Broward County Hollywood is a bustling city with a lot of things to do and see. You can find plenty of remodeling experts here to help you with your renovation project.

All construction must be performed by a contractor with a valid Broward County license or State of Florida license specific to the trade.

Extension of Walk-Through Permitting Hours

In order to aid flood recovery efforts, the Development Services Department has extended walk-through permitting hours for single trade, flood related repairs. Permits can be processed in person, Monday through Friday, at Window #14 from 8am – 3pm until further notice. During this time, a trade specialist will be available to answer technical questions and assist in the process. Please note that the new Broward County / Fort Lauderdale Uniform Building Permit Application will be in use. Previous versions of the application will not be accepted.

Construction of the new Supervisor of Elections office took a major step forward on Tuesday with a groundbreaking ceremony at 2050 Spectrum Blvd. The project will add 525,000 square feet of meeting space to the County’s existing convention center and include a new 65,000-square-foot waterfront ballroom, new dining concepts, technology upgrades and enhanced water taxi access.

DSC is proud to be a part of this exciting project.

In conjunction with the ongoing work on the new Supervisor of Elections facility, the City of Lauderhill is also replacing a portion of the city’s water main line that runs through the site. This work is scheduled to begin in March and will be completed by April 2020. The water main will be replaced in sections along the city’s east side of the property from Lauderhill Boulevard to Palmetto Park Road.

One of the busiest construction seasons is underway in South Florida. From roadways to public buildings, there is a lot of work taking place to help rebuild our communities following Hurricane Irma.

Broward County is working to help make our community better. To support this effort, the Broward County Commission is asking voters to approve a $1.5 billion bond package that includes funding for roads, schools, parks and public safety.

Whether you are a home owner, homeowner association or developer, there are many benefits to having a permit before starting any type of renovations on your property. A permit helps to ensure that all work is done safely and properly to protect you and your investment. Per Chapter 1, section 2, of the Florida Building Code, all residential and commercial renovations, additions and construction of buildings must be performed with a valid permit.

New Broward County / Fort Lauderdale Uniform Building Permit Application

In the unincorporated areas of Broward County and in cities that we contract with, a permit is required to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish any building, structure or part thereof. The type(s) of permits needed are based on the scope of work.

A new permit application has been developed to streamline the process for construction projects. It is now available for download from the City’s website.

The application requires the applicant to provide a site plan, elevation certificates and the appropriate supporting documentation for the proposed construction activity. It also contains a list of requirements to ensure that the project will comply with the applicable provisions of the State of Florida Building Code.

Once the completed permit application has been submitted, it will be reviewed and approved for processing by the Permitting Division. The permit will then be issued by the Building Official. A Certificate of Occupancy is issued once all final inspections with appropriate approvals have been made, all holds from other agencies are released and all fees concerning your permits have been paid. Small projects such as air conditioning and hot water tank change-outs/replacements, electrical service upgrades or modifications, burglar alarm installations, sheds and other storage structures do not require a Certificate of Occupancy.

Broward County requires contractors in certain trades to hold a local Certificate of Competency or an Occupational Trade License. Failure to do so may result in fines. It is also a violation of the law to perform work on your home or business without the necessary licenses.

The City of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea offers a convenient and safe way to pay your building permit fees online. You can do this from the convenience of your home or office by using Clear Form BROWARD COUNTY UNIFORM BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION. The tool allows you to create a fillable PDF document with text, checkboxes and symbols. The editable document can be easily saved, shared and printed. It also allows you to upload scanned documents or images. You can also edit the existing documents with ease by deleting parts of the content and substituting it with new ones.

New ePermits OneStop

A permit is required to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish any building or structure. A permit may also be required for certain accessory structures such as sheds and pool cabanas. In addition, a permit may be required for fire protection systems and fire alarms.

A new ePermits OneStop online application and approval process is now available for all permit types in unincorporated Broward County, municipalities we contract with and the Fort Lauderdale area. The ePermits OneStop process is designed to simplify and streamline the application and approval process for all permits in one location.

ePermits OneStop provides customers with the ability to apply for and approve all Municipality and County building permits and associated approvals and inspections, and provides the capability to track project status through one portal. This system will continue to offer customers the ability to upload all required documents, obtain a permit number and submit fees. Permits will only be issued once the application has been approved and all inspections and approvals have been completed and all applicable fees have been paid.

To begin using ePermits OneStop, click here to create an account. Applicants who use contractors are required to have the contractor sign up for an ePermits account and verify their license in the ePermits system before the permit can be issued.

Customers can also call the Customer Information Line at 954-340-6400 for assistance with ePermits OneStop or to ask questions about the process. In addition, virtual training classes are offered every Tuesday at 11 a.m. and Thursday at 2 p.m. To register for a class email [email protected] with your name, phone number and date you would like to attend the class.

As always, we encourage you to hire licensed and insured contractors for all of your remodeling needs. Be sure to request references, insurance information and a copy of their state license from each contractor before hiring them. To avoid permit delays, do not start work until you receive a permit from the Building Division and all required inspections have been performed and the permit has been issued by the Building Official.

Liquid Petroleum Gas Certificate of Competency Changes

The State of Florida has changed its licensing requirements for LPG Contractors with the passing of HB 735. As a result, Broward County will no longer require that contractors have their local certificate of competency, but instead will require a State of Florida Liquid Petroleum Gas certificate of competence only. You can view the State of Florida’s list of qualifying categories and information here.

A person may not engage in any activity or act related to liquefied petroleum gas (LP-gas) until the individual has successfully passed an examination and has been given a license by the department, except as otherwise provided by rules established by the commission. The examination shall be designed to test the person’s understanding of the characteristics and proper handling of LP-gas, along with a knowledge of National Fire Protection Association Pamphlet No. 58 and the State LP-gas Code covering the storage, handling and utilization of LP-gas.

Each category I liquefied petroleum gas dealer and liquefied petroleum gas installer must, at the time of application for licensure, identify to the department one master qualifier who is a full-time employee of the licensed location. The master qualifier must be a manager, owner or other person who is primarily responsible for the operation of the facility and is capable of demonstrating to the department his or her ability to supervise all operations of the business.

If an individual no longer meets the qualifications required by this section to serve as a master qualifier, that individual’s qualification status shall expire. A master qualifier’s status may be renewed by submitting to the department, within 20 working days after the date that the person no longer meets the qualifications, documentation of completion of at least 16 hours of approved continuing education courses during the 3-year period preceding the renewal and a $30 certificate renewal fee. The department shall define, by rule, approved courses of continuing education.

In addition, no master qualifier shall be employed at a liquefied petroleum gas dealer’s licensed facility until the person has submitted to the department, within 20 working days after assuming the position, a written statement from the dealer or the liquefied petroleum gas installer that the individual is qualified to perform LP-gas-related work.