Bolthole Index

Palm Beach County, Florida

Building permits, zoning and septic in Village of North Palm Beach, FL

Village of North Palm Beach, Florida requires issuance of a building permit before work that needs a building permit begins.1 The Village administers its own zoning, while septic permitting and inspections stay with the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County.23 Apply for Village building permits through the MGO Customer Portal.4

At a glance

Building permits
Village building permit must be issued before covered work begins1
Zoning
Village zoning code and map; requirements differ by district2
Septic permits
Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County3
Owner-builder
In-person affidavit and notarized signatures; licensed contractors required for multifamily housing5
Single-family lot size
R-1: at least 7,500 square feet and 75 feet wide at the building line6
Building height
R-1: maximum 2 stories and 30 feet, with specified measurement rules and exclusions7
Building permit fees
Job-value based; surcharges, reviews and impact fees may affect the total8

Who to call

Building permits

Village of North Palm Beach Building Division

Village building permit applications, inspections, building records and flood-zone information

561-841-3365, Option 1

[email protected]

701 U.S. Highway 1 Suite 100 North Palm Beach, FL 33408

Online permits →

Zoning

Village of North Palm Beach Community Development Department

Village zoning questions and zoning confirmation letter requests

561-841-3365

[email protected]

701 U.S. Highway, 1 Suite 100 North Palm Beach, FL 33408

Online permits →

Septic permits

Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County - Environmental Public Health

Septic-system plan review and permitting, septic and well approvals, and private-well location review

561-840-4500

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Village of North Palm Beach means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Village of North Palm Beach, FL?

For work requiring a building permit in Village of North Palm Beach, the permit must be issued before any work starts; beginning early carries penalties.1 Village building permit fees depend on the job’s contract value and fee schedule, with fire plan review, state surcharges, subcontractor count and impact fees potentially affecting the total.8 An owner-builder application requires an affidavit submitted in person and notarized signatures; multifamily work, including condominium work, requires licensed contractors.5

Who issues building permits in Village of North Palm Beach?

The Village of North Palm Beach Building Division is the contact for Village building permit applications and inspection questions.9 Village building permit applications must go through the MGO Customer Portal, and contractor registration must be completed before an application is submitted.4 Required plans, signatures, insurance, affidavits and other supporting documents accompany the application; inspections for MGO permits are scheduled through the portal.4 For an existing property, the Building Division links to Citizen Self-Serve for building permit and inspection history.9

Does Village of North Palm Beach have zoning and minimum lot sizes?

Village of North Palm Beach administers its own zoning code and map, with district regulations in Appendix C of the Village Code.2 In the R-1 single-family district, a lot or building site must contain at least 7,500 square feet and measure at least 75 feet wide at the building line.6 R-1 homes are limited to 2 stories and 30 feet, with height measured from average existing grade outside special flood hazard areas and required design flood elevation inside them.7 Ask Community Development for a zoning confirmation letter before sizing a proposed home to a particular parcel.10

How do septic permits work inside Village of North Palm Beach?

Septic permitting and inspection for property inside Village of North Palm Beach remain with the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, rather than the Village building office.3 The health department reviews septic-system, private-well and limited-use-well plans, and those plans must be approved before a building permit can be issued.11 Well drillers submit location plans to the health department before drilling.11 Coordinate the sanitation and water design with that office early, because the health approval comes before the building permit in the published review sequence.11

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Village of North Palm Beach?

Village of North Palm Beach prohibits lodging or camping on public property not authorized for that purpose and on private property without the owner’s permission.12 The private-property permission exception addresses unauthorized camping; it does not establish approval for residential RV use under the Village zoning code.12 We could not confirm residential RV, tiny-home or accessory-dwelling permission; ask Village Community Development about the proposed use and parcel.10 For R-2 multiple-family structures, a one-bedroom dwelling unit must have at least 750 square feet, plus 150 square feet for each additional bedroom; that provision is not a confirmed R-1 single-family minimum.13

Building a home in Village of North Palm Beach: what comes first?

  1. Ask Village Community Development to confirm the parcel’s zoning district and request a zoning confirmation letter before choosing a home layout.210
  2. Ask the Village Building Division for flood-zone information; an elevation certificate may be required for building permits in a Special Flood Hazard Area.9
  3. If proposing septic or a private well, obtain the health department’s plan approval before the building permit is issued.11
  4. Complete contractor registration and submit the building permit application and supporting documents through MGO, or satisfy the Village’s owner-builder requirements.45
  5. Wait for building permit issuance before starting work, then schedule MGO inspections through the portal.14

What should you check before buying in Village of North Palm Beach?

For a Village of North Palm Beach parcel, start with Village zoning and the Building Division’s flood-zone information rather than assuming county zoning governs the address.29 For land outside village limits, consult the Palm Beach County guide for the county’s unincorporated-area zoning framework.14 We could not confirm the Village’s public-water or sewer connection conditions, driveway-access rules or general certificate-of-occupancy requirements; ask Community Development which approvals apply to the proposed project.10 Where septic or wells are involved, the health department requires final approvals to be recorded before a certificate of occupancy is issued.11

Watch-outs

  • Owner-builder status does not waive the Village building permit process, and multifamily housing work requires licensed contractors.51
  • R-1 rooftops may not be used for pools, decks or congregation spaces.7
  • An elevation certificate may be required for Village building permits within a Special Flood Hazard Area; ask the Building Division for a flood-zone determination.9
  • The Village posts a July 2026 exemption process for certain small home improvement projects under $7,500; electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical and gas work still require a building permit regardless of value.9 Ask the Building Division whether the exemption request applies to your project.9

