Lee County
Lee County Department of Community Development
In short
Lee County Department of Community Development issues 2 permits we publish for Lee County, last verified 2026-10-06. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.
What this agency issues
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoning Approval and Certificate of Use (commercial location)only if it applies to you | Lee County Department of Community Development | The Certificate of Use charge is set in the Use/Occupancy section of Lee County Community Development's Building Permit Fee Schedule (effective April 15, 2026). This record states no amount; contact Lee County Community Development (239-533-8329) for the amount that applies to a given location. | one-time per business location and use; a new location or a change of use needs a new approval | 2026-10-06 |
| Building Permit (Lee County Community Development)only if it applies to you | Lee County Department of Community Development | Every application: Application Fee $50, Technology Fee $35, and an Operational Support Fee assessed as a percentage of total review and inspection fees. Commercial/multi-family plan review: $75 per review discipline initial, $25 per discipline resubmission; residential plan review $50 initial, $25 resubmission. Inspections for minor work (2,500 sq ft work area or less): $50 per required inspection per discipline; roofing $100. Inspections for major work (over 2,500 sq ft work area): structural $0.15 per sq ft ($500 minimum), electrical $0.04 per sq ft ($150 minimum), mechanical $0.035 per sq ft ($125 minimum), plumbing $0.04 per sq ft ($150 minimum), roofing $100. Contractor change $50 per request; completion permit $200 (commercial/multi-family) or $100 (other types); permit extension $50; temporary certificate of occupancy or completion (30 days) $100 initial; work without a permit is charged double the total review and inspection fees, $200 minimum. | one-time per construction project; extensions are charged separately | 2026-10-06 |
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
Zoning Approval and Certificate of Use (commercial location)
Lee County Community Development's Building Permit Fee Schedule states: "Any business operating from a commercial location requires an approved Certificate of Use." Lee County Code § 26-65 requires the Tax Collector to confirm with the appropriate city and county departments that a business is properly zoned for its use before issuing the county business tax receipt, so this approval comes first. The Tax Collector's Business Tax Checklist directs a business in unincorporated Lee County operating from a commercial location to Lee County Community Development, 1500 Monroe St., Fort Myers (239-533-8329), for zoning requirements and approval, and directs a business inside city limits to its city for city zoning approval. The checklist also routes some home-based businesses in unincorporated Lee County through a separate affidavit process. This record gives no dollar amount for the Certificate of Use; contact Community Development for the amount.
Building Permit (Lee County Community Development)
Lee County Community Development's Building Permit Fee Schedule was approved by the Lee County Board of County Commissioners on March 17, 2026 and took effect April 15, 2026, after an updated cost analysis of permitting and inspection services; the figures here are as published on that fee page. The page states that the Application Fee, Technology Fee and Operational Support Fee apply to each application, and that the Operational Support Fee is a percentage of total review and inspection fees (excluding conditional reviews) that may fluctuate with revenue and expenditure trends. The schedule sets fees by record type (accessory structures, additions, fire, new buildings, pools, remodeling, signs, temporary uses and others), so a build-out, change of use, sign or new building for any of these industries is priced under its own record type. The fee page states that its updates apply only to Community Development building permit fees and do not include Department of Transportation right-of-way and driveway permits, Natural Resources well permits, or building impact fees, each of which has its own schedule.
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- Lee County
- Phone
- 239-533-8329
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.
- Building Permit Fee Schedule (approved by the BOCC March 17, 2026; effective April 15, 2026)Lee County Department of Community Development · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-06
- Business Tax Checklist (Rev. 05/25/23)Lee County Tax Collector · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-06
- Lee County Code of Ordinances, Ch. 26, Art. III — County Local Business Tax Ordinance (§§ 26-56 to 26-67; version current June 17, 2026)Municode / Lee County, Florida · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-06
Other offices serving Lee County
The full permit list for this jurisdiction
Industry permit lists that include this agency
Florida jurisdictions
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.