Florida 2023 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0765 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	HB 765 2023
4	4
5	5
6	6
7	7	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
8	8	hb0765-00
9	9	Page 1 of 9
10	10	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
11	11
12	12
13	13
14	14	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15	An act relating to building permit applications to 2
16	16	local governments; amending s. 553.792, F.S.; 3
17	17	requiring a local government to post and update 4
18	18	certain information on its website; requiring 5
19	19	electronic submission of an application; providing an 6
20	20	exception; authorizing a local government to provide 7
21	21	notice of expiration within a specified timeframe; 8
22	22	prohibiting a local government from issuing a permit 9
23	23	unless specified information is included with the 10
24	24	permit and provided to the applicant; revising the 11
25	25	application process; revising the timeframes during 12
26	26	which a local government must request additional 13
27	27	information and approve or deny an application; 14
28	28	prohibiting a local government from requesting 15
29	29	additional information from, and imposing additional 16
30	30	requirements on, an applicant other than those posted 17
31	31	on its website; deleting a local government's ability 18
32	32	to request additional information up to three times 19
33	33	and to prescribe different timeframes for reviewing 20
34	34	applications; revising the amount by which a permit 21
35	35	fee must be reduced in certain instances; providing 22
36	36	applicability; providing for enforcement; providing a 23
37	37	limitation on a specified fee; amending ss. 125.56 and 24
38	38	553.79, F.S.; making conforming changes; providing an 25
39	39
40	40	HB 765 2023
41	41
42	42
43	43
44	44	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
45	45	hb0765-00
46	46	Page 2 of 9
47	47	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
48	48
49	49
50	50
51	51	effective date. 26
52	52	27
53	53	Be It Enacted by the Legisla ture of the State of Florida: 28
54	54	29
55	55	Section 1. Section 553.792, Florida Statutes, is amended 30
56	56	to read: 31
57	57	553.792 Building permits; applications permit application 32
58	58	to local government; simplified permitting process; 33
59	59	enforcement.— 34
60	60	(1)(a) A local government t hat issues building permits 35
61	61	shall post the following information on its website: 36
62	62	1. Each type of building permit application, including a 37
63	63	list of all required attachments, drawings, or other 38
64	64	requirements or parts for each type of application. A local 39
65	65	government must post and update the status of every received 40
66	66	application on its website until the issuance of the building 41
67	67	permit. Completed applications, including payments, attachments, 42
68	68	drawings, or other requirements or parts, must be able to be 43
69	69	submitted electronically to the local government's building 44
70	70	department. Accepted methods of electronic submission include, 45
71	71	but are not limited to, e -mail submission in Portable Document 46
72	72	Format or electronic submission through an electronic fill -in 47
73	73	form available on the local government's website or through a 48
74	74	third-party submission management software or application that 49
75	75	can be downloaded on a mobile device. Completed applications, 50
76	76
77	77	HB 765 2023
78	78
79	79
80	80
81	81	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
82	82	hb0765-00
83	83	Page 3 of 9
84	84	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
85	85
86	86
87	87
88	88	including payments, attachments, drawings, or other requirements 51
89	89	or parts, may also be submitted in nonelectronic format at the 52
90	90	discretion of the local government. 53
91	91	2. The local government's procedures for processing, 54
92	92	reviewing, and approving submitted applications. 55
93	93	3. The local government's schedule of reasonable fees, as 56
94	94	authorized by s. 125.56(2), s. 166.222, or s. 553.80, and its 57
95	95	building permit and inspection utilization report required under 58
96	96	s. 553.80(7). 59
97	97	(b) A local government that issues building permits may 60
98	98	send a written notice of expiration, by e -mail or United States 61
99	99	Postal Service, to the owner of the property and the contractor 62
100	100	listed on the permit no less than 60 days before the permit is 63
101	101	set to expire. The written notice must identify the permit that 64
102	102	is set to expire and the date on which the permit will expire. 65
103	103	(c) A local government may not issue a building permit 66
104	104	unless: 67
105	105	1. The permit includes on its face or there is attached to 68
106	106	the permit the following statement: "NOTICE: In addition to the 69
107	107	requirements of this permit, there may be additional 70
108	108	restrictions applicabl e to this property that may be found in 71
109	109	the public records, and there may be additional permits required 72
110	110	from other governmental entities such as water management 73
111	111	districts, state agencies, or federal agencies." 74
112	112	2. The local government provides the build ing permit 75
113	113
114	114	HB 765 2023
115	115
116	116
117	117
118	118	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
119	119	hb0765-00
120	120	Page 4 of 9