Sources

  1. North Palm Beach FAQs (Village of North Palm Beach), quoted and re-checked
  2. village-npb.org (Village of North Palm Beach), quoted and re-checked
  3. Wastewater Systems (Village of North Palm Beach), quoted and re-checked
  4. Building Division (Village of North Palm Beach), quoted and re-checked
  5. Permit Application Submittal Requirements (Village of North Palm Beach), quoted and re-checked
  6. Sec. 45-27. R-1 single-family dwelling district (Village of North Palm Beach), quoted and re-checked
  7. Sec. 45-27. R-1 single-family dwelling district (Village of North Palm Beach), quoted and re-checked
  8. North Palm Beach FAQs (Village of North Palm Beach), quoted and re-checked
  9. Village of North Palm Beach Building Division (village-npb.org)
  10. Village of North Palm Beach Community Development Department (village-npb.org)
  11. Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County - Environmental Public Health (palmbeach.floridahealth.gov)
  12. Sec. 19-11. Unauthorized lodging and camping (Village of North Palm Beach), quoted and re-checked
  13. Sec. 45-28. R-2 multiple-family dwelling district (Village of North Palm Beach), quoted and re-checked
  14. Planning, Zoning & Building - Zoning (2026 county census)

Written October 11, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Village of North Palm Beach

Village of North Palm Beach’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Building work inside North Palm Beach village when a building permit is required.

    • The building permit must be issued before any work is performed.
    • Penalties apply for work commenced before issuance.
    “The building permit must be issued prior to any work being performed.”
  • Owner-builder exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    Owner-builder permit applications inside North Palm Beach village where a licensed contractor is not used.

    • An Owner/Builder Affidavit must be submitted in person.
    • A list of materials and labor costs may be required.
    • Licensed contractors are required for work in multifamily housing, including condominiums.
    • Signatures must be notarized for all Owner/Builder Permit Applications.
    “Owner/Builder Affidavit must be submitted if a licensed contractor is not being used.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside North Palm Beach village; the Village publishes and administers its own zoning code and zoning map.

    • Zoning districts and district regulations are in Appendix C of the Village Code.
    “Village Code of Ordinances Village Zoning Map”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Multiple-family dwelling structures in the R-2 multiple-family dwelling district.

    • Each one-bedroom dwelling unit must have at least 750 square feet.
    • Each additional bedroom requires an additional 150 square feet.
    • The cited minimum applies to multiple-family dwelling structures, not necessarily R-1 single-family dwellings.

    minimum floor area for one-bedroom unit: >= 750 square feet · additional floor area per additional bedroom: per 150 square feet

    “minimum floor area of seven hundred fifty (750) square feet”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the R-1 single-family dwelling district.

    • The lot or building site must have the stated minimum area and width measured at the building line.

    minimum lot or building site area: >= 7500 square feet · minimum width at building line: >= 75 feet

    “seven thousand five hundred (7,500) square feet”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    R-2 dwelling structures having more than two dwelling units.

    • For structures having in excess of two dwelling units, the main building may not occupy more than 35 percent of the site area.

    maximum main-building site coverage: <= 35 percent (R-2 structures having in excess of two dwelling units)

    “more than thirty-five (35) percent of the site area.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the R-1 district.

    • Height is measured from average existing grade outside special flood hazard areas and from required design flood elevation inside special flood hazard areas.
    • Rooftops may not be used for pools, decks, or congregation spaces.
    • Decorative architectural elements and specified appurtenances are excluded.

    maximum stories: <= 2 stories · maximum height: <= 30 feet

    “limited to two (2) stories and thirty (30) feet in height.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Camping on your landProhibited

    Lodging or camping on public property not authorized for that purpose or on private property without the property owner's permission.

    • The prohibition applies for any length of time.
    • Authorized public camping is excepted.
    • Private-property camping with the property owner's permission is excepted.
    “It shall also be unlawful to lodge or camp for any length of time on any public property not authorized for this purpose”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Village building permits inside North Palm Beach village.

    • Fees are based on job value and the fee schedule.
    • Fire plan review fees, state surcharges, subcontractor count, and impact fees may affect the total.
    • The Village accepts checks or credit cards.
    “Permit fees are based on the value of the job (contract price)”
  • Permit processPublished

    Building permit applications and inspections inside North Palm Beach village.

    • Applications must be submitted online through MGO.
    • Contractor registration must be completed before permit application submittal.
    • Required plans, signatures, insurance, affidavits, and other documents must accompany applications.
    • Inspections for MGO permits are scheduled through the portal.
    “Building Permit Applications must be submitted online through the MGO Customer Portal.”

Rules another office applies inside Village of North Palm Beach

Village of North Palm Beach does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

    Onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems serving property inside North Palm Beach village.

    • Effective July 1, 2021, DEP is responsible for implementing applicable Florida statutes and regulations.
    • Palm Beach County health department offices continue septic permitting and inspection.
    • The Village is not identified as the septic permitting authority.
    “the county health department offices will continue to do the permitting and inspection for septic tanks”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of North Palm Beach or Palm Beach County directly.

  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate-of-occupancy requirements for land inside North Palm Beach village.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside North Palm Beach village.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside North Palm Beach village.
  • Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation inside North Palm Beach village.
  • Mandatory utility hookup — Whether a new home inside North Palm Beach village must connect to public water or sewer when available.
3 more unanswered
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Village of North Palm Beach publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Palm Beach County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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