Verifying permit history is a critical step in any Florida home purchase — unpermitted additions, pools, electrical work, or room conversions can affect value, insurability, and financing. This guide covers how to search permits across Central Florida's key jurisdictions.
Talk to an AgentIn Florida real estate, unpermitted work is a significant buyer protection issue. Additions, garage conversions, pools, electrical panels, HVAC systems, and structural modifications done without permits may not meet current code, may create insurance complications, and can affect financing approvals. During due diligence, buyers or their agents should verify permit history for any significant improvements to a property. Each Florida municipality and county maintains its own building department and permit records — this guide provides direction to the key permit search resources across Central Florida.
Unpermitted additions, pools, electrical work, or conversions may not meet code, can create insurance complications, affect appraisals, and require correction before sale or refinance.
Permit searches should be conducted during the inspection period of any Florida purchase — before the inspection contingency expires. Issues identified can be negotiated or walked away from during this window.
Florida permits are issued by the relevant local building department — county or municipal depending on whether the property is in an incorporated city. The correct jurisdiction depends on your specific address.
In Florida, licensed contractors are required to pull permits for most significant work. Work done without a permit may indicate unlicensed contractor activity — an additional red flag for property buyers.
The City of Orlando's building permit search is available through the Orlando Development Center online portal. This covers properties within the incorporated City of Orlando limits. For unincorporated Orange County properties, use the Orange County permit search separately.
Unincorporated Orange County properties fall under Orange County Building & Safety. The county maintains an online permit search portal for properties outside incorporated city limits. Many Dr. Phillips, Windermere area, and suburban properties are in unincorporated county territory.
Kissimmee properties within city limits use the City of Kissimmee permit portal. Unincorporated Osceola County properties use Osceola County's building permit search. Vacation rental investors specifically should verify STR-relevant permits (pool, additions) in this jurisdiction.
Seminole County's building permit search covers unincorporated county areas and many incorporated Seminole cities. Individual cities (Casselberry, Winter Springs, Maitland, Longwood, Altamonte Springs) may have their own portals — verify based on your specific property address.
Brevard County (Space Coast) and Marion County (Ocala area) maintain their own building permit search portals for properties in those counties. Buyers considering properties in these counties should verify permit history through the relevant county building department.
BKRS helps buyers identify the correct permit search jurisdiction for any property and navigate the permit verification process during due diligence. Unpermitted work discovered during this process can be negotiated with sellers — or used as grounds for contract cancellation within the inspection period. Contact BKRS before your inspection period expires.
Florida's climate creates consistent pressure for homeowners to add improvements — screened enclosures, pools, additions, and garage conversions are all common in Central Florida homes. When these are done without permits, the resulting unpermitted work can complicate insurance claims, affect appraised value, create lender issues at refinance, and require expensive remediation to bring into compliance. Buyers who verify permit history during the inspection period protect themselves from inheriting these problems.
The most commonly found unpermitted work in Central Florida homes includes: swimming pools (particularly older pools installed before permit requirements were strictly enforced), garage conversions to living space, shed and outbuilding construction, screened enclosure additions, electrical panel upgrades, and HVAC replacements. Any of these found without associated permits warrant follow-up with the relevant building department before closing.
BKRS guides buyers through the permit verification process as part of standard due diligence on any Central Florida purchase. Our team is familiar with the permit portals for Orlando, Orange County, Seminole County, and other key jurisdictions. Contact us at 305.317.8475.
Call us at 305.317.8475 or send a message — we respond promptly.