The City of Palm Coast — Flagler County's master-planned city of canals and preserves on Florida's northeast coast, and one of the state's fastest-growing home-building markets — issues building permits through the Building Division, with the entire process running through the ePlanReview online portal: submit applications (registered users), view plan reviews and comments, submit corrections and revisions, pay fees through a shopping cart, print documents and job cards, schedule inspections, and even submit Notices of Commencement, roofing affidavits, and termite certificates — all in one system. Online submitters get a paperwork break: a signed permit application is not required for upload when using the portal.
The rule that shapes Palm Coast filings is the complete-package requirement: incomplete packages will not be reviewed and are returned or rejected, and a complete package includes the general contractor and the mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and roofing subcontractors — the full trade roster, named up front. Building more than one structure means a separate permit for each, with each plan set specific to its structure rather than shared. The payoff for clean filings is automation: an automatic notification system emails every status change — plan review notes, permit status, inspection requests and results, even when your inspector is assigned — and once payment is made, the permit and job placard are automatically emailed to you.
Applies inside City of Palm Coast limits. Flagler Beach and Bunnell run their own permitting, and unincorporated parcels route to Flagler County - confirm the jurisdiction before filing.
What requires a building permit in City of Palm Coast?
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, gas, and water heaters
- Pools and spas (barrier required), signs, and fences
- Manufactured homes and solar PV systems
Usually 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
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
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who handles permitting in City of Palm Coast?
The Building Division operates from Palm Coast City Hall at 160 Lake Avenue in Town Center, with the ePlanReview portal as the front door for owner and contractor permits alike — the city posts how-to guides, document submittal requirements, a digital-signature guide, and a video tutorial, and strongly suggests reading the portal material before starting. Development orders route through the Planning Division at (386) 986-3736 — and notably, the building permit may be applied for at any time with a complete package, regardless of whether the development order has issued. All permitting runs through the ePlanReview online permitting portal.
- Address: Palm Coast City Hall, 160 Lake Ave., Palm Coast, FL 32164
- Phone: Building Services (386) 986-3780
- Hours: Monday–Friday (city business hours)
In 2025, building permits issued in City of Palm Coast authorized 1,992 new privately owned housing units, 1,356 of them single-family homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.
City of Palm Coast permit types
A building permit is one record among many. the Palm Coast Building Division 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
| Permit type | What triggers it | Review path | Fee basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| New construction | New dwellings, additions, and accessory structures over the exempt threshold | Full plan review (structural, energy, zoning) | Valuation-based |
| Renovation / alteration | Structural or load-bearing changes, layout changes, substantial repair | Plan review scaled to scope | Valuation-based |
| Reroof | Roof covering replacement and most major roof repair | Product approval review; dry-in and nail-off inspections | Valuation or squares |
| Solar photovoltaic | Rooftop or ground-mount PV installation or replacement | Structural plus electrical review | Flat or system-size based |
| Solar thermal | Passive water heating or pool heating systems | Plumbing and structural review | Flat or per-permit minimum |
| Electrical | Service changes, panel upgrades, new circuits, most wiring alterations | Trade review; filed against the building permit | Per-permit minimum or per-device |
| Plumbing | New piping, repipes, water heaters, fixtures, gas piping | Trade review; filed against the building permit | Per-permit minimum or per-fixture |
| Mechanical / HVAC | Changeouts that are not like-for-like, ductwork, refrigeration | Trade review; filed against the building permit | Per-permit minimum or per-unit |
| Windows and doors | Replacement units and opening protection | Product approval review for wind-borne debris | Valuation or per-opening |
| Pool and spa | In-ground and above-ground pools, spas, barrier and enclosure work | Plan review plus barrier and electrical bonding | Valuation-based |
| Fence and accessory | Fences, sheds, decks, and carports over the exempt threshold | Zoning plus structural where applicable | Flat or valuation-based |
| Demolition | Full or partial demolition of a structure | Utility disconnect verification required | Flat |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Commercial permit types
| Permit type | What triggers it | Review path | Fee basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| New construction | Ground-up commercial, industrial, and multifamily | Full multi-discipline plan review | Valuation-based |
| Tenant improvement | Interior build-outs and suite fit-ups | Plan review across affected disciplines | Valuation-based |
| Renovation / alteration | Structural, envelope, or system changes to an existing building | Plan review scaled to scope | Valuation-based |
| Change of use | Converting a building from one occupancy classification to another | Zoning, life-safety, and accessibility review | Valuation or flat |
| Reroof | Commercial roof covering replacement | Product approval review plus fire review where applicable | Valuation or squares |
| Solar photovoltaic | Commercial rooftop, carport, and ground-mount PV | Structural, electrical, and often fire review | Valuation or system-size based |
| Electrical | Service, distribution, and branch circuit work | Trade review | Valuation or per-device |
| Plumbing | Supply, waste, vent, and gas systems | Trade review | Valuation or per-fixture |
| Mechanical / HVAC | Rooftop units, ductwork, exhaust, and refrigeration | Trade review | Valuation or per-unit |
| Fire protection | Sprinkler, standpipe, alarm, and suppression systems | Fire prevention plan review | Valuation or per-device |
| Sign | Wall, monument, and illuminated signage | Zoning plus electrical where illuminated | Flat or per-sign |
| Demolition | Full or partial commercial demolition | Utility disconnect and environmental clearance | Flat or valuation-based |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Residential
- Single-discipline review in most cases
- Master permit with trades filed against it
- Owner-builder route exists but carries statutory affidavits
- Product approval drives roofing and opening protection
Commercial — multi-discipline
- Concurrent review across building, fire, and zoning
- Signed and sealed plans across every affected discipline
- Accessibility and life-safety review attach to change of use
- Impact and concurrency fees can apply on top of permit fees
Roofing permits in City of Palm Coast
Solar and roofing work follow statewide rules on HOA limits, product approval, reroof inspections and hurricane mitigation. Solar and roofing rules in Florida
City of Palm Coast building permit cost
Permit fees pay through the ePlanReview shopping cart, and issuance is the system's best feature: once payment is made, the permit and job placard email automatically — no pickup trip. The process costs are front-loaded: assembling the full subcontractor roster before filing (the package is incomplete without mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and roofing subs), digitally signing every page on electronic submittals, and splitting re-roof scopes into their own roofing-contractor permits.
