Holmes County, Florida Building Permit Guide

Holmes County permitting runs through the county Building Department, located inside the Board of County Commissioners office at 107 E. Virginia Ave. in Bonifay — open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Building Official Keith Bennett heads the office, planning services are provided through Alday-Howell Engineering (planner John Feeney), and there is no city building department in Bonifay — the county handles it.

Holmes County publishes unusually specific technical rules that trip up out-of-county contractors: all trusses must be engineered with truss plans and layout submitted at application, new single-family dwellings require Florida energy forms at application, and temp power poles have their own grounding spec. This guide covers all of it — requirements, fees, trade permits, and inspections.

Applies to Holmes County parcels under the county Building Department, including the towns. For work inside the limits of Bonifay, Esto, Noma, Ponce de Leon or Westville, the county’s checklists require a letter from that town for city compliance (Bonifay 850-547-4238, Esto 850-263-6521, Noma 850-263-3449, Ponce de Leon 850-836-4361, Westville 850-548-5858).

What requires a building permit in Holmes County?

Florida requires a permit under the Florida Building Code (section 105.1) for most construction, alteration, repair, demolition and change of occupancy; since 1 July 2026 a narrow exemption covers some single-family work under $7,500, and single-family permits stay valid for at least a year. When a permit is required in Florida

Who handles permitting in Holmes County?

The Building Department sits inside the Holmes County BOCC office in Bonifay: Building Official Keith Bennett (hcbd@holmescountyfl.org, office 850-547-1119, cell 850-703-3900), permit technicians Shawna Lumpkin and Gracie Slay at the same email, and planning through Alday-Howell (John Feeney, 850-634-6084). Related steps route to other agencies: land development approval happens in the Building Department, 911 address verification through the 911 office (850-547-1112), septic tank permits through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (850-245-8383), as the county packets list it, driveways on county roads through the Holmes County Road Department (850-547-1408), and driveways on State Roads 79, 90, 81, and 2 through FDOT (850-836-5790). All permitting runs through the In person (BOCC office, Bonifay).

• Address: 107 E. Virginia Ave., Bonifay, FL 32425
• Phone: (850) 547-1119 ext. 3
• Email: hcbd@holmescountyfl.org
• Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Holmes County permit types

A building permit is one record among many. the Holmes County Building Department issues work under separate record types, and filing under the wrong one is a rejection, not a correction — the application is closed and refiled, and the review clock restarts.

Residential permit types

Commercial permit types

Roofing permits in Holmes County

Solar and roofing work follow statewide rules on HOA limits, product approval, reroof inspections and hurricane mitigation. Solar and roofing rules in Florida

Holmes County building permit cost

Holmes County bases the building permit fee on the total cost of the project, labour and materials (if labour is unknown, the county doubles the materials cost); reroof permit cost depends on the size of the roof, and trade sub-permits are charged separately. From 1 October 2026 a plan review fee of $300 (residential) or $500 (commercial) is due at submittal. The county’s residential and commercial construction packets (posted on the Building/Planning/Zoning page) spell out the documentation requirements per project type. Budget for the septic, E-911, and driveway steps where they apply, and remember the double-fee penalty for unpermitted starts.

How Holmes County permitting works

Holmes County trade permits

Electrical permits

Required for service installations, panel upgrades, solar PV, and most wiring alterations in Holmes County, filed by a licensed electrical contractor against the master building permit through the Holmes County Building Department.

Plumbing permits

Required for new plumbing, repipes, water heater changeouts, fixture relocations, and gas piping; fees follow the local schedule with per-permit minimums.

Mechanical (HVAC) permits

Required for HVAC installations and changeouts, ductwork, and refrigeration; specialized systems are permitted and inspected separately.

Miscellaneous & specialty

Roofs, pools and spas, screen enclosures, mobile home set-ups, and demolition are permitted separately. Exterior components need current Florida Product Approval rated for the local wind speed.

How to get a building permit in Holmes County

Inspections in Holmes County

Inspections require 24-hour advance notice, no inspection happens before the permit is issued, and a certified copy of the recorded Notice of Commencement must be on file before the second or any subsequent inspection. The six-month rule matters on slow-moving projects: a permit becomes void if no inspection is called for within six months, so schedule at least one qualifying inspection to keep the permit alive.

