Two clocks run on every Florida building permit. One is the state's: since July 1, 2026, a permit for a single-family dwelling lasts a year from issuance. The other is the Florida Building Code's: a permit goes invalid if work does not start, or stops, for six months, and "active progress" means passing an inspection at least every 180 days. On top of both, each South Florida building department has its own renewal and extension rules. This guide lays them out so a builder can keep the electrical sub-permit, and the job, from lapsing.
The 2026 change: one year for single-family permits
CS/CS/HB 803 (2026), the Building Permits and Inspections bill, provided for a 1-year expiration for building permits for single-family dwellings, with its provisions taking effect July 1, 2026, according to the Florida Senate bill summary. The rule is now in section 553.79(1)(c), Florida Statutes:
- A building permit issued by a local government for a single-family dwelling expires 1 year after issuance, or on the effective date of the next edition of the Florida Building Code, whichever is later (s. 553.79(1)(c)).
- The local government may send a written notice of expiration by e-mail or mail to the owner and the contractor listed on the permit no less than 30 days before the permit is set to expire, identifying the permit and the date.
- The paragraph does not prevent a local government from extending a permit beyond the expiration date.
Two cautions. The rule covers permits for single-family dwellings; commercial, multifamily and other permits still run on the code and local rules below. And the "next edition" branch only helps when the next code takes effect more than a year after issuance. The 9th Edition of the Florida Building Code is proposed to take effect December 31, 2026 under a rule published September 23, 2026 (Florida Administrative Register notice); it is not final. Whether the new statute changes the life of a permit issued before July 1, 2026 is a question for the department that issued it.
The code clock: six months and 180 days
The Florida Building Code 8th Edition (2023) sets the baseline in Section 105.4.1 (FBC-Building 105.4.1 on UpCodes; confirm the adopted text with your building department):
- Start and keep going. A permit becomes invalid if the work is not commenced within 6 months after issuance, or is suspended or abandoned for 6 months after it starts (FBC 105.4.1).
- Active progress. Work is considered actively progressing when the permit receives an approved inspection within 180 days (FBC 105.4.1.3). A failed inspection does not reset the clock; an approved one does.
- After it lapses. A new permit is required before work continues on a permit that has expired for lack of progress or abandonment, and if no new permit is obtained within 180 days, the building official may require removal of the work (FBC 105.4.1.1 and 105.4.1.2).
- Charges. Renewal, reissuance and extension charges are set by the local administrative authority (FBC 105.4.1.4).
For electrical work the practical point is the gap between inspections. On a house where the electrical rough is approved and then the job sits waiting on drywall, windows or a loan draw, the next approved electrical inspection can be months away. Plan inspections so something passes inside every 180 days, or ask for an extension before the date, not after.
Local rules in South Florida
| Department | What its published guidance says |
|---|---|
| Miami-Dade County (unincorporated) | Expired permits are researched with a notarized "Request for Expired Permit Check"; if a more recent permit covers the same scope, the old open or expired permit is instead cancelled with a Request for Permit Cancellation using the "Superseded by Another Permit" option (Miami-Dade expired permit check). Temporary power permits for elevator testing are valid 180 days and residential/commercial temp for test 30 days (Miami-Dade electrical permits). |
| City of Miami | An Extension (for an active permit) or a Completion (for an expired one) each gives 180 days (City of Miami extension or completion). |
| Miami Beach | Renewals are requested in Civic Access; a renewal runs 180 days from expiration, and permits from before December 2020 need administration approval (Miami Beach expired permits and renewals). |
| Fort Lauderdale | Applications are abandoned after 180 days; one renewal is allowed; the Permit Solutions Team is at 954-828-3160 (Fort Lauderdale building permits). |
| Broward County (unincorporated) | An expired permit may be renewed within 180 days of expiring; after that, a new permit is needed under the current code (Broward permit guidance). |
| Boca Raton | A permit expires when no approved inspection occurs within 180 days; it can be renewed once, or extended before it expires, under City Code 19-82 to 19-87 (Boca Raton renewing expired permits). |
| Palm Beach County (unincorporated) | A renewal self-issues when the permit has had fewer than 3 renewals, has been inactive less than 6 months, and has no contractor change (PBC ePZB FAQ). |
These are summaries of each department's published pages, which change. The department with jurisdiction over the address has the final word; our Miami-Dade electrical permits page and the South Florida electrical permits guide link each one.
Extension, renewal or a new permit?
- Extension: asked for while the permit is still active, usually with a reason. It keeps the permit from lapsing at all.
- Renewal or completion: reopening a permit that has lapsed, within the window the department allows (180 days in most of the rules above).
- New permit: once the window passes, expect a new application, and in Broward's words, under the current code. With the 9th Edition proposed for December 31, 2026, that can mean a different code edition for the same job.
- Closing an expired permit: separate from all three. Under section 553.79(16), an expired permit whose requirements are substantially complete may be closed without a new permit, with the remaining work done under the code in effect when the application was received; and a department may close a permit 6 years after issuance without a final inspection if it finds no apparent safety hazard. See open and expired permits.
Keeping the electrical sub-permit alive
- Put each permit's issue date and expiration date on the schedule, including the electrical sub-permit and any temporary power permit.
- Know which rule governs: the 1-year single-family rule, the 180-day inspection rule, or both.
- Book an approved inspection inside every 180-day window. The electrical inspection sequence shows which inspections come when.
- Watch for the department's expiration notice; under s. 553.79(1)(c) it goes to the owner and the contractor on the permit.
- Ask for the extension before the date, in the department's portal.
Questions builders ask
Does the 1-year rule apply to a commercial tenant improvement?
No. Section 553.79(1)(c) speaks to permits for a single-family dwelling. Commercial permits follow the code's 180-day rule and the department's own policy.
Does a failed inspection count as progress?
The code says work is actively progressing when the permit receives an approved inspection within 180 days (FBC 105.4.1.3). A failed one does not meet that wording. See what to do after a failed electrical inspection.
If the master permit expires, what happens to the electrical sub-permit?
Ask the department. In Miami-Dade, the City of Miami and Miami Beach, the electrical sub-permit is issued under a master permit, so keep the master alive and confirm with the department how its status affects the subs. Our guide to master and sub-permits explains the link.
Will the job switch to the 9th Edition if the permit lapses?
It can. Broward, for one, says a permit not renewed in time needs a new permit under the current code (Broward guidance). The 9th Edition is proposed, not adopted; check its status before you rely on either edition.
This is general information about Florida law, not legal advice. Statutes, rules and local procedures change. Read the current statute, follow the building department with jurisdiction over the address, and talk to a Florida attorney about your own contract or dispute.
Need a permit rescued?
KRW Electric (EC13012832) handles the electrical permit and inspections on its jobs across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. If an electrical permit is close to expiring or already has, send us the permit number or call (305) 359-7312. GCs can also see our general contractor page and the permit review deadline guide.
Reviewed by Kyle White, KRW Electric Company LLC — licensed electrical contractor EC13012832.
