City of Auburndale Construction Services issues building and trade permits, reviews plans and inspects work inside city limits, with applications filed on the City’s GovBuilt permitting platform. The building permit fee is the project valuation times 0.004 (minimum $60), plus a plan review fee of half the permit fee, and the City says approval can take up to a week.
What requires a building permit in Auburndale?
Construction Services’ FAQ says any work that needs an inspection to check code compliance needs a construction permit, and that separate electrical, mechanical or plumbing permits may be needed even when no building permit is.
Permit required
- Building or demolishing any building, whatever its size
- New construction, additions, and remodels touching structure or MEP systems
- Enclosing a garage, carport or porch, or swapping screens or vinyl windows for glass or walls
- A/C changeouts, electrical service changes, new outlets or circuits, re-pipes and irrigation
- All re-roofing
- Replacement doors and windows, including garage doors, and security bars
- All fences and masonry walls, and structural retaining walls
- Slabs over 100 sq ft within 10 feet of the house, elevated slabs, decks, stairs and landings
- In-ground pools and spas, and above-ground pools over 24 inches deep
- Docks, piers, seawalls and bulkheads
- Foundation remediation, changes of occupancy, rigid-roof portable carports, flagpoles over 35 feet, public tents
- Mobile home and park trailer set-ups and additions
No permit needed
- Soffit and fascia, cosmetic siding and stucco
- Like-for-like screen or vinyl window replacement
- Roof repairs under 25 sq ft
- Landscape retaining walls up to 4 feet high
- Minor MEP repairs that do not alter the system
- Water heater replacement in the same place with the same heat source
- Ramps for one- and two-family homes (setbacks still apply)
- Interior work on mobile homes, park trailers and RVs
The FAQ lists sheds over 48 sq ft, over 6 feet high or with electric or plumbing as permit work, but another answer on the same page says a permit is required for any shed, so call 863-965-5530 before putting up a small shed without one. Bona fide agricultural buildings are exempt from the building code but still need a farm building permit for land use and fire code purposes.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Auburndale building department: who handles permitting
Construction Services, in the City’s Community Development Department, registers contractors, issues building permits, reviews construction plans and inspects buildings under construction. It also issues the City’s business tax receipts. The Building Official reviews applications in the order they arrive, and the Fire Marshal reviews fire code matters.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Construction Services | 108 East Park Street, Auburndale, FL 33823 |
| Phone | 863-965-5530 |
| permit@auburndalefl.com | |
| Online platform | GovBuilt building, permitting and licensing platform |
Auburndale permit applications and contractor registration
Applications are made on the City’s GovBuilt platform. Create an account, pick the online form (categories include Building, Contractor Registration, Planning, Utilities and Business Tax Receipt), then track the submission and add comments or missing files from your profile. Forms that are not available online can be downloaded from the same site. Separate guides are published for residents and contractors.
Contractor registration: state-certified contractors register with copies of their state licence, a Business Tax Receipt from the jurisdiction of their office, and liability and workers’ compensation insurance (or an exemption) naming the City of Auburndale as certificate holder. State-registered contractors also provide a $5,000 bond, their municipal board of examiners card and a $15 registration fee.
Owner-builders: a homeowner living in the house may act as their own contractor when the home is for their own use and not for sale or lease, using the City’s owner’s affidavit.
Auburndale building and trade permit fees
Construction fees are set in Chapter 10 of the Administration and Procedures Manual in the City’s land development regulations (July 2025 edition). New buildings are valued with the International Code Council’s building valuation data, updated each August; other work is valued from the contract, the Notice of Commencement or the Building Official’s determination.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| Building permit (includes roofs, pools, sheds, signs, fences) | Valuation x 0.004, minimum $60 |
| Plan review | Half of the building permit fee |
| Commercial mechanical, electrical, plumbing or gas, job under $15,000 | $60 |
| Commercial trade permit, job over $15,000 | Job valuation x 0.004 |
| Mobile home set-up | $150 |
| Temporary structure | $50 |
| Demolition up to 10,000 sq ft | $50 |
| Demolition over 10,000 sq ft | $50 plus $0.50 per 1,000 sq ft |
| Moving a building | $250 |
| Re-inspection | $35 |
| Commercial or industrial site plan review | Half of the building permit fee |
| Inspections by a private provider | 70% discount |
For example, a $50,000 remodel has a building permit fee of $200, plus $100 if the plans are reviewed. A $10,000 re-roof works out at $40 and is charged the $60 minimum. The City takes no action on an application until its fees are paid, and refunds need the City Manager’s approval, less a $25 charge; processed subcontractor permit fees are not refunded.