Official Holmes County permitting resources

• Holmes County Building Department
• Fee information
• Permitting information
• Permit lookup
• Florida Building Code (8th Ed.)
• Florida Product Approval search
• DBPR license verification

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get a building permit in Holmes County?

The county says a complete residential submittal may take up to seven days for plan review and permitting, and commercial projects fourteen days or longer depending on complexity. The prerequisite steps — septic, 911 address verification, and driveway permits — usually set the critical path, so start them first. Call (850) 547-1119 ext. 3 for current review times.

How do I look up a permit in Holmes County?

Holmes County runs an online permit search on its iWorQ portal (holmessearch.portal.iworq.net), linked from the Building/Planning/Zoning page. For anything the portal does not show, contact the Building Department at (850) 547-1119 or hcbd@holmescountyfl.org with the parcel or permit number.

What are Holmes County's truss and energy form rules?

All trusses must be engineered, and truss plans and layout must be submitted at the time of building permit application — not later. All new single-family dwellings also require Florida energy forms at application. Missing either is the most common reason first-time submissions bounce.

What happens if I start work without a permit in Holmes County?

Any construction commenced prior to being permitted is subject to double fees under the county's posted policy, and no inspections will be made prior to permit issuance. The county also voids permits when no inspection is called for within six months.

What are the temp power pole requirements in Holmes County?

All temp power poles require one ground rod and two separate GFIs; all other power poles require two ground rods. Florida Product Approval numbers are also required for materials such as shingles, underlayment, and metal roofing.

Does Bonifay have its own building department?

No — the City of Bonifay does not have a local building department. The Holmes County Building Department at 107 E. Virginia Ave. handles permitting, and planning services are provided through Alday-Howell Engineering.

Do I need a permit to install solar panels in Holmes County?

Yes. Photovoltaic installations in Holmes County are permitted under a dedicated solar record type reviewed on both a structural and an electrical track. Solar thermal — passive water and pool heating — is a separate record. Under Fla. Stat. §163.04 a homeowners' association cannot ban solar panels, though it can decide where on the roof they go if that does not reduce their performance; HOA review is separate from the building permit. Utility interconnection and Permission to Operate run in parallel with the permit, not inside it.

Does a roof replacement require a permit in Holmes County?

Yes. A roof covering replacement almost always requires a permit in Florida, including Holmes County. Products must carry a current Florida Product Approval or Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance rated for the wind speed at the project address, and inspections usually run deck nailing, then dry-in, then final. Some minor repairs fall below the permit threshold, and a small single-family job under $7,500 can qualify for the written-request exemption under F.S. 553.79(1)(g), so ask the department first.

What is the difference between a residential and a commercial permit in Holmes County?

Residential work is generally a single-discipline review filed as a master permit with trades filed against it. Commercial work in Holmes County runs concurrent review across building, fire, and zoning, requires signed and sealed plans for every affected discipline, and can carry impact and concurrency fees on top of permit fees. Change of use adds accessibility and life-safety review.

Do trade permits need to be pulled separately in Holmes County?

Yes in most cases. Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work is permitted separately by the licensed contractor for each trade and filed against the master building permit. Each trade permit carries its own fee and its own inspection sequence.

What happens if I file under the wrong permit type in Holmes County?

The application is rejected rather than corrected. the Holmes County Building Department closes the record, the filing is resubmitted under the correct record type, and the review clock restarts from zero. Confirming the record type before filing is the cheapest step in the entire process.

Can I apply for all Holmes permit types online?

Most record types are filed through counter intake at the BOCC office in Bonifay, but availability varies by permit type and by applicant. Florida law requires building departments to accept completed applications electronically, but owner-builders must still appear in person to sign (F.S. 489.103(7)).

Simplify Holmes County permitting with Alliance Permitting

Holmes County's truss-at-application rule, multi-agency prerequisites, and double-fee penalty punish incomplete first submissions. Alliance Permitting is a permit expediter for Holmes County and sequences the septic, E-911, FDOT, and county steps and files a package that passes the first time.

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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.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general informational purposes and reflects publicly available information believed accurate as of July 2026. Permit requirements, fees, and processes change; always confirm current details with the Holmes County Building Department before filing. This is not legal advice.