Bonita Springs, Florida Building Permit Guide

The City of Bonita Springs Community Development Department, at 9220 Bonita Beach Road SE, Suite 111, issues building and trade permits inside the city. Mechanical trade permits can be filed in the online Permit Portal; other permits go in person or by email. Under the fee schedule in effect since January 1, 2026, a permit starts at $75, and a complete residential application is expected to take 5–7 working days to review.

What requires a building permit in Bonita Springs?

The city's post-storm permitting guide lists work that needs a permit, including all work in Special Flood Hazard Areas, roof replacements or substantial repairs, demolition and new construction, structural repairs, electrical reconnections and meter resets, HVAC replacement and substantial dock and seawall repairs.

For houses, duplexes, additions and accessory buildings, the City’s residential procedures add that separate permits are needed for plumbing, electrical, air conditioning, roofing, lawn sprinkler systems, pools (including above-ground pools), spas, enclosures, fences, solar, and fire sprinklers or alarms. The flat-fee schedule also covers carports, decks and slabs, gazebos, sheds, screen rooms, shutters, siding, garage doors, windows and entry doors, boat docks, lifts, seawalls and rip-rap, signs, mobile homes and demolition.

Anything added or changed seaward of the 1978 Coastal Construction Control Line, including landscaping, irrigation, dune work and decks, also needs a City Beach and Dune Permit, which currently has no fee.

Bonita Springs building department: who handles permitting

Community Development handles zoning, plan review, building permits and inspections. John Dulmer is the Department Director and Steve Poposki is the Chief Building Official. Fire permits are reviewed by the Bonita Springs Fire District.

The City asks applicants not to phone to check permit status; use the Permit and Case Search instead.

Bonita Springs permit types and filing

The Permit Portal (EnerGov self-service) is used to register, give employees and authorized agents access to your permits, upload files, pay and request inspections. At present only mechanical trade permits can be applied for in the portal; every other permit type and licence is submitted in person at the office or by email, if accepted. The City never asks for permit payments by email or wire transfer.

The Forms page is grouped into administrative, residential, commercial, general and recycling building forms, plus development services, environmental, fire inspection and planning forms. Residential forms include the 2026 Residential Building Permit, the Restoration Building Permit (January 2026), the Residential Pool Permit, the mobile home and construction trailer permit, the blower door and duct leakage test report, and lighting standards forms. A pre-application meeting can be requested through the Forms page.

Contractors must be licensed and registered with the City’s Building Division. Owner-builders sign a declaration of self-use on the application and must appear in person to sign for the permit, unless they hold a recorded power of attorney.

Bonita Springs building permit cost

Resolution 25-129, adopted October 15, 2025, set the fee schedule in effect since January 1, 2026. New buildings are valued from the City’s cost-per-sq-ft table (for example $169.09–$215.90 per sq ft for one- and two-family homes, depending on construction type, with a 50% discount on the factors for remodels and build-outs). The permit fee then comes from the valuation table, and plan review is added at 25% of the fee for residential work or 50% for commercial work.

For example, a $40,000 home remodel has a permit fee of $542.50 ($397 plus 15 x $9.70) and a residential plan review fee of $135.63. Other charges: a 90-day temporary certificate of occupancy or completion is $300, a change of contractor $50, extensions $50 for the first 3 months and $100 for the second, and a minor plan revision 10% of the plan review fee. Work done without a permit can be charged double. State surcharges, solid waste, utility and impact fees are extra; the City publishes permit fee and impact fee calculators, and Lee County’s higher fire and EMS impact fees began phasing in on May 4, 2026. Hurricane repair permits have been charged in full since February 1, 2025.

Private providers: using one for inspections halves the building permit fee; using one for plan review halves the plan review fee but also requires a private provider for inspections.

Trade permits in Bonita Springs

Trade permits are flat fees under the 2026 schedule:

Accessory structures, docks, mobile homes, signs and other non-trade permits that include electrical, plumbing or mechanical work pay the trade fees on top. Mechanical permits can be filed in the Permit Portal. Fire permits and plans can be emailed as PDFs to the Bonita Springs Fire District at planreview@bonitafire.org, or delivered on paper to Community Development with four sets of plans.