Auburndale building and trade responsibility
Construction Services issues building and trade permits, reviews plans and performs construction inspections.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →| Scope | Authority | Local filing / inspection note |
|---|---|---|
| Building / structural | City of Auburndale Construction Services | Issues building permits, reviews construction plans and performs inspections. |
| Electrical | City Construction Services | Separate electrical permit may be required; service changes and new outlets/circuits are city permit examples. |
| Plumbing | City Construction Services | Separate plumbing permit may be required; repipes are specifically listed as permit work. |
| Mechanical | City Construction Services | A/C equipment changeouts and mechanical-system work are listed as permit work. |
| Gas | City Construction Services | Commercial gas is separately identified in the construction-related fee schedule. |
| Fire code | City / applicable fire review | Auburndale’s FAQ identifies the Florida Fire Prevention Code, 8th Edition, effective December 31, 2023, for applications submitted after December 30, 2023. |
How to apply for an Auburndale permit
Use the city’s published permit-required list and call Construction Services at 863-965-5530 for scopes not addressed in the examples.
Do not assume the building record covers electrical, mechanical or plumbing work. The city specifically says separate trade permits may be required.
Construction Services registers licensed contractors working in Auburndale. Owners building for themselves use the city's owner affidavit.
Submit the plans and scope documents through the city's GovBuilt platform.
The building permit fee is the building valuation × .004, with a $60 minimum. Plan review adds half of the building permit fee.
The city’s construction standards say inspection or reinspection requests must be received from the contractor of record no later than close of business the day before the requested inspection. Complete finals before closeout.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Auburndale inspections and permit expiration
Under the City’s construction standards, the contractor of record must request each inspection or re-inspection by close of business on the day before. Substandard work or an extra trip earns a correction notice and a $35 re-inspection fee, and every correction fee must be paid before the Certificate of Occupancy or Completion is issued. Inspection results can be followed online in GovBuilt.
A permit expires 6 months after it is issued or after the last approved inspection, whichever is later. You can ask in writing, with a reason, for an extension of up to 180 days before it expires. A permit expired for 90 days or less can be renewed for an extension fee; one expired for 91 to 180 days is charged all the original permit fees again; after 180 days a new application is needed. The City warns that a backlog of expired permits can lead to a contractor’s permitting privileges being suspended.
Local Auburndale details that matter
Pools: no part of a pool, including any diving board, ladder or attached structure, may be within 10 feet of a lot line, or within 20 feet of a lot line on a street. Pools may not drain into the sanitary sewer.
Fire codes: the City reviews fire safety under the Florida Fire Prevention Code, 8th Edition, with NFPA 1 and NFPA 101 (2021) and Florida amendments.
Business tax receipts: any business with a location in the city, including a home business, needs a City Business Tax Receipt from Construction Services. The Building Official and Fire Marshal review the application, and a safety inspection is done except for home-based businesses.
Slabs and decks: patios, decks, driveways and sidewalks must meet zoning setbacks even where no building permit is needed.
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
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Auburndale permit FAQ
Who issues building permits in Auburndale?
City of Auburndale Construction Services, 108 East Park Street (863-965-5530). It registers contractors, issues permits, reviews plans and inspects construction.
How much is a building permit in Auburndale?
The project valuation times 0.004, with a $60 minimum, plus half that amount when plans are reviewed. A $50,000 remodel is $200, or $300 with plan review.
How long does it take to get a permit?
The City says the Building Official reviews applications in the order received and approval can take up to one week, depending on workload.
Do A/C changeouts require a permit?
Yes. A/C equipment changeouts are on the City’s list of work requiring a construction permit.
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater?
Not if it stays in the same place and the heat source does not change.
Can I pull my own permit?
Yes, if you live in the home and it is for your own use, not for sale or lease. Otherwise the work must be done by a licensed contractor registered with the City.
How far in advance are inspections requested?
The contractor of record must request it by close of business the day before the inspection.
When does a permit expire?
6 months after issue or after the last approved inspection, whichever is later. Written extension requests of up to 180 days can be made before expiry.
Auburndale 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.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →- Florida Building Commission
- Administration & Procedures Manual — Construction Fees
- Construction Safety Standards — Chapter 18
- Community Development Permit FAQ
- Construction Services
- Auburndale GovBuilt permitting platform
- GovBuilt contractor guide
- GovBuilt resident guide
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Read guide →This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Auburndale permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.