Tavares, Florida Building Permit Guide

In Tavares, the City’s Community Development Department (Building Division) issues building and trade permits, and applications and plans are emailed to permits@tavares.org, with permits issued back by email. The permit fee is 1% of the job’s value, plus 0.5% when plans need review, and work valued at $2,500 or less pays a $25 application fee.

What requires a building permit in Tavares?

The City’s Required Permits List names the jobs residents ask about most, and adds that other work not on the list can also need a permit:

The building permit application also warns that separate permits may be needed for electrical, plumbing, mechanical, sign, fence, dock and pool work. Under Section 24-1 of the Land Development Regulations, the Building Official can waive the permit fee (not the permit) for an owner-occupant’s minor work under $2,500 or a shed of 200 sq ft or less, on written request and once per property per year; at least one inspection is still required.

Tavares building department: who handles permitting

The Community Development Department oversees building, permitting, planning and zoning. Its Building Division reviews applications against the Florida Building Code and the City’s Land Development Regulations, issues permits and carries out inspections. Bobby Coleman is the Building Official, and Antonio Fabre is the department Director.

Tavares permit packets and forms

The Building Permit Applications and Forms page has a packet for each common job: the general Building Permit Application, Roofing, HVAC, Fence, Shed/Accessory Structure, Residential (Single Family), Residential Addition/Alteration, Commercial, Demolition, Tree Removal, Mobile Home and Site Work. Every application needs the notarized signatures of the owner (or agent) and the contractor, plus the Construction Waste Disposal Statement.

Supporting forms include:

• Contractor Registration and Subcontractor Registration. Contractors who have not pulled permits in Tavares recently should send copies of their licence, business tax receipt, workers’ comp coverage or exemption and liability insurance.
• Power of Attorney, site-specific, when someone other than the licensed contractor or owner applies.
• Owner-Builder Affidavit for owners acting as their own contractor.
• Notice of Commencement, Product Approval and Dry-In Inspection Affidavit.
• Permit Plan Change/Revision Form, Temporary Power Request Form and Utility Connection Application.
• Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act form for pools.

USB drives are no longer accepted; the department will send a secure upload link for large files on request.

Tavares building permit costs and fees

Building fees are set in Section 24-1 of the Land Development Regulations. Value for new buildings and additions comes from the ICC Building Valuation Data; for renovations and repairs it can come from the signed contract or a cost estimate. Permit fees are due when the permit is submitted.

The City’s residential fee sheet sums this up as 1.5% of the value of work for a new home. For example, a project valued at $200,000 that needs plan review pays $2,000 plus $1,000, before state surcharges of 1% and 1.5% of the permit fee ($2 minimum each). Using a private provider cuts 0.25% of valuation for plan review and 0.25% for inspections.

Work started without a permit is charged 200% of the normal fee, and misstating the job value 300%. Expired permits are renewed at 10% to 100% of the fee depending on which inspections have passed.

Impact and utility fees for a new single-family home (City sheet based on Impact Fee Ordinance 2025-04): police $635, fire $664, parks and recreation $1,466 and general government $756. City utilities add a water impact fee of $1,849 ($1,423 with reclaimed water), a wastewater impact fee of $3,475, a reclaimed water fee of $717 and a 3/4-inch meter at $320. Lake County road, school and library impact fees are charged on top and vary by living area. Impact fees must be paid before the permit is issued.

Trade permits in Tavares

Mechanical, gas, electrical and plumbing permits are applied for through the Building Division by the same email process as building permits. A/C change-outs need a permit and have their own HVAC packet. The building application lists the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, roofing and gas sub-contractors with their licence numbers, and new sub-contractors file the Subcontractor Registration Form.

New water, sewer, reclaimed or irrigation service is requested on the City’s Utility Connection Application, and the fee sheet asks for backflow test reports on new meters to be faxed to 352-742-4397.

What to submit for a new home

The Residential (Single Family) checklist asks for:

• The completed application with the notarized waste disposal statement, a driveway application, proof of ownership (the Lake County Property Appraiser record card), and the Power of Attorney or Owner-Builder Affidavit where it applies
• Two sets of signed and sealed plans, or a digital submittal (preferred): foundation, floor, framing and elevation drawings, wall section, stair details, square footage table and fuel gas piping
• Product approvals and manufacturer installation specs for windows, doors, garage doors and roofing
• Two sealed surveys showing the flood zone, proposed finished floor elevation, setbacks, easements and all site improvements
• Two Florida Energy Code compliance forms and signed and sealed truss engineering
• A certified copy of the Notice of Commencement before the first inspection

Fence applications need two sealed surveys showing the fence’s location, height and type, and a Notice of Commencement when the work is valued at $2,500 or more.

How to get a building permit in Tavares

Inspections in Tavares

Inspection requests go to inspections@tavares.org. The deadline is 4:00 p.m. the day before the inspection, or 3:00 p.m. for utilities inspections. Requests made through the automated system after 4:00 p.m. are not scheduled for the next business day but for the day after.

• Initial inspections are included in the permit fee. A re-inspection caused by work not being ready costs $60, and penalty and re-inspection fees must be paid before a Certificate of Completion or Certificate of Occupancy.
• For homes in a Special Flood Hazard Area, the first elevation certificate is needed before vertical construction and the second at the finished stage, before the CO.
• Proper disposal of construction waste is one of the conditions for the Certificate of Occupancy.

Site plans and subdivisions are closed out separately with the City’s Closeout Package, which collects engineer and landscape certifications, as-builts and agency clearances before a joint field inspection by Utilities, Public Works, Planning and Zoning and Fire.

Local Tavares details that matter

Fences: front-yard fences must be decorative, no more than 75% opaque and no taller than 4 feet (chain link does not count as decorative); rear-yard fences can be up to 6 feet. The finished side faces out, and on corner lots fencing must stay 25 feet back from the corner of the pavement edge.

Lakefront work: seawalls and docks are on the Required Permits List.

Unpermitted work: the fee doubles (200% of the normal fee), and a stop work order adds $150.

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

Tavares 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 - 8th Edition (2023), effective December 31, 2023
• Building Permit Applications/Forms
• Required Permits List
• Permitting and Impact Fees
• Community Development
• Tavares LDR Section 24-1, Building Division fees
• Tavares Residential Impact Fees sheet
• Tavares Residential (Single Family) permit checklist
• Tavares Fence Permit Requirements

Tavares building permit FAQ

Who issues building permits in Tavares?

The City of Tavares Community Development Department’s Building Division, at 201 E. Main Street (352-742-6213).

How much is a building permit in Tavares?

1% of the job’s value, plus 0.5% when plans are reviewed, so 1.5% for a typical new home. Work valued at $2,500 or less pays a $25 application fee.

How do I apply for a permit in Tavares?

Email the application packet and plans to permits@tavares.org. The permit is issued back by email.

Do I need a permit to replace my A/C or my fence?

Yes. A/C change-outs and new or replacement fences are both on the City’s Required Permits List.

How tall can a fence be in Tavares?

Up to 4 feet in the front yard, where it must be decorative and no more than 75% opaque, and up to 6 feet in the rear yard.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Email inspections@tavares.org by 4:00 p.m. the day before, or by 3:00 p.m. for utilities inspections.

What impact fees apply to a new house?

City impact fees for a single-family home total $3,521 (police, fire, parks and general government), plus City water and wastewater impact fees and Lake County road, school and library fees.

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