How to Get a Building Permit in Indian River County

Customer Portal for reports, status, and checklists related to permits. Please click here to log in.

The property owner information section displays the primary owner and valuation, if available. The Sales tab lists recent sales on the selected parcel, while Tree Spacing shows the minimum required 80′ on center spacing for street trees along Pineapple and Indian River Drives.

Building Permits

Permits are generally required for construction projects that involve building or altering existing spaces, with some exceptions, such as detached residential accessory buildings such as storage sheds. The cost of obtaining one varies based on factors like project type and size.

Many projects require approval from multiple departments. If you’re building a residence, for instance, you will need approval for both your septic system and stormwater drainage. In such cases, an additional stormwater permit may also be necessary.

If you are building a new home, the building permit application must be signed by both the homeowner and general contractor, with copies of electrical and plumbing plans attached. In addition, workers’ compensation insurance must be in effect with an insurer providing them with a valid certificate of insurance for their contractor.

Before scheduling the initial inspection for projects totaling $2,500 or greater in total cost, contractors must submit a recorded Notice of Commencement with the MGO Portal and upload a copy to it. In addition, the Town requires that all subcontractors be licensed contractors as well as provide an affidavit stating their intent to use MGO for submitting applications, paying fees, and scheduling inspections.

Code Compliance

The Building Department issues code compliance certificates to owners who have met all rules and regulations related to their building project. This certification serves as evidence that all work was carried out correctly and to the highest standards; additionally, it verifies whether or not the building can safely house its intended occupants – an essential aspect of meeting Florida laws’ safety requirements.

When declaring a state of emergency due to a natural disaster, permit applications submitted post-declaration will be expedited if their improvements are directly resulting from its impact and do not require technical review (i.e., roof repairs, reroofing, or electrical service changes).

Florida building departments are responsible for upholding Florida’s regulations pertaining to building construction and occupancy. Their office keeps records on codes and regulations, investigates possible code violations, and approves or rejects making plans before issuing violations and citations as needed – all with the aim of keeping buildings safe according to standards set out in state codes.

Indian River County’s single-family home market is on an upswing, particularly in central and southern counties. Local builders such as Lifestyle are involved with multiple developments, while national builders such as Pulte and Divosta remain present throughout.

Inspections

Before any construction or alterations to existing structures are allowed to take place, an inspection must first be scheduled and performed. To arrange for this inspection, please fill out and submit the online Request Form or contact the Building Department directly.

Building Department inspectors are trained to assess construction projects for compliance with applicable codes, ordinances, and standards. Their inspection capabilities span across foundations, concrete, masonry walls, carpentry work, plumbing installations, electrical connections, sprinkler systems, air conditioning units, as well as structural inspections.

If the Governor of Florida declares a state of emergency in response to a natural disaster, Orchid’s Building Department shall expedite all applications for permits that result from such projects and do not require technical review; examples include roof repairs, reroofing, repiping or service changes or replacement of one window or door; these projects will be inspected and approved by an inspector on call on that particular day.

Sign Permits

Vero Beach and Indian River County share the Building Department. If you require permits, visit the Indian River County website; for projects that require historic preservation certification of appropriateness, site plan approval, or zoning approval, please go directly to the Planning & Development Department page.

As part of our commitment to our residents’ convenience, we have partnered with MyGovernmentOnline (MGO) for online processing of building permits. MGO is also used by Sebastian Town and Indian River County, so if you already have a profile with either, then that profile can also be used here and vice versa.

At their meeting on Thursday, the city’s planning board recommended approval of a new sign ordinance that restricts election and garage sale signs to property owners’ rights-of-way only. Real estate agents can still post open house signs on city streets between noon Thursday and 6 p.m. Sunday but must do so between those hours only.

Under these new restrictions, the city may charge a fee for installing private road name signs on city streets. The cost will depend on the time and materials needed to install one sign per hour – with periodic reviews to assess cost adjustments as necessary. All signs must be clearly labeled with legible drawings sized at least 8 12″x 11″, including dimensions such as: