Permits and HOA FAQ
Permit and HOA questions
Fourteen questions about licenses, permits by office, HOA approval and the new $7,500 exemption, answered short with the quoted source linked.
Permits, plainly
Who pulls it? We do, as the contractor. You sign the application, and in Osceola County on jobs of five thousand dollars or more you also sign a notice of commencement that is recorded at the courthouse before the first inspection.
How long does it take? Osceola residential plan review is normally three to five days. The City of Kissimmee's driveway application takes at least two business days to review and at least two more to issue after payment. St. Cloud and Polk vary by scope.
What does it cost? A few hundred dollars for residential flatwork in our jurisdictions, itemised in the proposal rather than buried.
What happens if work is done without one? It surfaces at resale, when a title search or a buyer's inspector finds unpermitted work, and resolving it afterwards costs more than the permit would have. We do not take jobs on the basis of skipping it.
Does the new $7,500 exemption help? For a qualifying stand-alone pad or patio, yes, with a written request to the building official. Not for a driveway in the right-of-way, not for structural work, and not in a flood hazard area.
Associations, plainly
Do I need approval? In a community with an architectural review body, for anything visible, almost always. That includes changing material or colour, widening, and often drainage work.
How long? It ranges from a two-week cycle to a monthly meeting. Celebration's committee meets the third Monday; Bellalago's meets twice a month; Poinciana's Design Control Board treats an unanswered application as disapproved after thirty days.
What goes in the packet? Typically a survey or site plan with the work marked, the product and colour, the pattern, a drainage note and the installer's certificate of insurance, sometimes naming the association.
Can the board require a permit first? No. The 2026 legislation bars an association from requiring a building permit as a precondition of architectural review, which removes a long-standing circular problem.
What if I skip it? The association can require removal, and the cost of that lands entirely on the owner. It is the most expensive shortcut available on a hardscape project.
Questions we get about this
Who pulls the permit, the contractor or the homeowner?
We do, as the contractor of record; Osceola's FAQ says any owner, licensed contractor or authorized agent may bring in the application but only the applicant signs. You sign the application and, at $5,000 or more in Osceola, the Notice of Commencement.
Do I need a permit for a driveway in Osceola County?
Yes: §22-50.6 requires a county driveway permit for construction or widening and caps width at 24 feet. Unincorporated Osceola County.
Do I need a permit for a patio in St. Cloud?
Yes; patios and decks are on the city's permit list. City of St. Cloud.
Do pavers need a permit?
In Osceola, under the driveway permit; in St. Cloud, referred to Public Works; in Polk, within setbacks or with a Paver Release Form in the right-of-way; in Orange, a Zoning permit.
Does my HOA have to approve a like-for-like driveway replacement?
In every verified community here, yes; APV requires prior written approval for any driveway or paved area. Association of Poinciana Villages (APV).
What happens if I install pavers without ARC approval?
The association can require you to remove or redo the work at your cost; APV's criteria say the applicant must rectify violations after notice. Get the letter first.
Can the HOA require a building permit before it reviews my project?
Not since July 1, 2026; HB 803 prohibits it. Florida's $7,500 Permit Exemption (HB 803) and Small Concrete Jobs.
What is the $7,500 exemption?
HB 803 (effective July 1, 2026) exempts single-family work valued under $7,500 from a building permit with a written request, excluding structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas and flood-zone work. It does not cover driveway permits.
What is a Notice of Commencement?
A recorded notice required in Osceola for projects of $5,000 or more before the first inspection; we prepare it, you sign before a notary, it is recorded at the courthouse.
How long does approval take?
APV: deemed denied at 30 days without action. Celebration: third Monday monthly. Bellalago: twice monthly. Osceola plan review: 3 to 5 days. Kissimmee driveway application: 2 business days plus 2 to issue.
Can I widen my driveway onto the grass by the street?
That strip is usually public right-of-way; widening needs the driveway permit and the county's width limit applies. Driveway Widening Rules: Osceola County, Kissimmee and St. Cloud.
Which office covers my address?
The Permit & Jurisdiction Finder checks city and county boundaries; addresses near a line get a call to the office.
Is a right-of-way apron a separate permit?
In Kissimmee it is part of the Driveway / Sidewalk application; in Osceola it falls under LDC 4.12.2 with the driveway permit; in Polk the right-of-way portion is what triggers the permit.
Get a written estimate for your project
Tell us the size, the surface you have now and where the lot is. We visit, measure, check access and drainage, and send a written proposal. No pressure calls.
What changed in this update: 2026-09-11 — first published