Hillsborough County's building program is run by the Development Services Department, which issues permits for unincorporated Hillsborough County. Since January 2021, everything — applications, plan uploads, inspections — runs through the county's HillsGovHub portal.
This guide covers what triggers a permit, how fees work (including Hillsborough's impact and mobility fees), the HillsGovHub submission process, trade permits, and inspections — so your Tampa-area project keeps moving.
Confirm you're in unincorporated Hillsborough. Development Services permits only the unincorporated county; the cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace, and Plant City run their own building departments with separate portals and fees.
What requires a building permit in Hillsborough County?
Under the Florida Building Code (§105.1), a permit is required before you erect, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of most structures and systems. Common triggers include:
Permit required
- New homes, additions, and tenant build-outs
- Structural / load-bearing alterations and demolition
- Reroofing, window and door replacement, and exterior work
- Electrical service changes and most wiring alterations
- Mechanical / HVAC changeouts and boilers
- Plumbing alterations, repipes, and water heaters
- Pools and spas, sheds, signs, and fences
- Solar PV and gas (subtrade) systems
Typically exempt
- Painting, flooring, cabinetry, and cosmetic work
- Like-for-like minor repairs not altering systems
- Certain low non-structural fences (confirm limits)
- Routine maintenance not extending or rerouting systems
Exemptions are narrow and scope-specific. When unsure, confirm with the building department before starting — see the penalty note below.
Get the permit issued before starting work. Beginning without one exposes the owner to after-the-fact fees and penalties. Apply first and let the permit issue.
Who handles permitting in Hillsborough County?
Permitting for unincorporated Hillsborough is administered by Development Services, which combines planning, zoning, development review, and building inspection in one office. Applications and reviews are managed entirely through HillsGovHub.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, FL 33602 |
| Main phone | (813) 272-5600 |
| Inspection assistance | (813) 641-6970 |
| Online portal | HillsGovHub — hcfl.gov |
| Text inspections | Text to (844) 529-6141 (schedule / results) |
| Enforced code | Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023) |
All applications are 100% online through HillsGovHub. Any payment due will appear in your HillsGovHub account — the county warns that requests to pay outside the portal are fraudulent.
Hillsborough County building permit cost
Hillsborough building fees are based on the type and valuation of work, with separate fees for each trade. Two county-specific charges matter most for budgeting: impact fees and mobility fees, which are assessed on qualifying new construction and must be paid before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued.
Because fee schedules and impact/mobility rates are adjusted periodically, confirm the current figures in HillsGovHub or with Development Services before budgeting.
| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| Building / construction fee | Based on type and valuation of work; minimum fees apply |
| Trade permits (E / P / M / gas) | Charged separately per subtrade unless rolled into a master permit |
| Impact fees | Assessed on qualifying new construction; due before CO |
| Mobility fees | Transportation mobility fees on qualifying development; due before CO |
| State surcharge | DBPR surcharge added per Florida statute |
| Work-without-permit | After-the-fact fees and penalties |
Want a precise number for a specific Hillsborough County project? Send us the scope and valuation and we'll return a fee estimate alongside a filing timeline.
Hillsborough County trade permits
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and gas work generally needs its own subtrade permit and licensed contractor. For commercial projects, a licensed general contractor typically pulls the building permit while trade contractors pull their respective subtrade permits.
Electrical permits
Required for service installations, panel upgrades, solar PV, and most wiring alterations. Filed as a subtrade permit in HillsGovHub.
Plumbing permits
Required for new plumbing, repipes, water heater changeouts, fixtures, and gas piping. Fees follow the county schedule with a per-permit minimum.
Mechanical (HVAC) permits
Required for HVAC changeouts, ductwork, refrigeration, and boilers. Specialized systems are permitted and inspected separately.
Miscellaneous & specialty
Reroofs, pools and spas, sheds, signs, and fences are permitted separately. Hillsborough is outside the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone but enforces the Florida Building Code's high-wind provisions — use products with current Florida Product Approval.
Verify your contractor's license. Confirm the contractor is licensed in Florida (DBPR, (850) 487-1395) and registered with Hillsborough County before signing. The property owner is responsible for ensuring a permit is obtained.
How to get a building permit in Hillsborough County
Confirm scope & jurisdiction
Verify the work needs a permit and confirm the parcel is unincorporated Hillsborough, not the City of Tampa, Temple Terrace, or Plant City.
Prepare your documents
Assemble the application, owner/parcel info and valuation, signed/sealed plans for structural or larger work, energy calcs, and any zoning or environmental materials.
Submit through HillsGovHub
Create or use your HillsGovHub account, apply for the building permit and subtrade permits, and upload all required documents.
Plan review & corrections
Development Services reviews for Florida Building Code compliance. Upload revisions promptly if comments are issued; resubmittals re-enter review.
Pay fees & pull the permit
Pay the building, trade, impact, and mobility fees in HillsGovHub, then download the permit. Record and post a Notice of Commencement where required.
Schedule inspections through close-out
Request inspections in HillsGovHub or by text. Once all inspections pass and fees are paid, a Certificate of Occupancy can be issued.
Inspections in Hillsborough County
Schedule inspections through HillsGovHub, by the inspection line, or via the county's text service — text SCHEDULE, RESCHEDULE, CANCEL, or RESULTS to (844) 529-6141 with your permit and inspection code. Typical checkpoints include foundation, rough-in MEP, framing, insulation, and final.
A Certificate of Occupancy is issued once all required inspections are approved and all fees — including impact and mobility fees — are paid. A re-inspection fee applies to failed inspections.
Official Hillsborough County permitting resources
- 🏛️ Hillsborough Development Services
- 💻 HillsGovHub portal
- 📋 Applications & forms
- 📘 Florida Building Code (8th Ed.)
- 🧰 Permitting tools & codes
- 🪪 DBPR license verification
Simplify Hillsborough County permitting with Alliance Permitting
Hillsborough's all-online HillsGovHub workflow plus impact and mobility fees mean a clean, complete submission saves real time and money. Alliance Permitting is a permit expediter for Hillsborough County — our permit expediting services pair AI-driven document review with expediters who know HillsGovHub and the county's review process — so your submissions go in clean and move faster.
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Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Hillsborough County because we deliver:
- Local expertise — we know HillsGovHub, subtrade structure, and Hillsborough's impact/mobility fees.
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Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company: we prepare your paperwork, file it correctly, and coordinate with the building department through issuance — including preparing private-provider documentation where that option is available. We are not a contractor and do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your team and the jurisdiction.
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More Florida permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general informational purposes and reflects publicly available information believed accurate as of June 2026. Permit requirements, fees, and processes change; always confirm current details with Hillsborough County Development Services before filing. This is not legal advice.