Before You Build in West Palm Beach, FL: Permit & Rule Checklist (2026)

West Palm Beach fences are limited to 4 feet in front yards and 6 feet in side and rear yards under WPB Zoning Code Chapter 94. Pool barriers must be at least 4 feet per FL §515. Corner lot visibility triangles enforce 30-inch limit.

Building permits are required in West Palm Beach for any fence over 4 feet tall, all masonry walls, and all fences in HVHZ-adjacent coastal zones. Apply through the WPB Development Services Department.

Florida has no shared-cost fence law. Each owner responsible for fences on their side of the property line. FL §823.11 spite fence statute allows civil action for fences erected maliciously to annoy a neighbor.

Pool barriers in West Palm Beach must be at least 4 feet tall under FL §515 (Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act) and Florida Building Code Chapter 4. Self-closing, self-latching gates required, plus one additional safety feature.

West Palm Beach enforces FL §515.27 Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act requiring 48-inch barriers around all residential pools with self-closing, self-latching gates opening outward. Barriers must surround the pool on all sides with maximum 4-inch gaps at ground level.

Above-ground pools deeper than 24 inches in West Palm Beach require a permit and must comply with FL §515 barrier and safety requirements. Pool walls 48 inches or higher with removable ladders may serve as the required barrier.

West Palm Beach pools must comply with FL §515 Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act requiring at least one approved safety feature beyond the barrier: pool alarm, safety cover, exit alarms on doors, or self-closing/self-latching doors. VGB Act drain covers mandatory.

Hot tubs and spas in West Palm Beach require electrical and plumbing permits and must comply with FL §515 safety requirements unless equipped with a locked safety cover meeting ASTM F1346 standards. Setback rules match swimming pool requirements.

All swimming pools and spas in West Palm Beach require a building permit per Florida Building Code Chapter 4 and WPB Code Ch 14. Permits include structural, electrical, and plumbing review plus mandatory final inspection certifying FL §515 safety compliance before water fill.

Converting a garage into living space in West Palm Beach requires a building permit, zoning compliance review, and replacement of the off-street parking that the garage previously provided. Conversions are heavily scrutinized in single-family neighborhoods.

West Palm Beach allows accessory dwelling units in most single-family zoning districts under City Code §94 (Land Development Regulations) with a maximum 800 square feet or 40 percent of the principal dwelling, whichever is less.

Sheds in West Palm Beach require a building permit when over 100 square feet or anchored to a foundation. All sheds, regardless of size, must meet Florida Building Code wind load requirements for 170 mph design wind speed.

Carports in West Palm Beach require a building permit and must meet Florida Building Code 170 mph wind load with engineered anchors. Front-yard carports are restricted to driveway alignments and may not encroach on required setbacks.

Tiny homes on permanent foundations are treated as single-family dwellings or ADUs in West Palm Beach and must meet all Florida Building Code requirements. Tiny homes on wheels are classified as RVs and may not be used as permanent residences in residential zones.

Open burning of yard debris in West Palm Beach city limits is prohibited without an authorization from the Florida Forest Service per FAC 5I-2 and City Code §38. Most residential parcels do not qualify because of the 150-foot setback rule.

West Palm Beach permits residential fire pits and chimineas under FL Fire Prevention Code adopted via City Code Chapter 38. Devices must be at least 15 feet from structures, combustibles, and property lines, and use only seasoned firewood or charcoal.

Routine pruning of healthy trees on private property in West Palm Beach does not require a permit, but work must follow ANSI A300 standards and avoid hat-racking or topping, which are treated as removal violations.

West Palm Beach is in the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) year-round landscape irrigation rule: 2 days per week, before 10 AM or after 4 PM. Odd addresses Wednesday and Saturday; even addresses Thursday and Sunday.

West Palm Beach requires a tree removal permit for any tree 4-inch DBH or greater under City Code §94 Article XIII. FL §163.045 only exempts removal where a certified arborist or licensed landscape architect documents danger to persons or property.