Putnam County, FL Building Safety: Building Inspections (2026)

Putnam County adopted the Florida Building Code to administer construction in the unincorporated area, and Sec. 8-21(c) of the county code locally amends Section 104, the code's administrative article. Under the amended 104.2, 'the building official or designee shall receive applications, review construction documents and issue permits for the erection, and alteration, demolition and moving of buildings and structures, inspect the premises for which such permits have been issued and enforce compliance with the provisions of this code.' Section 104.4 sets the inspection stage itself: the building official or designee 'shall make all of the required inspections,' though the official may instead accept a certified written report from an approved inspection agency or individual rather than inspecting personally.

The inspector's authority extends to entering the site: Section 104.6, also adopted by Sec. 8-21(c), lets the building official or a designee 'enter the structure or premises at reasonable times to inspect or to perform the duties imposed by this code,' presenting credentials to an occupant on request, and pursuing legal remedies if entry is refused on an unoccupied property believed to violate the code. This building-code inspection authority is distinct from the Land Development Code's own 'on-going inspections' provision at Sec. 45-1112, which explicitly excludes 'permits issued under the jurisdiction of the Florida Building Code' from its scope and instead governs subdivision infrastructure like roads and drainage.

Before a project can be occupied, Sec. 45-1113 requires the developer to apply for a certificate of occupancy or final inspection, and the department 'shall inspect the work to ensure it is in conformity with the permit or order,' with as-built drawings sometimes required as a condition of approval.