North Palm Beach, Florida Building Permit Guide

In the Village of North Palm Beach, the Building Division of the Community Development Department issues building and trade permits, and every new application is filed online in MyGovernmentOnline (MGO) after the contractor registers. Fees are a percentage of the job value with a $78 minimum, plus a plan review fee of 50% of the permit fee.

What requires a permit in North Palm Beach?

As a general guide, the Village requires a permit for any replacement, improvement, modification or repair project worth more than $1,000. Its checklist page sorts common jobs like this:

Emergency A/C or water heater repairs may go ahead if the Building Department is told before work starts and the application follows by the next business day. Since July 1, 2026 the Village also takes permit-exemption requests under Florida HB 803 for some home improvements under $7,500, but electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical and gas work still needs a permit whatever its value. All work, permitted or not, is subject to HOA approval.

In multi-family buildings and condominiums, all work must be done by a licensed contractor; owner-builder permits are not allowed there.

North Palm Beach building department: who handles permitting

The Building Division, part of the Community Development Department, reviews plans, issues building and trade permits and inspects work in the Village. Valentino Perez is the Building Official. Zoning and fire plan reviews are charged separately when a project needs them, and work in Village rights-of-way needs its own permit.

North Palm Beach permit types

The Village Forms page has applications and checklists for these permit categories:

• Building work — New construction, additions, alterations, structural work, exterior-component work and other building-code-regulated scopes.
• Trade work — Electrical, plumbing, mechanical/HVAC and gas work, filed as subcontractor permits in MGO where needed.
• Specialty work — Roofing, pools, generators, windows and doors, signs, demolition and other work with its own form or checklist.
• Development reviews — Zoning, floodplain and public right-of-way approvals when the parcel or project needs them.

Permit costs and local fees

Building permit fees are based on the job value (the contract price) and the Village’s Building Permit Fee Schedule. Fire plan review fees, state surcharges, the number of subcontractors and impact fees can add to the total. Fees are paid by check or credit card.

A re-inspection costs $78, the second $105, and four times the first re-inspection fee after that for an uncorrected violation. A third rejection of plans for the same comment costs four times the plan review fee. Starting work without a permit can be charged at four times the permit fee plus a $105 administration fee. The Village collects Palm Beach County impact fees, and impact fee credits must be approved when you apply. Refunds are limited to 50%, only before work starts and before the permit expires; plan review fees are not refunded.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and other trade permits

Trade work is filed as sub-permits under the main permit in MGO, using the Village’s Sub-Permit Application with the subcontractor’s general liability and workers’ compensation certificates. A sub-permit that needs no separate review costs $20. The Building Division has an MEP plans examiner.

• A/C change-out: application signed by the owner, the Exact AC Change Out form, the AHRI sheet and a tie-down detail.
• Electric panel: riser diagram and load calculations.
• Generator: gas sub-permit, survey with setbacks (5 ft side, 7.5 ft rear, 10 ft from openings), generator and transfer switch specs, gas plans and load calculations.
• Gas: the Village publishes a separate gas permit checklist.

Every contractor must complete NPB MGO Contractor Registration, with licence and insurance details, before submitting any application.

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

Application documents and plan requirements

Every checklist starts with the Building Permit Application signed by the property owner, or a separate owner authorization. Typical packages:

Driveways, fences, pools, generators and retaining walls are separate standalone permits from a new house. A driveway apron must be built by a general contractor; owner-builder applications are not accepted for it.

Only PDF files are accepted. Name each file by address and content (for example “336 Golfview Rd buildingplans”), add “amend” or “rev” to revised sets, and combine multi-page plans into one PDF. Digitally signed plans must allow mark-ups, and the design professional’s licence must be current when you apply. A copy of the recorded Notice of Commencement is needed when the job is worth more than $5,000, or more than $15,000 for mechanical permits.

The Village does not publish a set review time; corrections are processed in the order received rather than moved to the front of the line.

How to apply: 6-step local process

Inspections in North Palm Beach

For permits issued in MGO, request inspections in the MGO customer portal; the inspection time appears there by 7:30 a.m. on the day of the inspection. An inspection that was not scheduled in advance needs a $78 same-day inspection fee, paid up front, and is fitted in only if an inspector is available.

The Village also offers virtual inspections through VuSpex GO: Field Report inspections (upload photos and notes, reviewed by Village inspectors the next business day), Live Virtual inspections and Snap inspections. Field Reports cover jobs such as A/C change-outs, drywall, fences, garage doors, insulation, re-roof types, roof dry-in, shutters final, stucco and water heaters. Results are emailed to the permit contacts through MGO.

Local North Palm Beach details

Construction Site Standards: under rules the Village Council updated in January 2025, owners and contractors must sign the Construction Site Standards Acknowledgment Form and upload it in MGO. Work vehicles must park on the site, never in the right-of-way between 8:00 p.m. and 7:30 a.m., and road closures must be requested 72 hours ahead. Most sites need a 6 ft chain-link construction fence with green or black screening, except renovations in the R-1 and R-2 districts costing less than half the structure’s market value.

Right-of-way work: any work in or affecting Village rights-of-way, such as blocking a street or sidewalk, paving or utility work, needs a Right-of-Way Use Permit through MGO, with a site plan, construction drawing and a Seacoast Utility Authority clearance letter.

Flood zones: properties in the Special Flood Hazard Area may need an elevation certificate for a building permit. The Village provides flood zone lookups, copies of elevation certificates on request, and permit and inspection history through Citizen Self-Serve.

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

North Palm Beach 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
• Building Forms and Fee Schedule
• Building Division
• North Palm Beach Building Permit Fee Schedule (PDF)
• Permit submittal requirements checklists
• Plan and document submittal requirements
• Virtual inspections with VuSpex GO
• Construction Site Standards
• Public right-of-way permit
• Building Division FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Who issues building permits in North Palm Beach?

The Village of North Palm Beach Building Division, 701 U.S. Highway 1, Suite 100. Call 561-841-3365, Option 1.

How much is a building permit in North Palm Beach?

3.86% of the first $10,000 of job value, 1.94% from $10,000.01 to $100,000 and 0.99% above that, with a $78 minimum. Plan review adds 50% of the permit fee, plus surcharges.

Do I need a permit to replace cabinets, flooring or a water heater?

Yes. The Village lists cabinet replacement, flooring other than carpet and water heater replacement as permit work. Countertops alone, carpet and same-location fixtures do not need one.

How do I apply for a permit in North Palm Beach?

Online through MyGovernmentOnline (MGO), after the contractor has registered in MGO. Paper submittals are not accepted.

Can a homeowner pull a permit?

The Village publishes an Owner-Builder Affidavit, but owner-builder permits are not allowed for work in multi-family or condominium residences, or for driveway aprons.

How are trade permits handled?

Trade work is filed as subcontractor permits in MGO. Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work always needs a permit, whatever its value.

How do I find out my inspection time?

Inspection times are shown in the MGO portal by 7:30 a.m. on the day of the inspection.

Simplify North Palm Beach 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 North Palm Beach permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.