Alachua, Florida Building Permit Guide

Inside the City of Alachua, building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and roofing permits are issued by the City’s Building Division in Planning & Community Development, and applications are filed through the City’s BS&A e-permitting portal. Fees follow a valuation table in the City Code, with a $50 minimum for residential work and plan review charged at 30% of the permit fee.

What requires a permit in the City of Alachua?

The City publishes a separate application for each main type of work, and its fee ordinance names the jobs it charges for. Together they cover:

Smaller jobs such as a re-roof, an AC or heat changeout or a storage shed go on the City’s same-day permit application. Where the City supplies the electricity, rooftop solar and other customer-owned renewable generation also needs a City interconnection application and agreement (Tier 1 up to 10 kW, Tier 2 up to 100 kW, Tier 3 up to 1,500 kW).

Development activity that needs land-development review starts with a Certificate of Land Development Regulations (LDR) Compliance from Planning & Zoning before the Building Division approves the permit, change of use or change of occupancy.

City of Alachua building department: who handles permitting

The Building Division of the City’s Planning & Community Development Department reviews plans, issues building permits, takes inspection requests, inspects active permits, handles complaints about code violations and unsafe structures, and issues Certificates of Occupancy. Robert Bitgood is the Building Official.

City of Alachua permit types and forms

The City’s Building Department Documents page holds the current applications: residential, commercial, same-day, swimming pool and spa, manufactured home, demolition, sign, and change of use or occupancy. Each application must be signed in front of a notary, and residential and commercial forms ask for zoning, setbacks, flood zone, square footage and the foundation, wall and roof type. City staff calculate the valuation for new residential work from the building valuation data table, while same-day permits need written proof of the materials and labor cost.

Supporting forms published on the same page:

• Owner Builder Affidavit, for an owner building or improving a one- or two-family home or farm outbuilding for their own use.
• Authorized Agent Form, in which a licence holder names the employees who may pull permits for the business; the licence holder’s signature must be notarized.
• Change of Contractor Hold Harmless and Subcontractor Verification.
• Notice of Commencement, needed when the job is worth more than $5,000, or $15,000 for HVAC work.
• Roof Inspection Affidavit and Concealed Attachment Affidavit (windows and doors), which let a licensed contractor certify concealed work.
• Gas Affidavit, Electrical Service Change Affidavit and Duct Inspection Certification for trade work.
• Permit Extension Application and Revision Form.
• 911 Address Application, Residential Utility Application and Asbestos Notification Statement.

Permit fees in Alachua

Building permit fees are set in Section 8-5 of the City Code. New construction and additions are valued with the latest International Code Council building valuation data table, which the City updates each April 1 and October 1; alterations and other permits are valued on the signed contract price.

Renewing an expired permit costs a share of the original fee that depends on how far the job got: 100% if no inspection was done, 75% after one to three inspections, 50% after four to six, 25% after seven to nine and 10% after more than nine. The City does not refund permit fees.

Planning fees are separate and set by Resolution 24-05 (the 2026 Schedule of Fees): a Certificate of LDR Compliance is $50, a commercial tree removal permit $50 and a zoning verification letter $25. New-construction applications also carry City utility charges such as electric and water meters, backflow, water and sewer connection and driveway fees. Card payments go through Point and Pay, which adds its own convenience fee (for example $2 on payments up to $50).

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits

The Building Division issues and inspects electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits inside the City, priced on the same valuation table as other permits (minimum $50 residential, $100 commercial). Residential AC or heat changeouts can be filed on the same-day application.

Gas work needs the City’s Gas Affidavit, and an HVAC change-out that replaces part of the duct or HVAC system needs a Duct Inspection Certification. For electrical service changes, the City uses an Electric Service Change Policy for licensed electrical contractors: the qualifier signs the Electrical Service Change Affidavit and takes full responsibility for the work, and the City can withdraw the privilege if an inspector finds an unsafe condition. Because the City runs its own electric, water and sewer utilities, its utility departments decide where the service entrances go. Commercial fire suppression and other work the Fire Marshal reviews is billed as a commercial permit.

Alliance handles electrical permits for contractors here. More on this: who pulls the electrical permit.