121	121	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
122	122
123	123
124	124
125	125	applicant with a copy of the Florida Right to Farm Act under s. 76
126	126	823.14. 77
127	127	(2)(1)(a) Within 10 days after of an applicant submits 78
128	128	submitting an application to the local government, the local 79
129	129	government shall advise the applicant what information, if any, 80
130	130	is needed to deem the application properly completed in 81
131	131	compliance with the filing requirements posted published by the 82
132	132	local government on its website. If the local government does 83
133	133	not provide written notice that the applicant has not submitted 84
134	134	the properly completed application, the application shall be 85
135	135	automatically deemed properly completed and accepted. Within 30 86
136	136	45 days after receiving a completed application, a local 87
137	137	government must notify an applicant if additional information is 88
138	138	required for the local government to determine the sufficiency 89
139	139	of the application, and shall specify the additional information 90
140	140	that is required. The applicant must submit the additional 91
141	141	information to the local government or request that the local 92
142	142	government act without the additional information. While the 93
143	143	applicant responds to the request for additional information, 94
144	144	the 90-day 120-day period described in this paragraph subsection 95
145	145	is tolled. Both parties may agree to a reasonable request for an 96
146	146	extension of time, p articularly in the event of a force majeure 97
147	147	or other extraordinary circumstance. The local government must 98
148	148	approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application within 99
149	149	90 120 days following receipt of a completed application. 100
150	150
151	151	HB 765 2023
152	152
153	153
154	154
155	155	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
156	156	hb0765-00
157	157	Page 5 of 9
158	158	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
159	159
160	160
161	161
162	162	(b)1. When reviewing an application for a building permit 101
163	163	pursuant to paragraph (a) , a local government may not request 102
164	164	any additional information from or impose any additional 103
165	165	requirements on an the applicant other than the information and 104
166	166	requirements posted on the local govern ment's website more than 105
167	167	three times, unless the applicant waives such limitation in 106
168	168	writing. 107
169	169	2. If a local government requests additional information 108
170	170	from an applicant and the applicant submits the requested 109
171	171	additional information to the local government within 30 days 110
172	172	after receiving the request, the local government must, within 111
173	173	15 days after receiving such information: 112
174	174	a. Determine if the application is properly completed; 113
175	175	b. Approve the application; 114
176	176	c. Approve the application with cond itions; 115
177	177	d. Deny the application; or 116
178	178	e. Advise the applicant of information, if any, that is 117
179	179	needed to deem the application properly completed or to 118
180	180	determine the sufficiency of the application. 119
181	181	3. If a local government makes a second request for 120
182	182	additional information from the applicant and the applicant 121
183	183	submits the requested additional information to the local 122
184	184	government within 30 days after receiving the request, the local 123
185	185	government must, within 10 days after receiving such 124
186	186	information: 125
187	187
188	188	HB 765 2023
189	189
190	190
191	191
192	192	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
193	193	hb0765-00
194	194	Page 6 of 9
195	195	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
196	196
197	197
198	198
199	199	a. Determine if the application is properly completed; 126
200	200	b. Approve the application; 127
201	201	c. Approve the application with conditions; 128
202	202	d. Deny the application; or 129
203	203	e. Advise the applicant of information, if any, that is 130
204	204	needed to deem the application properly co mpleted or to 131
205	205	determine the sufficiency of the application. 132
206	206	4. Before a third request for additional information may 133
207	207	be made, the applicant must be offered an opportunity to meet 134
208	208	with the local government to attempt to resolve outstanding 135
209	209	issues. If a local government makes a third request for 136
210	210	additional information from the applicant and the applicant 137
211	211	submits the requested additional information to the local 138
212	212	government within 30 days after receiving the request, the local 139
213	213	government must, within 10 days after receiving such information 140
214	214	unless the applicant waived the local government's limitation in 141
215	215	writing, determine that the application is complete and: 142
216	216	a. Approve the application; 143
217	217	b. Approve the application with conditions; or 144
218	218	c. Deny the applicat ion. 145
219	219	5. If the applicant believes a the request for additional 146
220	220	information is not authorized by ordinance, rule, statute, or 147
221	221	other legal authority, the local government, at the applicant's 148
222	222	request, must process the application and either approve or deny 149
