City Building Permits
Apalachicola, FL Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in Apalachicola, Florida. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
All properties within the incorporated City of Apalachicola.
- Department
- Building Department
- Address
- 1 Bay Avenue, Apalachicola, FL 32320
- Phone
- 850-653-9319
Online Permit Portal
Platform: • Account required: No • Submission: In-person only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Confirm the parcel is inside the City of Apalachicola.
- Determine whether the project also needs planning and zoning approval. Work that adds impermeable lot coverage, such as awnings, decks, or sheds, must be approved by P&Z. Fence changes over 50% also require P&Z approval.
- Submit the correct city form by email to rnippe@cityofapalachicola.com or buildingdept@cityofapalachicola.com, or drop off at city hall. Separate forms exist for building permit, MEP permit, floodplain management permit, roof permit, fill permit, fence permit, and sign permit.
- Include the Notice of Commencement when Florida law requires it. A certified copy is required for improvements to real property with construction cost of $2,500 or more, either at application or before the second or later inspection.
- Wait for review and issuance. Permitting requests generally take 3 to 5 business days.
- Coordinate inspections with the building permit clerk. Inspections and reviews are scheduled on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday mornings.
Typical processing time: 3-5 business days
Source: Building Department
General Requirements
Building permits are required for all projects except those on the city's residential exempt list.
Required Documents
- Completed permit application
- Site plan
- Construction plans
- Flood zone review and information
- Lowest floor elevation data
- Setback information
- For floodplain: base flood elevation data, grade elevation, enclosure-below-BFE data
- Building code
- Florida Building Code
- Owner-builder
- Owner-builders are subject to the same requirements as contractors.
- Contractor requirements
- Contractors must be properly licensed.
Fees
- Permit fee formula
- Residential new structure, remodel, additions, and accessory structures: ICC current valuation table. Commercial new structure: $6.00 per thousand valuation with $90 minimum. Additions/remodel: $7.00 per thousand with $100 minimum.
- Reinspection fee
- $75
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule (effective October 1, 2023).
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Building Department to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- Building Permit Clerk: 850-653-7592 (phone)
- Inspection hours
- Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Time windows
- Inspections scheduled Monday, Wednesday, or Friday mornings
Additional Resources
- Building code: Florida Building Code
- Building Permit and Inspection Utilization Report
- License lookup guide: Florida Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Florida Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Florida hub: Florida Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Building Department before applying.
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