Pinellas County Building & Development Review Services (BDRS) issues building permits for one- and two-family homes and related structures in unincorporated Pinellas County (BDRS also serves Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach, Kenneth City, Oldsmar, and Safety Harbor). The county requires a permit for any new building, addition, remodeling, demolition, or other work in excess of $500 or that requires an inspection. Applications, plan uploads, fee payment, and inspection scheduling are all handled online through the Pinellas County Access Portal (Accela); simple like-for-like projects may qualify for an Express Permit instead.
Property owners and licensed contractors doing new construction, additions, garages, enclosed porches, interior remodels, pools, sheds, or trade work (electrical, mechanical, plumbing, gas) on one- and two-family dwellings in unincorporated Pinellas County. Most work must be performed by a properly licensed contractor; owners may qualify as owner-builders under FS 489.103(7).
Verify jurisdiction
Confirm the property is in unincorporated Pinellas County (or a BDRS-served city) before applying; other cities have their own building departments.
pinellas.gov/building-departments-in-pinellas-county/Review the Permitting Guide and prepare documents
Check submittal requirements: boundary/topographic survey issued within the last five years plus plot/site plan for all projects, building plans (most require a digital encrypted signature and seal), energy calculations, product approvals, and subcontractor forms as applicable.
pinellas.gov/permitting-guide/Create an Access Portal account and apply
Register on the Pinellas County Access Portal (Accela), select the residential record type matching the project (17 major categories including Addition, New Construction, Remodel/Repair/Renovation, Pools and Spas, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, Gas, Solar, Demolition), complete each application section, and upload plans and documents.
aca-prod.accela.com/pinellas/Default.aspxPay fees online
Pay application/review fees through the Access Portal; all credit card types are currently accepted. Beware of scam invoices - legitimate emails come only from pinellas.gov or [email protected].
Respond to review comments
Monitor the record for review comments and resubmittal requests; residential reviews run approximately 14 days, with current times on the live dashboard.
pinellas.gov/building-permit-review-times-activity/Record the Notice of Commencement if required
For direct contracts greater than $5,000, record a Notice of Commencement with the Clerk of the Circuit Court, upload or email a copy to attach to the permit, and post a copy at the jobsite before the first inspection.
pinellas.gov/notice-of-commencement-form/Schedule inspections
After issuance, schedule inspections in the Access Portal under My Records > permit number > Record Info > Inspections; request by 4 p.m. for a next-business-day appointment.
pinellas.gov/building-inspections/| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit and plan review fees | see fee schedule | FY25 BDRS fee schedule effective Oct 1, 2024, published in the User Fees section of the FY25 budget book; an updated schedule for inspection and private provider fees took effect July 1, 2026 per HB 803 / FS 553.79. Pay via the Access Portal. |
Fee amounts change, the linked official schedule always controls.
Gotchas: (1) Product approval - Florida approval numbers required for building components per FS 553.842 / FAC 9B-72; submit the county Product Approval Schedule. (2) Owner-builders may not apply for Express Permits online - in person only at 440 Court St., Clearwater; owner-builder exemption per FS 489.103(7) requires personal onsite supervision and a signed disclosure, with a rebuttable presumption of violation if the home is sold or leased within one year. (3) NOC: recorded copy due before first inspection for direct contracts over $5,000 (HVAC repair/replace under $15,000 excepted). (4) Flood zones trigger Substantial Improvement rules, elevation requirements, and possible Nonconversion Acknowledgement. (5) County pages reference updated private provider fees/registry under HB 803 / FS 553.79 effective July 1, 2026 - a private provider (FS 553.791) plan review/inspection option exists but the county publishes no dedicated page for it that I found.