Application documents and local review

A complete package for a new home or addition typically includes:

• The notarized residential application with parcel number, zoning, setbacks, flood zone (with base and finished floor elevations outside zone X), total heated and unheated square footage and the bedroom and bathroom count
• Construction plans and a site plan (the City publishes a site plan sample)
• The Certificate of LDR Compliance where zoning approval is needed
• A certified copy of the recorded Notice of Commencement for jobs over $5,000 ($15,000 for HVAC)
• Owner Builder Affidavit or Authorized Agent Form, as applicable
• 911 Address Application for a new address, and the Residential Utility Application to open City utility service

Commercial applications add the number of units, water and sewer line sizes and gas provider. For window and door replacements, the City asks for a floor plan showing the location and size of every window and door, with the Florida or Miami-Dade product approval number and installation instructions for each type.

How to apply: 6-step City of Alachua process

Inspections in the City of Alachua

Call 386-418-6120 the day before you need an inspection; the City does not take requests for a specific time. Work must not be covered until it has been approved, and the permit card must be posted at eye level where it can be seen from the road, protected from the weather, until all finals are signed off.

A permit expires 180 days after issue, and it becomes void if work does not start or no inspection is passed within 180 days. Call for the final as soon as the job is done: if the permit expires first, renewal fees apply.

For re-roofs, a licensed contractor can certify the roof deck nailing and secondary water barrier on the Roof Inspection Affidavit, with photographs of each roof plane showing the permit or address number. Window and door attachments can be certified the same way on the Concealed Attachment Affidavit. The sewer line from the building to the street connection must stay exposed until it has been inspected. Each repeat inspection costs $50.

Local Alachua details that matter

City utilities: the City runs its own electric, water and sewer systems, so new-construction permits can include meter and connection charges, and its utility departments decide where service entrances go.

Zoning first: the Certificate of LDR Compliance comes before the building permit, change of use, change of occupancy or Local Business Tax registration.

Historic and tree review: the City’s 2026 fee schedule lists Certificates of Appropriateness ($100 minor review, $500 major review) and a $50 commercial tree removal permit, both handled by Planning & Zoning.

Flood zones: applications ask for the flood zone, and outside zone X the base flood elevation and finished floor elevation.

Demolition: all utilities must be disconnected and capped, and a demolition permit does not give permission to rebuild.

Notice of Commencement: record it and post it on site before the first inspection when the job is worth more than $5,000, or $15,000 for HVAC.

Florida building code

The Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), has applied statewide since 31 December 2023; the Florida Building Commission has proposed the 9th Edition (2026) to take effect on 31 December 2026. Florida permit rules

City of Alachua permit search and official resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• Florida Building Code
• Same-day permit application
• Residential permit application
• City Building Division
• City land-development compliance application
• City of Alachua e-permitting portal (BS&A)
• Building Department Documents (all applications and affidavits)
• City Code Sec. 8-5, building permit fees
• 2026 Schedule of Fees (Planning & Zoning)
• Commercial permit application
• Owner Builder Affidavit
• Building Department Payments

City of Alachua permit FAQs

Is this the same as Alachua County permitting?

No. The City of Alachua Building Division issues permits for property inside city limits; unincorporated land is handled by Alachua County.

How much is a building permit in Alachua?

It depends on valuation. The minimum is $50 for residential work and $100 for commercial work, with $5 per $1,000 of valuation up to $100,000. Plan review adds 30% of the permit fee, with a $60 minimum.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof or AC unit?

Yes. Re-roofs and AC or heat changeouts are permitted on the City’s same-day permit application, signed before a notary with proof of the job’s value.

Can a homeowner pull their own permit?

Yes, as an owner-builder for a one- or two-family home or farm outbuilding for their own use, by signing the City’s Owner Builder Affidavit.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Call the Building Division at 386-418-6120 the day before. Specific times cannot be requested, and each re-inspection costs $50.

How long does a City permit remain active?

180 days from issue, and it becomes void if work does not start or no inspection is passed in that time. Renewing an expired permit costs between 10% and 100% of the original fee.

Who is the Building Official?

Robert Bitgood, reached through the Building Division at 386-418-6120.

Simplify Alachua permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Florida. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Alachua permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.