County Building Permits
Lafayette County Building Permit Guide (Unincorporated Area)
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Lafayette County, Florida. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
All properties in unincorporated Lafayette County.
- Department
- Lafayette County Building Department
- Address
- 120 W. Main Street, Mayo, FL 32066
- Phone
- 386-294-3611
Online Permit Portal
Platform: County web submission • Account required: No • Submission: In-person only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Confirm the parcel is in unincorporated Lafayette County and not inside the Town of Mayo.
- Pull the correct county application form from the Forms & Guidelines page.
- Submit the permit package through the county's online submission page or email to buildingdept@lafayettecountyfl.org.
- Include all required supporting documents specific to the permit type, including septic documentation, site plan, plans, truss package, energy documents, and Notice of Commencement when required.
- Pay permit fees through the county online payment system or with the Building Department.
- Complete county inspections and obtain final approval before occupancy, power release, or project closeout.
Typical processing time: Processing times vary by project type and completeness; contact the Building Department for estimate.
General Requirements
A building permit is required for most construction in unincorporated Lafayette County, including new construction, additions, remodels, repairs, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, roofing, mobile homes, pools, driveways, and accessory structures.
Required Documents
- Completed permit application
- Workers' compensation certificate or exemption
- Copy of state contractor license
- Copy of business tax receipt
- Subcontractor list with trades if applicable
- Health Department permit for septic if applicable
- Site plan or current survey showing new building
- Two sets of sealed drawings
- One set of sealed truss drawings
- Energy calculations
- Manual J HVAC load calculations
- Copy of recorded Notice of Commencement
- Product approval sheet
- Permit validity
- Contact the Building Department for current permit validity periods.
- Building code
- 2023 Florida Building Code, 8th Edition
- Owner-builder
- Owners must personally appear to sign if pulling the permit under an exemption and must directly supervise the work within Florida owner-builder limits.
- Contractor requirements
- Contractors must hold valid state licenses, workers' compensation insurance, and current business tax receipt.
Fees
- Minimum permit fee
- $125
- Plan check fee
- Included in permit fee
- Permit fee formula
- Residential conditioned space: $0.50/sq ft; Residential unconditioned space: $0.40/sq ft; Commercial conditioned space: $0.60/sq ft; Commercial unconditioned space: $0.50/sq ft
- Trade permit fee
- $125 for electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roof, gas, floating docks, demolition, residential re-roof, agricultural poles, electrical upgrades, and electrical 200 amps base
- Reinspection fee
- $40
- Payment note
- DocuSign fee: $20. Impact fee: $412.50 effective October 1, 2025 for all new dwelling units including RVs.
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule (effective October 1, 2025).
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Lafayette County Building Department to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- 386-294-3611 (phone)
- buildingdept@lafayettecountyfl.org (email)
- Inspection hours
- Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Typical inspection sequence: Final-inspection prerequisites vary by permit type and must be confirmed with the Building Department.
Additional Resources
- Building code: 2023 Florida Building Code, 8th Edition
- Verify contractor license: Florida Contractor License Lookup
- Building Permit Application PDF
- Requirements for Permitting PDF
- Site Plan Instructions PDF
- Electrical Exemption Disclosure PDF
- Construction Exemption Disclosure PDF
- Mobile Home Application PDF
- Camper Service Form PDF
- Florida Wind Maps by County
- 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 Lafayette County Building Department before applying.
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