Florida Permit Desk

Orange County (FL) Permits: FastTrack Search, Do-I-Need-a-Permit List, Fees

Last verified against official sources: · County guide

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 area)Orange County Division of Building Safety (Permitting Services)
AddressOrange County Government Administration Center, 201 South Rosalind Avenue, 1st Floor, Orlando, FL 32801 (mail: P.O. Box 2687, Orlando, FL 32802-1393)
Phone407-836-5550 · PermittingServices@ocfl.net
HoursApplications online only (Fast Track); in-person informational appointments by request
Online permit searchFast Track building permit search

Short answer: the Orange County Division of Building Safety issues building, electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing and roofing permits for unincorporated Orange County.[3] You apply and search online in Fast Track, the County's permitting portal.[9] Orange County has 13 municipalities. If your address is inside one, check with that city first. The City of Orlando has its own permitting office (see our City of Orlando permits page).[11][12]

Who issues permits for your address

  1. Search your property on the Orange County Property Appraiser's site and look at the municipality it lists. The City of Orlando tells residents to check its city limits this way.[12]
  2. Unincorporated (no city): the County Division of Building Safety issues your permits.[3]
  3. City of Edgewood: under an interlocal agreement, you must get approval from the City of Edgewood first and then apply for the building permit through Orange County. Edgewood: 407-851-2920, Info@Edgewood-fl.gov.[7]
  4. Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista (the Walt Disney World area): the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District runs its own Building & Safety permitting (407-828-2034).[13]
  5. Any other city: that city's own building office or its contracted building firm issues permits. The table at the bottom of this page lists all 13.

Wedgefield, Cape Orlando Estates and Rocket City are in the Ranger Drainage District. For new homes, additions, accessory structures, screen rooms, pools, fences and slabs there, you may also need a District permit (407-568-5502). Window, door and roof replacements and interior work don't need one.[7]

How to search permits by address

  • Building permits: open the Fast Track building permit search. Enter the street number and name, a permit number, or an issue date range of up to six months.[3]
  • Only building records tied to an address show up there. To see all records on a parcel, use the Properties (Address or Parcel) search.[3][5]
  • Older permits: permits issued before 4 June 2012 are in a separate Historical Permit Search. It accepts a full or partial address, or a parcel ID, and shows up to 1,000 results.[4]
  • Expired permits: the County says to search the property in Fast Track's Property search; past permits are shown there.[1]
  • Permit status: in Fast Track, go to "Permits, All Types", then "Building Permits", and enter the permit number, address or parcel ID.[1]
  • No account needed to search. You need a Fast Track Member Services account only to apply and upload plans.[1]

If a record you expect is missing, the County says not all development history is in the system yet; contact the office that handled it.[5] For records research, email RecordsResearch@ocfl.net or call 407-836-5550.[6] For a Certificate of Occupancy or Completion, email BuildingRecords@ocfl.net with the permit number in the subject line.[1] General public records requests go to PublicRecordRequest@ocfl.net.[9]

Common jobs: what the County says needs a permit

From the County's "Do I Need a Permit?" page and FAQ:[2][1]

Job Permit?
Replacement roof Yes, a roof permit. Re-roofs need an in-progress and a final inspection; roof-overs need a final inspection only.
A/C or heating equipment Yes, a mechanical permit for permanently installed equipment. Plug-in portable units: no permit.
Water heater Yes, a plumbing permit and possibly an electrical permit.
New exterior windows, doors, garage doors Yes, a building permit.
Electrical panel change or service upgrade Yes, an electrical permit.
New or moved outlet Yes, an electrical permit.
Appliance plugged into an existing outlet No.
Shed or small structure Yes, all structures need a permit. Structures of 120 sq ft or less may be exempt from the building code but still need a permit application.
Fence Yes. Fences 6 ft or under get a Zoning permit; over 6 ft or masonry need a building permit.
Driveway, walkway, concrete pad Yes. Pavers need a Zoning permit only.
New or replacement underground irrigation Yes, an irrigation (plumbing) permit.
Pool Yes, a building permit plus electrical, plumbing and gas sub-permits if applicable.

