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Alachua County

Alachua County Growth Management, Building Division

In short

Alachua County Growth Management, Building Division issues 3 permits we publish for Alachua County, last verified 2026-10-20. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.

What this agency issues

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Commercial Building Permitonly if it applies to youAlachua County Growth Management, Building DivisionSection 553.79(1)(f), Florida Statutes, as amended by Chapter 2026-63, Laws of Florida (laws.flrules.org/2026/63), effective July 1, 2026: "Inspection fees may not be based on the total cost of a project and may not exceed the actual inspection costs incurred by the local enforcement agency." The county's flat-rate building items, as published on the Building Fee Schedule page and in the FY26/27 Schedule of Fees and Charges for Services (effective 10/01/2026): building inspection not included in the permit $90.00; re-inspection $90.00, paid before requesting the next inspection after a failed inspection; overtime inspection after hours, on weekends and holidays $130.00/hour (2-hour minimum); roof, new or repair, commercial $260.00; commercial modular structure $525.00; any demolition $205.00; extension of an unexpired permit approved by the Building Official $90.00; extension and reissuance of an expired permit $90.00 (inspection fees not included); processing of an applicant-requested refund where the project has not started $90.00.per permit; the Building Permits page states that building permits are valid for a period of 180 days and that construction must commence within that 180-day window2026-10-20
Contractor Registration with the County Building Division (Unincorporated Alachua County)only if it applies to youAlachua County Growth Management, Building Division$65 per renewal ("License Renewal for Registered Contractor", FY26/27 Schedule of Fees and Charges for Services, effective 10/01/2026)renewed on the county's License Renewal Form; contact the Building Division (licensing@alachuacounty.us, 352-374-5243) for the renewal date that applies to the registration2026-10-20
Sign Permitonly if it applies to youAlachua County Growth Management, Building DivisionA sign permit fee is not published in the FY26/27 Schedule of Fees and Charges for Services or on the Building Fee Schedule page; contact the Building Division at 352-374-5243 for the amount that applies.one-time, per sign permit application2026-10-20

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

About each permit

Commercial Building Permit

The Building Division's Building Permits page states that a permit is generally required when any owner, authorized agent or contractor wants to construct, enlarge, alter, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to install, alter, repair, remove or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, and that redecorating and minor repairs generally need none. The flat fees here are as published in the county's FY26/27 Schedule of Fees and Charges for Services (Office of Management and Budget), each page marked "Effective 10/01/2026"; the schedule describes itself as a fee resolution, and the adopting resolution is not published online; the Building Fee Schedule page repeats them and ends "Effective 10/01/2026." The county schedule still computes the main permit fee from construction valuation. Chapter 2026-63, Laws of Florida, approved May 6, 2026 and effective July 1, 2026, amended s. 553.79(1)(f) so that inspection fees may not be based on the total cost of a project, so this record publishes the statute's rule and the schedule's flat-rate items, not the valuation figures. A commercial modular structure fee applies only to modular structures approved by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and includes the base permit fee and on-site inspections but not Fire Marshal review or inspections, per the schedule's note. Fire plan review and Fire Marshal Release fees are charged separately by Fire Rescue. Building Division: County Annex Building, 10 SW 2nd Avenue, Gainesville (352-374-5243).

Contractor Registration with the County Building Division (Unincorporated Alachua County)

County Code Sec. 101.01 states: "This chapter shall apply within the unincorporated area of Alachua County." Sec. 101.05(a) provides that within the unincorporated area no person shall engage in the contracting and specialty trades defined in Sec. 101.03 unless he or she has first registered with the county; the code text still names "the codes enforcement department", and the Building Division now handles the filing. The Building Division's Forms page links a License Renewal Form, which states that "To have your license on active status and remain on our local contractor list" a contractor must furnish a copy of the current state license, a current certificate of liability insurance, and a current certificate of workers' compensation or a workers' compensation exemption, submitted to licensing@alachuacounty.us. The $65.00 "License Renewal for Registered Contractor" fee is as published in the county's FY26/27 Schedule of Fees and Charges for Services (Office of Management and Budget), each page marked "Effective 10/01/2026"; the schedule describes itself as a fee resolution, and the adopting resolution is not published online, and the Building Fee Schedule page publishes the same amount. The FY26/27 schedule publishes no fee for an initial registration; contact the Building Division at 352-374-5243 for that amount. Building Division: County Annex Building, 10 SW 2nd Avenue, Gainesville.

Sign Permit

Growth Management's Zoning Administration page states that the division is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Unified Land Development Code "including the sign ordinance". The Building Division publishes a Sign Permit Requirements sheet that lists the information to be submitted with a sign permit application to the Building Division (352-374-5243). A sign permit fee is not published in the FY26/27 Schedule of Fees and Charges for Services or on the Building Fee Schedule page, so this record carries no amount; contact the Building Division for the current charge.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Alachua County
Phone
352-374-5243

Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.

Sources

Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

  1. Alachua County Code of Ordinances, Ch. 101 – Contractors (Ord. No. 88-19, as amended)Alachua County, Florida, via Municode Library · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  2. Building Fee Schedule (Effective 10/01/2026)Alachua County Growth Management, Building Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  3. Building FormsAlachua County Growth Management, Building Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  4. Building PermitsAlachua County Growth Management, Building Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  5. FY26/27 Schedule of Fees and Charges for Services (Effective 10/01/2026)Alachua County Office of Management and Budget · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  6. Laws of Florida, Chapter 2026-63 (CS/CS/HB 803) — building permits and inspectionsFlorida Department of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  7. License Renewal FormAlachua County Growth Management, Building Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  8. Sign Permit RequirementsAlachua County Growth Management, Building Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  9. Zoning AdministrationAlachua County Growth Management · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20

Other offices serving Alachua County

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Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.