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.
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.
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.
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.)
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.
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.
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.
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 [email protected]. 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."
To receive a copy of your Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Completion, email [email protected]. 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.