How City of Palm Coast permitting works
| Component | How it works |
|---|---|
| Permit fees | Paid through the ePlanReview shopping cart (registered users) |
| Issuance | Permit + job placard automatically emailed once payment is made |
| Complete package | GC plus mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and roofing subcontractors — or returned/rejected |
| Multiple structures | Separate permit per structure, with structure-specific plan sets |
| E-submittal signatures | Digital signature required on each page from the design professional |
| Re-roof scopes | Separate permit, pulled by a licensed roofing contractor — never inside an addition/alteration permit |
Rather not deal with the City building department?
Get a free quote →City of Palm Coast trade permits
Electrical permits
Required for service installations, panel upgrades, solar PV, and most wiring alterations in City of Palm Coast, filed by a licensed electrical contractor against the master building permit through the City of Palm Coast Building Division.
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 City of Palm Coast
Confirm jurisdiction and read the portal guides
Verify the parcel is inside Palm Coast city limits (unincorporated parcels permit through Flagler County), and read the posted document-submittal requirements and digital-signature guide before starting — the city's own advice for eliminating frustration.
Lock the trade roster
Line up the general contractor and the mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and roofing subcontractors before filing — the package is incomplete without all of them, and incomplete packages are returned or rejected.
Register and submit in ePlanReview
Create your portal account and submit — no signed application is required for online submittals — with digitally signed plans (every page) and a separate, structure-specific package for each building.
Work the automated review
Watch the notification emails for plan-review notes, submit corrections and revisions through the portal, and track permit status without calling — the system emails every change.
Pay and receive the permit by email
Pay through the shopping cart; the permit and job placard arrive automatically by email. Submit the Notice of Commencement through the portal and post the placard on site.
Inspect on notification rhythm
Schedule inspections in the portal, watch for the inspector-assignment notification, and contact the inspector directly for a time window — through final and Certificate of Occupancy.
Inspections in City of Palm Coast
Inspections schedule and track in ePlanReview or through the automated inspection line at (386) 986-4747. Requests made by 6:59 a.m. are done the same day; later requests are done the next business day. The notification system emails the request confirmation, the inspector assignment, and the results — and the city’s guidance is to contact the assigned inspector directly for a two-hour arrival window. Roofing affidavits and termite certificates submit through the portal alongside the inspection record, and the auto-emailed job placard should be posted on site from the first inspection through final.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Official City of Palm Coast permitting resources
- City of Palm Coast Building Division
- Fee information
- Online permitting / portal
- 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 City of Palm Coast?
Palm Coast's automation compresses the logistics — status changes, inspector assignments, and even issuance arrive by email — so the real schedule lever is the front end: a complete package with all four subs named, digitally signed pages, and structure-specific plan sets clears intake the first time, while anything less is returned. The building permit can even file before the development order issues, keeping vertical paperwork moving in parallel. Contact the division through the portal for current turnaround.
How do I look up a permit in City of Palm Coast?
Palm Coast's ePlanReview portal carries permit search and records end to end — view permits by address, check plan reviews and comments, print documents, job cards, and permits, and view inspection results — with an automatic notification system emailing status changes at every step, including when your inspector is assigned. Development-order questions route to the Planning Division at (386) 986-3736.
What makes a Palm Coast permit package 'complete'?
The full team, named up front: the general contractor plus the mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and roofing subcontractors. Incomplete packages are not reviewed — they're returned or rejected — and multi-structure projects need a separate permit and structure-specific plan set for each building.
Do I need a signed application to file online in Palm Coast?
No — when using the ePlanReview online submittal portal, a signed permit application is not required for upload. Electronic plan pages do need the design professional's digital signature on each page, per the city's posted digital-signature guide.
How do I get my Palm Coast permit once it's approved?
By email, automatically: once payment is made through the portal’s shopping cart, the permit and job placard are emailed to you — no counter pickup. Make sure the portal’s automated messages are not landing in spam.
Can my Palm Coast addition permit include re-roofing the existing house?
No — an addition is defined as added roof area, and it cannot include the re-roof of the existing home or any other structure. The re-roof is a separate permit that must be obtained by a licensed roofing contractor, and the same split applies to alterations that include a re-roof.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Do I need a permit to install solar panels in City of Palm Coast?
Yes. Photovoltaic installations in City of Palm Coast 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 City of Palm Coast?
Yes. A roof covering replacement almost always requires a permit in Florida, including City of Palm Coast. 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 City of Palm Coast?
Residential work is generally a single-discipline review filed as a master permit with trades filed against it. Commercial work in City of Palm Coast 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 City of Palm Coast?
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 City of Palm Coast?
The application is rejected rather than corrected. the Palm Coast Building Division 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 Palm Coast permit types online?
Most record types are filed through the ePlanReview portal, 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)).
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A portal that emails your permit, a complete-package rule that names every sub before review, per-page digital signatures, and a hard split between additions and re-roofs — Palm Coast automates everything except the preparation. Alliance Permitting is a permit expediter for City of Palm Coast and builds the full-roster package so the city reviews your project once and issues it by email.
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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 July 2026. Permit requirements, fees, and processes change; always confirm current details with the City of Palm Coast Building Division before filing. This is not legal advice.