Do I need a permit for interior remodeling in Unincorporated Palm Beach County?
It depends. Whether interior remodeling needs a permit in Unincorporated Palm Beach County comes down to the details of your project.
Cosmetic interior work such as painting, flooring, cabinets, and drywall patching generally does not need a permit, while remodeling that involves electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas, or structural changes does. Florida HB 803, effective July 1 2026, exempts single-family work under $7,500 from a building permit, but it excludes those five trades and does not apply in flood-hazard areas. Most permit-worthy remodels involve one of those trades.
Local detail for Unincorporated Palm Beach County: County PZB Building Division serves unincorporated Palm Beach County and provides building/permit services to several small municipalities by interlocal agreement.
Florida and local notes for Unincorporated Palm Beach County
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas, and structural work still need a permit regardless of cost. HB 803 bars splitting a project to stay under $7,500 and does not apply in flood-hazard areas. Local departments implement HB 803 individually, so confirm the policy in your jurisdiction. Palm Beach County's own permitting office is the Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning & Building Department (Building Division), reachable on 561-233-5100 at https://discover.pbc.gov/pzb/pages/contact-us.aspx. Its online permit portal is https://pbc.gov/epzb. 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. Each trade normally needs its own permit on top of the building permit, so ask which trade permits your scope will require. The county's Sec. 105.2 amendment exempts cabinets and countertops with no reconfiguration in one and two family homes, and painting, papering, carpeting, and similar finish work, when no electrical or plumbing work is involved. Replacement or repair work valued under $1,000 is also exempt, provided it does not affect structural integrity, fire rating, exit access, or egress. The HB 803 under-$7,500 exemptions do not apply anywhere in Palm Beach County, per the county's July 2026 notice.
Documents you may need
- Permit application (for trade or structural work)Sometimes required
- Scope description or plansSometimes required
- Trade subpermits (electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas)Sometimes required
- Licensed contractor informationSometimes required
- Building permit application through ePZB (Type 3(A) interior alteration)Sometimes required
- Floor plans, existing and proposedSometimes required
- Electrical, plumbing, or mechanical sub-permitsSometimes required
Possible inspections
- Rough inspections for any electrical, plumbing, or mechanical changes
- Framing inspection if walls are altered
- Final inspection
- Rough trade inspections where trades are involved
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a permit for interior remodeling in Unincorporated Palm Beach County?
- It depends. Whether interior remodeling needs a permit in Unincorporated Palm Beach County comes down to the details of your project. The documents and inspections sections on this page list what the building department typically asks for.
- Who issues the permit in Unincorporated Palm Beach County?
- The local building department for Unincorporated Palm Beach County 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.