City of Key West

A building permit is required before any permanent or temporary work or construction with a value greater than $1,000 including materials and labor, at the discretion of the building official.

Note: Applicants should verify both FBC exemptions and Key West floodplain/historic requirements before proceeding, as the city separately requires permits for flood-hazard-area development.

Building code

Florida Building Code, National Electrical Code, Florida Fire Prevention Code, and other referenced standards.

Owner-builder

The city cites Florida's owner-builder limitations and requires proof of ownership.

Contractor requirements

Building permits are issued in the name of the person performing the work; only licensed contractors or qualifying owner-builders may obtain them.

1. 01
   Confirm the property is within Key West city limits.
2. 02
   Review the city's permit-specific checklist for the project type. Incomplete building permit applications are not accepted as of January 1, 2025.
3. 03
   Submit the building permit through e-TRAKiT.
4. 04
   If the work is exterior work within the Historic District, obtain a separate Certificate of Appropriateness as part of the submittal process.
5. 05
   Upload plans and supporting files using the city's naming and PDF instructions. Permit technicians will apply the correct fees after review.
6. 06
   If updated documents are added during review, notify the city by email because the system does not automatically notify staff of new attachments.

Source: City of Key West Building Department ↗

Fees change periodically. Confirm at the official fee schedule ↗ before budgeting.

Typical sequence: Required inspections must be called in a specific order and must be approved to complete the building process and secure a certificate of occupancy.

Source: City of Key West Building Department ↗