Suwannee County Building Permit Guide (Unincorporated Area)

Permit Authority

All properties in unincorporated Suwannee County, outside the incorporated limits of the City of Live Oak and the Town of Branford.

Department

Suwannee County Building Department

Address

224 Pine Ave SW, Live Oak, FL 32064

Phone

386-364-3407

Website

https://www.scpermit.com/

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Confirm the parcel is in unincorporated Suwannee County and not inside Live Oak or Branford.
2. Start with the correct county permit package or use the county's Cloudpermit intake.
3. Obtain zoning/land-use review where required. The county Planning and Zoning issues sanitary and land-use permits and handles floodplain review.
4. Submit the permit application with plans, parcel information, survey/site plan, and project-specific supporting documents.
5. Obtain required outside approvals as applicable, including septic/well approvals, driveway approval, 911 addressing, floodplain documents, and Notice of Commencement.
6. Pay the permit fees after approval and sign the required forms at the building department.
7. Schedule inspections by phone and obtain final approval or certificate of occupancy before occupancy/use.

Typical processing time: Minimum of five work days for application processing; up to 30 days for plan review and approval.

Source: Suwannee County Building Department

General Requirements

The county permits residential and commercial buildings, new construction, remodels, additions, roofing, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, pools, mobile homes, relocations, accessory structures, and other code-regulated work.

Required Documents

• Completed permit application
• Two complete plan sets plus digital plans for single-family dwellings
• Florida energy form
• Truss layout
• Product approvals
• Property card/deed support
• Survey and site plan
• Septic approval
• Notice of Commencement
• Driveway application
• 911 addressing application

Building code

Florida Building Code 2023 8th Edition and 2020 National Electrical Code

Owner-builder

The county publishes owner-builder disclosure forms and requires owners using the exemption to sign the statutory disclosure.

Contractor requirements

Effective January 1, 2019, permits will not be issued until all subcontractors have signed the addendum.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

$100 plus state surcharge

Permit fee formula

Single-family dwelling/modular: $0.32 per sq. ft. habitable area and $0.18 per sq. ft. non-habitable area, plus state surcharge

Trade permit fee

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical: $100 for the first $1,000 of value plus $3 per additional $1,000, plus state surcharge

Reinspection fee

$35 first reinspection; $50 second and later reinspections

Payment note

Roofing permits: $100 for the first $1,000 of contract price plus $3 per additional $1,000, plus state surcharge. Mobile home permit: $325 including electrical, plumbing, and mechanical. Demolition permit: $100. 911 addressing fee: $30. Driveway fee: See note below.

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

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

Contact the Suwannee County Building Department to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• 386-364-3407 (phone)

Scheduling deadline

24-hour notice and permit number are required when scheduling inspections.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Florida Building Code 2023 8th Edition and 2020 National Electrical Code
• Owner-builder rules: View rules
• Single-family/modular packet
• Commercial permit application
• County floodplain management
• Florida Building Commission
• License lookup guide: Florida Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: Florida Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
• Florida hub: Florida Contractor License & Permit Hub