Marion County
Marion County Building Safety Department
In short
Marion County Building Safety Department issues 2 permits we publish for Marion County, last verified 2026-10-15. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contractor Registration and Certificate of Competency | Marion County Building Safety Department | $100 per trade, for issuance of a local competency card or a state-registered competency card, renewed every two years (Res. 18-R-044, item 2A-4) | two years; Code Sec. 5.5-63(d) provides that each certificate is renewed for a period of two years | 2026-10-15 |
| Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Additions and Alterations)only if it applies to you | Marion County Building Safety Department | Commercial new construction, commercial additions/alterations and commercial accessory structures (Res. 25-R-295): $300.00 plus $.195 per square foot from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2027, which is the full fee of $300.00 plus $.39 per square foot with the square-footage portion cut by 50 percent. Minimum new commercial permit fee $300; non-refundable deposit $300 for a new commercial permit and $75 for other permits. Flat commercial fees, not discounted: commercial electrical, plumbing or mechanical scope $125.00 each; commercial sign $125.00; commercial roof $175.00; commercial pool/spa $500.00; commercial storage tank $156.00; annual facility permit (commercial) $1,399.00; temporary tent $115.00; fire sprinklers/alarms $125.00; gas $140.00; generator $165.00; demolition $115.00. Temporary certificate of occupancy $75.00; re-inspection $50.00 (no fee for a first disapproval unless the work was not ready); second re-inspection $200.00; after-hours inspection $75.00 an hour, two-hour minimum. State surcharges collected with the permit: BCAIF 1.5 percent and DBPR 1.0 percent of base permit fees, $2.00 minimum each. Work begun without a permit: a penalty of 100 percent of the usual fee in addition to the permit fees. | per permit | 2026-10-15 |
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
Contractor Registration and Certificate of Competency
Code Sec. 5.5-62 states that every contractor doing business in Marion County shall register with the county building official and demonstrate competency. Under Sec. 5.5-62(3), a state-certified contractor exhibits only the state certificate, proof of liability insurance and proof of workers' compensation coverage. A local certificate of competency requires a minimum score of 75 percent on a trade examination and a business-and-law examination (Sec. 5.5-63(a)). Sec. 5.5-63(f) requires liability insurance of $100,000 per occurrence for personal injury and $50,000 per occurrence for property damage, naming Marion County as certificate holder, plus workers' compensation coverage or an exemption. The fees are as set in Resolution No. 18-R-044, which the Permits & Inspections page lists as the fee schedule resolution (February 2018): $100.00 per trade for issuance of a local or state-registered competency card; inactive status $40.00 per trade; late renewal $30.00 per certificate for each year of inactivity plus the issuance fee; replacement card $30.00; examination application approval request $50.00; examination application processing $30.00; and $30.00 for each letter of reciprocity, good standing or examination verification. The Tax Collector's Business Tax License page gives 352-438-2428 for county contractor licensing.
Commercial Building Permit (New Construction, Additions and Alterations)
The figures are as set in Resolution No. 25-R-295, adopted by the Board of County Commissioners in August 2025 and effective October 1, 2025, which the Building Safety Department's Permits & Inspections page links as a current fee resolution. Its "Current Permit Fees" column restates Res. 20-R-207 (August 2020), and Section 4 reduces only the square-footage fees by 50 percent for two years, through September 30, 2027, while "Administrative and other fees will remain at the current schedule with no discount." Section 4 also lets an applicant request one six-month permit extension that keeps the 50 percent reduction; further extensions lose it. Code Sec. 5.5-35 provides that permit fees are set by resolution, and Section 1B of the resolution sets the 100 percent penalty for work started before a permit is obtained. Section 1A adds the state BCAIF (1.5 percent) and DBPR (1.0 percent) surcharges on base permit fees, each with a $2.00 minimum. Code Sec. 5.5-31(a) applies the Florida Building Code in Marion County, and the Permits & Inspections page names the 8th edition of the Florida Building Code as the current standard. The Marion County Tax Collector's Business Tax License page refers contractors working in Ocala, Belleview and Dunnellon to those cities' building departments. Contact Building Safety at 352-438-2400.
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- Marion County
- Phone
- 352-438-2400
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 Safety — Permits & Inspections (fee resolutions and ordinances, insurance requirements)Marion County Building Safety Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-15
- Business Tax License (occupational licenses) — repeal of the county Occupational License Ordinance and city contactsMarion County Tax Collector · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-15
- Marion County Code of Ordinances, Ch. 5.5 (Buildings and Building Regulations), Art. II Secs. 5.5-31 to 5.5-35 and Art. III Secs. 5.5-61 to 5.5-63 (Supp. 122)Marion County, Florida, via Municode Library · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-15
- Resolution No. 18-R-044, contractor licensing fee schedule (adopted February 6, 2018, effective July 1, 2018)Marion County Board of County Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-15
- Resolution No. 25-R-295, building permit fee schedule (adopted August 2025, effective October 1, 2025)Marion County Board of County Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-15
Other offices serving Marion County
The full permit list for this jurisdiction
Industry permit lists that include this agency
Florida jurisdictions
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