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Pinellas County
Pinellas is a patchwork of 24 municipalities and unincorporated areas, and the first question on any project is which building department has the address. We sort that out, build a complete submittal, and manage review through the Pinellas County Access Portal or the city department that applies, including the flood-zone paperwork that has become routine since recent hurricanes.
Pinellas County’s Building and Development Review Services (BDRS) issues permits for unincorporated Pinellas. It also serves several smaller cities: Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach, Oldsmar and Safety Harbor. For projects in those cities, the county advises checking whether the city requires a preapproval letter, which is then uploaded with the application.
Most of the larger cities run their own building departments, including St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park, Dunedin, Tarpon Springs and Seminole, as do beach communities such as St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island and Madeira Beach. The county maintains a list of building departments, and we check jurisdiction against property records before preparing anything.
For county-permitted areas, applications go through the Pinellas County Access Portal, which runs on Accela. Applicants pick a record type: Express, Residential or Commercial. Many simple jobs qualify as Express permits, which the county makes available online to licensed contractors. After submission, reviewer comments come back through the portal, and inspections are scheduled there too.
Owner-builders follow a different path. They can start the application online, but the county requires an in-person visit with a valid state-issued ID to verify the owner-builder affidavit. If you are an owner who would rather hire a licensed contractor, we can refer you to one.
Much of Pinellas sits in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, and repair and remodel work in older coastal homes is where the paperwork gets heavy. The county’s submittal list includes items many applicants do not expect:
When the substantial improvement rule applies, the county asks for a copy of the signed contract, a Substantial Improvement Disclosure Form and FEMA cost breakdown information. Costs that are incomplete or vague lead to more questions, not fewer.
New construction in A and V zones may need a separate Flood Zone Application in addition to the building permit.
Boundary or topographic surveys used for the permit should have been issued within the last five years. An older survey is a common reason for a rejected upload.
Plans are submitted with a digital signature and seal, and windows, doors and roofing need Florida Product Approval documentation that matches the products being installed.
Not every project in unincorporated Pinellas is a straight building permit. Driveways, slabs, fences, fill and short-term vacation rentals fall under Development Review, which typically needs drawings and a site plan or survey, plus a Habitat Permit form when it applies. Knowing that up front avoids submitting the wrong record type.
For jobs over the threshold set by Florida’s construction lien law, a Notice of Commencement must be recorded with the Pinellas County Clerk of Court and attached to the permit record. It must also be on site for inspections.
From our work on coastal permits, the same issues come up repeatedly:
We do not hold a contractor license and never pull permits under our own name.
See also: residential permits, commercial permits, over-the-counter permit services, and our Florida permit expediting page.
Pinellas County has 24 municipalities, plus unincorporated Pinellas County, which is permitted by the county through the Access Portal. We handle permits in all of them:
No. St. Petersburg and Clearwater have their own building departments. The county handles unincorporated areas plus Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach, Oldsmar and Safety Harbor.
The county lists a copy of the signed contract, a Substantial Improvement Disclosure Form and FEMA cost breakdown information. We help organize these so the cost figures are complete and consistent.
Express permits are available online to licensed contractors. Owner-builders can begin online but must appear in person with a state-issued ID to complete the affidavit.
The county asks for boundary or topographic surveys issued within the last five years. If yours is older, plan for an update before submitting.
Yes. See our open and expired permits service.
Tell us the address and the work. We will confirm the right building department and quote a flat rate upfront.