of the contract or other documents showing the work. The approved, stamped request must stay on site during the work, and the County won't inspect exempt work.[3] Unverified (We found no separate Manatee County request form or submission address for the exemption. Ask Permitting at permitting@mymanatee.org.)

HB 803 also changed permit life: the County says new single-family dwelling permits issued on or after 1 July 2026 expire 1 year after issue (or on the effective date of the next Florida Building Code edition, if later), instead of 180 days.[9]

Applying and owner-builder permits

  • Apply online through Accela Online Services. The County says you can apply without coming into the building.[1][6]
  • Owner-builders: the County says a homeowner who owns and occupies a one- or two-family home can do their own work if they know the code requirements, and can't hire unlicensed help.[1] The County's disclosure statement repeats the state rule: you must personally appear and sign the permit application, and selling or leasing within 1 year of completion is presumed to break the exemption.[10][23] See our owner-builder guide.
  • Notice of Commencement: state law requires a recorded notice before the first inspection when the direct contract is over $5,000, except existing A/C repair or replacement under $15,000.[24] Unverified (We didn't find a current Manatee County page restating these thresholds.)
  • Contractors must be registered with the County to work in unincorporated Manatee. The County doesn't accept state-registered licenses from other areas; registered license holders must be current and active in Manatee County.[1][3] Check any state license on DBPR.[25]

Contacts (Manatee County)

What Contact
Permitting 941-748-4501 ext. 3800 · permitting@mymanatee.org[1]
Office Manatee County Administration Building, 1112 Manatee Ave. West, Bradenton, FL 34205[4]
Hours Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–4 p.m.[3]
Contractor Licensing 941-748-4501 ext. 3574 · licensing@mymanatee.org[1][3]
Inspections inspections@mymanatee.org[1]

Municipalities in Manatee County (6)

City or town Who handles building permits Phone
Anna Maria City Building Department; online permit portal[17] 941-708-6130 ext. 140[17]
Bradenton City Building and Permitting Division, 101 Old Main St.; Accela[13][14] 941-932-9400[13]
Bradenton Beach City Building & Planning, 107 Gulf Drive N.; online permit portal[18] 941-778-1005 ext. 210[18]
Holmes Beach City Building Department, 5801 Marina Drive; online permit portal[16] 941-708-5833[16]
Longboat Key Town Planning, Zoning & Building, 501 Bay Isles Road; Accela since April 2025. Partly in Sarasota County[19][20][21] 941-316-1966[20]
Palmetto City Building Department; BS&A Online (search any city address)[15] 941-721-2166[15]

Common questions

How do I look up permits on a Manatee County property?

For unincorporated Manatee County, open the County's Accela Online Services, go to Building and search by address or parcel number. You don't need an account.[7][5] For older permits, the County posts downloadable spreadsheets covering 1991 to 21 Feb. 2018.[8] Inside a city, use that city's system.

Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Manatee County?

Yes. The County's list says new roofs and re-roofs need a permit and a licensed contractor (or a qualifying owner-builder).[3] Re-roofs on mobile homes as delivered from the factory need a license but no permit.[3] Roofing counts as structural, so the under-$7,500 exemption doesn't apply.[3]

Do I need a permit to replace a water heater or A/C in Manatee County?

A/C replacement needs a permit.[3] Water heaters generally do too, but the County's list exempts an electric-to-electric change-out of the same size in the same location.[3] Tankless and gas water heaters need a permit.[3]

Does Manatee County issue permits in Bradenton or Palmetto?

No. Bradenton and Palmetto run their own building departments and portals.[13][15] The County's Building and Permitting Division covers unincorporated Manatee County.[1]

Statewide permit guides

All Florida counties · All guides

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from the official sources below, checked on 24 October 2026.

  1. Manatee County: Building and Permitting Division
  2. Manatee County: Permitting Section (FAQs, express permits)
  3. Manatee County: What Does and Does Not Require a Permit (Word document, updated 16 June 2026)
  4. Manatee County: Search Permit Records
  5. Manatee County: Searching Records, step-by-step (PDF, March 2025)
  6. Manatee County Accela Online Services (home)
  7. Manatee County Accela: Search for Records (Building)
  8. Manatee County: Download Historical Permitting Data
  9. Manatee County news: HB 803 new single-family dwelling building permit expiration date (30 June 2026)
  10. Manatee County: Owner-Builder Disclosure Statement (PDF, form date 3/6/25)
  11. Manatee County: Incorporated Municipalities
  12. Manatee County Property Appraiser
  13. City of Bradenton: Building and Permitting Division
  14. City of Bradenton: Building and Permitting Online Services
  15. City of Palmetto: Building Department
  16. City of Holmes Beach: Building Department
  17. City of Anna Maria: Building Department
  18. City of Bradenton Beach: Building & Planning
  19. Town of Longboat Key: Planning, Zoning & Building
  20. Town of Longboat Key: Accela Online Permitting & Inspections
  21. Town of Longboat Key: Elections (Town lies in Manatee and Sarasota counties)
  22. Florida Statutes § 553.79 (2026), Permits; applications; issuance; inspections
  23. Florida Statutes § 489.103 (2026), Exemptions (owner-builder)
  24. Florida Statutes § 713.135 (2026), Notice of commencement and applicability of lien
  25. Florida DBPR: License search