Do I need a permit for shed or accessory structure in Panama City?
Yes. In Florida, shed or accessory structure generally requires a permit, and Panama City is no exception.
Florida has no statewide small-shed exemption. The widely repeated rule that a shed under 120 square feet needs no permit comes from the model International Codes, and Florida did not adopt it: section 105.2 of the Florida Building Code, Building exempts only specified gas, mechanical and plumbing work, with no category exempting detached accessory structures. Where a size threshold exists it is a local ordinance, and it genuinely differs, so ask your building department for the line that applies at your address. Any shed with electricity, plumbing or a permanent foundation needs a permit regardless of size, and zoning setbacks, flood zone rules and wind anchoring apply even when no building permit is required.
Local detail for Panama City: Uses Cloudpermit online portal for permit applications, plan review, inspections and fee payment.
Florida and local notes for Panama City
Bay County's own permitting office is the Bay County Building Safety Division, reachable on 850-248-8350 at https://www.baycountyfl.gov/154/Building-Safety, which runs an online permit portal. It issues permits for the unincorporated county. If your city does not run its own building department, this is the office that will handle the job. Bay County has published how it runs the HB 803 $7,500 permit exemption, which matters because the statute leaves the process to each building official. The county handles it as a dedicated PREX-EXEMPT record type with its own Permit Exemption Form, and the Building Official's bulletin confirms the exemption needs a written request rather than simply not applying. The county states every one of these must be true: the work is on a single-family home, the property is not partly or entirely in a flood hazard area or special flood hazard area, the full scope includes no electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas or structural work, the full scope is under $7,500, and you submit a written request to the Building Official. Miss any one and you need a normal permit. Use current forms. The county states its permit documents are tagged for the Florida Building Code Eighth Edition (2023) and that all previous 6th and 7th Edition forms should be discarded, which is a common cause of a rejected submittal here.
Documents you may need
- Permit applicationLikely required
- Site plan showing setbacksLikely required
- Structure dimensions or manufacturer drawingsSometimes required
- Anchoring or tie-down detailsSometimes required
- Permit or zoning applicationLikely required
- Site plan showing setbacks and distance to lot linesLikely required
- Anchoring or tie-down details for wind loadSometimes required
- Written request to the Building Official for an HB 803 exemption, on the county Permit Exemption FormSometimes required
- Documentation of the nature and value of the workSometimes required
- Current Florida Building Code Eighth Edition (2023) formsLikely required
Possible inspections
- Foundation or slab inspection
- Framing and anchoring inspection
- Final inspection
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a permit for shed or accessory structure in Panama City?
- Yes. In Florida, shed or accessory structure generally requires a permit, and Panama City is no exception. The documents and inspections sections on this page list what the building department typically asks for.
- Who issues the permit in Panama City?
- The local building department for Panama City handles permitting. This page lists its contact details and online portal. Your mailing city is not always the permitting authority, so confirm the jurisdiction before you apply.
- How do I find out the exact requirements for my project?
- Run the free PermitRoadmap check for your specific project and answers. It returns the likely permits, documents, inspections, and next steps, each linked to its official source.
PermitRoadmap is an independent informational service and is not affiliated with any city, county, state agency, or permitting authority. Results are informational and do not replace confirming requirements with the local permitting authority.