The County's FAQ says work that needs no permit is limited to minor items such as residential painting, plug-in portable heating or cooling appliances, finished floor covering, replacing cabinets and countertops in the same location, landscaping (not irrigation), satellite dishes, and short flag poles.[1]

For questions, email EResQuestions@ocfl.net.[2]

Work under $7,500 (exemption request form)

State law now exempts some single-family work under $7,500 from a building permit, but not electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical or gas work, and not in a flood hazard area. You must ask in writing with the contract or other proof of value.[14] Orange County has published its rules and an exemption request form:[1]

  • Single-family homes only; the County says no rental properties or mobile homes.
  • The County treats exterior window and door replacements as structural, so they don't qualify.
  • No splitting a project into smaller jobs.
  • Download the Permit Exemption Request Form from the Division of Building Safety FAQ and submit it with your contract or other documents.
  • The County notes it has no legal duty for exempt work, and the owner stays responsible for code compliance.

Applying and owner-builder permits

  • All new permit applications go through Fast Track. The County does not accept new applications or plans in person; in-person appointments are for information only.[9]
  • Take the County's Fast Track training course, register an account, then apply and upload plans as PDFs.[7]
  • Who can apply: a Florida-licensed general, building or residential contractor, or the owner as an owner-builder if the property is for the owner's own use or occupancy. Properties owned by a corporation, LLC or trust must use a licensed building contractor.[1]
  • Owner-builders apply online as a non-license holder, write "Owner-Builder Permit to …" in the description, then email OwnerVerification@ocfl.net for a Webex video call to verify identity and complete the Owner-Builder Disclosure Statement. Have a valid photo ID ready.[8]
  • Demolition permits aren't available in Fast Track; email EResQuestions@ocfl.net.[8]
  • If the property uses a septic system, contact the Florida Department of Health in Orange County (407-858-1497) before applying.[7]

State law lets owner-builders work on a one- or two-family home for their own use, or a commercial building up to $75,000, and presumes a violation if the property is sold or leased within one year.[15]

Wording difference. The County's "Do I Need a Permit?" page says homeowners may apply "only if it is their primary residence".[2] The Division's FAQ says "for the occupancy or use of the owner",[1] which matches the state statute's "own use and occupancy".[15] Ask Permitting Services how this applies to you before applying.

Notice of Commencement

State law requires a recorded Notice of Commencement before the first inspection when the direct contract is over $5,000, except repair or replacement of an existing heating or air-conditioning system under $15,000.[16] The County requires a certified copy of the recorded notice before you can schedule your first inspection, and offers to record it for you by email: send the completed form to OrangeNOC@ocfl.net.[1]

Permit time limits

A permit expires 180 days after issue or 180 days after the last passed inspection. A one-time 90-day extension is available on active permits for a fee. An expired permit must be replaced with a new permit.[1]

Fees

Building Safety fees are in Section 3 (Planning, Environmental and Development) of the County's fiscal year 2026–2027 Fee Directory.[1][10] The County says mechanical, electrical, plumbing and gas permit fees are usually based on the estimated cost of the work, and that the total for new construction can't be known until the permit is ready to issue.[1] We don't copy fee amounts here because they change.

Contacts

Need Contact
Permitting questions PermittingServices@ocfl.net · 407-836-5550[6]
Fast Track help (electronic applications) 407-836-8160[1]
Records research RecordsResearch@ocfl.net · 407-836-5550[6]
Contractor licensing ContractorLicensing@ocfl.net · 407-836-5522[6]
Zoning (fences, pavers) Zoning@ocfl.net · 407-836-3111[1]
Flood permits FloodPermits_Help@ocfl.net · 407-836-5612[6]
Notice of Commencement OrangeNOC@ocfl.net[1]

The Fast Track search page prints the Division's number as "836-5550" without an area code; County pages give it in full as 407-836-5550.[3][7] Check a contractor's state license on DBPR's license search.[17]

Municipalities in Orange County (13)

The list of municipalities is from the County.[11] Contact details come from each city's own website (October 2026). Call before you visit.

