Staff are moving back in to the Municipal Services Building, which has been closed for renovations. Bill-pay services and the customer-service drive-thru re-open to the public Oct. 20.
Teams that have not yet moved back include Planning & Development, Code Compliance, Public Works, and Parks & Recreation administration. All departments should be moved back in by Thanksgiving 2025.
Contractors: Scroll to the bottom of the page for an important notice regarding certificates of insurance.
Many permits will require a more in-depth plan review by staff and could take between four and 15 days, depending on the type of project.
A building permit is required if you plan to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure. Florida Statue Chapter 489 requires licensed contractors to obtain permits and do the permit work, with very few exceptions for single-family and duplex owner-occupied structures. A building permit is also required if you plan to install, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, provided the installation is regulated by the Florida Building Code. A permit is also needed for installation and replacement of all fence types. You will not need a permit for painting, erecting wallpaper, installing tile/carpeting, replacing kitchen/ bathroom cabinets or fixtures or repairing a very small and minor roof leak less than $500. If you are unsure if you need a permit, please contact us at (727) 562-4567. Most permits can be obtained online, and all licensed contractors must submit online for all window, roof, door, mechanical (air conditioning), plumbing and water heater permits.
Links to various building permit-related applications and forms.
If you have any trouble with online searches, call (727) 562-4567 for assistance.
Online permits are applied for on our online permitting system.
Click “Register for an Account”. Provide a username, password, contact information and contact type. You must be a licensed contractor or design professional to apply for building permits online.
Contractors, please select “Licensed Professional” as the contact type when prompted to do so. Design Professionals, follow the steps in the Help tab document “Add license/OUTTOBID license to registration.”
Once registered, log in to online permitting system and select “Building” to begin your application for a building permit. You will then select “Create an Application,” and agree to the disclaimer that will appear on your screen.
Next, you will need to choose which type of building permit you need. You will then be prompted to complete the required information and to submit for review when finished. Payment of your plans review fee is required at the time of submittal. You can view an estimate for fees via our Fee Estimator.
Digital plans are also submitted for review through online permitting system. Your permit is not officially received and routed for review until the required plans are uploaded. Follow all prompts and make sure you click “Finish,” otherwise the system will not recognize your permit application as being submitted.
Submit Plans
If your project value exceeds $5,000 or if your project is to repair or replace an existing heating or air conditioning system with a project value exceeding $15,000, you will need to file a Notice of Commencement with the Pinellas County Clerk of Court, prior to issuance of a permit. Once the Notice of Commencement is filed, you need to post a certified copy at the job site and provide a copy to the city of Clearwater.
Submit Your Recorded Notice of Commencement
At any point in the project, you can check your permit status, plan review completion dates, related permits, etc., via our Permit Lookup tool. Plan review times vary based on the plan review type (commercial vs. residential) and scope of work (repairs, new construction, roofs, additions, etc.)
Check my permit status
Additional permit fees and any other fire or impact fees are paid prior to permit issuance. We will email you payment instructions after all reviews are completed and approved. You can view an estimate for fees via our Fee Estimator.
All updated contractor information is associated with your permit is required prior to issuance. If it hasn’t already been provided, please provide updated license contractor information at this time.
Pay Fees
After you pay your fees, we will email you to let you know your plans are available for download. Log in to our online system and download your plans. You must print them to scale and post them on your job site to begin construction.
Download plans
Different permits need inspections at different points in the project. If your permit is open for six months without a passed inspection, it will expire.
Schedule an inspection
If you need to submit any changes to the approved plans, make corrections noted by an inspector or upload documents to clear document holds, you must email epermit@myclearwater.com. This requires an amendment be created to the original permit.
Once you complete and pass your inspections, the permit will be final. If you don’t close out your permit, this could cause issues later when trying to sell your property. Use our online permitting system to check the status of your permit and ensure that the status is “Completed.”
Check permit status
To receive a copy of your Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Completion, email epermit@myclearwater.com. Include your permit number in the subject line and attach completed copies of the Certificate of Occupancy Checklist and the Certificate of Occupancy or Completion form.
Complete application must include the following as applicable to your project:
Site and building drawings must be submitted together in a package. A tie-in survey will be required before vertical construction.
Complete applications must include the following as applicable to your project:
Site and building drawings must be submitted together in a package. A tie-in survey will be required before vertical construction.
Complete application must include the following, as applicable to your project:
Site and building drawings must be submitted together in a package. A tie-in survey will be required before vertical construction.
Complete application must include the following as applicable to your project:
A tie-in survey will be required before vertical construction.
Effective June 24, 2024, the Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board (PCCLB) will no longer monitor state-certified contractors’ insurance.
The certificate holder should read as follows:
City of Clearwater, Planning & Development
2741 State Road 580
Clearwater, FL 33761
A building permit is required if you plan to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure. Florida Statute Chapter 489 requires licensed contractors to obtain permits and do the permit work, with very few exceptions for single-family and duplex owner-occupied structures.
A building permit is also required if you plan to install, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, provided the installation is regulated by the Florida Building Code. A permit is also needed for installation and replacement of all fence types.
You will not need a permit for painting, erecting wallpaper, installing tile/carpeting, replacing kitchen/ bathroom cabinets or fixtures or repairing a very small and minor roof leak, less than $500. If you are unsure if you need a permit, contact us at (727) 562-4567.
Most permits can be obtained online and all licensed contractors must submit online for all window, roof, door, mechanical (air conditioning), plumbing and water heater permits.
Many permits will require a more in-depth plan review by staff and could take between four and 15 days, depending on the type of project. For applications and forms, click here.
The city of Clearwater Comprehensive Plan guides city decisions and actions to answer and address these questions, and provides a flexible framework for adapting to real conditions over time. It is divided into ten chapters or ‘elements’, each containing many goals, objectives and policies to guide, and is evaluated periodically to respond to changes over time.
Annex into the city and become an incorporated city of Clearwater resident
Find the target review times for building plans submitted to the Construction Services Division. The status of your plan review may be found online.
City of Clearwater
600 Cleveland St.
Clearwater, FL 33755
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