The City of Clearwater requires a building permit to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building, and for electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing work regulated by the Florida Building Code. Applications are submitted through the city's Accela-based online permitting system (ePermit), plans are reviewed by staff, fees are paid before issuance, and the project is closed out through inspections and, where applicable, a Certificate of Occupancy or Completion.
Anyone planning to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building or structure, and anyone installing, altering, repairing, removing, converting, or replacing any electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing system regulated by the Florida Building Code; fence installation and replacement also require a permit. Florida Statutes Chapter 489 requires licensed contractors to obtain permits and do the work, with very few exceptions for single-family and duplex owner-occupied structures. No permit is needed for painting, wallpaper, tile/carpeting, replacing kitchen or bathroom cabinets or fixtures, or a very minor roof leak repair under $500.
Register for an account on the online permitting system
Click 'Register for an Account' and provide a username, password, contact information, and contact type. You must be a licensed contractor or design professional to apply for building permits online; contractors select 'Licensed Professional' as the contact type.
aca-prod.accela.com/CLEARWATER/Default.aspxSubmit the building permit application
Log in, select 'Building', then 'Create an Application', agree to the disclaimer, choose the permit type, and complete the required information. Payment of the plan review fee is required at the time of submittal.
aca-prod.accela.com/CLEARWATER/Default.aspxSubmit digital plans
Upload plans through the online system. The permit is not officially received and routed for review until the required plans are uploaded; be sure to click 'Finish'.
aca-prod.accela.com/CLEARWATER/Default.aspxFile a recorded Notice of Commencement
If project value exceeds $5,000 (or exceeds $15,000 for repair/replacement of an existing heating or air conditioning system), file a Notice of Commencement with the Pinellas County Clerk of Court before permit issuance, post a certified copy at the job site, and provide a copy to the city.
myclearwater.com/Business-Development/Permits-and-InspectionPlan review
Staff review the plans; many permits take between 4 and 15 days depending on project type. Check permit status and plan review completion dates anytime via the online Permit Lookup tool.
aca-prod.accela.com/CLEARWATER/Default.aspxPay remaining fees and verify contractor licenses
Additional permit fees and any fire or impact fees are paid prior to permit issuance; the city emails payment instructions after all reviews are approved. Updated contractor license information must be on the permit before issuance.
aca-prod.accela.com/CLEARWATER/Default.aspxDownload the permit and approved plans
After payment, the city emails when plans are available for download. Print them to scale and post them at the job site before starting construction.
aca-prod.accela.com/CLEARWATER/Default.aspxSchedule inspections
Different permits need inspections at different points. A permit open for six months without a passed inspection expires. Schedule via the city's inspection page, by texting SCHEDULE to 1-888-691-4479, or call 727-562-4567 to cancel.
myclearwater.com/Business-Development/Permitting/Schedule-orClose out: final status and Certificate of Occupancy/Completion
After passing final inspections, confirm the permit status shows 'Completed' in the online system. For a Certificate of Occupancy or Completion, email [email protected] with the permit number and the completed CO checklist and form.
aca-prod.accela.com/CLEARWATER/Default.aspx| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Plans examination fee, one- or two-family residential | $16 plus $1 per $1,000 of value or fraction thereof | Valuation is based on contract value. Fee schedule current as of Feb. 2, 2022. |
| Permit fee, construction valuation $100,000 or less | $33 plus $7.25 per $1,000 of value or fraction thereof | Applies per structure to all permit types; combination permits add $30 per trade or permit type (no additional fee for swimming pools). Higher valuation tiers listed on the schedule. |
| Certificate of Occupancy, one- or two-family dwelling | $11 per unit | Conditional CO is $32 per condition. |
| Reinspection (work not ready for inspection) | $32 first occurrence; $80 second or subsequent | After-the-fact permits: triple the permit fee (first occurrence). |
| Notice of Commencement filing service fee | $10 | In addition to Pinellas County Clerk's charges. |
| Full fee schedule and estimator | see fee schedule | Community Development Code Appendix A; downloadable PDF on the fee schedule page. The city also provides an online Fee Estimator at https://apps.myclearwater.com/FeeEstimator/index.aspx. |
Fee amounts change, the linked official schedule always controls.
The online portal (branded ePermit, running on Accela Citizen Access) only accepts building permit applications from registered licensed contractors or design professionals, so homeowner owner-builders working under the Florida Statutes Ch. 489 exemption follow the paper checklist route with Owner-Builder forms and proof of residency/occupancy. Payment of the plan review fee is required at submittal and the application is not routed for review until plans are uploaded and 'Finish' is clicked. Permits expire after six months without a passed inspection, and an expired permit holder's fee is $200. Inspections can be scheduled by texting SCHEDULE to 1-888-691-4479. Contact: 727-562-4567, [email protected], Municipal Services Building 2nd Floor, 100 S. Myrtle Ave., Clearwater, FL 33756.