223	223	the application, approve the application with conditions, or 150
224	224
225	225	HB 765 2023
226	226
227	227
228	228
229	229	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
230	230	hb0765-00
231	231	Page 7 of 9
232	232	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
233	233
234	234
235	235
236	236	deny the application . 151
237	237	(c) If a local government fails to meet a deadline 152
238	238	provided in paragraph paragraphs (a) and (b), it must reduce the 153
239	239	building permit fee by 25 10 percent for each business day that 154
240	240	it fails to meet the deadline. Each 25-percent 10-percent 155
241	241	reduction shall be based on the original amount of the building 156
242	242	permit fee, unless the parties agree to an extension of time. 157
243	243	(3)(2)(a) The application procedures set forth in 158
244	244	subsection (1) apply to the following building permit 159
245	245	applications: accessory structure; alarm permit; nonresidential 160
246	246	buildings less than 25,000 square feet; electric; irrigation 161
247	247	permit; landscaping; mechanical; plumbing; residential units 162
248	248	other than a single family unit; multifamily residential not 163
249	249	exceeding 50 units; roofing; signs; site -plan approvals and 164
250	250	subdivision plats not requiring public hearings or public 165
251	251	notice; and lot grading and site alteration associated with the 166
252	252	permit application set forth in this sub section. The procedures 167
253	253	set forth in subsection (1) do not apply to permits for a 168
254	254	single-family residential dwelling, which must be issued 169
255	255	pursuant to s. 553.79(16), or any wireless communications 170
256	256	facilities or when a law, agency rule, or local ordinance 171
257	257	specify different timeframes for review of local building permit 172
258	258	applications. 173
259	259	(b) If a local government has different timeframes than 174
260	260	the timeframes set forth in subsection (1) for reviewing 175
261	261
262	262	HB 765 2023
263	263
264	264
265	265
266	266	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
267	267	hb0765-00
268	268	Page 8 of 9
269	269	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
270	270
271	271
272	272
273	273	building permit applications described in paragraph (a), the 176
274	274	local government must meet the deadlines established by local 177
275	275	ordinance. If a local government does not meet an established 178
276	276	deadline to approve, approve with conditions, or deny an 179
277	277	application, it must reduce the building permit fee by 25 10 180
278	278	percent for each business day that it fails to meet the 181
279	279	deadline. Each 25-percent 10-percent reduction shall be based on 182
280	280	the original amount of the building permit fee, unless the 183
281	281	parties agree to an extension of time. This paragraph does not 184
282	282	apply to permits for any wire less communications facilities. 185
283	283	(4) This section shall be enforced pursuant to ss. 125.56 186
284	284	and 553.80. 187
285	285	(5)(3) If any building permit fees are refunded under this 188
286	286	section, the surcharges provided in s. 468.631 or s. 553.721 189
287	287	must be recalculated based on the amount of the building permit 190
288	288	fees after the refund. 191
289	289	(6) A local government that issues building permits may 192
290	290	charge an applicant only one search fee, in an amount 193
291	291	commensurate with the research and time costs incurred by the 194
292	292	local government, for ide ntifying building permits for each unit 195
293	293	or subunit assigned by the local government to a particular tax 196
294	294	parcel identification number. 197
295	295	Section 2. Paragraph (d) of subsection (4) of section 198
296	296	125.56, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 199
297	297	125.56 Enforcement and amendment of the Florida Building 200
298	298
299	299	HB 765 2023
300	300
301	301
302	302
303	303	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
304	304	hb0765-00
305	305	Page 9 of 9
306	306	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
307	307
308	308
309	309
310	310	Code and the Florida Fire Prevention Code; inspection fees; 201
311	311	inspectors; etc.— 202
312	312	(4) 203
313	313	(d) A county that issues building permits may send a 204
314	314	written notice of expiration, by e -mail or United States Postal 205
315	315	Service, to the owner of the property and the contractor listed 206
316	316	on the permit, no less than 60 30 days before a building permit 207
317	317	is set to expire. The written notice must identify the permit 208
318	318	that is set to expire and the date the permit will expire. 209
319	319	Section 3. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section 210
320	320	553.79, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 211
321	321	553.79 Permits; applications; issuance; inspections. — 212
322	322	(1) 213
323	323	(c) A local government that issues building permits may 214
324	324	send a written notice of expiration, by e -mail or United States 215
325	325	Postal Service, to the owner of the property and the contractor 216
326	326	listed on the permit, no less than 60 30 days before a building 217
327	327	permit is set to expire. The written notice must identify the 218
328	328	permit that is set to expire and the date the permit will 219
329	329	expire. 220
330	330	Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 221