City of Sarasota building permits: where to apply and who to call

How the City of Sarasota takes permit applications

The City of Sarasota runs its own building permit office and its own online system. On its Building Permits page, the City links to an online permit submission and inspection request portal. It also links to a permit search, so you can look up a permit that already exists. Both links are in the sources at the bottom of this page.

The City lists these permit types: residential and commercial new construction, demolition, and renovation. A kitchen, bathroom or whole-home remodel is a renovation. The City also posts a Residential Homeowner Remodel Checklist as a PDF. We have not summarized it here, so open it before you apply and follow the current version.

Who to call at the City

• Permitting: (941) 263-6494, or CityPermits@sarasotafl.gov.
• Inspections: (941) 263-6418, or Inspection@sarasotafl.gov. The City lists the inspection line as open Monday to Friday, 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM.

If you are not sure whether your address is inside the city or in the unincorporated part of Sarasota County, ask the City permitting line first. The two are separate offices with separate systems. This page covers the City only. We did not confirm the county's portal, exempt-work list or fees, so we do not list them here.

Single-trade jobs can be quicker

The City says some single-trade work can qualify for an over-the-counter permit. Its examples are AC changeouts, plumbing, electrical, roofing and windows. "Single trade" means one type of work, like swapping one air conditioner. A remodel that touches walls, plumbing and electrical together is not a single-trade job.

The City's page does not say how long an over-the-counter permit takes, so do not plan around a number. Ask the permit office when you apply.

Which Florida Building Code applies

The City says the 8th Edition (2023) Florida Building Code and the 2020 National Electrical Code have applied since December 31, 2023. It also says that from December 31, 2026, applications will be subject to the 9th Edition (2026) Florida Building Code. If your project is close to that date, ask the City which edition your application falls under. We explain what we could and could not confirm about the new edition in our guide to the 2026 code.

What we could not confirm

Homeowners always ask which jobs need no permit at all. The City has a "When is a building permit needed" PDF, but we could not read it. The City also has a fence checklist that we did not open. So we are not going to guess at an exempt-work list for you.

One more City rule is for contractors. The City says contractors whose business is located within City of Sarasota limits must hold a Local Business Tax Receipt. Ask any contractor you are considering which license and receipts they hold. You can check a Florida contractor license yourself at myfloridalicense.com.

Questions to ask before you apply

The City's page gives you the portal and phone numbers. A few questions for the permit office will fill the gaps.

1. Is my address inside City of Sarasota limits? If not, a different office handles your permit.
2. Does my job qualify for an over-the-counter permit, or does it need full plan review?
3. Which code edition applies to my application date? This matters most for projects that start near December 31, 2026.
4. What documents and drawings must I upload? The remodel checklist is a good place to start, but confirm the current version.
5. How do I request inspections, and what is the cutoff time? The City lists the inspection line hours, but ask about online requests too.

Keep a note of who you spoke with and when. If your contractor is pulling the permit, ask for a copy of the permit number so you can look it up on the City's permit search yourself.

If your project is a storm repair or a large renovation

Bigger jobs can trigger extra reviews. In flood areas, repair and improvement costs are compared against the value of the building. The Sarasota County Property Appraiser explains how it estimates that value in its public guide, and we summarize the Sarasota County rule in our Sarasota County 50 percent rule guide. The City of Sarasota has its own substantial improvement package that may apply different rules, and we did not read it. Ask the City permit office before you plan a large project in a flood area.

How Hildebrand handles permits in Sarasota County

Hildebrand Construction & Remodeling is a family-owned Florida Certified Building Contractor (license CBC1257253), based in Palmetto. We serve Sarasota County homeowners, including Sarasota, Osprey, Nokomis, Venice, North Port, Englewood and Siesta Key. On every job we pull the required permits and meet the Florida Building Code inspections, so you do not file the paperwork yourself.

Plumbing and electrical are done by licensed trade partners that we manage and coordinate under one licensed contractor. See how a job runs on our process page, or look at our kitchen and bathroom remodeling. We give a free in-home consultation and a written estimate, with no trip fee. Call or text (941) 284-2218, Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Calls and forms outside those hours are answered the next business day.

Questions homeowners ask