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Mandatory local registration systemLocal enforcement agencies must create an electronic registration system for private providers and firms operating in their jurisdiction.
Alliance Permit Intelligence · 2026 Florida Report
Private Provider Availability in Florida
A source-backed guide to Florida's alternative plans-review and inspection framework — what state law makes available, what changed on July 1, 2026, and why local registration, portals, floodplain review and other jurisdiction-specific steps still matter.
2026 Florida updateVerified Sep. 4, 2026
Statewidestatutory private-provider option
Jul 12026 law changes effective
25%+commercial reduction for covered service portion
50%+minimum reduction when all covered review + inspections are privately provided
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Availability is statewide; implementation is local. The right comes from Florida law, but the permit record still runs through the local enforcement agency.
Statewide Legal Framework
Florida gives owners a statutory alternative to direct municipal plan review and inspections.
Under current Florida Statutes §553.791, a fee owner — or the owner's contractor with explicit written authorization — may elect a qualified private provider for plans review, required building inspections, or both. The private provider must work within the disciplines covered by the provider's license or certification.
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Plans review, inspections or bothThe owner controls the election, subject to the statute and the provider's licensure scope.
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Electronic local registration requiredEach local enforcement agency must maintain a registration method for private providers and firms and may not charge an administrative registration fee.
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Single-trade pathways are expressly recognizedThe statute includes scopes such as reroofing, solar/storage, HVAC replacements, electrical work, windows/doors, water heaters and other qualifying trades.
Important Boundary
Private provider does not mean “private permitting authority.”
The local building official retains statutory authority over permit issuance, certificates, stop-work actions and other governmental determinations. Fire-safety, zoning, land-use, environmental, floodplain and other reviews can remain outside the private provider's building-code scope.
View 2026 Florida StatuteWhat Changed in 2026
HB 803 materially strengthened and standardized the Florida private-provider framework.
The 2026 amendments took effect July 1, 2026. Local pages and forms published before that date should be checked for updates before a project relies on them.
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Commercial fee reductionsCommercial projects using private-provider services receive minimum statutory reductions tied to the portion of permit fees attributable to covered review or inspection services.
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Limits on extra local requirementsThe statute restricts additional local forms and prohibits local rules or standards that are more stringent than the statute in this area.
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Private providers cannot be discouragedThe law expressly states that local governments and building personnel may not prohibit or discourage use of a private provider or private-provider firm.
Commercial Permit Fee Impact
The 2026 statute now sets minimum reductions for commercial construction.
Where a commercial project retains a private provider for covered plans review or building inspection services, the local enforcement agency must apply the statutory fee reductions. Project teams should still confirm how the local fee schedule implements the law on the specific permit record.
25%+
Covered service portion
For a commercial construction project, the permit fee must be reduced by at least 25% of the portion attributable to plans review or building inspection services performed by the private provider, as applicable.
50%+
All covered review + inspections
When the private provider performs all required plans review and building inspection services, the statute requires at least the specified 50% reduction tied to those services.
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No punitive administrative fee
The local jurisdiction may not impose punitive administrative fees merely because the owner elected to use a private provider.
Implementation caution: Some local private-provider web pages still display pre-July-2026 fee language while they revise procedures for HB 803. Use the current statute and the jurisdiction's updated fee calculation for the live permit.
Local Implementation Examples
Statewide right, different local workflows.
The examples below show why Alliance should store private-provider availability as a statewide rule but maintain jurisdiction-specific workflow fields for registration, portal steps, audits and special review layers.
| Jurisdiction | Availability | Local implementation detail | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade County | Available | County supports private-provider plans review and/or inspections, maintains a searchable registration system, and publishes standardized private-provider forms and support resources. | Miami-Dade → |
| City of Tampa | Available | Tampa recognizes the program and requires registration and Accela-based project documentation. Its private-provider page states that procedures are being revised for HB 803 effective July 1, 2026; FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area projects retain additional City review/inspection layers. | Tampa → |
| City of Orlando | Available | Orlando provides a dedicated private-provider application path and explains that fee reductions depend on timely Notice to Building Official submission for the service being privatized. | Orlando → |
| Orange County | Available | Orange County publishes a detailed Private Provider Manual covering intake, plans review, inspections, CO/TCO procedures and audit criteria. | Orange County → |
| Jacksonville / Duval County | Available | Jacksonville publishes standard operating audit procedures and identifies private-provider inspection records through JaxEPICS for its audit workflow. | Jacksonville → |
| Lee County | Available | Lee County requires one-time private-provider firm registration and, under its local policy, requires private-provider inspections when private-provider plan review is used. | Lee County → |
| Broward County | Available | Broward publishes a private-provider package and expressly notes that private-provider building-code services do not replace fire, zoning, environmental, FEMA or other applicable reviews. | Broward → |
What Alliance Handles
Private provider is one layer in a larger permit workflow.
Alliance can research the jurisdiction's current private-provider process, identify published forms and registration requirements, organize permit application materials, coordinate portal submissions, track agency status and route administrative issues. Licensed private providers, architects, engineers and building officials remain responsible for functions reserved to their licenses or statutory authority.
Official Sources
Primary sources used for the 2026 launch report.
Florida Statutes §553.7912026 alternative plans review and inspection statute.View statute →
Florida Senate HB 803 Summary2026 legislative changes effective July 1, 2026.View summary →
Miami-Dade CountyAlternative plans review, inspection support and provider registration.View source →
City of TampaPrivate Provider Program and 2026 HB 803 implementation notice.View source →
City of OrlandoPrivate-provider application pathway and fee-reduction timing.View source →
Orange CountyPrivate Provider Manual for review, inspections and audits.View source →
Last verified: September 4, 2026. Local pages can lag statutory changes. Before relying on a local form, percentage or workflow, confirm the current local implementation under the 2026 version of §553.791.
Florida Private Provider FAQ
Questions project teams ask most often.
Are private providers available statewide in Florida?
Yes. Florida Statutes section 553.791 gives the fee owner, or the owner's contractor with explicit written authorization, the option to use a qualified private provider for plans review, required building inspections, or both. The local permitting authority still controls permit issuance and other governmental approvals.
What changed for Florida private providers in 2026?
Legislation effective July 1, 2026 revised section 553.791. Among other changes, local enforcement agencies must maintain an electronic registration system, commercial projects receive minimum permit-fee reductions when private-provider services are used, and local governments may not prohibit or discourage use of private providers.
Can a private provider replace every local review?
No. The private-provider statute applies to building code plans review and inspection services within the provider's licensed disciplines. The statutory definition of applicable codes excludes the Florida Fire Prevention Code, and zoning, land use, environmental, floodplain, utility and other governmental approvals can remain separate.
Can Florida private providers perform single-trade work?
Yes. The current statute expressly recognizes single-trade plans review and inspections and lists examples such as reroofing, solar and energy storage, HVAC replacement, electrical work, water-heater changeouts, windows and doors, and certain other trade scopes.
Does Alliance Permitting act as the private provider?
This report explains the private-provider framework. Alliance Permitting provides permit research, application preparation, portal submission, tracking and administrative coordination. Licensed private providers, design professionals and local authorities remain responsible for services that require their licenses or statutory authority.