Who Can Bring Unpermitted Work Up to Code in Florida?

Key Takeaways

• The building department, not the contractor or consultant, has final authority over what it takes to legalize unpermitted work, so call your local building department first to learn its specific after-the-fact requirements.

• Some Florida jurisdictions, such as Pembroke Pines, require a licensed contractor to pull after-the-fact permits and charge double fees, so do not assume an owner-builder option is available.

• Verify any contractor's license through the Florida DBPR online search and confirm the license covers the specific trade involved, since a roofing license will not cover electrical corrections.

• Expect to need as-built drawings and, for structural, electrical, or MEP work, a sealed engineer's evaluation, since a permit alone does not legalize work that was never inspected.

• The biggest cost surprise is usually corrective work found during inspection, so an thorough up-front evaluation helps budget realistically, since fees are set locally with no statewide schedule.

• Avoid starting repairs before the building department weighs in, and address code-enforcement violation notices early, since unresolved cases may need coordination with the permitting process.

So you just found out that the deck, the garage conversion, or the kitchen remodel at your Florida property never had a permit. Take a breath. First, you are in very good company. Unpermitted work turns up constantly during home inspections, appraisals, insurance reviews, and closings, and it is usually fixable.

If you are looking for someone to bring unpermitted work up to code in Florida, the good news is that there is a well-worn path to follow. The less-good news is that the path runs through your local building department, not around it. The right team helps you gather records, draw the plans, coordinate engineering, and file the application, but the building department decides what it takes to make the work legal.

In this friendly guide, we will walk through who can actually help, what the after-the-fact process looks like, what it may cost, and how to avoid the missteps that slow people down. Whether you are a homeowner, a general contractor, a solar company, or a real estate pro, you will leave knowing exactly what to do next.

What Does "Bringing Unpermitted Work Up to Code" Actually Mean?

In Florida, construction, alteration, repair, or demolition that requires a permit generally must be permitted before work begins. Florida Statutes §553.79 gives the appropriate state or local enforcing agency the authority to issue permits and inspect work. When work was finished without that permit, the usual fix is what building departments often call an "after-the-fact" permit.

Here is the part that surprises people: a permit does not automatically legalize anything. You have to show the work meets the applicable code and local requirements, and you have to pass the required inspections. That is why "bringing it up to code" is really a three-part job:

• Document what exists, with plans, photos, and records.
• Verify that it meets code, often with an engineer's review.
• Correct and close out anything that falls short, through inspections.

For a closer look at how this works statewide, our guide on how to legalize unpermitted work in Florida goes deeper.

Who Can Help You Bring Unpermitted Work Up to Code?

There is no single "unpermitted work fixer." Instead, a successful after-the-fact project usually involves a few different professionals. Knowing who does what keeps you from hiring the wrong person first.

Notice that the permitting consultant and the contractor do not make the final call. The authority having jurisdiction does. That is why the best partner is the one who knows how to work with your building department rather than promise to work around it.

When You Need a Licensed Contractor

Some jurisdictions require a licensed contractor to pull an after-the-fact permit. Pembroke Pines, for example, states that its after-the-fact permits require a licensed contractor and are subject to double permit fees, with a limited residential exception for certain buyers who can document that the work predated their purchase. That is one city's policy, not a statewide rule, so always check with your own building department.

Before you hire anyone, verify the contractor's license and status through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The official DBPR license search takes a couple of minutes and can save you months of headaches. Also confirm that the license actually covers the trade involved, since a roofing license will not cover electrical corrections.

When You Need an Engineer

If the work involves structure, wind resistance, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical systems, expect the building department to want sealed documentation. An engineer may need to evaluate framing, connections, trusses, or foundations that were never inspected. Our own engineering team handles this in house, and our engineer signs and seals the work, which means reviewer questions get answered quickly instead of bouncing between outside consultants.

The Step-by-Step Path From Unpermitted to Approved

Every county and city runs this a little differently, but the general roadmap looks like this:

1. Gather your records. Collect the property address, project description, rough dates, photos, any prior permits or plans, contractor invoices, and any violation notice you received.
2. Call the building department. Ask what permit type, plans, inspections, and licensed professionals they require for after-the-fact work on your property. If you are not sure which agency controls your address, our building department lookup tool can point you in the right direction.
3. Document existing conditions. This usually means as-built drawings. Learn more about as-built drawings and why reviewers rely on them.
4. Get an engineering evaluation if needed. A sealed engineer letter or structural review confirms that hidden work meets code.
5. File the after-the-fact application. Submit plans, forms, and fees exactly as your jurisdiction requires.
6. Respond to reviewer comments. Expect a round or two of questions. Fast, accurate answers keep things moving.
7. Complete inspections and corrections. The inspector may require exposed work, repairs, or upgrades.
8. Close out the permit. Once final inspections pass, the permit closes and the work is on the record.

If you want a deeper walkthrough, this explainer on how to get an after-the-fact permit in Florida covers the process in detail.

What Will Inspectors Want to See?

