Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Brevard County, Florida

Yes. Unincorporated Brevard County requires building permits for new construction, additions and major work¹. Florida law requires a permit from the local enforcing agency before anyone builds, alters, repairs or demolishes a building, unless state law provides otherwise¹². One exception matters to owners: work valued under $7,500 on an owner's single-family home can be exempted on a written request with documentation, but not in a flood hazard area and not for electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical or gas work¹². The Florida Building Code applies statewide without county adoption, and the edition in effect when a permit application is filed governs that work for the life of the permit¹³. A property owner may act as their own contractor, but an Owner/Builder must appear in person to file the application¹. A nonresidential farm building on land used for bona fide agricultural purposes may be exempt from building-code and county code or fee requirements, but the exemption does not cover a residence or floodplain-management rules¹⁴. Any development in an unincorporated Brevard floodplain requires a building permit¹⁵. Septic and well permits are separate approvals that stay with the Florida Department of Health in Brevard County^6,16.

Brevard County's Planning and Development Department handles building permits for unincorporated property from 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Viera, FL 32940¹. Call Building Permits at (321) 633-2187 or email building.licensing@brevardfl.gov¹. Planning and Zoning uses the same address and answers zoning questions at (321) 633-2070². Licensed contractors may apply online, track review comments, upload documents and schedule inspections; homeowners may use an account to schedule inspections but must file permit applications in person¹⁷. Owner/Builders should call about required forms and an appointment before filing¹. The county process described here applies to unincorporated Brevard County; for land inside a city, contact that city's permit office, because cities may run their own building permits¹.

Yes, throughout unincorporated Brevard County, where the Planning and Development Department classifies every parcel². Inside Cocoa, Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral, the city's own zoning code applies instead^3,4,5. Brevard County directs owners to its official Zoning Map to find a parcel's future land-use and zoning classifications². Minimum floor area, minimum lot size and setbacks depend on the parcel's residential zoning classification rather than one countywide number^18,19. County material lists a minimum living area of 1,300 square feet in SR, 900 square feet in RU-1-9, 1,100 square feet in RU-1-11, and 900 square feet in a PUD unless the county commission waives it^20,21,22. For example, the county material identifies a 2.5-acre minimum for one home in the cited North Merritt Island AU zoning example and a 1-acre minimum for RES 1 land use, but other classifications can differ¹⁸. We could not confirm one lot-coverage or building-height limit for every district; ask Planning and Zoning for the complete standards tied to the parcel². Confirm the parcel is outside city limits before relying on county standards; septic and well permits still come from the Florida Department of Health in Brevard County in either case^6,16.

The Florida Department of Health in Brevard County handles septic permitting and inspections, while the Florida Department of Environmental Protection enforces the statewide OSTDS rules⁶. A permit is required to install, replace, repair, modify or abandon an OSTDS, and the process includes a site evaluation²³. Operating permits are also required for aerobic treatment units, performance-based treatment systems, commercial septic systems, and systems on industrial- or manufacturing-zoned land or its equivalent⁶. For a single-family home, proof that the OSTDS application was submitted may accompany the building or plumbing application, but all septic requirements still apply²³. Call Environmental Health Services at 321-633-2100, or email Brevard.SepticApplication@FLHealth.gov to submit a construction application or schedule a construction or final inspection⁷.

A recreational vehicle cannot be used as a residence on property governed by Brevard County code enforcement¹⁰. An RV may be parked or stored at a developed single-family or multifamily residential property, but not on vacant property¹⁰. A Residential Tiny House on Wheels is different: Brevard County conditionally allows a permitted towable unit as a primary residential structure⁹. The tiny house must be towable by an approved hitch, cannot move under its own power, and must meet Florida road dimension and weight limits⁹. County review, plans, a plot plan, applicable septic approval, and licensed electrical and plumbing work are still required⁹. Confirm the parcel's zoning with Planning and Zoning before buying or placing the unit².

1. Confirm that the parcel is in unincorporated Brevard County, then use the official Zoning Map and ask Planning and Zoning to verify the intended use, minimum lot and floor area, and setbacks^2,18,19.
2. Ask Public Works whether a proposed driveway culvert or work in a county right-of-way or easement needs review²⁴.
3. If the home will use septic, obtain the site evaluation and apply to DOH-Brevard for the OSTDS permit^7,23.
4. If the property needs a well, have a Florida Licensed Water Well Contractor submit the permit application and fee through the applicable authority¹⁶.
5. Submit the project-specific building-permit documents; licensed contractors may apply online, while Owner/Builders must file in person¹⁷.
6. Budget for fees, which the county publishes only as estimates. A residential renovation permit carries a $25 application fee, a $10 unlicensed-contractor enforcement fee, and a building code review of $75 for the first $1,000 of job value plus $3.25 per additional $1,000, with state surcharges of 1.5% and 1% on top²⁵. Zoning review lists $36 for a residential building permit other than a fence²⁶.
7. Schedule the required project inspections and ask Building Permits which final occupancy approvals apply¹.

Start with wastewater, water, zoning, flood risk and access. Verify the parcel's zoning because minimum lot size and minimum floor area vary by residential classification¹⁸. The soil measure shows 0% of Brevard County soils without severe limits for a conventional septic drain field, so obtain the required site evaluation before assuming a conventional system will work^11,23. A Florida Licensed Water Well Contractor must submit the application and fee for a well; permitting authority depends on the well and whether the parcel lies in a delineated area¹⁶. Any development in an unincorporated floodplain requires a building permit, and improvements reaching 50% of a building's market value are treated as substantial improvements that must meet new-building standards¹⁵. Ask Public Works about driveway-culvert review and any work within a county right-of-way or easement²⁴. Dividing land into at least 3 lots requires a recorded subdivision plat²⁷.