Owner-builder permits in Orange County, FL: pulling your own permit, explained

Verified against the Florida Statutes and Orange County's own forms · Updated 2026-07-19

Florida's owner-builder exemption — section 489.103(7), Florida Statutes — lets you act as your own contractor, without a contractor's license, when building or improving your own home, provided you personally supervise the work. It's a real right with real obligations, and Orange County has a specific online process for it. Here's the whole picture, sourced from the statute and the county's own documents.

Who qualifies

You may build or improve a one- or two-family residence (or a farm outbuilding), and a commercial building only if costs do not exceed $75,000 — and it must be for your own use or occupancy, not built or substantially improved for sale or lease.
Selling or leasing within 1 year of completing the work (or offering to) creates a legal presumption you built it for sale or lease — which violates the exemption.
You must personally appear and sign the permit application. Orange County is explicit that owner-builders may not give a power of attorney to an agent to act on their behalf.
You must provide direct, onsite supervision yourself — that responsibility can only be delegated to a licensed contractor working within the scope of their license.

How Orange County's online process works

Per the county's published procedure, Fast Track issues owner-builder permits online in five steps:

Take the Fast Track online permitting training course.
Set up a Fast Track account as a non-license holder.
Apply online, writing "Owner-Builder Permit to …" in the Description of Work field.
Upload the required plans and documents.
Complete a video call to verify your identity and submit the Owner-Builder Disclosure Statement.

The video-verification meeting. Email OwnerVerification@ocfl.net with your permit number and contact info; a Division of Building Safety representative emails you a Webex invitation plus the disclosure statement to print and complete during the meeting. You need a device with a camera and microphone, and a valid state or federally-issued photo ID. The permit is not issued until the signed and verified disclosure statement is uploaded to the "other documents" link in Fast Track.

Also budget for the rest of the machinery: separate sub-permits (roofing, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, gas, irrigation) as applicable once the building permit is issued; a recorded Notice of Commencement for any job valued over $5,000 (over $15,000 for mechanical permits) — the first inspection can't be scheduled without it, and the county's application carries the statutory warning that failing to record one may mean paying twice for the same improvements; and inspections, which are required for all permits — the permit isn't complete until a "290 Final Inspection" passes.

What the exemption does NOT let you do

It is not a loophole for unlicensed contractors. You may not hire an unlicensed person to act as your contractor or supervise the people working on your home — and it's your responsibility to verify every license.
You become the employer. Any unlicensed helper must work under your direct supervision and be employed by you — meaning federal income-tax withholding, FICA contributions, and workers' compensation.
The statute's own warning: unlicensed operators frequently push homeowners into pulling owner-builder permits for them. If an unlicensed worker is injured on your property you can be held personally liable — and your homeowner's insurance may not cover it. The county's form adds that homeowners hiring unlicensed contractors may face a fine of up to $5,000 (F.S. 455.228(1)).

Frequently asked questions

Can someone else pull the owner-builder permit for me?

No. The statute requires the owner to personally appear and sign the building permit application, and Orange County states flatly that owner-builders cannot give a power of attorney to an agent to act on their behalf (F.S. 489.103).

Can I hire whoever I want once I have an owner-builder permit?

No — it is not a loophole for unlicensed contractors. You may not hire an unlicensed person to act as your contractor or supervise the work, any unlicensed helper must be YOUR employee (income-tax withholding, FICA, workers' comp), and the county's form warns that homeowners hiring unlicensed contractors may face a fine of up to $5,000 under F.S. 455.228(1).

What if I sell the house after doing owner-builder work?

Selling or leasing (or offering to) within 1 year after completing the work creates a legal presumption that you built it for sale or lease — which violates the exemption. Plan to stay put, or hire a licensed contractor instead.

First check which permit office covers your address — Orange County vs. City of Orlando →

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Sources

https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/489.103
https://www.orangecountyfl.net/portals/0/resource%20library/permits%20-%20licenses/Owner%20Builder%20Disclosure%20Statement-CERT.pdf
https://www.ocfl.net/Portals/0/resource%20library/permits%20-%20licenses/Owner-Builder-Online-Permitting-Instructions.pdf
https://www.orangecountyfl.net/Portals/0/resource%20library/permits%20-%20licenses/A%20Guide%20for%20Residential%20Plan%20Approval-CERT.pdf
https://www.orangecountyfl.net/PermitsLicenses/One-StopPermittingServices.aspx
https://www.orangecountyfl.net/PermitsLicenses/Permits/AlterationsRenovationsRepairs.aspx
https://fasttrack.ocfl.net/

This guide is general informational content, not professional or legal advice. Statutes, procedures, and county requirements change — confirm with the Division of Building Safety before applying.