Escambia County, FL Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

Sec. 14-84 is the county's core permit clause: any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to install any impact-resistant covering, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system regulated by the code, must first apply to the Escambia County Building Services Department and obtain a permit. Sec. 14-89 exempts specific, small-scale work: one-story detached tool and storage sheds up to 120 square feet, portable storage sheds up to 400 square feet with no plumbing, electrical, mechanical or gas (by permit-exemption application), light-frame fences not over ten feet, retaining walls under four feet, water tanks under 5,000 gallons, sidewalks under 30 inches high, and painting, papering, tiling or cabinet work.

None of those exemptions authorizes work that otherwise violates the code, the floodplain management ordinance, or any other county law. Sec. 14-93 requires the application in writing or online, and Sec. 14-97 lets an unpursued application lapse after 180 days. Sec. 14-99 requires the county to issue a single-family residential building permit within 30 working days of application unless unusual circumstances or code deficiencies require more time. Sec. 14-98 requires every issued permit to carry a notice warning that additional restrictions or other agency permits may apply to the property.

Once issued, a permit becomes invalid if work doesn't start within six months (Sec. 14-105) or is abandoned for 180 days (Sec. 14-110), and Sec. 14-107 lets the building official require removal of work done under a permit that was never renewed within 180 days of lapsing.