Application documents

The City’s Residential Permitting Procedures (January 2024) for new homes, duplexes, additions, alterations and accessory buildings call for three sets of plans plus one digital set for new structures, and a complete application with:

• The 17-digit strap number, roof type, electrical amps, and A/C SEER, kW and tonnage
• Contractor licence and contact details, or the owner-builder declaration
• Three scaled plot plans showing lot lines, streets, any water body within 25 feet, easements, setbacks, rooflines and the required finished floor elevation, with a drainage plan
• Plans sealed by a Florida architect or engineer with the wind design data, plus foundation, floor and roof framing plans, truss layout and product approval numbers for windows, doors and shutters
• Three copies of energy calculations for living area
• A utility availability letter, or the Health Department septic permit receipt, or a well affidavit
• A sealed survey showing the coastal construction lines and flood zone in coastal areas, and the lighting standards form (exterior and interior on the barrier islands)
• Driveway permits from Public Works, Lee County or the San Carlos Estates Water Control District where applicable
• A recorded Notice of Commencement for jobs of $5,000 or more

Incomplete applications are rejected, and corrected plans go back through the intake counter in the normal queue. A complete and accurate residential application is expected to take 5–7 working days to review.

How to get a building permit in Bonita Springs

Inspections in Bonita Springs

Inspections can be scheduled through the Permit Portal or the inspection hotline at 239-444-6170. The hotline is monitored 8 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday, and requests received by noon are scheduled for the next business day. Portal requests submitted before 4 p.m. are scheduled for the next business day.

Keep the approved plans on site for every inspection, and have a portable toilet and trash container on site before the footing inspection. Where flood elevation applies, an elevation certificate marked “Building Under Construction” must be filed before inspections above the slab, a foundation or spot survey within 10 days of the slab inspection, and a finished-construction elevation certificate before the final. A termite treatment certificate goes on the permit board. Failed inspections cost $50 per re-inspection. A house cannot be occupied, or get permanent power, until the final inspection and Certificate of Occupancy, and Lee County solid waste fees must be paid before a CO is issued for buildings of four units or fewer.

Local Bonita Springs details that matter

Beaches and sea turtles: work seaward of the 1978 Coastal Construction Control Line needs a City Beach and Dune Permit. Building permits on Little Hickory, Big Hickory and Black Islands that involve outdoor lighting or glass visible from the beach need the Sea Turtle Lighting Verification form, or issuance is delayed.

Docks and shorelines: City Council amended the dock and shoreline rules in September 2023, adding side setbacks for docks in canals and other artificial waterbodies, upland setbacks for retaining walls, benthic assessments where resources are expected, and temporary dredge storage on single-family lots.

Septic and wells: a septic permit must be obtained from the Health Department before the building permit is submitted, and new wells must be permitted and finaled before the Certificate of Occupancy.

Rule changes: resubmittals affected by the 2025 state laws SB 180 and SB 683 are reviewed under the regulations in effect on July 1, 2025.

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

Frequently asked questions

Who issues building permits in Bonita Springs?

The City of Bonita Springs Community Development Department, at 9220 Bonita Beach Road SE, Suite 111. Steve Poposki is the Chief Building Official.

How much is a building permit in Bonita Springs?

From $75 for jobs up to $2,000, rising on a valuation scale; a $40,000 remodel is $542.50 plus 25% residential plan review. Common flat fees include $75 for a fence and $150 for windows and doors.

How long does plan review take?

The City expects 5–7 working days for a complete and accurate residential application.

Can I apply online?

Only mechanical trade permits for now. Other permit types are submitted in person at Community Development or by email, if accepted.

Can a homeowner pull a permit?

Yes, as an owner-builder who signs a declaration of self-use and appears in person to sign for the permit.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Use the Permit Portal by 4 p.m., or call 239-444-6170 between 8 a.m. and noon, for an inspection the next business day.

Do I need a permit for work on the beach side of my property?

Yes. Changes seaward of the 1978 Coastal Construction Control Line need a City Beach and Dune Permit, currently free.

Bonita Springs 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.

• Post-storm permitting guide
• Community Development Department
• Building permit fee schedule (2026)
• Florida Building Commission
• Permit Portal
• Residential permitting procedures (2024)
• Residential building forms
• All Community Development forms
• Permit Portal FAQs and guides
• Inspection request cutoff times
• Impact fee calculator
• City Beach and Dune Permit application

Simplify Bonita Springs 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 Bonita Springs permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.