Termites or Wood Rot? Reading Your Florida WDO Report

Updated 2026-08-30 · Sources verified 2026-07-20

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Short answer: no permit to inspect; permits to rebuild. Inspections and WDO reports are paperwork, not construction. The full answer and its source are below, with the code requirements and mistakes that trip up Orlando homeowners.

The permit answer

Orange County and the City of Orlando run separate permit offices with separate portals — and your mailing address alone doesn't tell you which one covers your home. Check which permit office covers your address →

Key facts before you start

• Florida law puts wood rot in the same box as termites. FS 482.021(30) defines a wood-destroying organism as "Arthropod or plant life which damages and can reinfest seasoned wood in a structure, namely termites, powder-post beetles, oldhouse borers, and wood-decaying fungi," and Form 13645 reprints that definition on its face. A homeowner who has decided "it is only rot, not termites" has not ruled out the finding that lands on a real estate report.
• "Dry rot" is a misnomer, and the numbers are why. USDA Forest Products Lab: "Brown, crumbly rot, in the dry condition, is sometimes called dry rot, but the term is incorrect because wood must be damp to decay, although it may become dry later." "Serious decay occurs only when the moisture content of the wood is above the fiber saturation point (average 30%)," while "Fully air-dried wood usually will have a moisture content not exceeding 20% and should provide a reasonable margin of safety against fungal damage. Thus, wood will not decay if it is kept air dry, and decay already present from prior infection will not progress." The Florida correction people get backwards: "By itself, the water vapor in humid air will not wet wood sufficiently to support significant decay, but it will permit development of some mold fungi." Humid air grows mold; liquid water rots wood. Find the leak, dry it under 20%, and the decay stops.
• Probe, do not look. FPL on subterranean termites: they "make galleries that generally follow the grain, leaving a shell of sound wood to conceal their activities. Because the galleries seldom show on the wood surfaces, probing with a pick or knife is advisable if the presence of termites is suspected." The telltales are "the earthen tubes or runways built by these insects over the surfaces of the foundation" and "the swarming of winged adults early in the spring or fall"; Form 13645's evidence list is "dead wood-destroying insects or insect parts, frass, shelter tubes, exit holes." Swarmer ID in one line — "The wasp waist of the ant and the long wings of the termite are distinguishing characteristics." The Florida risk profile is ours: hazard is greatest "beneath buildings without basements that were erected on a concrete slab foundation," and the colony "must have a constant source of moisture."
• Read what the report says it is NOT — all three disclaimers are printed on Form 13645 itself. Not a guarantee: it "IS MADE ON THE BASIS OF WHAT WAS VISIBLE AND READILY ACCESSIBLE AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A GUARANTEE OF THE ABSENCE OF WOOD-DESTROYING ORGANISMS (WDOs) OR DAMAGE." Not structural: "This is NOT a structural damage report ... FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY QUALIFIED EXPERTS OF THE BUILDING TRADE SHOULD BE MADE TO DETERMINE THE STRUCTURAL SOUNDNESS OF THE PROPERTY." And not a mold inspection: "This property was not inspected for any fungi other than wood-decaying fungi," and pest licensees are "not required, authorized or licensed to inspect or report for any fungi other than wood-destroying fungi" — that is a different specialist entirely.
• Section 3 is the part to read first, because it lists the places nobody looked. Form 13645: those areas "were obstructed or inaccessible. NO INFORMATION on the status of wood-destroying organisms or damage from wood-destroying organisms in these areas is provided in this report." Page 1 adds a standing exclusion for anything "enclosed or inaccessible, areas concealed by wall-coverings, floor coverings, furniture, equipment, stored articles, insulation or any portion of the structure in which inspection would necessitate removing or defacing any part of the structure." A clean Section 2 sitting above a filled-in Section 3 is a far weaker document than it looks.
• Previous treatment is its own box, and in Florida the trail is usually findable without asking anyone. Section 4 records "EVIDENCE of previous treatment observed" and warns that "The inspecting company can give no assurances with regard to work done by other companies. The company that performed the treatment should be contacted for information on treatment history and any warranty or service agreement which may be in place." To find that company: FBC 105.11 (2023 Florida Building Code, 8th Edition) requires "A permanent sign which identifies the termite treatment provider and need for reinspection and treatment contract renewal," and "The sign shall be posted near the water heater or electric panel." Look there before assuming the house was never treated — or that an old bond is still active.

What it costs

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit for a termite or wood-rot inspection in Orange County, FL?

No permit to inspect; permits to rebuild. Inspections and WDO reports are paperwork, not construction. REPAIRING what they find — sills, studs, joists, sheathing — is structural work: building permit in Orange County, and structural work is never covered by the under-$7,500 exemption.

What does a termite or wood-rot inspection cost?

DIY: n/a — termite treatment isn't a DIY job; a termite inspection costs $0–$250, with some companies inspecting free when not tied to a real-estate transaction Hiring it out: $225–$2,500 for exterior barrier treatment; $2,000–$8,000 for whole-home tenting; termite damage/wood repair runs $300–$2,000 minor, $2,000–$15,000 moderate to major Repairing the damage itself runs $300–$2,000 minor / $2,000–$15,000 moderate-to-major (HomeGuide's termite-damage survey) Published national figures (HomeGuide, checked Aug 2026) — local prices vary, and the free DIYrr planner pulls current retail prices for your exact repair.

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Sources

https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/482.021
https://forms.fdacs.gov/13645.pdf
https://www.fpl.fs.usda.gov/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr190/chapter_14.pdf
https://up.codes/s/notice-of-termite-protection

This guide is general informational content, not professional or legal advice. Codes and county rules change — confirm permit requirements with your local building department, and use a licensed professional for electrical, gas, structural, or main-line plumbing work.

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