Municipality Who handles building permits Phone / email
Apopka City of Apopka Building-Safety, 120 E. Main St., 2nd floor 407-703-1713[18]
Bay Lake Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, Building & Safety 407-828-2034[13]
Belle Isle Universal Engineering (contracted by the City); submit to COBIpermits@UniversalEngineering.com 407-581-8161[25]
Eatonville Town Planning, Zoning & Building Department, 307 E. Kennedy Blvd. 407-623-8909[19]
Edgewood City approval first, then Orange County issues the permit 407-851-2920[7]
Lake Buena Vista Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, Building & Safety 407-828-2034[13]
Maitland City Community Development (Permit Specialists), 1776 Independence Lane 407-539-6150[20]
Oakland Willdan Engineering (contracted by the Town), oaklandfl@willdan.com 689-229-9974[21]
Ocoee City Building Division 407-905-3104[22]
Orlando City Permitting Services (our Orlando page) 407-246-2271[12]
Windermere Contact the Town Unverified (no Town page on building permits found)
Winter Garden City Building Division, 300 W. Plant St. 407-877-5136[23]
Winter Park City Building & Permitting Services 407-599-3237[24]

Common questions

Do I need an account to search Orange County permits?

No. The County says many Fast Track tools are open to all visitors; an account is needed to apply for permits and submit plans.[1] The search pages ask you to type a CAPTCHA code.[3]

How do I find permits from before 2012?

Use the Fast Track Historical Permit Search, which covers permits issued before 4 June 2012. You can search by address, partial address or parcel ID.[4]

Does replacing my A/C or water heater need a permit in Orange County?

Yes. The County says permanently installed air-conditioning and heating equipment needs a mechanical permit, and a water heater needs a plumbing permit and possibly an electrical permit. Plug-in portable units do not need a permit.[2]

How long is an Orange County permit valid?

The County's FAQ says a permit expires 180 days after it was issued or 180 days after the last passed inspection. A one-time 90-day extension can be granted on active permits for a fee.[1]

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from the official sources below, checked on 22 October 2026.

  1. Orange County Division of Building Safety: About and FAQ
  2. Orange County: Do I Need a Permit?
  3. Orange County Fast Track: Building Permits search
  4. Orange County Fast Track: Historical Permits (issued before 4 June 2012)
  5. Orange County Fast Track: Properties (Address or Parcel) search
  6. Orange County Fast Track: Contacts
  7. Orange County: One-Stop Permitting Guide
  8. Orange County: Owner-Builder Online Permitting Instructions (PDF, dated 11/3/2023)
  9. Orange County: Permits & Licenses
  10. Orange County: Fee Directory, Fiscal Year 2026–2027 (PDF)
  11. Orange County: Area Agencies (list of municipalities)
  12. City of Orlando: Schedule a Permitting Appointment (checking city limits with the Property Appraiser)
  13. Central Florida Tourism Oversight District: District Permitting
  14. Florida Statutes § 553.79 (2026)
  15. Florida Statutes § 489.103 (2026), Exemptions (owner-builder)
  16. Florida Statutes § 713.135 (2026)
  17. Florida DBPR: License search
  18. City of Apopka: Building-Safety
  19. Town of Eatonville: Planning & Permitting
  20. City of Maitland: Applying for a Permit
  21. Town of Oakland: Building Permits & Inspections
  22. City of Ocoee: Building Division
  23. City of Winter Garden: Building
  24. City of Winter Park: Building & Permitting Services
  25. City of Belle Isle: Building Permits (Universal Engineering)