Here is where people get nervous, so let us be honest and reassuring at the same time. The local authority may require plans, documentation of existing conditions, inspections, and in some cases exposure of concealed work so inspectors can assess compliance. In plain English, that can mean opening a wall or ceiling so an inspector can see the wiring, framing, or plumbing behind it.

That does not happen on every job. Often, photos, an engineer's letter, and careful as-built plans carry the day. But if work cannot be verified or does not meet applicable requirements, corrective work or even removal may be required, and the building department determines the scope.

A few things inspectors commonly focus on:

• Structural connections and load paths for additions, enclosures, and roofs
• Electrical safety, including grounding, breakers, and GFCI or AFCI protection
• Plumbing venting, drainage, and water heater installations
• Egress, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and fire separation
• Wind and flood requirements, depending on where the property sits

If your project is in a flood zone or involved major reconstruction, it is worth reading up on the FEMA 50 percent rule in Florida, since substantial improvements can trigger extra requirements.

How Much Does It Cost to Bring Unpermitted Work Up to Code?

This is the question everyone asks, and the honest answer is that it depends. Florida Statutes §553.79 does not establish one statewide after-the-fact fee schedule, and there is no reliable statewide average cost for after-the-fact permits. Fees are set locally.

What you can plan for is a handful of cost buckets:

For a closer look at budgeting, see our breakdown of after-the-fact permit costs in Florida. The biggest budget surprise is almost always corrective work, which is why a thorough up-front evaluation pays for itself.

Why Different Audiences Face Different Challenges

Unpermitted work does not look the same for everyone. Here is how it tends to show up:

Homeowners and Residential Property Owners

Most homeowners discover the issue during a sale, refinance, insurance renewal, or when they receive a code enforcement notice. Your priority is a clear plan and a single point of contact. Our page for homeowners explains how we guide you from first call to closeout.

Real Estate Professionals and Investors

Open permits and unpermitted additions can stall a closing fast. Speed and clear communication matter. If you are racing a closing date, take a look at realtor closing support and the guide on what to do when an open permit is found at closing.

General Contractors and Design Trades

You may inherit a job where a previous crew skipped the permit. You need accurate drawings and sealed engineering without building out an in-house department. Our services for general contractors are built for exactly that.

Solar Companies

Panels and equipment installed without permits, or with expired ones, need code-compliant structural and electrical documentation to get approved. Our solar contractor support covers that documentation and coordination.

Common Mistakes That Slow Everything Down

After handling thousands of permits across Florida, a few patterns show up again and again. Avoid these and you are already ahead:

• Hiring before calling the building department. Rules, fees, and who may apply all vary by locality, so confirm first.
• Assuming owner-builder is available. Do not assume an owner-builder option exists for after-the-fact work in your jurisdiction.
• Skipping the license check. Verify through DBPR before signing anything.
• Ignoring a violation notice. Unresolved code-enforcement cases may need to be coordinated with the permitting process, so deal with them early. Our code compliance violations page explains how that coordination works.
• Starting corrective work without approval. Doing repairs before the building department weighs in can create new problems.

Also remember that you might be dealing with an expired permit rather than a missing one. The fix is different, and our guide on how to close an expired permit in Florida will help you sort out which situation you are in.

Can You Still Sell a Home With Unpermitted Work?

Often yes, but it can get complicated. Buyers, lenders, appraisers, and insurers may all ask questions, and a title or permit search can reveal open or missing permits. Resolving the issue before listing generally gives you more control, more buyers, and fewer last-minute surprises. If you are already under contract, bring in help early so the timeline does not slip.

You can also run an open permit search to see what is on record for a property before you decide on a strategy.

Why Work With a Dedicated Permitting Team?

You could do all of this yourself, and some people do. But the process involves a lot of moving parts: records, drawings, engineering, filing, tracking, reviewer comments, revisions, and inspections. A team that does this every day knows which jurisdiction actually controls your address (not always obvious near city lines), what packages examiners like to see, and how to respond to comments so the file keeps moving.

At 1 Contractor Solutions, we operate as Florida's outsourced permitting department. We work across all 67 counties, with in-house drafting and engineering, same-day response, and sealed drawings from our own engineer. We do not replace the building department's review, and we are upfront about that. What we do is take the paperwork, plans, and coordination off your plate so you can focus on the property.

If you want to see how other customers describe working with us, you can visit us on Google — 1 Contractor Solutions and read the reviews. You can also follow us on LinkedIn or follow us on Facebook for Florida permitting updates.

Ready to Get Your Unpermitted Work Legalized?

Finding unpermitted work is stressful, but it is a solvable problem. Start by gathering your records and calling your building department, then line up the right professionals for plans, engineering, and corrective work. Verify every license, expect inspections, and plan for the possibility that something behind a wall needs attention. Handled step by step, most properties get across the finish line.

If you would like a friendly team to take the heavy lifting off your shoulders, get a free quote from 1 Contractor Solutions today. Tell us your address and your situation, and we will tell you which jurisdiction controls it and what it will take to get it done.