Madison County Building Permit Guide (Unincorporated Area)

Permit Authority

All properties in unincorporated Madison County. City of Madison residents must obtain permits and inspections at City Hall. County serves all other residents in Madison County and areas outside the City of Madison.

Department

Madison County Building Department

Address

229 SW Pinckney Street, Suite 219, Madison, FL 32340

Phone

850-973-6785

Website

https://madisoncountyfl.com/departments-services/building-department/

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm the parcel is outside the City of Madison and in unincorporated Madison County.
2. Submit the permit through Cloudpermit or using the county paper permit application.
3. For additions and new construction, provide required supporting documents: plans, site plan, septic or sewer permit, wind load analysis, zoning compliance, driveway permit, Florida energy form, truss layout, and notice of commencement when applicable.
4. Plans and specifications must be sealed by an architect and/or engineer, with two sets required for most projects and four sets for commercial projects.
5. Pay the applicable county permit fees before permit issuance.
6. Request inspections by phone at 850-973-6785, providing the permit number and inspection type.

Source: Madison County Building Department

General Requirements

The county examines building plans and specifications, issues building permits, reviews mobile home permit applications, and performs on-site inspections to ensure compliance with adopted codes.

Required Documents

• Applicant and owner information
• Parcel and project address
• DBPR license information where applicable
• Two sets of plans
• Site plan
• Septic or sewer permit
• Wind load analysis
• Zoning compliance
• Driveway permit
• Florida energy form
• Notice of commencement
• Truss layout where applicable
• Deed, lease agreement, or utility agreement where applicable

Building code

Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), effective December 31, 2023. Wind load design is mandatory statewide and must be determined by address under current code maps and tools.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

$55

Permit fee formula

Building permit valuation schedule: $60 for $501-$6,000; $90 for $6,001-$10,000; $140 for $10,000.01-$15,000; $270 for $15,000.01-$20,000; $370 for $20,000.01-$40,000; $430 for $40,000.01-$50,000; then add $1.50 per $1,000 over $50,000

Reinspection fee

$35 first; $50 thereafter

Penalty (no permit)

All fees shall double if work begins before the permit is issued

Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• Detached structure 120 square feet or less does not require a building permit per fee schedule note

Important: Confirm all other claimed exemptions with Madison County before starting work because zoning, driveway, floodplain, septic, and utility approvals may still apply even where a building permit is not required.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• 850-973-6785 (phone)

Scheduling deadline

Requests received before 8:00 AM on the day of inspection can be scheduled for that day; requests after 8:00 AM go to the next working day's schedule.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), effective December 31, 2023. Wind load design is mandatory statewide and must be determined by address under current code maps and tools.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Building Department Contact
• County Elevation Certificates and Flood Information
• Florida Building Commission Code Portal
• Florida Building Commission Wind Load Fact Sheet
• License lookup guide: Florida Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: Florida Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
• Florida hub: Florida Contractor License & Permit Hub