Winter Park adds a limited permit exemption for some small single-family home projects

Winter Park has begun applying a new Florida law that may exempt some small projects on single-family homes from the building-permit requirement. The change took effect July 1, 2026, but the exemption is limited and is not automatic.

What changed

Chapter 2026-63, enacted through House Bill 803, requires local governments to exempt qualifying work valued at less than $7,500 on a single-family dwelling from the building-permit requirement. The law took effect July 1, 2026.

Winter Park’s Building & Permitting Services department says an owner or the owner’s contractor must submit the work through the city’s permitting self-service portal and select the option requesting an exemption from building-permit requirements. The city also requires a copy of the contract or other documentation verifying the work’s scope and value.

Who may qualify

The exemption is limited to qualifying work on a single-family dwelling. The value threshold is strict: the work must be valued at less than $7,500, not $7,500 or less.

A low price alone does not establish eligibility. The request and supporting documentation must show the nature, scope and value of the work.

Projects that remain excluded

Under Chapter 2026-63, the exemption does not apply to work on property that is partially or entirely in a flood hazard area as defined by the Florida Building Code. It also excludes electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical and gas work performed on property containing a single-family dwelling.

The law also prohibits dividing one construction project into multiple projects to evade the exemption’s requirements. Separating related work on paper does not create eligibility if the purpose is to avoid the threshold or other limits.

What homeowners should do

Before starting a small home project in Winter Park, residents and contractors should:

• Confirm that the property is a single-family dwelling and determine whether it is in a flood hazard area.
• Review the work for electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical or gas components.
• Keep a contract, estimate or other documentation showing the project’s nature, scope and total value.
• Submit the exemption request through Winter Park’s permitting self-service portal before beginning work.
• Ask Building & Permitting Services whether zoning, historic-preservation, tree, drainage, setback or other city requirements also apply.

The exemption removes only the building-permit requirement for work that meets the law’s conditions. It is not a blanket exemption for home repairs or remodeling, and it does not by itself establish that inspections, contractor licensing, code compliance or other local requirements are waived.

Winter Park Building & Permitting Services lists 407-599-3237 for department questions. Residents and contractors should use the department’s guidance and permitting portal to verify eligibility for a specific project before work begins.

Sources

• Building & Permitting Services – City of Winter Park
• Chapter 2026-63, Laws of Florida
• Florida Senate House Bill 803 record